In grandpa’s doting gaze Your rays of hope infused the twinkle In those crinkles ’round his eyes Your smile I saw Embraced and held a newborn- soon beheld Your starlit face Felt grateful for this grace Struck with awe
Through mother’s firm massage Your hands caressed my heart’s distresses In my messes, father’s patience showed Your own A stranger asked me how I was- I gushed too much to mention Knew his, and Your, attention Deeply known
The mailman’s warm, endearing “Hi!” envoiced Your cheery tenor In a tender nurse’s words Your Heart resounded A note from my old friend- Your tone broke through and gently gripped me From dread and doubt it stripped me Peace compounded
The beauty of the dancer’s form displayed Your subtle splendor As she rendered Swan Lakes’s leaps Your thrill I sensed As doc consoled my kid with special needs, I caught Your caring Infecting my despairing Joy commenced
*****
“You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13
“Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” John 14:21
“My beloved stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, peering through the lattice” Song of Songs 2
The Rabbi beckoned, “Let the little children come to me!” (1) Each mother gently nudged her tyke toward Him from her side The young ones – crawling, toddling, skipping – flocked to Him, carefree His arms, as three years hence, spread open wide
A toddler reached her eager arms with hope to be caressed He gathered her as would a hen beneath a wing’d embrace She nestled, resting list’ning ear upon His whisp’ring chest That with each beat, repeats His Love and Grace
A rowdy boy soaked up the peace that flowed forth from this Face He plunged his sunburnt head within the worn and tassled shawl Then sobbed, surprised! discov’ring Love that would not be erased Despite his earthlyfather’s tragic fall
A girl stood distant, downcast, feeling worthless and ashamed She could not trust this stranger, for her heart concealed a scar With lonely longing, watched the care the other ones had claimed While the Rabbi searched for someone, near and far
Her look then locked with His! She froze, amazed He’d seek her out She hid; He called her name and bid her join her younger peers She felt a surge of hope that purged her fears and drowned her doubt His eyes sent peace that ceased her bitter tears
As she approached, He coaxed each step; His smile broad and bright Its radiance removed her shame and proved to her, her worth He pulled her in and told her, “You are precious in my sight” (2) Her scar was healed! This moment, her rebirth
Throughout the years that followed all the youth retold their story How Love-in-Person held them in His arms, and in His gaze And how this holding freed their friend, refurbishing her glory Yet He’s heldthe child-like ones in every age
This Healer still repeats His plea, “Come unto Me” and rest (3) To restless ones whose guilt and pride give rise to hopeless pain “Unless you be converted and become like little children Youwill not enter into Heaven’s Reign” (4) *****
“A house divided ‘gainst itself Can’t stand” is said in passing Who spoke it first? Abe Lincoln? Or The “President” Whose “term” is everlasting (Mt 12:25)
Big Arnold’s “I’ll be back!” is quoted Lots by gals and guys But One both promised AND fulfilled “They’ll kill Him; then In three days He will rise” (Mk 9:31)
Quote: “With great pow’r comes great Responsibility”- Inspired! A Peter Parker paraphrase “To whom is given much Much then will be required” (Lk 12:48)
A Kansan’s quip, “There’s no place like home!” Expressed by longing faces Recalls a pledge impressing hope “My Father’s Home Has many dwelling places” (Jn 14:2)
The title “greatest in the world” Is claimed by only some Augustus, Trajan, Genghis Kahn Yet once a Rabbi dared to claim “The world I’ve overcome” (Jn 16:33)
D’you think that quote, “to find yourself Is to lose yourself” sounds squalid? This Gandhi quote falls short of Christ’s: “Who’d lose their life For Me, will find it” solid (Mt 16:25)
That golden “Love your neighbor” phrase Has gotten massive cover Yet Christ commands a greater rule “As I’ve loved you So you must love each other” (Jn 13:34)
By many tongues His words resound Like, “Turn the other cheek” “No greater love”; “Be not afraid” “Ask and you’ll receive”… His echoes free, enflame, and guide… all those who dare to seek
(Note: this poem is not meant to summarize the thought or teachings of religious leaders. My hope is that it will spark interest in truth-seekers to further study)
*****
Confucius say, he found a way to truth and moral life But Jesus say, “I AM the way, The Truth, the Life”… … The end of strife”
(Jn. 14:6)
The Buddha say, deny yourself; remove desire; be free But Jesus say, “deny [your]self, And bear [your] cross… … Then follow me”
(Lk 14:27)
Pelagius say, a man can climb to heaven without grace But Jesus say, “without me you Can nothing do”… … Not even first base
(Jn. 15:5)
Muhammed say, “to Jesus I am nearest” of all men* But Jesus say, “The Father (God) And I are One”…
… All knees shall bend
(Jn. 10:30; Phil. 2:10)
The Mormons say, the Christ began his life like any man But Jesus say, “Abe saw My day; Before he was… … I AM”
(Jn. 8:48)
J.W.’s say, the Christ was made a strong but lesser god But Jesus say, “All pow’r’s been giv’n By God to Me”… … His royal rod
(Mt. 28:18)
Baháʼí Faith say, He’s one of many prophets full of awe But Jesus say, He is The One Foretold of old… …The prophets saw
(Mt. 26:64)
And John Doe say, He’s just a guru preaching wisdom lessons But St. Paul say, He IS “God’s Wisdom” Truly sharing… … God’s own Essence
(1 Cor. 1:24)
A Man once said, “None come to Father [God] except through Me” (Jn. 14:6) He asked His own, “Who do you say I am?” Then one Replied, “The Christ!”(Mt. 16:16)
He asks each day
Both me and you
This question too
What’s your reply?
Seek
Find
Drink
“the water of life without price”
Rev. 22:17 + John 7:37
*****
“There is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
*from a widely-reported hadith, Muhammed said: “Both in this world and in the Hereafter, I am the nearest of all the people to Jesus, the son of Mary.”https://sunnah.com/bukhari:3443
When-I feel so rejected I share in Your plight “The Son of Man came to His own… And even His own did not care to receive Him” (Jn. 1:11) Receive my own care day and night
To Thirst With You
Is
to Console You
When-I feel tired and parched With You may I ache “I thirst” (Jn. 19:28) for you; “Give me to drink” (Jn. 4:7) “They gave me dour gall; sour wine for my thirst” (Psalm 69:21) Your thirst, with my love, may I slake
To Think of You
Is
to Console You
When-I feel so insulted With You may I pray “Reproaches have broken my heart… I looked for just one to console me, but… found none” (Ps. 69:20) Find me! I’ll console You today
To CryWith You and
To Die With You
Is
to Console You
When-I feel like I’m dying With You may I cry “God, why’ve You abandoned me now?” (Ps. 22; Mk. 15:34) “Into Your hands, Father, I pour my spirit” O Christ, pour Your SPIRIT…
Your LOVE…
Your LIFE from Your side!
*****
“…one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.” (Jn. 19:34)
“…that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that if possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” (Philippians 3:10-11)
To grow in one’s heart, these diseases require A grim precondition, a foundation dire Identity error, confusion, or mix-up Believing untruths about self! What’s the fix-up?
The “father of lies” spews a million deceptions Apparently harmless, but Trojan inceptions “You are what you do”, “what you think”, “say”, or “feel” “Define your reality”; “Who knows what’s real?”
What antidote is there, or immunization? The answer is found in divine revelation Identity truth heals identity error Truth captured in titles from heaven’s Truth Bearer
The Christ! He not only reveals God to us But also reveals who WE are; that’s His aim(1) A human like us in all things but sin’s fuss He teaches us WHO we are through truthful names
These titles, if taken like pills from a doc Declared every morning, indeed, round the clock Are known to bring healing and peaceful relief As antidotes strong to the lies of the “thief” (John 10:10)
If taught in your childhood, these titles might stay In only your mind, if with them you don’t pray Ask God, “Plant Your names for me deep in my heart As seeds to sprout peace and make lies to depart”
The Lord calls you “Chosen One”, “Crown”, “My Redeemed” “Delight”, “Oak of Righteousness”, “Apple of [My] Eye” So let “God-esteem” be your true self-esteem To prove your own worth, you need not! Please don’t try
God’s own Son names you “Light of the World”, “Friend”, and “Bride” Your identity bought on the Cross when He died In the Baptism Font, God forever defines you His “Child”! From the enemy’s lies, He unblinds you
Your identity comes as a gift from above So relax! You’re a “son” or a “daughter” belov’d All one’s skills or tattoos(2) can’t define WHO one is Rather, WHOSE does! Declare: “He is mine; I am His” (Song of Songs 2:16)
…Better yet, hear Him say in your heart, “You are mine”(3) (Isaiah 43:1)
****************
(1) Pope John Paul II, Angelus, December 15, 1996
(2) I’m not suggesting that this is the motive everyone has for getting a tattoo
(3) Full verse: “Thus says the Lord, he who created you…: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.‘”
The greatest trick in history: a Man was scourged and killed Then rose again in victory! But not all men were thrilled The dark one thought he tricked the Light and snuffed Him with a tree Out-tricking him, He shines eternally
The evils that he’d wrought through lies, which Eve and Adam bought Were caught and slain by Mary’s “yes”, which Jesus to us brought By dying, Christ destroyed our death! The epic war to win To Christ we’ll cling, lest we be led to sin
Rhymes for the Rejoiceful 