Signs

Haiku for the hungry

They came seeking signs.

Were not his words sufficient?

Apparently not.

The crowd was hungry

for his words, for the healing

the signs and the hope.

There’s a food shortage;

the hunger is great, it gnaws.

Jesus must feed them.

A boy brings his lunch.

Five barley loaves and two fish.

That will not go far!

Here is mystery!

Somehow all are satisfied;

their hungers addressed.

An impressive sign!

This indeed is a prophet,

the one God has sent.

That is not a sign;

this is a sign! Jesus strides

across the lake

You want a sign? Here,

try this, he says, winking, as

he crosses the lake

Don’t be afraid, it

is I! Jesus says; his words

bringing on God’s peace.

© Ken Rookes 2021

Dining

Haiku for the hungry

Seeking solitude,

he found a deserted place,

but the crowd followed.

Sometimes it’s too much,

we all need time for ourselves;

space to think and pray.

Seeing the people,

he was stirred with compassion,

reaching out to heal.

As the sun went down

his friends spoke: Send them away,

they need to buy food.

They need not depart,

I have fed their souls, we’ll find

food for bodies, too.

They brought it to him,

the five loaves and the two fish;

all the food they had.

That should do, he said.

as he blessed and broke the loaves.

They shared them around.

So many people,

so many ways to hunger;

Jesus feeds them all.

© Ken Rookes 2020

A lesson in prayer

Haiku of generosity

Lord, teach us to pray.

A request from disciples

eager to know more.

He tells a story

of a nocturnal knocking,

requesting three loaves.

Don’t ask me for bread;

that is far too much trouble!

(This could not happen!)

The story’s hearers

would have laughed in disbelief.

Quite impossible!

Hospitality’s

demands for generousness

are laid before us.

This lesson in prayer

offers one decisive point:

God is generous

When we come in prayer

to God we can be assured:

God is here for us.

© Ken Rookes 2019

The crowd, hungry for his word.

Haiku of unexpected abundance

The crowd came to him;

saw the signs he was doing,

the sick getting healed.

Up on the mountain

the crowd, hungry for his word;

Jesus will feed them.

Where will we buy bread?

Six month’s wages, said Phillip,

Wouldn’t buy enough.

Five loaves and two fish

that was all they could muster:

a boy and his lunch.

They sat on the grass.

He took the loaves and thanked God,

passed the bread around.

As the story goes

they all had enough to eat,

gathered up the scraps.

Understandably

the people got excited:

He is the prophet!

He made himself scarce,

went further up the mountain

to be by himself.

When evening came

his disciples took the boat,

went out on the lake.

The lake became rough

and the wind blew against them;

they were terrified.

And then Jesus came

with words of reassurance,

Do not be afraid.

© Ken Rookes 2018

And all ate

Haiku for the hungry

Seeking to withdraw,

to find peace, he went by boat

to a lonely place.

They came from the towns

trekking around the shoreline

until they found him.

He saw the great crowd,

and their needs. He went ashore

to bless and to heal.

Evening’s shadows

signal that the day has passed.

The people remain.

Hungers are many.

Send the crowds away, they said,

That they may buy food.

They’ve come to be fed;

we’ll supply for their stomachs

as well as their hearts.

Five loaves and two fish

won’t go far among this crowd!

He blessed, broke the bread.

They passed it around.

Somehow it went the distance.

Nobody complained.

© Ken Rookes 2017