The Hour

it is upon us
so it begins
we descend into darkness
into the enemy's hands
persecution justified by
pretentious progressive machinations
in the name of human rights
but in reality is
human degradation
majorities become minorities
when deception converts the
masses into believing
right is wrong and
wrong is right
vacuous opinions serving as facts
with only force as a foundation
laws become instruments of
enforcing the latest logical extension of
relative principles conceived in
enlightened imaginations
devoid of tolerance
while nature's law enhanced by
revelation becomes supposedly the
trivial pursuit of
ancient prejudices clothed in
modern sophistries of
religious neanderthals who have
no regard for human advancement and
deserve whatever ill
may come their way
faithful followers of Jesus
become the hunted prey of
social exterminators wearing the
regalia of authority making
melodramatic accusations of
hate and bigotry 
against everything that doesn't 

fit their latest woke truism 
no matter how ridiculous their
take on reality proves to be
just as long as no one observes that
the emperor has no clothes on but
wheat must be separated
from the chaff-
renewal of the Body
through purification's fire-
how long that takes is providential
but salvation or damnation
is at stake
the time of apostasy has arrived
though it won't be
viewed as such
rather only as being
open-minded

tolerant and
non-judgmental

updating doctrine for

today's culture...
trials and tribulations
hatred and ridicule
await Jesus' disciples who
resist the world's pressure to
cave to their tyrannical
new world order of
humanitarian ideals
which in reality only serve to
tighten the grip of the
ancient adversary
whose way is wide and easy
while hidden by
authoritarian arguments
from a new generation of
rebellious minions...
be prepared to
speak the Truth in Love
stand firm in the Lord and
in the Power of the Holy Spirit for
the hour is here

Reflection/Discussion:
-Where do you see persecution happening in our culture?
-How does it affect you?
-How are you growing in your relationship with Jesus?
-What are you doing to deepen your understanding of Christian Morality?
-What does it mean to "speak the Truth in Love"?
-How can you Love your enemies?
-If enemies looked at your life, would it merit persecution? Why/not?

 


 

The Desert

barren

without direction
a journey with
limited results
unsuccessful attempts
rooted in supposed

holy desires
searching for fruition

losses too heavy to carry

blur my vision of trust
while petitions ending in
endless frustration
leaves me to question
my motives even
my decisions of surrender
each peeling away
layers of self
mired in the world
reactions not founded in Love
weaknesses open to
deadly spiritual sins
motivate me to seek
Grace's intervention
cleansing bit by bit
slowly discovering a
glimmer of Light
leading upward
squinting for clarity
sensing yet again to
let go of the lesser
though lofty goal to
serve the mission of the One
though often chained to
self's centrality
for the more pure
union of a Lover
release me
from myself to
embrace surrender in
everything to You
jealous for my heart to
burn with
singular Passion
despite being
beyond my power to
complete which begs for
You to make it so since
I cannot
this invitation is
painfully grasped
without assurances of
perseverance in
surrendering my control
leaning not on my own
understanding while
acknowledging His Lordship
provides an inkling of Trust in the
night's caressing breeze and
captures a Promise to
work all things for good
though now unseen and
unfelt while living in
suspended space

Reflection/Discussion:
-What is the Desert?
-Where is the hope in this poem?
-How does a desert experience fit into faith?
-Is it "normal" in our faith development? Why/not?
-How have you experienced something akin to the desert? Expain.
-How do you deal with the desert experience? 
-How does the desert purify you?
-Is this something to desire? Why/not?

Hope

hope comes from faith

is rooted in the Love

of the One who first loved us

but in the face of death...

trial and sorrow that overwhelms

our puny defenses

why’s so often triumph

over hope

in the face of seemingly

overpowering odds

questions pierce our armor

and deal dark blows to our souls:

who can understand loss?

why is this happening to me?

this is so unfair

where's the justice in all this?

others seem to get off scot-free

so why me?

this is too much...

I can't take all this...

when's this going to end?

I'm not feeling much hope 

about this...where's the promise that

all things work for good

for those who love him?

I don’t see it

I don’t feel it

only darkness surrounds me and 

the Light of the world doesn't 

seem to be interested...maybe

too busy to take notice...

the One who said He

will always be with us

seems to have forgotten me...

I know He isn’t a liar but

maybe He was exaggerating 

a little bit...but

comfort avoids me

no matter how much I beg

the trial goes on and on

without any certitude nor

end in sight... 

but His Word stands firm

it doesn’t waver

it doesn’t collapse

in the face of dark powers

it’s light beacons hope

even when feelings fail

faith in the One who bore

our pain and carried our sorrows

who suffered for our wrongs

who walked through the valley of death

sharing our trials and aloneness

lifts us up by the Spirit's Strength

it is His Power not mine that

buoys my soul when I cannot

He is the One who touches us

when we cannot feel His embrace

He is the One who loves us

when we feel we are unlovable

He is the One who carries us

when we cannot walk anymore

Hope is in Him because by 

Grace Alone we can believe

even when we are numb-

not feeling faith / hope-

doesn’t mean we are conquered

it only means we need others

to help us bear the burden

of our calling right now...

it's a stark reminder of our

humble human condition that

needs a Savior...is dependent

on Grace...needs purification

shows our need for More than

what is seen...touched...the 

material limitations around us... 

are we not called to an eternal 

fulfillment which points beyond

these pitiful limits?

does not the love of others

manifest His Heart of Comfort?

do not His wounds and scars-

still visible in Risen flesh-

cry for us to come to Him

in Trusting Hope that we too 

will Rise someday with Him...

this too shall pass...His Grace

is sufficient for me and that

a Graceful flower shall blossom 

from this seed of sorrow 

telling a story of hope-filled

re-creation by this sharing of 

His Passion bringing a Union

that was beyond my own making...

trial and sorrow can conquer us 

but they can also bring us closer

to the One who first loved us and

who will never leave us nor 

forsake us...Faithful...our Rock...

Fortress...our Eternal Hope

Reflection / Discussion:

-Describe some challenging trials you have endured.

-How were you tested?

-What were the ups and downs involved?

-Where did the Lord fit into your experiences?

-How did you grow through these trials?

-What did you learn?

-What would you do differently the nest time?

-Let us be grateful even for the hard times. His is still Lord.

Faith

faith
is your faith real or
only words?
how do you know?
by the fruit it bears when

lives are changed

sin is overcome

habits of death are 

starved by the gospel and
Life’s treasures are uncovered

what is the measure of true faith?

obedience

it is only when
faith is lived out in
obedience to His Word

as taught in His Body
passed down from
the beginning

only then can
faith be secure and
grow in fruitfulness for
faith and obedience

go hand in hand

it is easy to say
I am a believer
not so with

I am obedient

picking and choosing

what I believe and
what I obey

only makes a Pharisee

love demands consistency

in belief and action

faith is expressed in truth

truth is expressed in obedience

obedience is expressed in fidelity

it's easy to talk ‘faith talk’

it’s easy to feign fidelity

it’s easy to push one’s own agenda

in the name of faith but

not so much when

crucifixion

is at stake

it is in giving over our self...

values...plans...will...control that
faith encounters trust

and trust encounters love

Jesus is the model of
trust and love

Mary and the disciples

demonstrate how to
believe...trust...love
their Lord and Savior

blood was spilled in the

holding fast of faith
not in the transitory gains of
self's willful choice

faith will grow when we

put ourselves in a position of
service and readiness to
obey the One who

Obeyed His Farther and
Believed His Word

even when it lead to

His Death

so which way will you go?

which path are you following

the way of self-will or the
way of death to self?

it is only in asking plainly

and simply that you will

find your answer...

are you ready to give away your life?

are you willing to put aside

your vision of the kingdom for

the Way of the Kingdom of Heaven

handed down...codified in His Word

guarded and proclaimed by His Church?

Faith in obedient response

proves the Truth of belief

as it is rooted in righteousness

not letting itself be
deceived by disobedience

in a faith
gutted of Truth

Reflection / Discussion:

-How can you tell True Faith vs Feigned Faith?

-How do Faith and Obedience go hand-in-hand?

-What are some examples in today's Church ?

-What is Modernism? 

-What are some examples?

-Why is it a heresy?

-How can you grow in Faith?

-How does Scripture and Tradition fit into one's Faith?

The Resting Place

                                                                                                                          
silence boasts dawn’s darkness

winter winds

searching for a direction

empty hearts 

longing to be filled

infinite desires

needing more than limitations

illusions of meaning 

fighting for survival

restlessness 

crying for cessation

Love 

knocking on lonely doors

breaking bread 

on heaven’s table 

turning wheat 

into earth's salvation

seeing with closed eyes 

the One unseen

life receiving the Gift 

of a Death freely given as

night blossoms 

into Light while tears fall 

in sorrow and joy when 

I encounters Thou and

my journey turns from
seeking to finding in
my Treasure's

Resting Place

Reflection/Discussion:
-How do our many desires speak of the eternal?
-What is the Resting Place sought?
-With what do you identify in this poem?
-How do we deal with our earthly desires after finding The Resting Place?
-How do we bring order into disordered desires?

-How do you go from seeking to finding?