We stopped listening

Haiku for the respectable

We stopped listening

to Jesus some years ago.

His words were too hard.

We much prefer wealth

and power and influence.

We vote for Mammon.

We like the idea

of being known as Christians,

just not the method.

He said Love Neighbour

but failed to clearly define

the limits to love.

We believe in love.

We do our bit. The failure

must lie somewhere else.

We like the concept

of justice. We just don’t think

we should bear the cost.

One thing that he said:

The poor are always with you.

We agree with that.

Some people languish

behind gates and barbed wire.

Nought to do with us.

We do not much like

the idea of grace, unless

applied to ourselves.

We are deserving,

unlike the many who aren’t.

Jesus rewards us.

We are disciples,

following our Lord Jesus,

anchored to the ground.

© Ken Rookes 2018

This poem doesn't respond  to a specific lectionary  reading. Perhaps it responds to a number of gospel passages.