Opening the Gospel of Mark

Astonished, see this man who comes so free.
No fetters bind, no chains can hold him back.
He roars across the land and Herod's pack,
Confounded in their own hypocrisy,
Are driven with hyena Pharisee
Into bewilderment. These shepherds lack
The courage and the spirit to attack
A Lion’s liberating ministry.
His coming dooms their wretched tyranny,
And now their rigid discipline is slack;
Resorting without hope to whip and rack
They cannot keep the Cat from walking free.
For Jesus will be judge of all the earth,
And by his joy he calculates our worth.