Wheat and Grapes

Wheat and Grapes

by Michael Espinoza



A grain of wheat did fall upon the ground,
From whence it shot into the air, and lo!
A bounteous stalk the farmer shortly found
As busied he to reap what he did sow.

A grape seed fell upon the ground besides,
From whence a goodly vine did burst anew.
Great bunches of new fruit upon all sides;
The vinekeeper delighted in what grew.

The wheat was picked and shucked and ground to flour;
Then mixed with water into batter plain;
Then baked in oven hot, and on the hour
A loaf came out--a loaf from finest grain.

The grapes were picked and crushed, releasing juice
Into a cup constructed for this aim;
O'er time, this liquid which the grapes did loose
Fermented, so that alcohol now came.

Through goodness of the Lord the earth produced
What human hands took, for his bread to make,
And vine grew fruit which human hands had juiced
To ferment into wine, for God's own sake.

*****

Within the city of Jerusalem,
A man with water jug did meet two men;
When they requested lodgings, he showed them
The furnishings within his upper den.

And so the men, their ten companions and
Their Master went to sup in upper room;
And with His Twelve disciples near at hand,
The Master chose to tell them of His doom.

On that Passover night Last Supper came:
"This is My Body," spoke He o'er the bread.
"This is My Blood," o'er wine He spoke the same,
For final warning that He'd soon be dead.

Thus His New Covenant He instituted
In liquid in the Chalice: Blood from wine.
To shed His Blood for them and many suited
Our Lord, for sins' forgiveness, mine and thine.

And Jesus gave command to re-present
This Sacrifice in memory of Him:
This Mass, in which His holy Blood was spent
Good Friday afternoon, so dark and grim.

*****

They say Arimathea housed a man
Named Joseph, who in secret due to fear,
Was Christian since Christ's Ministry began,
But in Christ's death the man now held Him dear.

For Jesus Christ was now condemned to death,
Was nailed to Cross--from noon to three His post,
Until He offered in His dying breath
Unto His Heavenly Father His own ghost.

Before the legs of Jesus could be broken,
A Roman man took Spear of Destiny,
And pierced His side--from whence His flesh was broken
Sprayed Blood and water, that the man might see.

And from His side did Joseph catch the flood
Into the Chalice used the previous night;
The vessel first containing holy Blood,
For other vessel none was just or right.

From thence, they say, did Joseph travel to
The isle of Britain, founding line of kings--
The Fisher Kings, a royal family new,
To guard this Holy Grail till end all things.

*****

And to this day the Pope, the Bishops and
The presbyters within His Church still do
As Jesus to Apostles gave command,
To re-present His Sacrifice anew.

For this did God make man in image His;
For this did God become Man in His Son;
Why eat His flesh and drink His Blood?  It is,
Retaining our own selves, to be as one.

And so it was in Middle Ages Britain
That Percival, or Galahad, some say,
Towards end of Arthur's reign was duly smitten
To find the Grail in that fair bygone day.

And so the knight too holy for this earth
Did find the Grail and heal the Fisher King,
Thus proving his extraordinary worth
Above all knights, to do this holy thing.

And all of this began with grain of wheat,
And seed of grape, both planted in the earth,
Becoming wine to drink and bread to eat--
Foreshadowing a new and holy birth.