I was set up first.
At the beginning.
Even now for truth I thirst.
As I near my final reckoning.

When there were no depths
I was brought forth.
I will go to any lengths.
Surely my faith is strong henceforth.

All life is precious.
Even from the very beginning.
Of the tiniest we can be envious.
And after all their days are lengthening.

So preserve all of precious new life.
And don’t cut it with any chemical or knife.

……

I was set up first
At the very beginning
I was always here

…….

See Proverbs 8 : 22-31

One has died for all.
Therefore all have died.
And he died for all.
He is our guide.

So that those who live.
Might no longer live for themselves.
But for him who for their sake died and is alive.
And for all ourselves.

Reading St Paul you believe 

For a moment Christ is truly alive.

There is no doubt , we receive.

And for a moment we truly and joyously thrive.

From now on we regard no one according to the flesh.
Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh.

…….

One has died for all
Therefore all have died for now
But we all shall live

…….

See 2 Corinthians 5

We are afflicted in every way.
But not crushed.
We see forward to our true way.
Weary yet again and again refreshed.

We are perplexed.
But not driven to despair
Often inpatient and rushed.
Hopeful if sometimes in fear.

We are persecuted.
Yet not forsaken.
Resented.
But still seeking heaven.

I turned over these words of St Paul .
They are so powerful , we cannot resist their call.

……..

We are afflicted
Yet we know we are not crushed
And not forsaken 

…….

See 2 Corinthians  4

O righteous father.
Although the world does not know you.
My father.
I know you.

From John this long poetic speech.
Calls to all of us.
And inspires our search.
And helps us.

Like the apostle.
We listen.
With our conscience wrestle.
And we hope to heaven hasten.

We just have to read.
And plant the seed. 

…..   

Righteous father
The world does not know you yet
But I will seek you

..    ..

See John 17

Until heaven and earth pass away.
Not an iota will pass from the law until it is accomplished.
But our fears hold sway.
Our race is not finished.

Whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments.
Will be called least in the kingdom.
This applies to all our sentiments.
Sapping our spiritual income.

But whoever does them.
Will be called great in the kingdom.
and then teaches them.
And arrive in the kingdom.

Thus we are exhorted.
And then sorted.

…….

Earth passes away
But until heaven passes
All the law remains

……

See Matthew 5 : 17- 19

You are the salt of the earth.
But if has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored.
Then there is only dearth.
But we remain called.

You are the light of the world.
A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
Our faith  is never furled.
We are bidden.

People do not light a lamp.
And put it under a basket.
We seek to climb faith ‘s steep ramp.
Before we even think of entering our casket.

We put our light on a stand.
This is where we stand.

….  

You’re salt of the earth
And you’re the light of the world
It can’t be hidden 

…….

See Matthew 5 : 13-15

At that time standing by the cross.
Were his mother.
Weeping at his loss.
Soon to be the new church’s mother.

When I couldn’t sleep.
I kept repeating just two words Hail Mary .
And what calm do we reap
If we offer our half waking to Mary.

Of course all the other worries arise.
Like storm tossed ships in the dark.
But now with this prayer we can meet the sun’s rise.
And greet with equanimity the arising lark.

Our Mother is here.
We need not fear.

……

Standing by the cross
Was his mother there weeping
But there is now hope

.. ……

See John 19 : 25-34

Veni Sanctus Spiritus, Holy Spirit lord of light.
Come thou father of the poor.
From the clear celestial height.
Come with treasures which endure.

We Have the Father and the Son.
But we need too the spirit.
Into the world came the Son.
And into our soul comes the spirit.

A fire that is living.
Enduring
Breathing
And inspiring.

The spirit is here.
We need not fear.

……

Holy Spirit’s light
Come thou Father of the poor
Treasures which endure

……

See Today’s Sequence : Veni Sanctus Spiritus

There were many other things that Jesus did by himself.
Were every one of them to be written.
I suppose that the world itself.
Could not contain the books that would be written.

Thus we come to the end of John’s gospel.
I always find it a moving moment.
The story moves on where, who can tell.
We now become the proponent.

Tomorrow the holy spirit arrives.
Tomorrow we take up the task.
It is up to us now whose soul survives.
We wait for guidance , that is all we ask.

For a time Jesus has left .
Like the disciples we are bereft.

…..

The whole world itself
Could not contain his works
And we cannot either.

……

See John 21 : 20-25

When you were young you walked wherever you wanted.
But when you are old another will dress you.
One day our hope and health will be thawted.

We will become frail.
Locked away in a home.
At the end of our life’s tale.
And the end of our tome.

Not like Peter to execution.
And pain.
But still extinction.
We are but a passing grain.

But we must keep hoping.
And praying.

……..

Young we walked our way
Old we will stretch out our hands
And die to atone

……..

See John 21:15-19

Holy Father I do not ask for these only.
But those who will believe in me.
We need never be lonely.
He is here still, the sublime key.

These readings are some of the most inspiring of the whole year.
The theme of John is that The Father loves Jesus .
We can shed gratitude’s tear
Because Jesus loves us.

He has made known.
Your name.
And he will continue to make it known.
Your holy name.

O righteous Father , although the world does not know you.
I know you.

…….

Father loves his son
And then the son does love us
And we love the son

…..

See John 17 : 20-26