Image: My first look the manger where the baby Jesus was laid, this angle may well have been from where many saw the him for the first time. Poem 30 was inspired by this.

 

 

 

2/12/2016 – 24) Yesterday we were at Qumran,

An early settlement of man

Where passing travellers would tell of what they’d heard and seen

Where they had been

Travelling from town to town

To the Essenes who who’d write it down

The slaughter of the innocents and more

A record that would last of mankind’s past

But then came the fight between darkness and light

Goodbye to Qumran bid, the scrolls were hid

With a yearn to return

But this was not to be as the world would see

When centuries later they were discovered and recovered

And through translation, a story to share with every nation

The world to go round

And I’d made the journey to where they’d been found

 

Even pilgrims need to enjoy themselves

25) After Qumran there’d be fun and frolics at the Dead Sea

A few hardy souls went in and floated like a raft

The less hardy stayed on the beach and laughed

Trying to stand was in vain, I couldn’t get my feet to the bottom again

While others thought it good

To cover themselves in the mineral rich mud

With photos taken of the time

They looked more like monsters from the pit of slime

Then time to shower and away after another enjoyable day

 

26) Yesterday afternoon we rode to Jerusalem from Jericho

I thought of a parable I’d heard long ago

How it came about because a man asked Jesus who his neighbour was

Jesus told of a man going the opposite way

Whom a bunch of thieves did waylay

Robbed him and left him for dead

Two of his kind passed on the other side full of dread

Not from hate, but not wanting to share the same fate

But he would find, help not from one of his kind

A passing stranger showing compassion within

Bandaged his wounds and took him to an inn

Paid for him to stay then went on his way

Which was his neighbour Jesus asked and it came as no surprise

When the man said “he who helped” Jesus said “go and do likewise”

 

27) We went to the Mount of Olives where Jesus one day

Was asked by his disciples how to pray

They were told acknowledge your father in heaven

Hallow his name that his kingdom come and then went on to say

Ask him to fulfil your needs just for today

Ask him to forgive your sins and so you are not with guilt riven

Those who have wronged you their sins should also be forgiven

Ask that you not be tempted and led astray

Acknowledge his Power and Glory for all times and then

End your prayer with Amen

 

28) On the Mount of Olives Jesus stepped, looked over Jerusalem and wept

Wept out of pity for Jerusalem, his beloved celestial city

Saying “To be the City of Peace you were bidden,

Now from you that peace is hidden

Your enemies will destroy you and displace

Your people, not a stone will be left in place

Oh Jerusalem of late, how sad will be your fate”.

 

Another if I was there poem, poetic license means I get the feel of what it was like.

29) He took us to Gethsemane where he prayed

On the night that he was betrayed

Three times he asked us a watch to keep, three times we fell asleep

Only the olive trees to bear witness, to his internal pain and distress

Asking that the cup may pass him by, knowing that tomorrow he was to die

He woke us saying his time had come

We heard and did not miss Judas betray him with a kiss

To the elders he was led while all those around him fled

Not what he wanted but what his father had willed

And soon his destiny would be fulfilled

 

30) I saw where the baby Jesus was born it was said

And the manger where he lay his head

What would I have done if I’d been there?

What gift would I bring, would it be gold to crown him a king?

Or a toy to give him childhood joy

What would I have given if I’d been there?

What would I have said to mum and dad parenthood just begun?

Congratulations on the birth of your son

What would I have said if I’d been there?

Would I have sat a while tried to make him smile

Held his little hand or gently stoked his hair

Yes, what would I have done if I’d been there?

 

31) I looked at Bethlehem from Shepherds Field

Thinking of a special night when a star shone bright

The heavens ringing with angel voices singing

The Angels telling the Shepherds to find

A Holy Child, the hope for mankind

I looked at Bethlehem from Shepherds Field

From the hill the shepherds went down to find the baby in that little town

Shouldn’t have been any trouble at all, in their day it was probably small

Now it’s grown spreading far and wide,

I’m looking at it from the opposite hillside

And running through my mind, how long would it take me to find

How long would it take my search to yield?

His birthplace if I was sent to Bethlehem from Shepherds Field

 

3/12/2016 – 32) Yesterdays rain gives way to sun, another new day begun

I’m thinking of yesterday at the Church of All nations

When Across the valley drifted Muslim incantations

Fellow pilgrims making their way to pray

All of us of one accord whether he be called Allah, Father or Lord

 

33) We made our way past the sights of yesterday

Another journey to take, more new ground to break

To see more of where Jesus went before

Wondering how we would feel at the site of his last meal

What it would have been like if we were there, his last supper to share

Wondering which of us it would be

When he said “tonight one of you will betray me”

Watch has he broke the bread, called the wine his blood that was shed

Washed our feet with care,

How would we have felt had we been there?

 

34) To the disciple he loved he said “Behold your mother”

To his mother “Behold your son, look after each other”

For the building that we were in was built upon

The house that was once occupied by John

A special place where we prayed Hail Mary full of Grace

A mural depicting her life story

Of love, pain, death and her spirits rise in glory

 

35) Quick to anger and handy with the sword

Peter three times denied the Lord, after his denial it was Jesus’ trial

Found guilty as expected and spent his last night in a place without light

Lonely and knowing his life was soon to end

Did he feel the darkness was his friend

Did he reflect and pray, what was he thinking with dawn on its way

Heralding the start of his final day

 

Written after we followed The Way of The Cross

36) From the Temple of Condemnation where crucifixion was urged

To the Temple of Flagellation where he was scourged

Given his cross to carry; now it was our turn to walk the way

Of the cross and at each of the stations pray

For our families, the unloved, the healing of the nations and a better life

For the sick, the homeless, the refugee, al going through strife

Those who work in the service of mankind and others

Troubles cease a time for peace and live like sisters and brothers

At the final stations were people from many nations

Looking on as if seeing the fate of a fellow human being

Would they have looked on with glee

When he cried out “Father why have you forsaken me”

Would they have laughed or cried when he said “it is finished and died”

Would they have said as they took his body away, “A good man died today?

And would they have believed as often he said,

On the third day he would rise from the dead

 

4/12/2016 – 37) Last night we’d seen where the Temple had been

Where what happened was not as expected

As the traders and money changers were ejected

By Jesus angrily saying “this is not a den of thieves but a house for praying”

Now we were there and stood in awe at what we saw

A vast open space, in front of Judaism’s holiest place

The Wailing Wall where worshippers answer prayers call

With earnest intend where prayers of thanks or lament

Any time of day freedom to pray

 

38) New friendships to forge at the Cathedral of St George

Two communities meeting as one

Kneel to pray, The Lord’s Prayer we’ll say

Two communities praying as one

Let the walls ring to the hymns we sing

Two communities singing as one

Service end, acknowledge each other as a friend

Two communities parting as one

 

Written following a visit to Yad Vashem Holocast Memorial and what I saw there.

39) I thought “would I be able to cope with the scope”

At a museum of Man’s inhumanity to Man

Room after room, exhibits of doom

Depicting Man’s inhumanity to Man

Showing bodies in a heap, life thought cheap

Shown by Man’s inhumanity to Man

Ethnic extermination by another nation

Thanks to Man’s inhumanity to Man

Millions died many more cried

Over Man’s inhumanity to Man

The artist and poet will tell the story, there is no glory

In Man’s inhumanity to Man

World leaders listen with care; we need action not hot air

To stop Man’s inhumanity to Man

 

40) I finally got to be at a place I’ve long wanted to be

The tomb next to Calvary

I’d seen where Jesus was crucified, the hole for the cross on which he died

But today would be the day

I would be, at the place I’ve long wanted to see

The tomb next to Calvary

The queue moving slowly along, a man behind me singing a gentle song

We moved further on, from my pocket bible I read from John

And what he had to say about the third day

Then the queue was no more I stood before

The place it’s said, Jesus rose from the dead

Yes I finally got to be at a place I’d long wanted to see

The tomb next to Calvary