Monthly Archives: May 2022

Tuesday of the 7th week of Eastertide

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The child leapt in her womb.

And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
For the soul there is no silent tomb.
No dark unknowing pit.
I was holding my baby grandson.
Imagine one had  talked to him in the womb.
He could not have imagined the sun.
Or all the delights of life to come.
Thus we cannot imagine our life after passing.
It is beyond all knowing.
But we will gone on living.
And God encountering.
We are the blind.
We are yet to find.
…….
The unborn baby
Cannot understand our life
Nor we life to come
…….
See Luke 1:39-56

Monday of the 7th week of Eastertide

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In the world you will have trouble.

But be brave, I have conquered the world.
That’s true ,we always seem to have trouble.
But that’s just our world.
Yes we are scattered.
And we feel alone.
But what has mattered .
Is that we can atone.
So he left us alone.
But we are never alone.
Although he has flown.
He has reaped, we have sown.
So we will try to be brave.
And ride life’s turbulent wave.
……..
He says just be brave
But it is not always easy
We just have to try
……..
See John 16: 29-33

7th Sunday of Easter

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I am the Alpha and the Omega.

The first and the last.
We never need be a spiritual beggar.
We need only stick to our last.
I was at Anglican Morning prayer.
A magical fulfilling service.
The retirement after 55 years of a lay reader.
His time had come though he’s nothing nervous.
When we finally move on.
The Holy Spirit will give us much to do.
There is always work for the father and son.
Although now we have not much of a clue.
So much service , so many sermons given.
He has just so much striven.
…….
He the beginning
And the end but not ending
And we carry on
……..
See Apocalypse 22

Saturday of the 6th week of Eastertide

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Ask and you will receive.

So your joy shall be complete.
Then maybe will we never have to grieve.
As we sit at his judgment seat.
Anything you ask from the father.
He will grant in my name.
To his name we only have to defer.
If our lingering doubts we tame.
We pray for an end to suffering.
But it surfaces always in the mind.
If only to him we kept praying .
All this we could leave behind.
But do we ask again and again .
Is not that the way to wipe out pain.
…..
We know we should ask
We know that we will receive
But do we do it
……
See John 16: 23-28

Friday of the 6th week of Eastertide . St Augustine

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We have not taken to teaching because deluded.

Or immoral , or trying to deceive anyone.
We should not want anyone excluded.
No one anyone should we shun.
We ask ourself if we are enough of a believer.
And then we see the sun gloriously setting.
We can at least be an honest seeker .
Thus in a moment we start seeing.
We can read and try to be sages.
We can walk  questioning along.
Suddenly faith emerges.
And then in an instant it is gone .
We may not have authority to speak.
But we can still try and seek.
….
Though all seems clouded
Faith comes in moments of light
And then it is gone
…..
See 1 Thessalonians 2:2-8

The Ascension of the Lord

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I am sending to you what the Father promised.
Stay in the city until you are clothed with power.
Thus we put faith in the psalmist.
To us empower.

While they looked on.
A cloud took him from their sight.
Thus we pray he will come though gone.
A never extinguished though distant light.

Did he really rise into a cloud.
Does it seem credible.
Are we ready to proclaim this out loud.
It all seems so incredible .

I prefer him to be hidden by a cloud.
And I’m happy to proclaim this out loud.

…..

Did the Lord ascend
Of that am I really sure
We just speculate

…….

See Luke 24 : 46-53 and Acts 1: 1-11

Wednesday of the 6th week of Eastertide

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When the spirit of truth comes.

He will lead you to complete truth.
Truth comes in distant hums.
Will we return to the certainties of youth.
He will not be speaking as from himself.
But only say what he has learnt.
And he speaks to myself.
For doubt is gradually away burnt .
He will tell you of the things to come.
He will glorify me.
We will not be struck dumb.
Eventually we will see.
All he tells you will be taken from what is mine.
Everything the father has is mine.
….
He has things to say
We need the spirit of truth
And not from himself
…….
See John  16:12-16

Tuesday of the 6th week of Eastertide

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It is for your own good that I am going.

Unless I go the Advocate will not come to you.
Nor is there any other way of knowing.
We cannot foresee what is our due.
I will send him to you.
He will show the world how wrong it was.
About sin ; it is true.
We will have a new cause.
About who was in the right.
And about judgement.
All will be clear in his sight.
In every  spiritual movement.
And who was in the right.
This is the new light.
……..
And so he is gone
He has sent an advocate
Who will be our guide
……..
See John 16:5-11

Monday of the 6th week of Easter

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When the advocate comes.
He will be my witness.
Sound the drums.
We will bear witness.

The spirit of truth that issues from the father.
He will be my witness.
All we have to proffer.
Is our witness.

And you too will be witnesses.
Because you were with me from the outset.
At the beginning we were not witnesses.
But we are always on his debt.

Our faith will not be shaken.
We will not slacken.

……..

The advocate comes
He was there and will be there
For all history
…….
See John 15

6th Sunday of Easter

We shall come to him.
And make our home in him.
He rests in us we in him.
This is our hymn.

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Peace , he says, I bequeath to you.
A peace the world cannot give.
This is for all of us, me and you.
Something we can always retrieve.

Do not let your hearts be troubled.
He assures us, or afraid.
Thus we are truly enabled.
Hopes and fears in him laid.

He says, I am going away and shall return.
We listen to him and bit by bit we learn.

….

He is always there
We find him by word and deed
He just never went

…..

See John 14:23-29

Saturday of the 5th week of Eastertide

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If the World hates you.
Through and through.
Remember it hated me before you.
Through and through.

Because you do not belong to the world.
Nor to the underworld.
My choice withdrew you from the world.
But not from the afterworld.

A servant is not greater than the master.
If they persecuted me they will persecute you.
But we are saved from disaster.
Because he loves us too.

All this is done on his account on a whim.
Because they do not know who sent him.

……

If the world hates us
Then it is on his account
But we live with it

….

See John 15: 18-21

Friday of the 5th week of Eastertide

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Love one another.

As I have loved you.
View everyone as a brother.
Do not count what is our due.
A man can have no greater love
Than to lay down his life for his friends.
We are his friends .
We are called by him his friends.
We are not his servants
We know now his business.
We need only show observance.
And show forgiveness.
So we will go out to bear fruit.
And it was it is lasting  fruit.
…….
Love one another
He tells us as loves us
His great commandment
…….
See John 15:12-17

Thursday of the 5th week of Easter

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If you keep my commandments.

You will remain in my love.
These will be our enchantments.
Sent from above.
I have told you this .
That your joy be complete.
Leading to bliss.
At the judgement seat.
As the Father has loved me.
So I have loved you.
I know that I am and will be.
All this is true.
But how can I remain in his love.
How can I know what comes from above.
…….
How remain in love
Keep the commandments
That’s not a bad start
……..
See  John 15:9-11

Wednesday of the 5th week of Eastertide

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He prunes every branch that does not bear fruit.
You are pruned already.
Maybe everything does not suit.
But we try to keep steady.

By means of the words he has spoken.
We make our home in him as he does in us.
These are truths not mere tokens.
Nothing is superfluous.

We must remain part of the vine .
There is no other way to bear fruit.
We start by having his bread and wine.
Thus we plan our route.

We do not wish to be the branch thrown away.
We just live from day to day.

……

Are we the true branch
Will we always bear some fruit
Do we test in him

….
See  John 15: 1-8

Tuesday of the 5th week of Eastertide

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Do not let your hearts be troubled.

Or afraid.
Oh, that I wish we could be untroubled.
All our debts in life paid.
I could not sleep for worry.
The coping with worry book didn’t help.
Nor Mindfulness , not being in a hurry.
Nor Meditation nor books on self help.
I tried the Rosary to no avail.
The devil or the mind’s devil stopped me.
Sleep at  light filled dawn the only holy grail.
Peace I could not hear or see.
Then at Mass I tied the Memorare.
Now at last peace, I felt help from Yahweh.
…….
Fly to the Virgin
Ask for her intercession
She never says no
……
See John 14: 27-31

Monday of the 5th week of Eastertide

 

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Who keeps my commandments loves me.
Anyone who loves me will be loved by my father.
This is our only plea .
To take us into love further.

 

 

He tells us, I shall love him.
And show myself to him.
To him, we offer up our hymn.
We hope this is no mere whim.

He says, Those who who do not love me.
Do not keep my words.
Can this I understand and see.
Or is all this just for the birds.

It’s really all so simple.
But we look for every wrinkle.

……..

Keep my commandments
He told us and he loves us
But it’s hard to do

……..

See John 14: 21-26

5th Sunday of Eastertide

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Now has the son of man been glorified.

In him God has been glorified.
Here is our guide.
To root out pride.
I give you a new commandment.
Love one another as I have loved you.
What could this have meant.
But that we deepen love through and through.
By this love  you have one for another.
Everyone will know you are my disciples.
We are one and none, with no other.
Only everlasting principles.
All this is so easy to teach.
So difficult to reach.
…….
Love one another
It is so easy to preach
But so difficult
…….
See John 13: 3-4

 

 

 

Saturday of the 4th week of Eastertide . St Matthias

They drew lots for them.
And the lot fell to Matthias.
How was the Kingdom to come.
Who was to say the mass.

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We think success is down to us.
But it’s all the lottery of life.
Intelligence and luck is given to us.
So often it’s chance that’s rife.

Did God give us our talents.
Or did we make them for ourself.
It’s all in the balance.
But perhaps it’s down to himself .

Really we are all chosen by lot.
It’s all we’ve got.

…….

How do we succeed
Is it because of talents
Or maybe by lot

………

See Acts1: 15-17, 20-26

Friday of the 4th week of Eastertide

Do not let your hearts be troubled.
Trust in God still and trust in me.
We lie in our dark  thoughts huddled.
But sheltered from gales in God’s lee.

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We were in the college chapel praying.
In a meeting with the Society of Friends.
One said think of truth and love gathering.
Thus we calmly made amends.

Here I studied a painting of the Last Supper.
Strangely reassuring.
Did anything else matter.
In the meeting’s quiet, mesmerising.

He told us there are many rooms for you.
If not he would have told you.

……

Why are we troubled
When he told us trust in him
And trust in God too

…..

See John 14: 1-6

Thursday of the 4 th week of Eastertide

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That one is coming after me.

And I am not fit to untie his sandals.
We were blind and now we see.
Let us rejoice snd light the candles.
As usual I was tossing and turning.
And then I dreamt of my guardian angel looking.
I could feel this presence calming.
Sensing, protecting and reassuring.
Do guardian angels exist.
I have no idea rationally.
But this presence I could no resist.
I felt recharged emotionally.
Remember your guard angel is always there.
Then things all of a sudden become more clear.
……
Guardian angels
May or may not be real things
But they are useful
…….
See Acts 13: 13-35

Wednesday of the 4th week of Eastertide

 

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So will your ways be known upon earth.

And all nations know your saving help.
Save us from dearth .
Allow us self help.
If depression falls .
With a feeling of helplessness.
This psalm calls.
Lifting weariness.
Let the nations be glad and exult.
For you rule the world with justice.
Help free us from fault .
So we can trust us.
Oh God be gracious and bless us.
And let the face of your countenance shine upon us .
……
As the nighttime falls
Turn to the psalm and read it
It tells us something
…….
See Psalm 66

Tuesday of the 4th week of Eastertide

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I have told you but you do not believe.

Works I do in my Father’s name are my witness.
Pray that we may  too receive.
Even though we are no eye witness.
The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice.
I know them and they follow me.
Let us rejoice.
Even if we not clearly yet see.
No one can steal from the Father.
The Father and I are one.
Now with grace we can see further and further.
Our regard drawn at last to the one.
Know that we will never be lost.
Whatever the cost.
………
Are we then mere sheep
Listening to his commands
No, we are much more
……..
See John 10: 22-30

Monday of the 4th week of Eastertide

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I am the gate of the sheepfold.
All others who come are thieves and brigands.
We try to do what by our conscience we are told.
In the past and nearer in mindful lands.

He tells us  I am the gate.
Anyone who enters through me will be safe.
As we approach this gate will we be late.
At all these commands will our mind chafe.

To enter we must know ourself.
Be aware of our emotions and thought.
Study them , put them on a high shelf.
Lest  in an eternal suffering  cycle, we be caught.

The good shepherd is standing there.
Soon all will be so more clear.

……..

We see the sheepfold
But it is hard to enter
We all need a guide

……..

See John 10: 1-10

The 4th Sunday of Easter

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The sheep that belong to me.

Listen to my voice .
We can understand and see.
We can surely rejoice.
God shared in our humanity.
So that we might share in his divinity.
All else is vanity.
Our faith is in the Trinity.
God transforms us into heavenly beings .
He adopts us , makes us divine.
We are not just things.
We are water turned into wine.
Every human touch of his is holy.
Nothing he gives us is bad or lowly.
……..
He came to his home
His own knew him not at all
Can we try to know
……..
See.  John 10: 27-30 and The teaching of the Greek Fathers

Saturday of the 3rd week of Eastertide

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What about you , do you want to go away too.

Peter answered , Lord, who shall we go to.
Is our faith  like summer’s dew.
Will they say of us, our faith grew and grew.
I woke today from my dream.
I saw the whole world in loving kindness.
All seemed as a flowing beautiful stream.
Here was no  cold blindness.
But this lasts for a moment.
We wake to reality .
Rejecting our endowment.
From hope we flee.
What answer will we give .
Will we determine to strive .
…….
The teaching is hard
We too often walk away
But always some stay
…….
See John 6: 60-69