He sat down opposite the Treasury.
A widow came and put in two small coins.
Sometimes we are lost in our breviary.
Forgetting what really are useful joins.

This evening I could not remember .
what had been said at mass today .
Just other people as a recalled ember.
I could not keep irritation at bay.

We all think that we put in a lot.
But we only put in what we have to spare .
Others put in a lot more thought.
But fellow feeling is all too rare .

Let’s not what what others are doing.
And think more on what we are missing.

……….

Others do their thing
Just let them get on with it
It’s all to the best

……….

See Mark 12: 38-44

 
You pass yourself off as virtuous.
But God knows your hearts.
All our little vanities are ridiculous.
And no one will study our charts.

The distressed poet sits in the corner.
Oblivious to what’s happening .
The dog eating his dinner .
The milk maid , her bill demanding .

I dreamt that I was missing out.
Something had come and gone .
That particular hope put to rout.
Something just become a bygone.

No one will ever read the clever poet.
He should have concentrated on his suet .

………

Best to be present
Than ponder futures
It is all we have

………

See Luke 16: 9-15

Dig I am not strong enough.
Go begging , I should be too ashamed.
So we have to take the smooth with the rough.
We wonder if our true role has been reclaimed.

In my dream I had a decision.
Should I join the Royal Navy right now.
But I was not twenty one on a mission.
I’m seventy one and too old now.

But these dreams seem so real at the time.
Do they proclaim deep hidden regrets.
Is the subconscious the true I’m.
Are they actually our true assets.

………

Try and remember dreams however bizarre.
They may  yet reveal who we truly are.

………

We remember dreams
They may tell us who we are
Or are they mirage

………..

See Luke 16: 1-8

 
The life of each of us has influence on others.
You should never pass judgment on a brother.
What we burn is felt by all our brothers .
There is in this world no just another.

Their hope was rich with immortality.
I remembered these words as I dreamt badly .
They kept turning in my head incessantly .
Soon all began to look somewhat goodly .

All these present troubles will turn to dust.
Nothing can match hope in eternity.
Apart from this , all will turn to rust .
That’s all that gives some serenity .

Hope , immortality soothing words .
As at last I heard dawn’s song of birds.

…………

Immortality
Where we see it there is hope
But it’s far away ?

…………

See Wisdom 4: 1-9 , Romans : 14, 7-12

( picture by my granddaughter)

Love , the one thing that cannot hurt your neighbour.
And why it is answer to the commandments.
But it can be the fruit of much hard labour.
Subject all the time to deep resentments.

So can we really avoid getting into debt.
Except ,we are told ,the debt of mutual love.
I suppose all this is a tremendous sweat .
But in the end it does come from above.

All the commandments, given to oneself.
Flow from this one hard injunction.
To love your neighbour as yourself .
Yet so difficult to do without interruption.

If we write that we love our fellow men .
Our obligations need no further pen.

……..

To love your neighbour
As you love always yourself
That is the answer

……….

See Romans 13: 8-10

Their hope was rich with immortality.
Slight their affliction , great their blessings.
I dread to be torn from this reality.
Soon something will cut these precious life strings.

So our going is no final disaster .
We are not facing annihilation.
To our end we run ever faster.
We will find peace not in retribution.

We are tested like gold in a furnace.
Accepted ourselves as a Holocaust.
In this we are truly one human race.
Eternally on cruel seas in vain tossed.

I pray this death will not be the final end.
But the beginning , and for me he will send.

……..

For mother ,father
I pray please be there for me
As you were in life

……….

See Wisdom 3 :1-9

How rich are the depths of God.
How deep are his wisdom and knowledge .
Take comfort even though we are flawed
It is surely something to acknowledge .

I was dreaming of the worst  event.
What if  I and my wife were parted  by death.
I felt I could not bear what this meant.
My dream went on , we still had breath.

I dreamt we entered heaven together.
Peace and beauty around us in view.
I felt so relieved  to be there as one forever.
You can laugh , but I felt it to be true.

So in night time dreams we find peace .
As we search for answers without cease.

…….

In dreams we find peace
Of worlds past reality
But then what is real

……..

See Romans 11:29-36

 
Wait till you do any damage on land.
Or at sea, or to the trees.
Time is running out like fine blown sand.
We have not paid our environment‘s fees.

We do not need the angels whose duty .
Is to devastate land and sea .
We ourselves destroy timeless beauty .
When we ourselves forget land and sea.

We cut down forests with abandon.
We burn warming coal without thought .
The earth in glory we hold to ransom.
We put all responsible care to naught.

So what of all the Saints who have gone before.
Gould we not listen more to their warning lore.

………

The trees are dying
The oceans are drying
Do we care or not

………..

See Apocalypse 7: 2-4, 9-14

 
Jews are loved for the sake of their ancestors .
God never revokes his choice or gift.
He does this against all protesters.
Healing as he does so all old rift.

God has not rejected his people .
Chosen specially long ago.
They are like a beacon, a steeple.
His love for them will grow and grow.

Let us love them too with all our heart.
Recognising their great contribution.
Their journey is only at its start.
Like all they will receive absolution.

One day all peoples will be truly one.
And then our human race will have won.

………..

Let us all be one
Races can be together
Surely that is right

………..

See Romans 11: 1-2, 11-12, 25-29

What I want to say now is no pretence.
I say it in union with Christ, the truth.
I feel it with every intense sense.
I say now with age after passing of youth.

I am watching John Denver’s wind song.
In a video from Christian  art for Cop 26.
I just can’t believe all this really is wrong.
We should wake up before crossing the Styx .

We can pray for this world’s prospect.
That we put in what we take out.
That we always calmly recollect.
Of this there can be truly no doubt.

So let’s take this all seriously.
Or we may end up perilously .

……….

The world is lovely
It is only in our charge
Shall we care for it

……….

See Romans 9: 1-5

You are no longer alien visitors .
You are citizens like all the Saints .
We don’t need to be caged prisoners .
Full of wearisome never ending complaints .

If we are apostles and disciples.
We are secure in his household.
We are not time expired fossils.
As we meet the world we can be bold.

At mass today I was lost for words to pray.
Then the light poured in behind the altar .
Powerful indeed was the Sun’s ray .
Wordless prayer did not now falter .

Inspiration comes in different ways.
Warmed by countless friendly rays.

………..

So how can we pray
It is anyway you like
By word or wordless

………..

See Ephesians 2: 19-22

 
When we cannot use words to pray properly.
The spirit himself expresses our plea.
This help is for us truly fatherly .
It is for him , her , them , you and me .

Our prayer need not be in lengthy words.
It can stay hidden deep in our mind.
It has no body yet flies like the birds.
It need never falter , is always kind .

In turning to good we are justified.
But were we actually called long ago.
So is it our present that is the guide.
Is it where we’ve been or where we are to go.

But for certain it is all about love .
And without doubt comes from above.

………..

Are prayers in words
Or do they come from within
Perhaps it is both

……..

See Ephesians 2: 19-22

 
What shall I compare the kingdom with.
It is like yeast with flour leavened through .
This teaching is truly beyond all myth.
With his holy yeast our faith grew and grew .

We started with a tiny mustard seed.
Finally birds sheltered in its huge branches.
On this holy bread we can feed and feed .
He is the seed , we are the verdant branches .

We may have to be ground with millstones.
The tough process is hard and lifelong.
It can be as painful as kidney stones.
Oh , we cry all this takes far too long.

But with perseverance and laughter.
We can with great joy sing to the rafter.

…………

What is the Kingdom
It is yeast that leavens through
Fulfilling our lives

…………..

See Luke 13: 18-21

Brothers , There is no necessity .
To obey Our unspiritual selves .
What then is our real necessity .
What is it, Ourselves or themselves .

Everyone moved by the spirit.
Is a son of God , not a spirit of slaves
But your own son’s holy spirit .
There is no need for fear of waves.

The spirit himself and our spirit.
Bear united witness as God’s children.
We are with him truly in spirit .
And all this for our grandchildren.

Sharing all his dreadful suffering .
And his glory and life’s buffering

….,,,…

Where find our spirit
Is it only in ourselves
Or outside our selves

….,,,,,,,

See Romans 8: 12-17

I will guide them to streams of water.
By a smooth path where they will not stumble.
Some times our ambitious hopes will stutter.
But our flying hopes must be humble.

Our religious life is on a highway.
It is of his not of our making.
When we start we do not know it’s end day.
Or what direction it is taking.

But like Israel we will be gathered.
The bind and the lame , a great company.
We may be bruised and we may be battered.
And we do not know who we will accompany.

But if we are strong like aluminium.
We will surely reach our Jerusalem.

——-++++++——-

We follow our stream
It wends its own winding way
But for us it’s right

———+++++——-

See Jeremiah 31:7-9

God has done what the law, because of our unspiritual nature
Was unable to do .
We are a strange sort of creature.

I’m not sure we really have a clue.

The unspiritual are interested only in what is unspiritual.
But the spiritual are interested in spiritual things.
Is everything just some kind of ritual.
Or is our spirit lifted up to God on wings.

I think I’m convinced by everything in religion down all its many lanes .
The readings , the teaching , the liturgy , music and insense.
Only one thing remains.
An absolute belief in God’s existence.

How I wish it would come to me in a vision.
For the time being I’ll just have to stick with religion.

………..

I believe in God?
I do trust religion
But is that enough

……….

See Romans 8: 1-11

I know of nothing good living in me
Living that is in my unspiritual self.
Honesty here is the key .
It’s up to you , you can’t get it off the shelf.

Every single time I want to do good.
It is something evil that comes comes to hand.
Perhaps I should ask myself if I should as well as could .
But good intentions dribble into the sand.

Maybe we should not worry too much.
We are not doing that bad.
Nothing comes easy to the touch.
So let’s not be too sad.

Keep trying.
And stop sighing.

………

Good intentions
Despite every effort
Soon just fade away

………..

See Romans 7: 18-25

Ignem Veni Mitteri in Terram.

I have come to bring fire to the earth.
They came to slaughter the lamb.
What then is our pride worth.

Have a look at Alberto’s work.
The martyr’s painting in the English College.
Here we see St Edmund put death by dirk.
Such courage we can only acknowledge.

When a martyr was announced.
The students sang below the picture.
Thus their voice was never silenced.
Their loyalty was to scripture.

So will we too set the world alight.
Or of our true destiny will we lose sight.

———-

Set the world alight
That is our true destiny
Just have the courage

———

See Luke 12: 49-53

You should make every part of your body .
As a weapon fighting for God.
What does all this embody.
As on and on we plod.

Sin will no longer dominate your life.
Since you are living by grace and not by law.
Cynicism is rife.
None of us are without flaw.

You cannot be slaves of sin.
And at the same time slaves of obedience.
But we still  attempt to grin.
And put it all down to experience.

Saint Paul got it right.
But the race to his finish will be tight.

………

Are we slaves to sin
Or slaves to obedience
That then is our choice

……..,,,

See Romans 6:12-18

Christ will cause everyone to reign in life.
Who receives the free gift that he does not deserve.
Despair and unbelief are rife.
God from fear,us preserve.

We were at St Margaret’s
Our fallen colleague ,mourning.
We could have no regrets.
At a life well spent for others working.

The antiphon rang out.
The psalms were glorious.
Here was no doubt
He was victorious.

Thus we can only surmise.
Into life he will arise

———-+++++———

Celebrate his life
He is gone for now that’s true
But he will return

———-++++++——

See Romans 5:12,15,17-21

How beautiful on the mountains .
Are the feet of him who brings peace.
Here indeed are flowing fountains.
Our life will receive a new lease.

We are mourning our friend
With tribute and prayer.
We pray he will ascend.
We determine to dare.

Violence will not win.
Hate will have its day.
kindness and hope are twin.
Our fears to lay.

So perhaps his passing will be our gain.
If our differences are not our bane.

………

Kindness is the key.
Respect despite difference
That is surely key

……….,

See Entrance Antiphon

The Lord had been pleased to crush his servant with suffering.
If he offers his life in atonement.
How will it be our passing .
Have we taken all our life or lent.

I am thinking of my friend and colleague.
Cruelly taken from his brothers .
With service , he was always in league.
Always caring for others.

Not for him the lure of high office.
Or ambition.
Only public service .
A true rendition.

Now his life is given.
And our hearts are riven.

…….

Will they say of us
We gave our life in service
Or we thought of us

……,

See Isaiah 53: 10-11

 
When they take you before magistrates and authorities.
Do not worry about how to defend yourselves .
What then are our priorities.
Can we take pride in ourselves.

Virtually all people conform to government decree.
My family certainly did after our first martyr.
But the Stonors remained true, paying week after week their fee.
I wish I could have that sort of courage for a starter.

I am at their house in Oxfordshire.
Pausing in the room where Edmund Campion stayed.
His heart with love afire.
Soon to be cruelly arraigned.

But now by this gentle Chiltern hill.
All is peace tranquil and still.

……..

Where does courage lie
Is it in conformity
Or in seeking truth

……..

See Luke 12: 8-12

When a man has nothing to show except faith in the one who justifies sinners.
Then his faith is considered as justifying him.
How then do we all become winners.
Is all our future based on fates’ whim.

We can by our own efforts do better.
But can we have faith just by trying.
Do we have to be part of the select fitter.
Or can we obtain redemption by doing.

St Teresa had faith in spades.
But that was not enough.
Her whole life a struggle , braving spiritual cascades.
Often travelling far and rough.

So I think we have to do both.
Have faith and not too much sloth.

…….

For redemption
Is it just faith or good works
I suspect it’s both

……..

See Romans 4: 1-8

Man is justified by faith .
And not by doing something the law tells him to do .
What then if we have insufficient faith.
What then are we to do .

I am in Athens studying the ancient Gods.
Immortal yet with so many human faults.
Perhaps in their frailty they had a point , these Gods.
Because we like them have so many faults.

So I can’t justify myself by the little good I do.
Nor by my questioning faith
So what am I to do.
Perhaps try harder with what I do and with my faith.

I had better just keep muddling on my way .
It’s not a lot but what more can I say .

……..

Justified by faith
Or just by the deeds we do
What if then neither

…………

See Romans 3: 21-30