EPIPHANY
A JOURNEY OF FAITH
A new and tantalising star
shone in the night’s sky.
What could this herald?
Thought some astrologers,
It seemed to beckon,
Come, follow me.
The challenge taken,
Magi loaded camels.
The star guided them over
desolate and dangerous terrain,
Never safe from robbers,
Hallucinations on the horizons.
A week past into another,
The star still beckoning
to travel in foreign land
far away from home.
The star paused over a city
Jerusalem, ruled by Herod.
Scribes searched Scripture
to find a meaning.
In Bethlehem Ephratah,
a child to rule.
This is the very reason
the star led us so far.
Guided, the star rested
Over a humble site,
inside a Child slept,
protected by a loving Mother.
Leaving precious gifts behind,
symbolising many things,
magi leave a different way
after beholding the holy Babe.
CANDLEMASS
Leafless trees dotted the horizon
a bleak, frozen morning
trod I, lost in thought.
Would snowdrops soon appear
to herald longer days?
Tonight a chapel in candlelight,
signifying some importance.
Candlemass, it is.
“A light to lighten the Gentiles,”
prophesied the aged Simeon
blessing the Christ-Child.
The inspired Simeon
acknowledges this Child
to dispel the grip of darkness
with His piercing light
to all humble and gentle souls
believing in Him as their Saviour.
THE VISITATION
Trekking the hills from her home,
a journey of no small distance,
the teenage Mary set out
in playful spirit and love.
What joy exploded
in meeting her cousin, Elizabeth.
The child leapt in her womb,
signifying a greater honour.
She knew; she welcomed;
the mother of her Lord,
now blessed of all mothers,
but more blessed her son.
Joy overflows in Mary’s heart;
Praising God for many things;
His care for the poor
and praise for the humble.
LADY DAY
What were you doing
kneading, sewing,
perhaps reading
from Holy Scriptures?
Could you been reading Isaiah
in the time of king Ahaz
a young woman bearing a child
would bring hope to the people?
Her steel concentration,
disturbed by a voice.
More disturbing words,
“Be not afraid.”
What can this mean?
Mary pondered deeply.
Broken by startling words,
A mother to the Holy One.
Like Abraham, content,
to be God’s very vessel
in fulfilling His plan,
the birth of the Saviour.
O BLESSED TRINITY
This sublime mystery
A puzzlement to all.
Who can explain it?
Many have tried.
I wish not to explain,
simply to behold the mystery.
Knowing through God’s creation
I am a minuscule of that mystery,
Let me ponder gracious God,
the inter-play of the Love-knot,
whirling in cosmic space,
yet also humming in my heart.
THE GLORY OF GOD ON THE MOUNT
Too much, too much, the favoured ones,
Tumbling, tumbling to the ground.
Overwhelmed by a powerful presence,
drove them down, down.
Meanwhile the Divine Himself
entertain two important guests,
a lawgiver and a prophet,
speaking of the divine plan,
As they conversed this matter,
shrouded in glorious radiancy,
they heard the Father proclaimed,
“This is my beloved Son.”
