Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel! – Mt 23:24
woe to us hypocrites
who proclaim the Word
yet don’t believe Him
Emmanuel, God with us
who came to remain with us
yet we choose to settle
for man made creeds
we argue over rules
instead of embracing
an encounter with Him
who came to walk with us
the Kingdom of God is here
he is knocking at the door
all we have to do
is open our hearts
and let him in
He took me in spirit to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. It gleamed with the splendor of God. Its radiance was like that of a precious stone, like jasper, clear as crystal. – Rev 21:10-11
how far has man fallen
when we judge
the nature of God
by the outward appearance
of his heavenly city
we turn from his grace
and ignore the beauty
innate inside all of us
and look outward
for signs from heaven
As a result of this, many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him. – Jn 6:66
i am sorry, Lord
i have received you
unworthily. i may have
followed the rituals
prescribed but i did
not allow you to
transform me into
you. the priest can
transform the bread
but i am the only priest
that can transform me
forgive me, my Savior
for each time i ate your
flesh and drank your
blood yet went back
to my former life as
if nothing transpired
as did my ancestors in
the desert who ate manna
from heaven and yet
remained far from you
o holy spirit, give me
the courage to lay down
my life on the altar
and put on the Servant
as for me and my house,
i will serve the Lord.
please do not let me
be an unworthy host
The greatest among you must be your servant. – Mt 23:11
Rabbi, your lessons are hard
who will follow you
when you teach
buy high and sell low
who will follow you
when professing belief
is not enough
who will follow you
when one must practice
what one preaches
who will follow you
when the kingdom of God
comes through the cross
Rabbi, your lessons are not
those of this world
if my Master serves me
whom should i serve
speak Lord
your servant is
listening
“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” – Mt 22:36
the answer has always been
love – the verb
and not love – the noun
love is not a noun
an idea : ideal : concept
something to inscribe on a scroll
and hang on a wall
love is not a feeling or sentiment
to espouse in an essay
or glorify in a poem
love is an action verb
it has a subject and an object
it implies an action by the subject
and a reaction by the object
it implies a transformation
where the object becomes the subject
it implies transactions
it implies multiple transactions
it implies a relationship
between the subject and object
yet
if the heart is hardened
if one does not love
it does not matter what the law is
or what the prophet proclaims
the mouth may speak the law
but the actions do not
the answer has always been
love – the action verb
hence the incarnation
the transfiguration
the crucifixion
the resurrection
these are all acts of love
not commandments chiseled
on stone tablets
to be lost to the ages
the answer is loving
Longing For Water 