And the people stood by watching, but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!” – Luke 23:35
I sometimes ache for your pain, O Savior,
tortured there upon the cross,
and I, without the mocking, echo those
cruel words of long ago, and urge you, “Save yourself!”
But when I do, you hold me close
with misted eyes. My lips go silent, as
I strain to hear your soft reply:
“Instead, I will save you.”
A poem/prayer based on Luke 23:33-43, the Revised Common Lectionary Gospel Reading for Year C, Reign of Christ, Proper 29 (34).
The image is Crucifixion with Darkened Sun by Egon Schiele (1907) – Unknown source, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5105294.
ordainedgeek 
This isn’t a text to “like” and merging this text with the US thanksgiving holiday is strange, but perhaps the twist you lift up … not saving himself but us invokes the deepest thanks of all.
It’s always a strain to me when these two observances fall together. I can’t help being thankful for the timeliness of a reminder of what Jesus thought authority was for.