His sceptre of power rests upon his shoulder.
And his name will be called messenger of great counsel.
Our sight is obscured behind our ego’s  great boulder .
We know but we cannot in all honesty tell.

I was thinking of Anna the Temple prophetess.
84 years old she served God night and day with prayer.
With age we can grow jaded , everything seemingly profitless.
Disappointment lies on us like a crust , layer by layer.

But Anna was not cynical , hopeless or bitter .
A poor widow she placed all her trust in God .
Would I not be happy in my old age in the Temple and fitter.
Can  we not remain happy however flawed.

Let me be more like Anna calmly waiting.
Death will come easily after such praying .

……..

Are we like Anna
In old age keeping hopeful
With no resentment

……..

See Entrance Antiphon of todays mass

 
Nothing the world has to offer.
Remains for ever .
Not accepted of course by the scoffer.
But true for every endeavour .

In my dream I came to my death and passing .
But then I had this feeling of transcendent joy .
A great light seemed to be looming.
I had not felt such vigour since being a boy.

But in the next dream I had a chance to save someone.
I chose the youngest ,cleverest and best looking.
I realised immediately the wrong I had done.
I should have chosen the weakest not walking.

At death a great light comes for the weakest .
And not necessarily for the strongest.

……

My hope was kindled
By the dream’s light at passing.
It’s for all people

…….

See 1 John 2: 12-17

In the presence of kings I will declare your will.
For your commands have been my delight.
We only know ourselves when we are asleep, still .
When we realise truth does not lie in might.

Who is greater the one at table or the one who serves.
Yet here I am among you as the one who serves.
We like to think the mighty gets what he deserves.
That we the lowly have greater reserves.

But in truth we are two persons .
One intent on reaching ever higher.
Selfish , angry and everything worsens.
Or content , humble , a kind of lay friar.

Do we have the courage to stand apart from the herd.
Will we ever, at any cost, have our true  voice heard.

……..

Where truly are we
Is it when we are awake
Or when in deep sleep

……..

See Entrance Antiphon of Today’s Mass and Luke 22: 24-30

God is light , there is no darkness in him at all.
If we live our lives in the light, we are in union one with another.
Can we resist this demanding call.
Can we treat all as our blood brother.

Herod had all the male children killed.
Who were two years old or under.
His sheer cruelty chilled .
All mercy cast asunder.

But in our society how do we treat our innocents.
Do we nurture all life however feeble.
Do we value above all, innocence.
Do we treat all as worthy people.

No life is expendable.
All life is valuable .

…….

We condemn Herod
But are we now innocent
How do we treat them

…….

See 1 John 1 and Matthew 2 : 13-18

 
Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first.
Also went in , he saw and believed.
Have we yet quenched our spiritual thirst.
Have we yet the truth received.

At the start of the Gospel my mind wandered .
There wasn’t much witness of the Resurrection.
Then at the end I actually listened and believed .
Thus our mind wanders in and out of inspiration.

It has taken only two days From the wood of the crib.
To the wood of the cross.
I  would but cannot fib.
My belief is often covered in moss .

St John Only stayed to the end.
Will we also stay true to our end .

…….

Belief comes and goes
Will we be true to the end
Or just run away

……..

See John 20:2-8

 
Graciously grant that we may imitate them.
In practising the virtues of family life and the bonds of charity.
Boxing Day comes and less family life is the theme.
And why not less jocularity and a bit of insularity.

I was dreaming how I could rid myself of bodily ills.
And what delight was it to float free of it for a while.
Wouldn’t it be nice to rid myself of all the bills.
Do you know, death might not after all be such a trial.

Did you not know that I must be busy about my father’s affairs.
But they did not understand what he meant.
We know that he was distancing himself from life’s cares.
One day to we will emerge into light from this earthly tent .

One day we will break truly free .
We will not be the past we will just be.

…..

We love family
Sometimes we must be alone
That is the balance

See 1 Samuel 1: 20-22, 24-28
and Luke 2: 41- 52

How beautiful on the mountains.
Are the feet of one who brings good news.
Joy comes flowing in fountains.
We know what life to choose.

I was reading of the conjoined twins in India getting a job, on a mission.
What courage, what an example to us with some petty worry.
Our hearts can only fill with compassion.
We shed a tear, what a heart warming story.

Take hope from the smallest thing.
Those that are tiny , helpless.
Think what joy they bring.
They are the greater, we the less.

No doubt the stable was draughty, the straw was itchy .
But what divine light giving redemption from someone so titchy.

…….

Some are so helpless.
Their courage shows up worries
Try to look outwards

……..

See Isaiah 52: 7-10

 
Come quickly, we pray, Lord Jesus.
And do not delay.
We know you have come only for us.
We cannot keep our impatience at bay.

That those who trust in your compassion.
May find solace and relief in your coming.
Now there is joy though there will be passion.
To save us there must be a reckoning.

I was questioning how you could create a hundred billion galaxies.
But then I remembered the joy of the mass.
Just live for this moment , forget fantasies.
We only see through a dark glass.

Just accept joy.
It is pure alloy .

………

Who made Universe
Is it God or pure science
I will never know.

……….

See Entrance Antiphon of Today’s Mass

I am going to send a messenger.
To prepare a away before me .
It has taken so long for me to register.
The truth to understand and see.

I was listening at Mass to the Magnificat.
For just a moment it all seemed so true .
It was as if I was bound by fiat.
But of course the feelings went in a minute or two.

But then I woke in the night and asked myself.
How would my life change if I was sure this was all gospel.
Surely all worry could be left on a high shelf.
All that would matter would be The Gospel.

Next morning I determined to act like the saints.
With five minutes I was back to the usual complaints.

…….

I heard and believed
I waited and then doubted
Cycle continues

……..

See Malachi 3:1-4.

 
This is the child I prayed for.
Now I make him over to the Lord for his whole life.
We are his property , there lies the open door.
We have only to lose our own strife.

My soul proclaims the greatness of of the Lord.
And my spirit exults in God my saviour.
We can only magnify our life to him and cut life’s cord.
That is then is the test of all our behaviour .

So we are his mere property.
There is only one thing to magnify.
Herein lies true liberty.
We no longer have to ask why.

If only we could be more like Mary.
Life and the future would be a lot less scary .

……..

The Magnificat
Is then for everyone
Now and for always

…..

See 1 Samuel 1: 24-28 and Luke 1: 46-56

 
My love is like a gazelle.
Like a young stag.
Is belief emotional or rational.
Bewildered we zig and we zag.

My beloved lifts up his voice.
He says to me ,come my lovely,come.
Belief is not just a thinking choice.
It is a distant insistent drum.

Come then my love.
My lovely one come.
Hiding in the clefts of the rock , my dove.
This call from God, a nearby insistent hum.

In my dream I asked if faith is instinct or reason’s treasure trove .
But really it is just passionate love.

…………

Is God proved by faith
Or is reason the sure key
I think it is both

……..

See The Song of Songs 2:8-14

 
The Lord spoke to Ahaz and said.
Ask the Lord your God for a sign for yourself.
We too for life need spiritual bread.
To take us out of the demanding ourself

The Lord himself therefore will give you a sign.
The maiden will give birth to a son whom she shall call Immanuel.
We  all will have at last  to cross eternity’s line.
We fear out there and even now there is a  waiting hell.

You are to conceive and bear a son.
And you must name him Jesus.
The final word is given , all is done .
There is a saviour , he comes for us.

He was foretold by testament many times.
All is complete , let us ring out the chymes .

……..

Many times foretold
Jesus the last messenger
Now no more to say

……..,

See Isaiah 7: 10-14and Luke 1: 26-38

 
Drop down dew from above you heavens.
And let the clouds rain down the just one .
No need for faith to be at sixes and sevens .
He is coming  in his own time the mighty one.

Who lives and reigns with you in the Holy Spirit.
God for ever and ever .
We who are without due merit.
Will continue with our endeavour .

The Lord is going to abandon them.
Until she is to give birth gives birth.
The time then is almost come .
To feed  spiritually the entire earth.

You who wanted no sacrifice or oblation.
You took no pleasure in Holocausts or sacrifices for sin .

………

As Elizabeth
Heard Mary’s greeting  then the
child leapt in the womb

……….

See Entrance Antiphon of Today’s Mass
Micah 5: 1-4 ; Hebrews 10:5-10 and Luke 1 39-45

 
I will raise a virtuous branch for David.
Who will reign as a true king .
One day we will not be just faded.
We will grasp eternity’s golden ring.

He will reign as true king and be wise.
Practising honesty and integrity in the land.
How this will happen we can only surmise.
It is buried deep in time’s shifting sand.

And this is the name he shall be called.
The Lord our integrity.
Our many problems will be solved.
His power and majesty all mighty.

But for the time being we must patiently wait.
And stare disconsolately at the closed gate.

……..

Where is Messiah
We can only keep searching
Surely he will come

………

See Jeremiah 23: 5-8

 
A triumphant Christmas Celebration at the Cathedral.
Nothing like a full orchestra to blast out our hope.
We seemed at one there , all the people.
Gathered together , now we could all somehow cope .

I read , let every valley be filled in.
Let every mountain and hill be laid low.
Indeed we are consoled , freed from sin.
We could shout with a loud voice , our faces aglow.

Prepare in the wilderness a way for the Lord.
Make a straight Highway for our God across the desert.
We now can cross every deep ford .
Now we know we can remove every hurt .

Go up on a high mountain , joyful messenger of Zion.
We can see now the path ahead , we can tame the lion.

……

In celebration
Let us sing of this advent
Now and for always

…….

See Isaiah 40: 1-5

What did you go out in the wilderness to see.
A reed swaying in the breeze?
Worse, I am a cork bobbing on the sea.
I am a leaf in wind swept trees.

We are a wanderer in our own wilderness.
We have to ask , what do we seek.
Are we thinking of others or our own wilfulness.
Are we for the strong or the weak .

I am going to send my messenger before you.
He will prepare the way before you.
So there is a path to follow through.
Before we even asked he ,John knew.

Somewhere there is a truth only we can know .
We need to follow it through high and low.

…….

Where is our pathway
In this endless wilderness
But John knew the way

….. …

Are you the one who is to come
Or must we wait for someone else.

 
Trouble is coming to the rebellious , the defiled.
The tryrannical, she would never listen to the call.
By our self will we are so often beguiled.
We look too often to the heart and not the soul.

You will cease to strut on my holy mountain.
In your midst I will leave a humble and lowly people .
One day we will drink from an ever flowing fountain.
One day we will climb to the loftiest steeple.

“I will not go”but he thought better of it and went.
The second answered “certainly sir“ but did not go.
How often are my good intentions rent and bent.
How often is it just easier to go with the flow.

It’s better to pause before saying yes.
Otherwise we might end up with a lot less.

……..

Often I say yes
I then just prevaricate
Better to say no

……….

See Zephaniah 3: 1-2, 9-13 and Matthew 21: 28-32

 
What authority have you for acting like this.
And who gave you this authority.
And what path do we take to reach bliss.
Where then is our own priority .

This is the question, did his authority come from God
Or was it all just man made.
If the first then we can be truly awed.
If the second he is just man it is said.

His questioners did not dare answer.
Either way they were caught .
So we too can no longer be the dancer.
We have to make a choice however fraught.

If Jesus was just a prophet in extremity.
Where does that leave our own eternity .

……..

Does authority
Come down truly from heaven
Or is it man made

……..

See Mathew 21: 23-27

I want you to be happy , always happy.
I repeat , what I want is your happiness.
Ah yes, but how to avoid being  so scrappy.
How to avoid sinking into  cloying sadness.

Let your tolerance be clear to everyone.
The Lord is very near.
That’s true but sometimes we feel so alone.
All to often we just need to shed a tear.

We know St Paul is right .
It’s just so hard to do .
So how can we be cherry and bright.
Sometimes I feel I haven’t a clue.

But there is no need to doubt the lamp is lit.
We just need to pray that we can light  it.

……..

How to be happy.
We can keep asking for it
Or we pray for it

……..

See Philippians 4: 4-7

Happy shall they be who see you.
And those who have fallen asleep in love.
Sitting in the church this feeling grew and  grew.
There was something coming from above .

I tell you that Elijah has come already.
But they treated him as they pleased.
How many times have I not held steady.
How many times have my doubts not been eased.

The son of man will suffer similarly at their hands.
The disciples thought he was talking of John the Baptist.
So knowledge drains into endless sands.
So we find the truth all too easy to resist.

But then the first lines came back to mind.
All that mattered was to believe and be kind.

……..

Believe and be kind
Is that too much to ask us
I hope it is not

………

See Ecclesiasticus 48: 1-4,9-12
Matthew 17 : 10-13

If only you had been alert to my commandments.
Your happiness would have been like a river.
How I was stuck by these sentiments.
Here was what should be my driver.

Your integrity like the waves of the sea.
Your children would have been numbered like the sand.
Reading these words I felt now I could see.
I could be happy if I didn’t stray from this land.

Your descendants as many as its grains.
Never would your name have been blotted out.
Nothing but these words remains.
Everything else , all compromise put to rout.

I just need slowly to read Isaiah .
And I feel I know my true messiah.

……….

Just read Isaiah
Come to know the messiah
He really is there

……….

See Isaiah 48: 17-19

 
I will make rivers well up on barren heights.
And fountains in the midst of valleys.
He leads us through darkness with lights.
Pointing the way through winding alleys.

In the wilderness I will put cedar trees.
Acacias, olives and myrtles .
He holds all the doors’ keys.
Helping us over all hurdles.

So that men may see and know.
May all observe and understand.
We may be ever ever so low.
But he points us towards a brighter land .

Such is the Lord of Israel.
Surely we must tell the tale.

……..

Is the redeemer
Here always present with us
Yes surely he is

……..

See Isaiah 41: 13-20

He has clothed me with a robe of salvation.
And wrapped me in a mantle of justice.
Breathless it waits , all of creation.
After this the world confronts injustice .

Like a bride adorned with her jewels.
In my God is the joy of my soul.
This, the  study of all the schools .
To relieve us of all weary toil.

Grant that through her intercession .
We may be admitted to your presence.
Pray that we may learn his lesson .
And come into his omnipresence .

All beauty and purity is here.
Casting away for all time every tear.

………

All immaculate
Spotless totally divine
Now and for ever

……….

See Entrance Antiphon and Collect of today’s mass

Will he be not leave the ninety nine on the hillside.
And will he not go in search of the stray.
Do we just swim with fashion’s tide.
Or are we prepared to have our say.

We can be the ninety nine.
Or we can be the only one.
We can follow the others or our own sign.
We can determinedly follow our own sun.

But we can be sure he will come after us.
As we stray , lost, he will seek us out.
He loves us as we are with no fuss.
He is there to put all our fears to rout.

So we are out there lost in the snow.
But we can be sure there is one in the know.

…….

We are just the stray
Hoping he will come for us
And he surely will

……..

See Matthew 18: 12-14