Category Archives: General

Tuesday of Week 12 in Ordinary Time

 

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Enter by the narrow gate.

Since the road to perdition is wide.
We have no idea as to our fate.
But we can know who is our guide.

I am depressed by Tolstoy’s thought.
We wait only to be food for worms and stench.
By death and rot we are caught.
What matters, this is the inevitable wrench.
We will not rise again here.
But I take refuge in this Christian message.
We will rise up not here but there.
Thus we take refuge in this hopeful presage.
We do not know if we will rise up.
But that’s no reason to give up.
…….
Treat others  then as
You would like them to treat you
This is the message
……..
See Matthew7:6, 12-14

Monday of Week 12 in Ordinary Time

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The judgements you give.
Are  the judgements you will get.
Not a bad rule as to how to live.
Better let fall the debt.
Someone has done me a bad turn .
I was going to reply in kind.
And then I decided finally to learn.
I’ve dropped it , they’ll not know, I don’t mind.
I was reading Tolstoy’s Confessions.
Full of fear of death and suffering.
Depressed, in church, I heard the bells’ lessons.
And felt a great spiritual easing.
Well, I’ll try and look on the bright side.
That’s all for now,  I can really decide.
…..
The plank in one’s eye
The speck in the other eye
Keep them both in mind
……
See Matthew 7: 1-5

Corpus Christi

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They all ate as much as they wanted.
The scraps remaining filled baskets twelve.
With faith and hope everything is slowly sorted.
We, into this basket of belief, need to to delve.

Sometimes we are in a lonely place.
Everything seems beyond our control.
We feel we cannot complete the race.
Despite all our ceaseless toil.

And then a miracle happens unaccountably.
Somehow we are spiritually fed.
It changes everything fundamentally.
We rediscover life’s thread.

This is the secret of Corpus Christi.
All is contained in this mystery.

……

We taste bread and wine
And thereby know his body
This is mystery

…….

See Luke 9: 11-17

Saturday of week 11 in Ordinary Time

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Do not worry about tomorrow.
Each day has enough troubles of its own.
We feel so often ever so low.
Everything seems to be in a grey tone.

But tomorrow will look after itself.
Set your hearts on his kingdom first.
Try not to dwell on the self.
He is all that will slake your thirst.

So do not worry ,do not say.
What are we to eat.
Perhaps things will or will not or may.
It’s enough each day to greet.

Leave the worries, concentrate on the breath.
For the great leveller will come in its time,  death.

…….

The grass grows so green.
Flowers rise up and they bloom.
Then in furnace thrown.

……

See Matthew 6: 24-34

Friday of week 11 in Ordinary Time

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If your eye is sound.

Your whole body will be filled with light.
We do not know wither we are bound.
Truth remains tantalisingly out of sight.
If your eye is diseased.
Your whole body will be in darkness.
We wonder how happiness can be seized.
But it is in our inwardness.
Today I looked far over the Wolds.
Pure light reflecting off the lake.
Thus contentment unfolds.
Leaving regret in its wake.
To look upon natural beauty.
Is never a dreary duty.
……
The sight of the eye
Is sound looking at nature
And the heart is whole
…….
See Matthew 6: 19-20

Thursday of Week 11 in Ordinary Time

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The mountains melt like wax.
The skies proclaim his justice.
Maybe we’re all a bit too lax
Too prone to injustice.

We all feel we fall short.
None of us have have impeccable standards.
We muddle through, clearly fraught.
Short of the heights by many yards.

Let those who serve worthless gods be ashamed.
Thus the Psalmist admonishes us.
But we all have worthless Gods untamed.
It has and always will be thus.

I’m not always happy with myself.
But perhaps you’re not happy with yourself.

……

We all have to do
Things we would rather not do
But we muddle through

……

See Psalm 96

Wednesday of week 11 in Ordinary Time

 

 

 

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When you fast put oil on your head.
And wash your face.
Free us from all dread.
And give us grace.
No one will know you are fasting .

Except your father.
Very little is lasting.
And  we will be as we were.

So we try to look cheerful.
While knowing all is a fast.
There is no need to be fearful.
Nothing is going to last.

Show a smile .
We’ll be here awhile.

…….

We do need to fast
But do we need to show it
Perhaps not this time

…..

See Matthew 6: 1-6 and 16-18

Tuesday of Week 11 in Ordinary Time

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Love your enemies.
And pray for those who persecute you.
This was our command down the centuries.
Thus our faith grew and grew.
Sometimes we lose it.
Then Elijah whispers on our ear.
We are Ahab in our own Pit.
Trying to escape from fear.
We wear sackcloth.
We plead for mercy.
For what we did to Naboth.
And we cannot escape from his mercy.
For  we will be forgiven.
This is an absolute given.
……
Love our enemies
It’s easier to love friends
Sad, it’s what we do
……,
See 1 Kings 21: 17-29 and  Matthew 5: 43-48

 

St Antony of Padua

 

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It was said eye for eye, tooth for tooth.

But I say , offer the wicked man no resistance.
Here is a truly difficult truth.
How hard is all real coexistence.
Perhaps we could turn to St Antony.
And read his gentle teaching.
He helps us  to see.
He’s always understanding.
Are we like Ahab.
Coveting Naboth’s vineyard.
Are we in need of rehab.
Maybe we’re scarred.
Return to his teaching.
And carry on seeking.
…….
An eye for an eye
Can we really reject this
A tooth for a tooth
……….
See 1 Kings  21: 1-16 and Matthew 5: 38-42

The Most Holy Trinity

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Sufferings bring patience.
Patience brings perseverance.
We feel ourselves coming into his presence.
As we seek his ordinance.

And perseverance brings hope.
And this hope is not deceptive.
Somehow now we will be able to cope.
Giving us a new perspective.

I read St Paul, how true his words are.
Giving us all a way forward.
They seem to seal every scar.
But will everything will be straightforward.

Patience is not easy.
So we remain uneasy.

…….

Are we patient
Do we have perseverance
Sadly not enough

…….,

See Romans 5:1-5

Saturday of the 10 th Week of Ordinary Time

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Sing psalms to the Lord with the harp.
With the sound of music.
We try the note of c sharp.
Or we can take our pick.

How glorious to sing out this 97th psalm.
The Lord had shown his salvation.
It can always keep us calm.
While looking at all creation.

I walked down the  meandering hill.
Looked at the view and belted it out.
And felt much better for it , what a thrill.
At perhaps not entirely full shout.

His right hand has brought salvation.
All earth has seen God’s salvation.

…..
And we feel better
We have sung a psalm to God
Then we keep walking
….
See Psalm 97

Friday of Week 10 in Ordinary Time

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The Lord is my light and my salvation.

Whom then shall I fear.
He guards all creation.
He will wipe away every tear.
The Lord is the stronghold of my life.
Whom then should I dread.
He will shield me from all strife.
In my time here a constant thread.
When those who do evil draw near.
They stumble and fall .
He releases me gently from all fear.
If only I heed his call.
But do I remember all of this.
Sealed only with his spiritual kiss.
……..
The Lord is my light
And he’s my salvation
Will I recall this
…….
See The Entrance Antiphon of today’s mass.

Thursday of the 10th week of Ordinary Time

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Fresh and green are the pastures.

Where he gives me repose.
We need not look far for answers.
To repel life’s  irritations and blows.
The journey up the A1 had been long.
Heavy traffic , delays , overtaking .
In the thick of the throng.
No time for quiet thinking.
Here was I now at the Ramblers’ Church resting.
A glorious view unfolding .
Green pastures spreading.
The only noise , birds singing.
I read  psalm twenty two.
And my drooping spirit away flew.
……
The Lord’s my shepherd
We read in psalm twenty two
By restful waters
……
Read Psalm 22

Wednesday of the 10th week of Ordinary Time

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Make me grasp the way of your precepts.
And I will muse on your wonders.
We perhaps not, but he accepts.
Whilst  Jehovah thunders.

Not one dot, not one stroke will disappear.
from the law until it’s purpose is achieved.
We have nothing to fear.
In this we are not deceived.

The man who keeps these commandments.
Will be considered great in the kingdom.
There are ever more lovely enchantments.
And ever greater wisdom.

But do we  ever infringe them.
And how often do we bang the drum.

…….

Commandments given
But do we always obey
That is up to us

……

See Today’s Gospel acclamation and Matthew 5:17-19

Tuesday of Week 10 in Ordinary Time

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What can bring happiness , many say.

Lift up the light of your face on us O Lord.
How can we keep suffering at bay.
How can our hearts be pierced by love’s sword.
We worry during the long watches of night.
Turning over fears for the future over and over.
But we are shown the Saviour’s light.
Our dreams descending into three leaved clover.
He told us we are the world’s light.
A city built on a hill top.
He is always near, if out of sight.
Our abiding strong, listening prop.
But does our light shine in the sight of men.
We can only search and try again and again.
……
The light of the world
Is certainly in his sight
We ask who it is
…….
See Psalm 4 and Matthew 5: 13-16

Mary, Mother of the Church

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Bowing his head he gave up his spirit.
At his courage we stand astonished.
His life we  now hope to inherit.
Do we have his courage.
That we never will .
In this and every age .
We climb wearily our spiritual hill.
But we can have courage to follow .
And declare like her our  allegiance .
Need our faith be hollow.
Can we not  take our stance.
So we carry on .
And on and on.
…….
It is accomplished
He had run and won his race
And what about us
…….
See John 19:25-34

Pentecost

 

 

 

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When Pentecost day came round.
They had all met in one room.
We do not know wither we are bound.
Or what eventually is to be our doom.

We think back to Ash Wednesday.
Wondering then how we can atone.
Then the Resurrection hope of Easter Day.
Now we know we are not alone .

The Holy Spirit is there for all.
Giving us all our separate gifts.
Rescuing us from our fall .
Drawing us back from the edge of fearsome cliffs.

We need not cower in the lonely room of the mind.
There is someone looking out for us who does mind.

……

We are not alone
The Holy Spirit is there
Looking out for us

…….

See Acts 2: 1-11

Saturday of the 7th Week of Eastertide

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The deep was not when I was born.

There were no springs to gush with water.
Will I now for ever and ever be reborn.
Or for one new life or slaughter.
Grant that we who celebrated paschal mysteries.
May by your gift hold fast to them.
Never forgetting our own histories.
Knowing we come from one holy stem.
Eastertide is almost over.
Our hearts rejoiced in resurrection.
We come to complete our Passover.
Putting trust in perfection.
Tomorrow is Pentecost.
So all is not  now lost.
…..
Now at Easter’s end
We wait for the Pentecost
And salvation
…….
See Proverbs 8:22-31 and Today’s Collect

Friday of the 7th week of Eastertide

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They had an argument about a dead man.

Whom Paul alleged to be alive.
They claimed he was a mad man.
It was not enough for him to strive.
We ourselves ask this question.
He was dead , is he still alive.
Again and again without cessation.
Answers eludes us however much we strive.
Is the best way to relax .
Just assume it to be true.
As inevitable and a lot better than tax.
And what is our due .
I prefer to try to believe.
And not overmuch to grieve.
……..
Is he still alive
That’s the vital question
Which we must answer
…….
See Acts 25: 13-21

Thursday of the 7th week of Eastertide

 

 

 

 

 

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We find nothing wrong with this man.

Suppose a spirit has spoken to him or an angel .
What then is our plan.
Where are we to dwell .
Sitting alone in the church’s protection.
The readings failed to register .
But then came this strange feeling of connection.
Who was this silent messenger.
The Queen gives above all her service.
To serve is everything.
And to pay any price .
That makes of all of us a king.
At work we may grumble .
But we need not stumble.
…….
We all have to serve
We do it in many ways
But all have value
…….
See Acts 22:30, 23:6-11

Wednesday of Week 7 of Eastertide

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I have never asked anyone for money.

The work I did earned enough to meet my needs.
We try to keep our disposition sunny.
And be content with our humble deeds.
Look at the humble caterpillar.
Ugly, It exists only to eat
But it becomes an exemplar.
As a beautiful butterfly to greet .
This humdrum life will pass.
We will become something quite different.
We may wither like the grass.
We pass through life’s raging current.
And at death our wings take flight.
As we pass gloriously out of sight.
……..
We caterpillars
Will surely take flight at death
As fine butterflies
……
See Acts 20: 28-58

Tuesday of the 7th week of Eastertide

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The child leapt in her womb.

And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
For the soul there is no silent tomb.
No dark unknowing pit.
I was holding my baby grandson.
Imagine one had  talked to him in the womb.
He could not have imagined the sun.
Or all the delights of life to come.
Thus we cannot imagine our life after passing.
It is beyond all knowing.
But we will gone on living.
And God encountering.
We are the blind.
We are yet to find.
…….
The unborn baby
Cannot understand our life
Nor we life to come
…….
See Luke 1:39-56

Monday of the 7th week of Eastertide

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In the world you will have trouble.

But be brave, I have conquered the world.
That’s true ,we always seem to have trouble.
But that’s just our world.
Yes we are scattered.
And we feel alone.
But what has mattered .
Is that we can atone.
So he left us alone.
But we are never alone.
Although he has flown.
He has reaped, we have sown.
So we will try to be brave.
And ride life’s turbulent wave.
……..
He says just be brave
But it is not always easy
We just have to try
……..
See John 16: 29-33

7th Sunday of Easter

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I am the Alpha and the Omega.

The first and the last.
We never need be a spiritual beggar.
We need only stick to our last.
I was at Anglican Morning prayer.
A magical fulfilling service.
The retirement after 55 years of a lay reader.
His time had come though he’s nothing nervous.
When we finally move on.
The Holy Spirit will give us much to do.
There is always work for the father and son.
Although now we have not much of a clue.
So much service , so many sermons given.
He has just so much striven.
…….
He the beginning
And the end but not ending
And we carry on
……..
See Apocalypse 22

Saturday of the 6th week of Eastertide

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Ask and you will receive.

So your joy shall be complete.
Then maybe will we never have to grieve.
As we sit at his judgment seat.
Anything you ask from the father.
He will grant in my name.
To his name we only have to defer.
If our lingering doubts we tame.
We pray for an end to suffering.
But it surfaces always in the mind.
If only to him we kept praying .
All this we could leave behind.
But do we ask again and again .
Is not that the way to wipe out pain.
…..
We know we should ask
We know that we will receive
But do we do it
……
See John 16: 23-28