Let his camp be reduced to ruin.
Let there be no one to live in it.
In terms of salvation none of us is a shoe in.
But we can ensure a lamp is lit.

I was learning today of the work of Caritas.
And their extraordinary good deeds.
Worth almost as much as any mass..
Sowing hope filled seeds.

How do we rid the world of poverty .
And bring justice to all.
Ridding the world of enmity.
So that all might walk tall.

That I do not for certain know.
We can only seek to sow.

…….

End all poverty
We can work and we can pray
But it is still there

……..

See Acts 1

Now you are speaking plainly.
And not using metaphors.
How can we follow truth faithfully.
Trying to put everything on all fours.

I was sitting outside at dinner.
And suddenly I noticed the church tower.
I forgot my doubts , became again a new  beginner.
One look improved my mood, hope blooming like a flower.

So much here seemed hollow.
Truth was contained in religion.
Everything else was shallow.
All adding to relentless tension.

But the tower reminded me of what is true.
Everything else somehow is in lieu.

…….

Once he spoke plainly
No longer in metaphors
Then they understood

…….

See John 16; 29-33

My soul give thanks to the Lord.
And never forget his blessings.
He puts  in our hand a spiritual sword.
Helping us with our doubting musings.

We were at an ecumenical service.
We sang the hymn , I sought the Lord and he answered.
This was a  line I could not miss.
I thought, well, message received.

He does hear.
But we have to ask.
Maybe we even have to shed a little tear.
But to ask, it’s not so difficult a task.

It can be done.
And sometimes it’s even a little fun.

…….

We have sought the Lord
He has heard and he’s answered
But we had to ask

…….

See Psalm 102

Do not be afraid to speak out.
Nor allow yourself to be silenced.
Yes , yes we need to shout.
Whether or not licensed.

It gives us confidence.
To hear Paul say we need not fear.
Forget reticence.
Do not shed a tear.

It is so much easier to remain silent.
To just go with the majority flow.
Be part of the big warm tent.
To quietly conform or at the worst go slow.

No we may not have,  for our beliefs, to die.
But we should not, to ourselves ,lie.

……..

Do not be afraid
Also do not be silenced
But speak out your truth

…….

See Acts 18: 9-18

He was lifted up as they looked.
And a cloud took him from their sight.
Our lack of faith is rebuked.
Only when he is gone do we see him in his true light.

They were still staring into the sky.
When suddenly two men in white were standing.
Now they had the strength to fight any lie.
And they could go forth preaching.

We stare into a sky, but he not there.
We wonder if he will ever come back.
But the spirit he left, we pray, is here.
Really, we do not anything, lack.

We are not alone.
As long as we atone.

…….

He was lifted up
We ask when will he return
We have the Spirit

…….

See Acts 1: 1-11

The truth I have now come to realise.
Peter said , is that God does not have favourites.
We all hope that in some future life we will again  rise.
And see those now dimmed celestial lights.

I am at Orthodox Easter Sunday.
A riot of sound and vision.
All in glorious play.
And waiting in suspension.

Then we all cry , Christ is Risen.
He is Risen Indeed.
All in unison.
A new life’s eternal seed.

The night is certainly long.
Yet we celebrate it joyfully with song.

…….

The Christ is Risen
Shout He is Risen Indeed
And we must mean it

……..

See Acts 10

Be a rock of refuge.
A mighty stronghold.
We seem to stand before the deluge.
Trying to keep hold.

We are commemorating the English martyrs.
I think of the Blessed Richard Leigh.
They refused to follow orders.
But their conscience was free.

Would I have this courage.
No, I would conform.
I would put my faith in storage.
But that, with most people, is the norm.

But as I gazed at the chapel wall.
I thought their spirit could walk tall.

……..

The English martyrs
They relied on their conscience
They died, so do we

……..

See Psalm 30

I am the way , the truth and the life.
No one can come to the Father except through me.
His words and they usually suffice.
Pray we say , this is true , we plea.

I was sitting in the chapel.
And suddenly all became  clear .
He is real , with doubt no need to grapple.
An end to questioning and fear.

The light shone through the window.
Showing me the way.
I was no longer in limbo.
I was encountering a new day.

Thus these moments arrive.
And we survive.

……..

The lonely chapel
And some light through the window
But that is enough

……..

See John 14 : 6-14

The pagans were to learn the good news from me.
And so became believers.
The Holy Spirit, they came to see.
God makes no distinction , we are all receivers.

Remember we believe that we are saved.
In the same way that they are.
No one needs to be enslaved.
Or face any bar.

God makes no distinction.
We are all equal in his sight.
We all can be given vision.
And see the same light.

St Paul was welcoming to all.
We all can walk tall.

….

We are all equal
In the clear sight of our God
That at least is clear

…….

See Acts 15 : 7-21

Make my home in me .
As I make my home in you.
We all wish that we could see.
And understand what is true.

I was talking to a doctor today.
She had seen many people die.
She described it as a natural process , happening every day.
We needn’t be fearful about when we die.

Should we speed up what will happen anyway .
Should we just accept.
Doubts we can lay.
Nothing reject.

He cuts every branch that does not bear fruit.
One day we will be that branch and that fruit.

…….

That we all will die
Is absolutely certain
Are we patient

…….

See John 15: 1-8

Peace I bequeath to you.
Peace I give you.
Surely this is true.
But do we accept it through and through.

A peace the world cannot give.
Let your hearts not be troubled.
But first we must forget and forgive.
And let our hearts be settled.

You heard me say.
I am going away and shall return.
For this we can only pray.
And patiently wait our turn.

Jesus said, I love the Father.
And I am doing what I was told by the father.

…….

Peace I bequeath you
And peace I give to you all
His word and our hope

…….

See Jonn 14 : 27-31

God is light.
There is no darkness in him at all.
Let’s, we pray keep that in our sight.
We will with and in him always walk tall.

I told a priest I know how I feared failure.
Trying then losing.
He replied think of it as the will of God , That’s the comforting allure.
And then I stopped worrying.

We think losing or winning .
Is down to us.
But really it’s about accepting
Just making do without fuss.

And so I accepted.
And for a moment was to myself respected.

……

What is our failure
It is only our God’s will
Can we not see that

……

See 1 John 1

Jesus said, I am the true vine.
And my father is the vine dresser.
He keeps us, we hope, on a straight line.
Whoever we are the greater or the lessor.

Every branch in me that bears no fruit.
He cuts away.
But in him we surely will bear fruit.
That is what we pray.

And every branch that does bear fruit.
He prunes to make it bear even more.
We are that rich fruit.
And he knows us to our very spiritual core.

By means of the word I have spoken to you.
Make your home in me as I make mine in you.

………

He’s the vine dresser
We are the branch that he prunes
And also the fruit

……

See John 15: 1-8

Thomas said, Lord , we do not know where you are going.
So how can we know the way.
Like him we keep searching.
Looking for this elusive celestial ray.

I dreamt I had taken communion at the Oratory.
Walking back up the nave I felt a profound presence.
I felt then that at last I understood this faith story.
I believed in this dream with every sense.

Jesus said.
I am the way , the truth and the life.
When I read this , doubts are laid.
An end for a time to all this mental strife.

We ask what’s the way
He answers I am the way

……

Where are you going
And we wait for his answer
And surely it comes

……

See John 14 : 1-6

Your sister sends you greetings.
So does my son Mark.
Strong families , many meetings.
Keep us from the lonely dark.

So the Apostles had families.
They like us were flesh and blood.
Friends they had and no doubt enemies.
Like us they were in the ebb and flow of life’s flood.

They were not just saints.
They knew fear and doubt.
No doubt they were grateful and had complaints.
They succeeded and once were  put to rout.

God , they once denied.
Then triumphantly affirmed.

…..

They had families
Sons, brothers and sisters
Yet they’re apostles

……..

See 1 Peter 5 : 5-14

These sufferings bring patience .
And patience brings perseverance.
But we are martyrs to impatience.
And our own spiritual incoherence.

Of St George we know very little.
And certainly will never know any more .
But the patron saint of so many countries large and little.
And he figures so largely in our lore.

The dragon he killed.
Invented centuries after he died.
About his life controversy never stilled.
People have said anything about him and they unwittingly probably lied.

But we are sure for his faith he died.
And in that we have almost certainly not lied.

…….

What does patience bring
Surely some perseverance
Or that’s what we hope

……..

See Romans 5 : 1-5

Lord , who shall we go to.
You have the message of eternal life.
I think we know this through and through.
Gently leading us from all strife.

I stood in the garden at night.
No wind , just the sound of chalk stream rippling.
Only the many stars gave light.
Literally nothing , no branches moving.

Earlier I stood in the quiet wood behind the house.
What joy to live in such profound silence.
Quiet enough to hear a burrowing field mouse.
Only nature really makes this entire sense.

And who made all of this.
Chance or God , who more likely made this.

……..

Who shall we go to
Is it some eternal life
Who has this message

… …..

See John 6 : 60-69