Anyone who does not enter the sheepfold through the gate.
But gets in some other way is a thief and a brigand.
Let there be an end to all hate.
Let faith be quickened .

The one who enters through the gate.
Is the shepherd of the flock.
Our turn will come, we just have to wait.
And to knock.

The gatekeeper lets him in.
One by one he calls his own sheep.
And one day too we will be let in.
This is a promise he most certainly will keep.

The sheep know his voice.
But we have to make our choice.

……..

You must use the gate
To enter in  the sheepfold
Is that not the way

…….

See John 12 : 1-10

God is light.
There is no darkness in him at all .
We only have to keep this in sight .
And we can walk tall .

If we live our lives in the light.
We are in union with one another .
Our prayers will rise like a kite .
And it will be as light as a feather .

The blood of Jesus , his son
Purifies us from all sin.
His vision as bright as the sun .
As supple and strong as tin.

As long as we keep him in sight.
We are surrounded by light.

……..

We know God is light
There is no darkness in him
So keep him in sight

……..

1 John 1 : 5-2 : 2

I am the bread of life.
Whoever believes in me will never be hungry.
Here is an end to strife.
As we enter another country.

He who believes in me.
Will never thirst.
This is the key.
Whatever befalls the worst.

Whoever comes to me.
I shall not turn away.
We do not need to repeat our plea.
We know the way .

We only have to seek.
And be accepting and meek.

……..

I’m the bread of life
Believe and be not hungry
Now and for ever

……..

See John 6: 35-40

All wrap yourselves in humility.
Because God refuses to be proud..
So we try to achieve tranquility.
And not just trying to follow the crowd.

Bow down before the power of God .
And he will raise you up on the appointed day.
Meanwhile we remain awed.
So that all our debts he can pay.

Unload your worries onto him.
Since he is looking after you.
He looks after our every whim.
All the old ones and the new.

Your brothers all over the world are suffering from the same things.
We all can be spiritual kings.

……

Wrap yourselves humbly
God refuses to be proud
Bow down before God

……..

See 1 Peter 5 : 5- 14

Give me your hand, put it into my side.
Doubt no longer but believe.
We have a new  eternal guide.
Even if unlike St Thomas we cannot touch only perceive.

I woke with a feeling of happiness.
After I had rested in the present now of being .
We can get rid of this eternal doubting restlessness.
From past and future a temporary freeing.

We need to rest from the mind’s questioning.
To watch it, not be controlled by its working.
Let the thoughts like passing ships keep rolling.
But on them you don’t need to be boarding.

And then of course something makes you start doubting.
And you start again with the questioning.

……

So unlike St Thomas
We now cannot touch his side
But we can believe

…….

See John 20 : 19-31

Go out to the whole world .
Proclaim the good news to all creation.
He had opened up forever the underworld.
And the call went out to every nation.

The scribes were astonished by their assurance.
Considering they were uneducated laymen.
And we marvel at the disciples’ endurance.
True , it is clear , they were robust fishermen.

And our own faith is so weak.
We would never put our lives at risk.
Yet we can still seek.
And attempt to throw s spiritual disk.

For we have not, with our own eyes, seen.
Only heard , so sadly we are not so keen.

…….

Go into the world
And all proclaim the good news
To all creation

…….

See Mark 16 : 9-15 and Acts of the Apostles 4 : 13-21

It was light by now and there stood Jesus on the shore.
Though the disciples did not recognise it was Jesus.
During this week we should be shaken to the core.
Only one person has ever risen from the dead, Jesus.

The detail is convincing.
Down to the number of fishes caught.
But we always need more convincing.
Further proof is always sought.

But would the disciples have gone out .
If the whole thing was imagined.
We just have to accept  and suspend doubt.
Than joy and truth can be divined.

We too are in that boat, going about our daily chore.
Looking and hoping for that figure on the far shore.

….. ..

Jesus on the shore
We are far out on our boat
We ask is it he

……

See John 21 : 1-14

In a state of alarm and fright.
They thought they were seeing a ghost.
Sometimes too we cannot see the light.
Nor even the divine host.

Today at mass I was in such back pain.
The sermon passed me by completely.
I’m not sure where I was and in which lane.
I fidgeted , what I thought was discretely.

Then later at the Orthodox twelve gospels .
I let the old Slavonic pass through me.
I could not understand, but I was one with the disciples.
I could not hear enough to comprehend, but I could see.

Thus we do not need to understand.
But we need to feel and to take his wounded hand.

…….

In alarm and fright
They thought they saw but a ghost
But he’s real enough

……

See John 21 : 1-14

He took the bread and said the blessing.
And their eyes were opened.
And we sometimes do not see him passing.
And we miss an extraordinary dividend.

I stepped out of the warmth of the cottage into the night.
And thought that within twenty years I will be in the cold cemetery.
All this pampered body out of mind and sight.
But the soul flies away so I suppose it’s not too scary.

Later I dreamt that someone was saying something nasty and political.
But then my wife led me away with a lovely smile.
Thus all things pass , even all things critical.
The soul lives on while they are put away in an unread file.

So there’s no point in worrying about health.
Or indeed about all too temporary wealth.

…….

He said the blessing
And giving the broken bread
Thus opened their eyes

…..

See Luke 24: 13-35

She turned around and saw Jesus standing there.
Though she did not recognise him.
Through the clouds of centuries we peer.
Unwilling or unable to see him.

We too ask where he has been put.
Perhaps we would like too to move him.
Then he calls our name as we reach out tentatively for his foot.
And then at last we should recognise him.

But how often do we doubt.
We are called by too distant an echo.
We are summoned more by a whisper than a shout.
Our awakening is all too slow.

…..

But we need to hasten
And to echoes listen.

……..

He calls us by name
But do we recognise him
It is up to us

…….

See John 20 : 11-18

Jesus said to them , do not be afraid.
Go and tell my brothers  they must leave for Galilee.
They will see me there with all debts paid.
And we too will see him along with all our family .

The flowers covered the sanctuary.
A blaze of yellow and white.
And the gospel story rang out  gloriously.
Now all despair was out of sight.

Filled with awe and great joy.
The women ran away from the tomb to tell the disciples.
And we too, such distant witness,  can feel this joy.
Enough to fill countless bibles.

We too run from the tomb.
And put paid to all gloom.

….

Do not be afraid
And go and tell my brothers
Do we do the same

…..

See Matthew 28 : 8- 15

NOTE : I have now finished my three  year cycle of sonnets Easter 2020 – Easter 2023……..
……..
Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first .
Also went in , he saw and he believed.
At the end of this long cycle I ask for what I thirst.
And I ask too, what have I given  and not just received.

For all this three year cycle I have posted daily Sonnets.
I have no idea if anyone has enjoyed any of this reading.
Easter 2020 in lockdown to Easter 2023 bonnets.
Anyway,  it’s given me great pleasure in writing.

Just as the disciples experienced on Easter Day .
We all have different ways of witnessing.
Which is better , who can say.
Some in wonder, others in understanding.

My greatest pleasure this weekend was lending my hymn book.
So who knows what is the best way to follow the good book.

……..

He saw and believed
We who have not seen must too
We just have the choice.

.. …

See John 20: 1-9