Defender of the faith

Reflecting on Acts 9:1-6

Haiku of the blinding light

Faithful Pharisee

Saul, defender of the faith,

was chasing Christians.

Threatening slaughter

against the disciples, he

was out to get them.

Supplied with letters

from the high priest, Saul set out

for Damascus town.

Saul would hunt them down,

men and women, bring them bound

to Jerusalem.

Nearing Damascus,

suddenly a heavenly

light shined upon Saul

He fell to the ground.

A voice spoke: Saul, why are you

persecuting me?

Saul cried: Who are you?

I am Jesus; it is me

that you're attacking.

Saul trembled, Tell me

what to do? In the city

you will receive word.

© Ken Rookes 2025.

Tell it not in Gath

Haiku of lament

King Saul and three sons

lie slain on the battlefield;

David’s grief-stricken.

He leads the lament

for Saul and for Jonathan;

the mighty, fallen.

Tell it not in Gath!

Let’s not give our enemies

cause to celebrate.

Let the land languish,

forgotten by rain and dew,

let it mourn with us.

Saul and Jonathan,

much loved, united in death

as they were in life.

Swifter than eagles,

stronger than lions; weep loud,

Israel’s daughters.

My heart aches for you,

my brother; your love to me

passed that of women!

© Ken Rookes 2024

Legendary Tales

Haiku for rivals

Legendary tales

of wars, battles and giants,

and a boy hero.

King Saul honours and

promotes him. The boy succeeds

in all of his tasks.

David plays music

to soothe the erratic king;

doesn’t always work.

God was with David,

no longer favouring Saul.

Saul did what he could.

Army commander

David is sent off to fight,

returns in triumph.

The Lord was with him

and the people loved David;

they will follow him.

Saul has good reason

to fear. David has emerged

as a real rival.

© Ken Rookes 2024

Towards Damascus

Confused knots

of righteous anger and indignation
wrestle for supremacy
inside the stomach
of the man who knows
with absolute certitude
that God’s law is the way of salvation.
The knots grip and urge him
along his determined path
with the unassailable conviction
that only true believers understand.
The power of being right.
Onward to Damascus, with ropes and cords;
these he will use to bind his enemies.
God’s enemies,
and he is God’s servant, God’s sword.
His hand tightens upon his cloak
as the knots tighten in his belly.
The defender of God’s law
unknowingly strides towards the place
where a flash of light
and a word from above,
(or is it within?) awaits him.
There, the wonder of grace
will unlock the shackles of the law;
his knots will be untied,
his spirit unchained,
and his heart truly captured.

© Ken Rookes

Open my eyes

Open my eyes that they may see

the deepest needs of people.

Move my hands that they may feed the hungry;

touch my heart that it may bring warmth to the despairing;

teach me the generosity that welcomes strangers;

let me share my possessions to clothe the naked;

give me the care that strengthens the sick;

make me share in the quest to set the prisoner free;

in sharing our anxieties and our love,

our poverty and our prosperity,

we partake of your divine presence. Amen.

Rev. Canaan Banana