“You’ve heard that it was said,” you liked to start,
     reciting worn traditions to the letter—
and then you’d take our ways of life apart
     and reconstruct them into something better.
 
Great Carpenter, whose work is always good
     (yes, even when you’re pulling off the planks
and prying world-warped nails out of wood),
     come renovate our hearts: help us give thanks
 
for walls torn down and hidden rot revealed,
     for questions raised and answers razed to dust,
for every “But I say to you…” that heals
     and edifies your people. Help us trust
 
your hammer’s claw and not only its face—
these temple tables overturned as grace.