Ezra read from the book clearly.
So that the people understood the reading.
No harm in reading scripture daily.
Meditating, understanding.

But by midday.
I’ve often forgotten the reading.
But every day is a new day.
A chance again to start remembering.

Lectio.
Meditatio.
Contemplatio.
Oratio.

Reading, meditating.
Contemplating, repeating.

……

Read the book clearly
And understand the reading
A good way to start

……

See Nehemiah 8

And I said, what shall I do.
And the Lord said unto me , Arise and go into Damascus.
We , of course are the many not the few.
But this message is for us.

At the Same boated mass today the Deacon insisted.
We all have in life a task.
Too many times have we resisted.
Thrust from our lips the proffered flask.

Maybe my only task out of them all.
Is to write these sonnets slowly.
No one may bother to read them at all.
Is it worth doing really.

But doing something creative every day .
Must be good for the soul, who can say.

…..

Lord , what shall I do
This is the question we ask
We just do something

……

See Acts 22 : 3-16

Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good.
Or to do harm.
Their’s was an unforgiving mood.
Where was their charitable charm.

He looked round at them with anger.
Grieved at their hardness of heart.
And us, of our anger, do we remember.
Are we prepared to make a new start.

Stretch out your hand.
And the hand was restored.
Thus he entered a new land.
Faith proclaimed, not just stored.

We only need to stretch our hand faithfully.
And we will be restored eventually.

…….

Lawful to do good
On the Sabbath yes it is
Now and for ever

……

See Mark 3 : 1-6

His disciples began to pluck ears of corn.
The Pharisees were saying , why are they doing what is not lawful.
We too often invite scorn.
But then what is lawful or awful.

Have you never read what David did.
When he was in need and hungry.
Do they say of us as of  him that we overbid.
Are we trespassing in another country.

But the Sabbath was made for man.
Not man for the Sabbath.
The Son of man.
Is Lord of the Sabbath.

So we pluck, when we please, the grain.
That is our happy refrain.

……

Sabbath made for man
Man is not made for Sabbath
That is our refrain

……

See Mark 2 : 23-28

He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward.
Since he himself is beset with weakness.
With his help we can move forward.
Despite our lack of fitness.

No one takes this honour for himself.
But only when called by God, just as Aron was.
Can we do this ourself.
No , only with his gain, not our loss.

So also God did not exalt himself to be a high priest.
But was appointed by him who said , you are my son.
Like him in hope we will not desist.
But bow down before the one.

He was perfect.
On this we can only reflect.

……

He can deal gently
With ignorant and wayward
Are we those people

……

See Hebrews 5 : 1-10

Everyone serves the good wine first.
And when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine.
And for what do we thirst.
Are we really doing fine.

As at Cana this is not our best life.
There is better to come.
Then there will be no more strife.
No need to be glum.

The small church was empty, of people clear
As I stood quietly.
I felt a heaviness in the air.
Soothing all anxiety.

Does this joy just arise internally.
Or from some kind of infinity.

……

Serve the good wine first
That always happens to us
Except at Cana

…..

See John 2 : 1-11

⋅

The word of God is living.
And active.
Inspiring.
Never tentative.

Sharper than any two edged sword.
Piercing to the division of soul and spirit.
Given freely by the Lord.
Irrespective of our merit.

Discerning the thought.
And intentions of the heart.
We are truly and gently caught.
And we can make a new start.

No creature is hidden from his sight.
We all walk in his light.

….

God’s word is living
It’s active and inspiring
Sharper than a sword

….

See Hebrews 4 : 12-16

For good news came to us as to them.
But the message they heard.
Did not benefit them.
They did not listen , they had  not heard.

We who have believed entered that rest.
As he has said and swore in his wrath.
They shall not enter that rest.
Will we be the subject of his wrath.

We are given every opportunity.
To listen and to hear.
But we lack sanctity.
We just fear.

One day we will listen.
And to him hasten.

…..

Good news comes to us
As it also came to them
But do we listen

……

See Hebrews 4

O that today you would listen to his voice.
Harden not your hearts.
We have a choice.
To make new starts.

As at Meribah.
As on that day in Massah in the desert.
We can see , if we wish, far.
But is anything truly a cert.

I  woke up with a new resolution.
To never think of myself.
What a joyous thought, an inspiration.
To put others first , not myself.

And how long did it last.
As long as breakfast.

……

Listen to his voice
As on that day in Massah
As at Meribah

…….

See Psalm 95

He healed many who were sick.
With various diseases.
And what makes us tick.
What can we let go of , what seizes.

He would not permit.
The demons to speak.
Again are we entirely fit.
What do we really want or seek.

And Simon searched .
So often we are sick in body or mind.
Have we really searched
To ourselves are we at all kind.

Jesus went to a desolate place and prayed.
Can we say of ourselves in our pain that at least we prayed.

……

He healed many sick
With various diseases
But will he heal us

…….

See Mark 1 : 29-39

Jesus came into Galilee.
Teaching.
And also for us to see.
Is understanding.

The time, he said, is fulfilled.
And the Kingdom of God is at hand.
Hope like flour needs to be milled.
It need not be like a thousand grains of rasping sand.

Repent .
He told us and believe.
Fear can be spent.
We only have to receive.

He said Follow me.
That we too might see.

…..

The time is fulfilled
Is at hand now
Repent and believe

…….

See Mark 1 : 14-20

A voice cries.
In the wilderness.
Amongst all our sighs.
But full of tenderness.

Prepare the way.
Make straight in the desert .
A highway.
For our God with our every effort.

Every valley shall be lifted up.
And every mountain and hill laid low.
A new holy cup .
We cannot say No.

And the glory of the lord shall be revealed.
All this in our heart sealed.

…….

In the wilderness
A voice cries make a Highway
For this is our God

……

See Isaiah 40

The people dwelling in darkness.
Have seen a great light.
Away with this restlessness,
As we keep him in sight.

And for those dwelling in the shadow.
On them a light has dawned.
Always working not to be low.
Our life, whatever it is, will be mourned.

It is a freezing winter day .
And I am ill.
But the dawn brings a new day.
And , God willing, we will be there still.

Looking forward.
Not backward.

…….

Dwelling in darkness
But then seeing a new light
That is our future

…..

See the Gospel Acclamation of the day

Beloved, we loved.
Because God loved us.
We have survived.
Because he created and knows us.

If anyone says , I love God and hates his brother.
He is a liar.
For everyone is our brother.
But only if we think of them like our father.

He who does not love his brother whom he has seen.
Cannot love God whom he has not seen.
So no need to be mean.
It’s enough to know and to have seen.

It’s enough just to love God.
Because we are born of God.

….

Beloved we loved
Because our God has loved us
And created us

….

See 1 John 4

Do not believe every spirit.
But test the spirits.
To see if they are from a godly spirit.
For many out of the world are false spirits.

Perhaps just have confidence.
In our own spirit.
What is this but our conscience.
Our very own personal spirit.

If we obey our conscience.
We really cannot go wrong.
Because we can only test our own not others’ conscience.
This is our , no one else’s divine song.

So much is measured by conscience.
Nothing matters quite as much as conscience.

…….

You cannot believe
Every spirit out there
But just trust yourself

……

See 1John 3

And the star that they had seen when it rose.
Went before them until it came to rest over the place.
And do we follow the light wherever it goes.
We wonder if we will ever complete our race.

We may be happy with our lot or not.
Or we may be disappointed.
But out there is our star bright or not.
We do not need to be faint hearted.

We do not know where it will come to rest.
Or indeed how and when it arose.
But somewhere is our final nest.
It will be as a beautiful rose.

We just need to keep our eyes heavenward.
And follow our star onward.

….

They followed the star.
Until it came to rest there
Where the child was born

…..

See Matthew 2 : 1-12

Jesus said , what are you seeking.
And they said Rabbi, where are you staying.
Jesus answered come and you will be seeing.
So they came and saw where he was staying.

The disciples , saw, followed and stayed.
I wonder will we do the same.
Will all our doubts be allayed.
Perhaps we are different not the same.

Of course we cannot know him personally.
There is only a story to follow.
But we can pray daily.
Our belief need not be hollow.

In our imagination he is passing.
Will we be following.

…….

What are you seeking
They asked where are you staying
Do we do the same

…….

See John 1 : 35-42

The word became flesh.
And dwelt among us.
The words come every time utterly fresh.
And we know in our hearts it is Jesus.

How extraordinary and loving.
That if there is a supreme designer.
He should bestow this ultimate giving.
Or are we a mere dreamer.

But these words move.
They have enormous power.
There is nothing more to prove.
He was is and will be for ever.

Believing.
Receiving.

……

The word became flesh
And dwells among us always
That is our belief

…. ..

See John 1

All the ends of the earth
Have seen the salvation of our God.
Delighting in nature there can be no dearth.
Everything seems right, ordained by the artisan God.

A glorious winter’s day.
The sky a brilliant blue.
Nothing could go wrong today
All this teaching seemed true.

I looked at the sun through the church window.
A brilliant orb framed by glass.
For a moment I believed , I could not be low.
All was right in this silence.
As abiding as ancient church brass.

We can believe if we accept.
We need not be bereft.

……

All the ends of earth
Have seen God’s salvation
And yes so can we

……

See Psalm 98