A voice cries in the wilderness.
Prepare a way for the Lord.
Reject all bitterness , embrace quietness.
Cross into peace by the spiritual ford.

Make straight in the desert.
A highway for the Lord.
We can remain unhurt.
As we emerge from that dark ford.

Every valley shall be lifted up.
And every mountain and hill laid low.
As we drink of the communion cup.
We reap joyously after we sow.

…….

In the wilderness
Is often raised up
But we are then heard

…….

See Isaiah 40 : 1-11

She was greatly troubled at the saying.
And tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be .
We wonder too what is our calling.
Whether we are just this body or, what are we to be.

The angel said to her , do not be afraid.
For you have found favour.
We ask will our troubles ever be laid.
Where will we find our saviour.

Who are we anyway.
Do we really exist
Who can say.
All truth is shrouded in mist.

We just have to persist.
And not always resist.

….

Troubled by the saying
She tried to discern greetings
And we do the same

……

See Luke 1 : 26-38

Take off the garment of your sorrow.
And affliction.
There is no need to be low.
We need to find faith in conviction.

We can put on for ever the beauty of the glory.
And put on the robe of righteousness.
We are more than our own story.
We can resist mindlessness.

But who are we really , what for us is in store.
Are we truly this transient consciousness.
Are we just this body or much more.

Ir are we, we fear, temporal and so much less.

Where is our mind and soul going.
Have faith, it is not  transient but everlasting.

……..

Take off our sorrow
And all of this affliction
For we are much more

……

See Baruch 5 : 1-9

Out of their gloom and darkness.
The eyes of the blind shall see .
We ask where is our spiritual fitness.
We are all born blind , will we see.

Two blind men followed him , crying aloud.
Have mercy on us , son of David.
How do we pierce our mortal shroud.
Is hope challenged and faded.

He touched their eyes.
Saying , according to your faith , let it be done.
We can reach for this ultimate prize.
Our race can be won.

Our eyes can be opened.
Our life renewed , heartened.

….

From gloom and darkness
The eyes of the blind shall see
This is for us all

….

See Isaiah 29 : 17-24 and Matthew 9 : 27-31

This song will be sung in the land of Judah.
We have a strong city.
With Isaiah into eternity we can see far.
For the fall of the Northern Kingdom he has pity.

Only God sets up salvation.
As walls and bulwarks.
This is the only God of creation.
His is his everlasting works.

Open the gates.
That the righteous nation may enter in.
Accept our fates.
Reject pride and sin.

You keep him in perfect peace.
Whose mind is stayed on you without cease.

.. ….

Sing in Judah’s land
For we have a strong city
As we also do

… …

See Isaiah 26 : 1-6

He will swallow up on this mountain.
The covering that is cast on all peoples.
Hope’s glorious fountain.
Spreading ever further light filled ripples.

The veil that is spread over all nations.
He will swallow up death for ever.
As long as we send our oblations.
And see God as the ultimate lever.

The Lord God will wipe away tears.
From all faces.
Easing our innermost fears.
Removing despair’s last traces.

That he might save us, we have waited for him.
This is the lord , we have waited for him.

……..

He will swallow mountains
The covering that is cast on peoples
The veil on nations

…..

See Isaiah 25 : 6-10

Lord I am not worthy.
To have you come under my roof.
The start is to realise we are unworthy.
To not be proud and not to stand aloof.

We say this at mass every day.
But do we mean it really.
To believe is more than just to pray.
Lest we barely achieve any meaningful spiritual tally.

During the long sleepless night I kept   repeating.
I am not worthy.
Saying and believing.
I will be healed even if I am not yet ready or worthy .

But only say the word and yield.
And I will be healed.

…….

I am not worthy
But just only say the word
And I will be healed

……

See Matthew  8 : 5-11

There will be signs in sun and moon.
And on earth distress of nations in perplexity.
Probably we hope no time soon.
So no need for great anxiety.

The heavens will be shaken.
People fainting with fear and foreboding.
Will there be time for faith to awaken.
All this here will count for nothing.

But do we really believe the world will be ending.
That what was written will come to pass.
But Advent means waiting.
So we pay attention to today’s mass.

Everything is thus in perspective.
And we need to be reflective.

….  ..

Signs in sun and moon
And distress of nations
When will we get there

…….

See Luke 21

If you believe that God raised Jesus from the dead.
Then you will be saved.
How many hundreds of times is this read.
Again and again is faith craved.

But we are told.
we must believe in our heart.
Our heart cannot be cold.
This surely is the start.

I can believe emotionally.
I know it makes sense.
But I struggle to believe rationally.
Well I just need to launch myself over the fence.

To accept the light.
And know all is alright.

…….

Jesus raised from dead
Just believe this in our hearts
And all will be well

……

See Romans 10 : 9-18

I saw an angel, come down from heaven with the key of the abyss.
And in his hand an enormous chain.
What awaits , emptiness or bliss.
Nothing, mere pain or God’s reign.

We talk a lot of dying.
Less of death.
What are we missing.
Is it new breath.

The breath of the unknown.
Silent not existing in this world  yet strong.
An other sense of life and tone.
For this, if true, we long.

This earthly abyss.
Surely we shall not miss.

……

The key of abyss
Is held in the angel’s hand
And will we see it

…….

See Apocalypse 20 : 1-4

Yes I am a king.
I was born for this.
He had no country , yet was a king.
And precisely because he had none , he had to die for this.

What strikes me is his dignity.
His calmness.
His sincerity.
And other worldly ness.

Faced with this injustice.
We would fight and rage.
Be filled with resentful emptiness.
And what do we miss.

The power of acceptance.
Not resistance.

…….

He said I am king
But it was not of this world
That was his power

…….

See John 18 : 33-37

Blessed be the Lord, my rock.
Who trains my arms for battle.
I wish I could open this spiritual lock.
That I was of more robust mettle.

I find faith so difficult.
I wonder if I really believe.
Then something clicks , maybe even in default.
I understand then , I receive.

I can read the Gospel.
And then nothing.
And then by chance , a word and I can tell,
That this is everything.

So I keep trying.
And receiving.

…….

Blessed be the Lord
My rock trains me for battle
And I start again.

…….

See Psalm 143

The dead do not marry because they can no longer die.
They are the same as the angels.
We worry and fret and sigh.
Looking at all the angles.

I was in the church sitting quietly.
Looking at the picture of St Cecilia on the wall.
She is the prime example of living defiantly.
How in suffering to walk tall.

I left this place.
Enveloped in peace.
Involved in no virtue race.
Wondering without cease .

Should we just conform.
To our time’s norm.

……

Saint Cecilia
Died bravely for her beliefs
Would we do the same

……

Your promise is sweet

I rejoiced to do your will

For you are my Lord

See Luke 19: 45-48 and Psalm 4

If you had only understood the message of peace.
But alas it is hidden from your eyes.
We may search without cease.
But we fear irrationally we are surrounded by lies.

Yes a time will come when your enemies.
Will raise fortifications around you.
Even more so in our sixties and seventies.
Perhaps we just get what is our due.

They will encircle you on every side.
They will dash you to the ground.
They will deride.
For them nothing is sound.

But there’s always a new day.
It will be better, we hope, who can gainsay.

…….

The message of peace
Is just hidden from our eyes
It’s certainly there

…….

See Luke 19: 41-44