¶Happy the man who remains firm when trials come.
He has proved himself and will win the trial of life.
He will not be overcome.
As he tries  to avoid strife.

After a long night I thought about Christianity.

I knew it was right , that it gives us eternal hope.
After the usual trail of negativity.
I felt a great release and happiness on an upward slope.

I pondered , death is just the final healing.
There is really nothing to worry about.
It is a sort of happy final sealing.
A gentle whisper rather than a loud shout.

The usual long awaited dawn came.
But something would never be the same.

……

Happy the firm man
Who proves himself when trials come
He will win life’s trials

…..

See James 1: 12-18

My brothers , you will always have your trials.
But when they come try and treat them as a happy privilege.
As we tread along life’s long tiring miles.
Searching for God’s  distant elusive image.

Bereavement sadness is the first to surface.
In the middle of the night when we wake.
It is a sort of catharsis.
But it keeps one sad and awake.

But if you try to pray.
The mind can move forward.
And somehow one emerges from the fray.
Heading benignly shoreward.

Let me just live for this day.
Accepting that tomorrow is a new more hopeful day.

…..

We always have trials
They are just a privilege
Something to live with

…….

See James 1 : 1-11

If you want to cure me you can.
Of course I want to, be cured.
Would we ask the same question of this man.
Is our faith truly assured.

These beautiful words of Jesus.
He will cure us if only we ask.
And he will free us.
If we stick to the task.

Mind you say nothing to anyone.
But go now and show yourself to the priest.
Do we have confidence to speak to everyone.
As we all approach our heavenly feast.

We can be cured.
That is assured.

…….

If you want to cure
Me you can, of course I want
to, be cured, he said

…….

See Mark 1: 40-45

If I send them home away hungry.
They will collapse on the way.
We too starve spiritually as we search for the other country.
We do not know what to say or do.

They ate  as much as much as they wanted.
And they collected seven basketfuls of the scraps left over.
We carry on , nothing daunted.
Making our way to
Our own Passover.

He sent them away immediately.
And getting into a boat he went to Dalmanutha.
Thus we pass obediently.
As we search every parameter.

There will for us be enough bread.
Whatever is said.

……..

He gave them bread and  fish
As much , more as they wanted
It’s the same for us

……

See Mark 8: 1-10

Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears.
Then looking up to heaven he sighed and said ,be opened.
We live and we shed our tears.
Grief reopened.

Bereavement is not a closed wall.
It is a shut door with a window.
Some fitful light shines through and into the hall.
But eventually that door will open , we feel less low.

Thus time passes.
And heals.
Sadness retreats into the mind’s recesses.
Pain seals.

We may start to lose our hearing.
But we all the more will start seeing.

…….

Bereavement  is now
Like a door with a window
And some fitful light

…….

See Mark 7 : 31-37

 
Is life on earth nothing more than pressed service.
His time no better than hired drudgery.
We never seem to scratch below life’s brittle surface.
Seeking but being denied sight of celestial imagery.

The Priest at mass mentioned bereavement.
He said often the best thing is silence and prayer.
We pray for some kind of discernment.
Exploring solace layer by gentle layer.

Months of delusion , Job said,  I have assigned to me.
Nothing for my own but nights of grief.
From doubt and despair will ever we be free.
Oh God, we ask ourselves when will we find relief.

Like Job during the long night we wander in wilderness.
Praying yet often meeting  a great silence.

…….

We are just like Job
We wonder if we’re alone
And pray that we’re not

……..

See Job 7 : 1-4, 6-7

Now, Master, let your servant go in peace.
Because mine eyes have seen the salvation.
We search, sometimes discouraged without cease.
Seeking our final resting  station.

We went  up to be blessed.
Receiving the holy oil.
Perhaps seeking some mind’s rest.
From our turmoil.

My soul was sad .
The priest’s words were soothing.
Perhaps all was not after all so bad.
Eventually things would  start improving.

We lit our candlemass light.
And searched for a greater light.

……

Let us go in peace
Our eyes have seen salvation
And too a new light

…….

See Luke 2: 22-40

His teaching made a deep impression.
Because unlike them he spoke with authority.
We always need to ask the difficult question.
Is our soul really our priority.

St Thomas Aquinas realised that as he neared the final shore.
That all his writings seemed like straw.
And he wrote no more .
Thus a great truth he finally saw.

It is not cleaver writings that count.
Nor profound theology or poetry.
It is faith that is truth’s ever flowing fount.
And that in all its infinity solely.

It is just thought that leads to calmness.
That overcomes all aloneness.

…….

Thus all his writings
Just seemed like so much mere straw
And thus too all ours

………

See Mark 1: 21-28

David pleaded for the child.
He spent the night on the bare ground covered with sacking.
In this life we feel exiled.
At the end so much seems lacking.

When all seemed forlorn.
I looked at the churches crucifix.
And then new hope was born.
There was no despair if no quick fix.

So I left the church’s door
Feeling a little better.
No longer sad to the core
No longer without any answer

Ready to start anew.
With a new view.

…..

When all seemed forlorn
I looked at the crucifix
And I felt better

…….

See 2 Samuel 12

Using many parables.
He spoke the word so far as they were capable of understanding.
Yet they asked for miracles.
And like them we’re waiting for the King.

I was praying for life last week.
And didn’t get an answer.
All I could do was in vain to seek.
The worst had come, what was to be was to occur.

And then tonight I prayed again.
And I seemed to see a great light.
There was new life, prayer was not in vain.
It had not been in vain the fight.

And so out of seeming disaster.
We can have faith in the thereafter.

……..

A fruitless prayer
But that was only last week
Now I had answers

………

See Mark 4 : 26-34

I was nearly at Damascus.
When a bright light shone about me.
Perhaps this message is for us.
So that we might the better see.

Sad,  I entered the church and read this message.
If you are suffering ask for strength.
Words that are difficult but sage.
Helping us in hope , to go to any length.

And this too, if you are happy give thanks.
And ask that you remain so.
We are up and down held in endless ranks.
High or low.

But I left that church a little fortified.
That hope for the future has not died.

…..,.

A Damascus light
Anytime May shine on us
We just have to hope

…….

See Acts 22: 3-16

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Your mother and your sisters are outside.
He replied who are my bothers and sisters.
Perhaps we should start with the view that all are onside.
That there are as many good people as beautiful vistas.

Anyone who does the will of God.
That person is my brother and sister.
We should all surely be awed.
As we look on our own vista.

I was watching a program about older people in love .
They seemed to be so happy in each others company.
Maybe too we can  fly like  a dove.
We can all be somebody .

Love achieves so much
We know so little and not really much.

……

Who are my brothers
Are they not everybody
Part of one body

……..

See Mark 3 : 31-35

If a kingdom is divided against itself.
It cannot stand.
Perhaps we should think less of self
More of the common good at hand.

All men’s’ sins will be forgiven.
And all their blasphemies.
So perhaps there is hope we will be striven.
Despite all our infamies.

But we need to stand together.
However much we disagree.
Our differences are merely a floating feather.
Cast upon a turbulent sea.

One day we will see all this.
But only when at death we receive the Lord’s kiss.

…….

Kingdoms divided
Will certainly fall apart
So we must take care

…….

See Mark 3 : 22-30