Category Archives: General

24 December

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Come quickly Lord Jesus.

And do not delay.
But we know you see us.
This and every  day.
We pray that those who trust in your compassion.
May find solace and relief in your coming.
As we will be eventually released by your passion.
Indeed hope is forthcoming.
Who lives and reign with God the father.
In the unity of the Holy Spirit.
For ever and ever.
We know it , we hear it.
And so we are close to his coming.
And happiness without reckoning.
……
This , the day before
Is one of expectant hope
Of tomorrow’s birth
….
See The Collect of the Day

Friday of the 4 th week of Advent

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Who will be able to resist the day of his coming.

Who will remain standing when he appears.
It is happening.
Soon he will wash away our tears.
For he is like the refiners fire.
And the fullers alkali.
Soon we will stand by the crib in the byre.
We will see with a new spiritual eye.
He will take his seat as refiner and purifier.
He will purify the sons of Levi and will  refine them like gold.
Of this promise we can never tire.
And all this has been foretold.
They have made the offering.
We are redeemed by his suffering.
……
I am going to
Send a messenger before
Me to prepare ways
…..
See Malachi 3: 1-4, 23- 24

Thursday of the 4th week of Advent

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O Rex gentium et desideratus earum.
Lapisque angularis qui facis utraque unum.
O king of the peoples whom they long for, come.
The cornerstone, who make the two into one , come.
My heart exults in the lord my saviour.
He brings men to the grave and back.
This psalm moves me to my very core.
There is nothing now I need lack.
The bows of the mighty are broken.
But the weak are clothed with strength.
None need feel forsaken
For us, he will go to any length.
As my eyes lifted from the psalm.
I felt inside me a new insistent calm.
……
Read Samuel’s words
They give solace and new strength
In a cold winter
…..
See Todays Responsorial psalm . 1 Samuel 2: 1, 4-8

Wednesday of the 4 th week of Advent . 21 st December 2022

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O Oriens, splendor lucis aeternae et sol institiae .
Veni et illumina sedentes in tenebris et umbra mortis.
O rising sun you are the splendour of eternal light and the son of justice, aye.
Come and enlighten those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, that is.
Come then my love , for see winter is past.
The rains are over and gone.
The days are turning at last.
Here is a new dawn.
The flowers appear on the earth.
The season of glad songs has come .
Soon we will put paid to dearth.
The depths of depression are struck dumb.
The days now will lengthen.
And hope will strengthen.
….
A light will arise
A new dawn and saviour
And it is the Christ
…….
See The Song of Songs 2: 8-14

Tuesday of the 4th week of Advent

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Ask the Lord your God for a sign.
Either from the depths of Sheol or from the heights.
As we search for our line.
And seek the lights.

I was at mass in the Cathedral crypt.
Here everything is close and intimate.
Seemingly from an ancient script.
And from an earlier date.

The service was in Latin.
The chalice right before me.
And my eye on the paten.
Here was the key.

As the priest raises the host .
We know we are not lost.

……

When in a small mass
The service is intimate
And more powerful

……

See Isaiah 7:10-14

Monday of the 4th week of Advent

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It is you  O Lord who are my hope.
My trust O lord since my youth.
I was wondering how I could cope.
How could I ever find the truth.
I was reading Psalm seventy .
Suddenly everything seemed alright.
Worry and fear were the enemy.
There is always in darkness a light.
On you I leaned leaned from my birth.
From my mother’s womb you have been my help.
You alone know my worth.
There is only you and no self help.
I will declare the Lord’s mighty deeds.
These are hope filled resurrection seeds.
…..
In psalm seventy
We find hope for the future
And present solace
…….
See psalm 70

The 4 th Sunday of Advent

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The Lord therefore.
Will give you a sign.
To hope, an open door.
And a new celestial vine.
The maiden will soon give birth to a son.
Whom she will call Immanuel.
Victory over death will be won.
Ring out then  the  triumphant bell.
A name which means.
God is with us.
From the greatest of queens.
Was there ever a greater plus.
Today we must celebrate.
For so to do is never too late.
……
This is our advent
With joy in time of waiting
But are we prepared
……
See Isaiah 7: 10-14

Saturday of the 3rd week of Advent

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In his days justice shall flourish.
And peace till the moon fails.
What do we really cherish.
Where do they take us , our sails.
Psalm seventy one gives us hope.
That we are not forgotten.
That we are not on a downward slope.
That all is good and no way rotten.
May his name be blessed for ever.
And endure like the sun.
Hope never to sever.
By having faith in the son.
Every tribe shall be blessed.
All worries addressed.
…….
Psalm seventy one
Gives us hope for the future
And present solace
……
See Psalm 71

Friday of the 3rd week of Advent

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Have a care for justice.
Act with integrity.
Fear not what you miss.
Reject all enmity.
My problem is with patience.
We are told, bear setbacks for God’s sake.
So seek remedies in his presence.
But accept failure without bellyache.
When everything goes well.
Our patience is not tested.
But when the opposite happens then we can tell.
Our self belief is bested.
Failure is an opportunity.
To test our humility .
…..
What then is patience.
It is humility’s chance
To then start again
……
See Isaiah 56: 1-3, 6-8

Thursday of the 3rd week of Advent

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As we walk amid passing things.
You teach us to hold fast to what endures.
We arise on your wings.
We are yours.
We obsess on what now we see.
Which is a mere passing shadow.
From light cast by celestial reality.
No wonder so often we feel low .
May these mysteries.
Profit us, we pray.
And so we continue our enquiries.
The price we must pay.
But it is never in vain.
And there is all to gain.
…..
Does this life endure
Most certainly it does not
And so why worry
……
See Today’s Prayer after Communion

Wednesday of the 3rd week of Ordinary Time. St John of the Cross

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Before me every knee shall bend.
By me every tongue shall swear.
Where do our paths wend.
Can we ever try to dare.

I am the Lord unrivalled.
I form the light and create the dark.
This truth cannot be denied.
As we try to renew the spark.

I make good fortune.
And create calamity.
And we importune.
For we are one family.

Like St John we can only pray.
More than that we cannot say.

…. …

Dark night of the soul
Comes to all of us some times
We can only pray

……

See Isaiah 45: 6-8, 18, 21-25

Tuesday of the 3rd week of Advent

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Trouble is coming to the rebellious , the defiled.
The tyrannical city.
We need to be more like a child.
And perhaps with a little less catholicity.
I was dreaming of some negative answer.
Then I remembered the man at the pharmacy.
With terminal prostate cancer.
Cheerful despite been treated so unjustly.
There are so many people worse off.
What right have we to complain.
Or to scoff.
Think of sunshine not rain.
Look on the bright side.
Even if life is but a downward glide.
……
Man at the chemist
Lives with terminal cancer
And cheerful with it
…..
See Zephaniah 3

Monday of the 3rd week of Advent

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He sees what Shaddai makes him see.
And his eyes are opened.
From truth we cannot flee.
And faith is reopened.

I was dreaming of the priest at mass today.
He holds no important office.
Yet his smile told all today.
He is content with making no profits.

He just helps people.
And does the liturgy .
And his contentment to soar like an eagle.
He is free and at liberty.

Give us grace to be happier with little.
As much as people may us belittle.

…….

We do not need lots
Just enough to survive now

That is all we need
…….
See Numbers 24

3rd Sunday of Advent

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You too have to be patient, do not lose heart.
Because the Lord’s coming will be soon.
Before us is laid life’s chart.
And before us is some coming boon.

I was dreaming of some disappointment.
But as a door closes , another opens.
With fate a new appointment.
And new notions.

Do not make complaints against one another.
Brothers so as not to be bought to justice .
Better in silence suffer.
Just say , trust us.

So the dream ended .
With the heart mended.

……

Worry for failure
After all what is the point
Something will turn up

……

See James 5: 7-10

Saturday of the 1st week of Advent

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Elijah has come already.

And they did not recognise him.
And us , are we ready.
For nothing is ever so grim.
I was dreaming of an antagonistic person
And then a thought crossed my mind.
Dream of liking everyone.
It’s not always easy but right to be kind.
And so we keep trying.
And failing.
And worrying.
And falling .
And starting again.
Even in the pouring rain.
……
If someone’s unkind
Don’t respond but just like them
That’s surely the way
……
See Matthew 17: 10-17

Saturday of the 1st week of Advent

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If only you had been alert to my commandments.
Your happiness would have been like a river.
Our path full of enchantments.
We have only to ask and we can deliver.
I was dreaming of Mary’s annunciation   acceptance.
How could I know what God expected.
Did I have any real chance.
How can we ever know if we will be resurrected.
Love the Lord your God with all your soul.
Love thy neighbour as thyself.
Is this the answer to our life’s  toil.
Thinking less of ourself.
And do unto others as you would have do unto you.
Treat people with concern you expect  them to show you
…..
What does God expect
Do unto others what hope
They do unto you
……
See Isaiah 48: 17-19

The Immaculate Conception of The Blessed Mary Virgin

 

Rome - The Annunciation fresco by Joseph Erns Tunner (1830) in church Chiesa della Trinita dei Monti.

 

 

 

 

Rejoice so highly favoured.
You have won God’s favour , listen.
Concerned and soon to be belaboured.
Mary’s future would yet glisten.

She asked herself what this greeting could mean.
But the angel said, do not be afraid.
To this heavenly queen.
The promise was made.

Would we give the same answer.
Let what you have said be done.
Or are we plagued by doubt’s cancer.
Will we ever win immortality’s crown.

The choice is ours to take.
For ours and his sake.

…….

We’re given a choice
We can give Mary‘s answer
To let it be done

……..

See  Luke 1: 26-38

Wednesday of the 1st week of Advent

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Young men may grow old and weary.
But those who hope in the Lord renew their strength.
Life may seem dreary.
But we should try and go to any length.
They put on wings like eagles.
They run and do not grow weary.
Isaiah’s poetry is for all peoples.
A grain of hope for the weary.
They run , walk.
And never tire.
We do the talk.
But are we a trier.
We read the poetry carefully.
And our faith grows fitfully.
…..
We read Isaiah
Inspired by this poetry
We can move forward
…..
See Isaiah 40 : 25-31

Tuesday of the 1st week of Advent

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Will he not leave the ninety nine on the hillside.
And go in search of the stray.
There is a greater one who will decide .
On each and every day.
It’s not so bad.
Seems a fair philosophy.
Why be sad .
Even if we do not know our own prophecy.
Even if we are the one.
We will not be left behind.
Nor by the ninety nine overrun.
Even if  we are thoroughly maligned.
If found we give more joy.
Than all the rest ,  nothing can us destroy.
……
If we are the one
And the others are ninety nine
We give joy if found
……
See Matthew 18:12-14

Monday of 1st week of Advent

Let the wilderness  and dry lands exult.
Let the wasteland rejoice and bloom.
Belief can be profound and no mere cult.
Releasing us from self absorbed gloom.

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I was dreaming  on the theme of I’d rather be.
For instance have a hard job than be retired.
If you look on the bright side doubts flee.
Somehow you feel  just a little buoyed.

Or I’d rather be criticised than ignored.
I’d rather be tired from duties than lazy.
So much contentment can be stored.
But what we want is often so hazy.

It’s better to say I’d rather be here
Than always thinking of there.

…..

Be content with this
Became it is all you have
And it is the now

….

See  Isaiah 35:1-10

2nd Sunday of Advent

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Everything was meant to teach something about hope.
From the examples scripture gives.
Helping us all to cope.
In all of us the future lives.
He who helps us when we refuse to give up.
Helps you to be tolerant with each other.
But first we must drink his cup.
Treating one and all as a brother.
United in mind and voice.
We may give glory.
It is our choice.
For it is our story.
Treat each other in the same friendly way.
As Christ treated you on the way.
…..
When we read St Paul
His words of hope inspire us
We need to listen
……
See Romans 15:4-9

Saturday in 1st week of Advent

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On every hill there will be streams and watercourses.
Moonlight will be bright as sunlight.
Coming our way are great forces.
Beyond all earthly might.

He will send rain for the seed you sow.
And bread that the ground provides will be rich.
As we set our hand to the plough.
And make our life long pitch.

Your cattle will graze.
That day in rich pastures.
As we negotiate every maze.
And listen to the pastors.
When we listen to Isaiah’s song
We feel it will right all wrong.
…..
Reading Isaiah
You feel all pain disappear
I’m great poetry
…..
See Isaiah 30:19-21, 23-26

Friday of The First Week in Advent

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Take pity on us , Son of David.
Then he touched their eyes.
Our faith may be faded.
But we can reach the prize.

The blind men asked again and again.
And their faith was rewarded.
Taking away their unseen pain.
But we are too faint hearted.

Their faith deserved it.
And their sight returned.
We only have to commit.
We never will be scorned.

The talked about him all over the countryside.
But when it comes to us , do we just hide.

……

The blind men can see
They asked again and again
But then so must we

……

See Matthew 9: 27-31

Thursday of Week 1 in Advent

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Everyone who listens to these words of mine.
Will be like a man who built  his house on rock.
He needs to look for no further sign.
He only needs to knock.

So Matthew was a tax collector.
Despised by so many .
An image of the occupier cast by projector.
In the midst of need a man of plenty.

He had built his house on sand.
Rain came down and it fell.
The Lord took him by the hand.
And all was well.

Like Matthew we await a call.
And we are then in his gentle thrall.

…….

He called St Matthew
And we now await his call
I thought I heard it

…….

See Mathew 7:21, 24-27

St Andrew

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Follow me.
And I will make you fishers of men.
Let me see.
Again.

I doubt too much .
I see too little.
I try to stay in touch.
But my faith is so brittle.

At once leaving their boat and their father.
They followed him.
I need to see further.
If ever I am to find him.

How many of us just leave our boat.
We’re too afraid we won’t float.

……

He has called us
And then we just carry on
As we were doing

…..

See Matthew 4: 18-22