Friday of Week 26 in Ordinary Time

We have been disloyal.
Refusing to listen to his voice.
We cannot break the knots of the rope’s coil.
How often do we just rejoice.
At this moment are we just relaxing.
Are we enjoying what we are doing now.
Are we future and past worrying.
Do we look up , admiring the view now.
Our mind wants to live in future hope of contentment.
Or dwell on past regrets.
But never in this quite pleasant moment.
We constantly think not of now as it is  but resets.
This is it.
There is no other real it.
……..
Dwell in this moment
It’s all that is truly real
The rest is not now
…… …
See Baruch 1 : 15-22

Thursday of Week 26 in Ordinary Time

Do not be mournful.
Do not weep.
But surely be soulful.
And all your spiritual treasures keep.
Do not be sad.
The joy of the Lord is your stronghold.
All is not bad.
On eternal life we have a freehold.
I felt so much better at this reading.
Knowing of this impregnable stronghold.
All else here is slowly expiring, fleeting.
Ye this remains just as it was always told.
Always return to the word’s meaning.
Banish mournful weeping.………

If I was so sad
It was before the reading
Just return to it

…….

See Nehemiah 8 : 1-12

Wednesday of Week 26 in Ordinary Time

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Once the hand is laid on the plough.
No one who looks back is fit for the Kingdom.
We always hesitate to make the bow.
As we seek a new wisdom.

Yes , we always hesitate.
We’re not ready for full commitment.
For fear of being late.
Perhaps we don’t really want any full involvement.

When I hear this gospel, I feel guilty.
I listen but I carry on as always.
It’s no change, it’s still me.
I persist in my old ways.

But at least I can do a bit of writing.
If not much fighting.

……..

Hand on the plough?
Well perhaps not quite just yet
We just hesitate

…….

See Luke 9: 57-62

Tuesday of Week 26 in Ordinary Time

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Lord do you want fire from heaven to burn them up.
He rebuked them and they went off to another village.
Can we drink his forgiving cup.
Can we walk with him whatever the mileage.

Unforgiving events seemed to crowd around today.
Then I leafed through some scripture readings.
They were all as powerful as the sun’s ray.
All falling on rich earth , fast growing seedlings.

The talk around me was of material things.
But here was the true reality.
Eternal not ephemeral rings.
A new other worldly city.

Like a distant star.
Permanently alight but so far.

…….

Material things
May come or stay or go soon
But scripture remains

…….

See Luke 9 : 51-56

Monday of Week 26 in Ordinary Time

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I will be their God in faithfulness.
And integrity.
Moving forward with kindness
Constantly.

I was listening to a speech on forgiveness.
And redemption.
It is all about leaving behind bitterness.
And relieving tension.

But we so often fall short.
We think in terms of retribution.
We feel guilt as we try to enter our  port.
Instead of seeking absolution.

But we know the right way.
Even if we do not know our way.

…….

We will start with guilt
Then will seek forgiveness
To find redemption

……

See Zechariah 8: 1-8

26 th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The second answered , certainly sir but did not go.
Which of the two did the father’s will.
We have our free will to aim high or low.
There is some time still.I was feeling low.
Then out walking I looked upon an ordinary scene.
Nothing special , a tree perhaps and time was slow.
But the mood changed , I became serene.

Better to say No.
Then do the father’s will
Then say yes and go slow.
What matters is whether we swallow the pill.

But return to the moment.
Each moment can bring a new endowment.

…..

Better to say No
And then do the Father’s will
Than yes then go slow

……

See Matthew 21: 28-32

Saturday of Week 25 in Ordinary Time

I will turn their mourning into joy.
I will console them , give them
gladness for grief.
Will we create and be positive or be negative and destroy.
Will our commitment be long or brief.I leave Buckfast with sadness.
Why does the Abbey soothe and renew.
The office prayers seem to caress.
The Latin vespers as gentle as morning dew.

There I always go to bed with joy in my heart.
All problems seem to pale into insignificance.
The Lord sends his loving dart.
It is almost like a romance.

Is it the concentration on the word .
Is it because there we believe we are heard.

……..

In monasteries
We feel such joy in our heart
We ask what is it

…….

See Jeremiah 31

Friday of Week 25 in Ordinary Tme

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On him was conferred sovereignty.

Glory and Kingship.
We seek and often fail to hear the divine homily.
Trying even as we do to find some celestial kinship.
I was dreaming that I really believed.
All problems seemed to dissolve miraculously.
Everything fell into perspective received.
Answering every plea instantly.
I want to the healing service at Buckfast.
No words spoken by me.
Just the healing hands cast.
Asking for acceptance to understand and see.
Replacing  with love all resentment .
Anger , pride and disappointment.
…….
The old healing hands
Placed gently on the bowed head
Can bring such relief
……..
See Daniel 7

Thursday of Week 25 in Ordinary Time

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Let the faithful rejoice in their glory.
Shout for joy and take their rest.
We wonder how it will end, this our story.
Will we ever regain our youthful zest.

And I wonder what I would do every day.
If I really really acted as if the gospel was true.
How it it would change one’s life , who can say.
But monumentally different , everything made anew.

Nothing here would seem important.
Only how we loved God with all our being.
And our neighbour as ourself, a new concordant
This would be an entirely new way of living.

I dreamt that for a moment I would live this way.
But for how many minutes would I persevere, who can say.

……..

If we knew God lives
How would change our living
All our life would change

…….

See Psalm 149

Wednesday of Week 25 in Ordinary Time

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My God, I am ashamed.
I blush to lift my face.
Yet all of us are named.
Even if , here , we leave no trace.

We are so governed by our senses.
And by our racing thoughts.
We look  not within, but only with physical lenses.
We do not search for our soul’s true traits.

We should pause awhile and look within.
At our true source.
There we find no sin.
But we search in vain for what is our true force.

Deep deep inside.
Only questions collide.

…….

Governed by senses
We do not look within us
And there we find what

…….

See Ezra 9 : 5-9

Tuesday of Week 25 in Ordinary Time

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My mother and my brothers.
Are those who hear the word of God and put it into practice.
How can we release our tethers.
Is there something that I miss.

I was trying to understand Sebastian Faulkes’ Snow Country in my mind.
One of his characters asks if he is real or not.
If his consciousness is sufficiently differentiated from all mankind.
Or if it is born again each moment , what is our lot.

I ask ourselves who am I.
Do We re-emerge again and again.
Do We ever really die
Is this life here a dead end lane .

Just occasionally a book strikes one to our core .
Is this the truth or do we ask for more and more .

……..

Am I real or not
And who is it that exists
Is it our body

……..

See Luke 8 : 19-21

Monday of Week 25 in Ordinary Time

Nothing is hidden but it will be made clear.
Nothing secret but it will be known and brought to light.
But what do we really hold dear.
And how do we emerge from the night.The service at St Enodoc’s was small.
But a great truth was made clear.
The first will be last and the last first, walking tall.
What then do we ourselves really hold dear.

Again and again we feel resentful.
Others come first , we come last.
Our cup is always half empty never half full.
Constantly we feel neglected , miscast.

But trust in grace.
As we look upon the divine face.

……..

Nothing is hidden
Nothing secret but is known
That’s something to hope

…. …

See Luke 8: 16-18

25 th Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Thus the last will be first.
And the first last.
For what really, do we thirst.
Where in the lake of life will we make our cast.

We are so tied up in our ego.
But we have no idea where we are coming from, body or soul.
Or where we are going and what our life will sow.
Who we are , unique or part of a whole.

Or why we are here.
But we need not worry about our reward.
Not first or last but grace will wipe away every tear.
Whatever happens at death we will move forward.

In heaven there will be neither first nor last.
And for that and only that , we thirst.

……..

The first will be last .
And so the last will be first
That’s the only way

…….

See Matthew 20 : 1-16

Saturday of Week 24 in Ordinary Time

Those on the rock are people who hear the word with joy.
But they have no root, and in time of trial they give up.
The weeds and thorns of life clog and destroy.
It all ends in a slow moving sort of foul up.
Of course the parable of the sower applies to all of us.
We all end up not landing on the rich soil.
When it comes, we might well miss the heavenly bus.
For all our weary life consuming toil.But as I watched the tide retreating.
The waves in their unending coming and going.
A sort of weary acceptance started coming.
Rather like the waves coming and going.

……..
We fall on the rocks
Our faith has no deep roots
And so we wither
…….
See Luke 8: 4-15

Friday of Week 24 in Ordinary Time

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Religion does bring large profits.
But only to those who are content with what they have.
We just have to follow the prophets.
And we find it as a soothing as any salve.

We are told as long as we have food and clothing.
Let us be content with that.
But we never are , we’re always grasping.
And again and again we fall flat.

We are told , the love of money.
Is the root of all evil.
But it passes through our hands like honey.
There’s something in this that’s almost primeval.

The truth is we can’t do without money’s lure.
Even if again and again it makes us sore.

………

The root of evil
Is money we are all told
And we do nothing

………

See 1Timothy 6 : 2-12

St Matthew, Apostle

Follow me.
And he got up and followed him.
He calls us too with this plea.
But we treat the call as a mere whim.
I was reading the depressing newspaper.
I started writing this poem and by chance.
Allegri’s Miserere came on the radio out of the vapour.
With this music my soul was cut with a loving lance.
And at a funeral this morning.
The requiem affected me deeply.
Thus chance sways our moving.
Perhaps casually , maybe profoundly.
We never know how or where we will hear the call.
Or how, in answering, we will emerge from our mind’s squall.
……..
When does the call come
It can happen anytime
But surely it comes
……..
See Matthew 9: 9-13

Wednesday of Week 24 in Ordinary Time

We played the pipes.
And you wouldn’t dance.
We come in many stripes.
But all are called by death’s chance.
I did not know the person at the Cathedral  funeral.
But the closing words were strangely moving.
In life’s army he might have been private or general.
But we all end up the same, no longer disappointing.
The priests sprinkles the coffin with water .
And incenses it.
To remind us of baptismal water.
And to purify it.
Thus we all pass out of the service.
For now with hope, we have completed our service.
…….
Our service ended
We’re taken out of the church
To a greater good
…….
See Luke 7: 31-35

Tuesday of Week 24 in Ordinary Time

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When the Lord saw her , he felt sorry for her.
Do not cry , he said.
He just felt sorry , he didn’t want to make a stir.
But he raised the boy from the dead.

The mother didn’t need to ask for his help.
He was just passing by.
We don’t need either to ask for help.
For he always is passing by.

We just don’t see him.
Our cares blind us.
He is below our horizon’s rim.
But he is still there , making no fuss .

For only a soul sees below life’s horizon.
And our live bodies don’t have that vision.

………

When the Lord saw her
He just felt sorry for her
She didn’t ask him

……..

See Luke 7: 11-17

Monday of Week 24 in Ordinary Time

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There should be prayers offered for everyone.
Petitions , intercessions and thanksgiving.
It should be like a thing done.
Before the final reckoning.

I was looking at a picture by Bartolomeo Schedoni.
Of the Holy Family teaching the child to read.
Here was golden light one could almost feel and see.
Here was love and care freed.

The picture so intimate.
The virgin’s face so beautiful .
One felt resigned to any fate.
It made one’s heart full.

A picture so small.
And from it one walks tall.

…….

What’s in a picture
Inspiration, Beauty
Walk away happy

…. …

See 1 Timothy 2: 1-8

24 th Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Resentment and anger, these are foul things.
And both are found with the sinner.
We can stay in the deep or take to our wings.
But in this, of course , we are only a beginner.
After leaving a place Walsingham we may feel anger.
Someone is wronging us, we want to get even.
But I remembered todays gospel reader.
And what he had read that we can all believe in.The servant’s master felt so sorry for him that he cancelled his debt.
And let him go.
But how slow are we to cancel another’s debt.
Do we say to our anger, let go.

For ourselves we ask for time.
How often do we give ours time.

…..

We ask for some time
We rarely give others time
It’s double standards

.. ….

See Matthew 18: 21-25

Saturday of Week 23 in Ordinary Time

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Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
Christ meant to make me evidence of his inexhaustible patience.
Yes, more often than not , we are not winners.
But we know we are in his presence.

We often despair.
But if you trust the Memorare.
It is such a soothing prayer.
Answering every cry and say.

Never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection.
Or implored thy help, was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence,  I fly to thy protection.

By this prayer am I persuaded.

So we stand before the virgin sorrowful.
But , at Walsingham, even more hopeful.

………

Never was it known
That under your protection
Was left unaided

…….

See 1 Timothy 1 : 15-17

Our Lady of Sorrows

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Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother.
To the disciple , he said, this is your mother.
We all have an earthly mother.
But in heaven, too, we have our mother.

After happiness comes sorrow.
But joy is for ever .
Joy is for this day , every day and tomorrow.
Now or whenever.

Before all other shrines.
She came to Walsingham.
The first but not the last of many signs.
Here is the Holy lamb.

Her sorrow turned in an instant to joy.
Our sorrows after this life will turn we pray to joy.

……..

Near Jesus’ cross
Stood his mother now weeping
For him and for us

……..

See John 19: 25-27

The Exultation of the Holy Criss

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God sent his son into the world , not to condemn.
But that through him the world might be saved.
For us and and for all of them.
And to ensure none of us are enslaved.

On the cross , what when through Jesus’ mind.
Certainly pain, perhaps despair.
But faith at a deeper more profound level of mind.
Hope , giving and not certainly fear .

We are the opposite, we pray on the mind’s surface.
But deep down emotions and worries rage .
But we of course do not look at God’s face.
We are caught in life’s consuming cage.

By his death Jesus was set free.
And by our death we will also be set free.

……..

God has sent his son
Into the world to free us
Or that is our hope

…….

See John 3: 13-17

St John Chrysostom

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Happy are you when people hate you.
Drive you out , denounce your name.
Yet we feel we ate entitled to our due.
Especially if we feel we are not to blame.

St John , the golden tongue.
Hounded to his death.
He dared to criticise , unsung.
Daring to criticise the Emperor , he lost his breath.

But his sermons live on.
Truly moving , inspiring.
When so much from his time is gone.
He survives , the rest is fleeting.

Unregarded in dying.
Yet still inspiring.

……..

Happy are you then
When people hate you so much
For you will survive

………

See Luke 6: 20-26

Tuesday of Week 23 in Ordinary Time

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Make sure that no one deprives you of your freedom.
By some empty, second hand rational philosophy.
We ask, where is true balm.
Is it through some form of personal theosophy.

Jesus went out into the hills to pray.
And he spent the whole night in prayer.
Is that not the only way.
And the only route towards being totally aware.

We may ourselves not go to the hills to pray.
We certainly will not spend he whole night in prayer.
We of course only seek hesitantly a way.
We are not even of ourselves truly aware.

But during long nights of sleeplessness.
In prayer we fight a feeling of hopelessness.

……..

You’re freedom deprived
Only by your own choices
But then you can pray

……..

See  Colossians 2: 6-15 and Luke 6: 12-19