Wisdom calls

 

Haiku for the wise

Calling in the street,

Wisdom cries out for wisdom,

‘stead of ignorance.

How long will they choose

foolishness, how long will they

despise the science?

How long will they make

a virtue of ignorance;

taking pride in it?

I stretched out my hand,

says wisdom, to offer you

counsel; you refused.

Disaster awaits

you, but you have made your choice.

I’ll laugh at your plight.

Calamity comes,

and they’ll call to me for help;

but I’ll ignore them.

They chose ignorance

over the fear of the Lord.

Such stupidity!

They have rejected

Wisdom’s counsel; let them eat

Futility’s fruit.

They have turned away

from God’s wisdom to the path

of death, destruction.

But those who listen

to Wisdom will be secure,

finding peace, not fear.

© Ken Rookes 2024

Come

Haiku for the ready

First, John the Baptist.

Mark moves him from centre-stage,

has him arrested.

Proclaiming good news

Jesus came to Galilee:

The time is fulfilled!

The Kingdom of God

comes nearer with every word

that I speak to you.

Simon and Andrew,

fishing brothers casting nets;

Jesus calls to them.

Come and follow me,

together we will call folk

into God’s kingdom.

We’ll share divine life,

filled with love, shaped by mercy,

transfigured through hope.

Brothers James and John

mending nets on board their boat,

Jesus calls them, too.

So Simon, Andrew,

James and John, hearing the call,

leave their nets behind.

© Ken Rookes 2021

He's from Nazareth!

 

Haiku for beginning

John knows how to tell

a good yarn; no half-measures.

Jesus starts his work.

Jesus meets Andrew,

is introduced to Simon,

comes to Galilee.

Jesus found Philip,

put the hard word on him: Come,

follow me, he said.

Philip is convinced,

goes off to find his brother;

one Nathanael.

He’s from Nazareth!

Nathan is bemused. No-one

worthwhile comes from there!

Jesus laughs. Philip,

I see you’re an Israelite,

honest and true blue!

How do you know me?

I saw you in my mind’s eye,

under the fig tree.

Nathan is amazed,

exclaims: You must be God’s Son,

and Israel’s King!

Jesus answers him:

You’ve not seen anything yet!

(He exaggerates.)

Heaven will open,

angels will descend upon

God’s Son. What wonder!

© Ken Rookes 2021

Light

Haiku of the dawn

The light is dawning!

Image of hope and promise

for those in darkness.

What might the dawn mean

for those battling bushfires,

blanketed by smoke?

What might the dawn mean

for those whose home is sinking

beneath the ocean?

What might Jesus mean

to the poor, the wretched,

the vulnerable?

What might Jesus mean

to those cursed with riches, ease,

power and comfort.

Some fisher-people,

without much to leave behind

opt to go with him.

Discarding their nets

and all other cords that bind,

to follow the light.

He came to be light,

to bring hope, to conquer fear;

love begetting life.

© Ken Rookes 2020.

Cast your nets with me

Haiku for risk takers

The time is fulfilled

and the kingdom has come near.

Opportunity!

Turn your life around,

put your trust in the good news:

find life, hope and love!

Hear, fisherpeople,

and all who toil and struggle;

your labour bears fruit!

Cast your nets with me,

gather what is true and good.

In the name of love.

The kingdom awaits,

as do all the aching hearts.

Come, travel with me.

Leave your boats and nets.

Bring a heart that is open,

a soul that is true.

Which way will we go,

and where will we sleep at night?

He gives no answer.

He looks upon them,

repeats the invitation:

Come and follow me!

© Ken Rookes 2018.

When Jesus calls

Haiku for taking a chance

With John arrested

Jesus withdraws, goes back home;

north, to Galilee.

He leaves Nazareth

and moves to Capernaum.

There he makes his home.

What the prophet said

is about to be fulfilled;

a great light has dawned.

Commencing his work,

he begins to preach. “Repent,

the kingdom comes near.”

Walking by the sea

he sees Andrew and Simon

casting out their nets.

He calls the brothers,

“Come and follow, learn from me;

we'll fish for people.”

Best offer all day!

The fishers laugh, choose the risk,

leave behind their nets.

Further down the shore

He comes across more brothers,

sons of Zebedee.

In their father's boat,

Sons of Thunder, James and John,

also get the call.

In a flash, the pair

stop, weigh their options, and leave

dad to mend the nets.

© Ken Rookes 2017

Ready to go

Jesus often walked

the western shore of Lake Galilee

in the vicinity of Capernaum;

reflecting, praying, listening.

Perhaps he enjoyed the lapping of the waves,

the cool of the water on dusty feet,

the sounds, the beauty,

and the relative stillness

of the natural world.

He would have observed industry, too;

men with boats and nets,

and women, unnamed and forgotten,

helping to sort the fish

and effect repairs.

When Jesus made his lakeside invitation

to the brothers, Andrew and Simon,

James and John, suggesting

that soon they would be fishing for people;

was he meeting them for the first time?

Mark’s story does not say so;

but it is sometimes read that way.

More likely it was the culmination

of multiple encounters, conversations,

questions, debates, laughter and speculations;

so that when Jesus was ready to go,

so were these friends.

© Ken Rookes 2015