Wait till you do any damage on land.
Or at sea, or to the trees.
Time is running out like fine blown sand.
We have not paid our environment‘s fees.

We do not need the angels whose duty .
Is to devastate land and sea .
We ourselves destroy timeless beauty .
When we ourselves forget land and sea.

We cut down forests with abandon.
We burn warming coal without thought .
The earth in glory we hold to ransom.
We put all responsible care to naught.

So what of all the Saints who have gone before.
Gould we not listen more to their warning lore.

………

The trees are dying
The oceans are drying
Do we care or not

………..

See Apocalypse 7: 2-4, 9-14

 
Jews are loved for the sake of their ancestors .
God never revokes his choice or gift.
He does this against all protesters.
Healing as he does so all old rift.

God has not rejected his people .
Chosen specially long ago.
They are like a beacon, a steeple.
His love for them will grow and grow.

Let us love them too with all our heart.
Recognising their great contribution.
Their journey is only at its start.
Like all they will receive absolution.

One day all peoples will be truly one.
And then our human race will have won.

………..

Let us all be one
Races can be together
Surely that is right

………..

See Romans 11: 1-2, 11-12, 25-29

What I want to say now is no pretence.
I say it in union with Christ, the truth.
I feel it with every intense sense.
I say now with age after passing of youth.

I am watching John Denver’s wind song.
In a video from Christian  art for Cop 26.
I just can’t believe all this really is wrong.
We should wake up before crossing the Styx .

We can pray for this world’s prospect.
That we put in what we take out.
That we always calmly recollect.
Of this there can be truly no doubt.

So let’s take this all seriously.
Or we may end up perilously .

……….

The world is lovely
It is only in our charge
Shall we care for it

……….

See Romans 9: 1-5

You are no longer alien visitors .
You are citizens like all the Saints .
We don’t need to be caged prisoners .
Full of wearisome never ending complaints .

If we are apostles and disciples.
We are secure in his household.
We are not time expired fossils.
As we meet the world we can be bold.

At mass today I was lost for words to pray.
Then the light poured in behind the altar .
Powerful indeed was the Sun’s ray .
Wordless prayer did not now falter .

Inspiration comes in different ways.
Warmed by countless friendly rays.

………..

So how can we pray
It is anyway you like
By word or wordless

………..

See Ephesians 2: 19-22

 
When we cannot use words to pray properly.
The spirit himself expresses our plea.
This help is for us truly fatherly .
It is for him , her , them , you and me .

Our prayer need not be in lengthy words.
It can stay hidden deep in our mind.
It has no body yet flies like the birds.
It need never falter , is always kind .

In turning to good we are justified.
But were we actually called long ago.
So is it our present that is the guide.
Is it where we’ve been or where we are to go.

But for certain it is all about love .
And without doubt comes from above.

………..

Are prayers in words
Or do they come from within
Perhaps it is both

……..

See Ephesians 2: 19-22

 
What shall I compare the kingdom with.
It is like yeast with flour leavened through .
This teaching is truly beyond all myth.
With his holy yeast our faith grew and grew .

We started with a tiny mustard seed.
Finally birds sheltered in its huge branches.
On this holy bread we can feed and feed .
He is the seed , we are the verdant branches .

We may have to be ground with millstones.
The tough process is hard and lifelong.
It can be as painful as kidney stones.
Oh , we cry all this takes far too long.

But with perseverance and laughter.
We can with great joy sing to the rafter.

…………

What is the Kingdom
It is yeast that leavens through
Fulfilling our lives

…………..

See Luke 13: 18-21

Brothers , There is no necessity .
To obey Our unspiritual selves .
What then is our real necessity .
What is it, Ourselves or themselves .

Everyone moved by the spirit.
Is a son of God , not a spirit of slaves
But your own son’s holy spirit .
There is no need for fear of waves.

The spirit himself and our spirit.
Bear united witness as God’s children.
We are with him truly in spirit .
And all this for our grandchildren.

Sharing all his dreadful suffering .
And his glory and life’s buffering

….,,,…

Where find our spirit
Is it only in ourselves
Or outside our selves

….,,,,,,,

See Romans 8: 12-17

I will guide them to streams of water.
By a smooth path where they will not stumble.
Some times our ambitious hopes will stutter.
But our flying hopes must be humble.

Our religious life is on a highway.
It is of his not of our making.
When we start we do not know it’s end day.
Or what direction it is taking.

But like Israel we will be gathered.
The bind and the lame , a great company.
We may be bruised and we may be battered.
And we do not know who we will accompany.

But if we are strong like aluminium.
We will surely reach our Jerusalem.

——-++++++——-

We follow our stream
It wends its own winding way
But for us it’s right

———+++++——-

See Jeremiah 31:7-9

God has done what the law, because of our unspiritual nature
Was unable to do .
We are a strange sort of creature.

I’m not sure we really have a clue.

The unspiritual are interested only in what is unspiritual.
But the spiritual are interested in spiritual things.
Is everything just some kind of ritual.
Or is our spirit lifted up to God on wings.

I think I’m convinced by everything in religion down all its many lanes .
The readings , the teaching , the liturgy , music and insense.
Only one thing remains.
An absolute belief in God’s existence.

How I wish it would come to me in a vision.
For the time being I’ll just have to stick with religion.

………..

I believe in God?
I do trust religion
But is that enough

……….

See Romans 8: 1-11

I know of nothing good living in me
Living that is in my unspiritual self.
Honesty here is the key .
It’s up to you , you can’t get it off the shelf.

Every single time I want to do good.
It is something evil that comes comes to hand.
Perhaps I should ask myself if I should as well as could .
But good intentions dribble into the sand.

Maybe we should not worry too much.
We are not doing that bad.
Nothing comes easy to the touch.
So let’s not be too sad.

Keep trying.
And stop sighing.

………

Good intentions
Despite every effort
Soon just fade away

………..

See Romans 7: 18-25

Ignem Veni Mitteri in Terram.

I have come to bring fire to the earth.
They came to slaughter the lamb.
What then is our pride worth.

Have a look at Alberto’s work.
The martyr’s painting in the English College.
Here we see St Edmund put death by dirk.
Such courage we can only acknowledge.

When a martyr was announced.
The students sang below the picture.
Thus their voice was never silenced.
Their loyalty was to scripture.

So will we too set the world alight.
Or of our true destiny will we lose sight.

———-

Set the world alight
That is our true destiny
Just have the courage

———

See Luke 12: 49-53

You should make every part of your body .
As a weapon fighting for God.
What does all this embody.
As on and on we plod.

Sin will no longer dominate your life.
Since you are living by grace and not by law.
Cynicism is rife.
None of us are without flaw.

You cannot be slaves of sin.
And at the same time slaves of obedience.
But we still  attempt to grin.
And put it all down to experience.

Saint Paul got it right.
But the race to his finish will be tight.

………

Are we slaves to sin
Or slaves to obedience
That then is our choice

……..,,,

See Romans 6:12-18

Christ will cause everyone to reign in life.
Who receives the free gift that he does not deserve.
Despair and unbelief are rife.
God from fear,us preserve.

We were at St Margaret’s
Our fallen colleague ,mourning.
We could have no regrets.
At a life well spent for others working.

The antiphon rang out.
The psalms were glorious.
Here was no doubt
He was victorious.

Thus we can only surmise.
Into life he will arise

———-+++++———

Celebrate his life
He is gone for now that’s true
But he will return

———-++++++——

See Romans 5:12,15,17-21

How beautiful on the mountains .
Are the feet of him who brings peace.
Here indeed are flowing fountains.
Our life will receive a new lease.

We are mourning our friend
With tribute and prayer.
We pray he will ascend.
We determine to dare.

Violence will not win.
Hate will have its day.
kindness and hope are twin.
Our fears to lay.

So perhaps his passing will be our gain.
If our differences are not our bane.

………

Kindness is the key.
Respect despite difference
That is surely key

……….,

See Entrance Antiphon

The Lord had been pleased to crush his servant with suffering.
If he offers his life in atonement.
How will it be our passing .
Have we taken all our life or lent.

I am thinking of my friend and colleague.
Cruelly taken from his brothers .
With service , he was always in league.
Always caring for others.

Not for him the lure of high office.
Or ambition.
Only public service .
A true rendition.

Now his life is given.
And our hearts are riven.

…….

Will they say of us
We gave our life in service
Or we thought of us

……,

See Isaiah 53: 10-11

 
When they take you before magistrates and authorities.
Do not worry about how to defend yourselves .
What then are our priorities.
Can we take pride in ourselves.

Virtually all people conform to government decree.
My family certainly did after our first martyr.
But the Stonors remained true, paying week after week their fee.
I wish I could have that sort of courage for a starter.

I am at their house in Oxfordshire.
Pausing in the room where Edmund Campion stayed.
His heart with love afire.
Soon to be cruelly arraigned.

But now by this gentle Chiltern hill.
All is peace tranquil and still.

……..

Where does courage lie
Is it in conformity
Or in seeking truth

……..

See Luke 12: 8-12

When a man has nothing to show except faith in the one who justifies sinners.
Then his faith is considered as justifying him.
How then do we all become winners.
Is all our future based on fates’ whim.

We can by our own efforts do better.
But can we have faith just by trying.
Do we have to be part of the select fitter.
Or can we obtain redemption by doing.

St Teresa had faith in spades.
But that was not enough.
Her whole life a struggle , braving spiritual cascades.
Often travelling far and rough.

So I think we have to do both.
Have faith and not too much sloth.

…….

For redemption
Is it just faith or good works
I suspect it’s both

……..

See Romans 4: 1-8

Man is justified by faith .
And not by doing something the law tells him to do .
What then if we have insufficient faith.
What then are we to do .

I am in Athens studying the ancient Gods.
Immortal yet with so many human faults.
Perhaps in their frailty they had a point , these Gods.
Because we like them have so many faults.

So I can’t justify myself by the little good I do.
Nor by my questioning faith
So what am I to do.
Perhaps try harder with what I do and with my faith.

I had better just keep muddling on my way .
It’s not a lot but what more can I say .

……..

Justified by faith
Or just by the deeds we do
What if then neither

…………

See Romans 3: 21-30

Pain and suffering will come to every human being
Jews and Greeks aswell.
To the Agora in Athens walking.
All seemed well.

In the footsteps of Socrates and Plato.
The warm October sun shining .
Enough to make you crow
And then my passport went missing.

Philosophical thoughts abandoned.
Desperate searches of the orthodox churches I had visited.
Prayers not granted.
Flight cancelled , marooned, Everybody uninterested .

If disaster strikes, so much for theosophy.
Forget philosophy .

……..

When disaster strikes
We forget prayers
And just scream loudly

……….

His everlasting power and deity, however invisible .
Have been there to see in the things he has made .
For those who try everything is visible .
Every single one of our actions is already weighed.

For those without religion the concern is just with themselves and others , for better or worse.
For the religious there is a third component.
If God exists he has made the whole universe .
Our eyes are lifted to what he has made and sent .

We look at the countless stars .
Did he create all of this .
We are never alone, even if we ever reach Mars.
It is all around us, bliss.

Does anything much in our land.
When it is the merest grain of sand .

…………

Does anything count
When it is a grain of sand
In the Universe

To you you then who are God’s beloved in Rome.
Called to be Saints .
We maybe far from home .
But pray we can be freed of complaints.

The walk to the Mountain Monastery on Hydra of St Elias was long.
Five hours up and down in the heat.
This was no song .
But I wanted a prayer meet .

At the top the immediate prayer was not granted
But it was at the bottom .
As for the big prayer the answer is still awaited.
I’ll have to wait till another autumn.

The only answer I think I can say .
Is pray , pray then again pray.

……..

Every day pray
Then pray again and again
And keep doing so

….

See Romans 1: 1-7

I entreated and the spirit of wisdom came to me.
I esteemed her more than sceptre and throne.
Pray that I may truly see.
That I may know I am not alone.

I was dreaming that my candidate had won the race , I was no longer on the shelf .
I expected some job at least .
Then he just offered me a portrait of himself .
Where was the power yeast .

Then some important person paid tribute to me .
But I realised I was dead .
They were just lighting a candle to me .
All ambition was as heavy as lead.

So take prizes with a pinch of salt
Realise that all is in default.

……..

Where then is wisdom
It is not in this world alone
It is somewhere else

…….

Wisdom 7: 7-11

We may be led out of shadows and images.
Into the fullness of your truth.
Preserve us from rages .
Even after our long passed youth.

We always think we should have done better.
But we should view life like poo sticks thrown really slow.
They can be whisked away ever faster.
Or They get stuck in the eddies flow.

Once thrown our decision is taken.
Our chances sail their own way .
Why regret what cannot be changed to forsaken.
Long before we go grey.

We spend half our life fearing the future or regretting the past .
But the stick has been thrown , all that is in the past.

………

The sticks babe been thrown
It is too late now to change
That is in the past

….,,,,,,

See Collect of the day

Pardon what conscience dreads.
And give what prayer does not dare to ask.
Regret weighs me down with heavy leads.
Yet to this cynical world I wear a mask.

We always focus on the glass unfilled
Not that it is three quarters full.
We just see the last field still untitled.
We wallow in hope’s lull .

health ,career and relationships.
Nothing is quite right .
We are focused not on ahead but amidships.
We keep our own, not others’ misfortunes in sight.

But there is not something three quarters full in our health today
And that is total , it is death , live for today.

……..

Regrets fill our days
Whatever is not quite right
But death is much worse

……..

See Collect of the day

The one who searches.
Always finds.
Oh, the interminable researches.