A good name

 

Haiku of reputation and regard

Is a good name still

better than riches, in this

get-all-you-can world?

To have little wealth

but a good reputation;

I hope I’d choose that.

To have good regard;

better than silver or gold?

Not all would concur.

The rich and the poor

owe their existence to God.

Remind them of that!

Those who are unjust,

will reap the consequences

of their perfidy.

Generous people

will find blessing as they share

their bread with the poor.

God watches over

the poor; you who exploit them

will be made to pay.

……………………………………….

Reputations don’t

seem to matter much these days,

bad people still rule.

© Ken Rookes 2024

They have Moses and the prophets

Haiku for closed eyes.

Poor man Lazarus,

by the gate, covered with sores;

we walk right past him.

The unnamed rich man,

dressed in purple, fine linen,

feasting ev'ry day.

Discarded food scraps

do not reach the rich man's gate

or the beggar there.

Empathy fails us.

Please don't disturb our comfort.

Make the beggars leave.

Death comes to us all.

Rich or poor, it matters not;

was your life worthwhile?

Where are your riches;

From where will your comfort come

when your life has passed?

Send me Lazarus,

or let him warn my brothers

that they might be saved.

That's not how it works.

Let them listen to Moses,

and the prophets too.

We'd rather not know.

Even when it's God who speaks,

we do not listen.

© Ken Rookes 2016

How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God.

The wealthy,

while offering ‘in principle’ support

for the concept of kingdom of God,

find the idea that God might want to direct

the ways that money is used

or disposed of,

somewhat disturbing.

Riches are from God, they assert;

our prosperity is proof enough

that we are virtuous and good.

The Lord would not have so blessed us

if it were otherwise.

With wealth comes responsibility;

we understand that,

and we take our obligations seriously.

Assistance must be provided

for widows and orphans;

the scriptures are strong on that point.

But the poor, as a category,

includes a range of people:

wastrels, profligates, intemperates and such,

not all of them deserving of our largesse.

When it comes to generosity,

it's best to err on caution’s side.

A charitable trust, perhaps;

with appropriate tax benefits.

© Ken Rookes 2015

Where are your riches

The world does not say: "blessed are the poor." The world says: "Blessed are the rich. You are worth as much as you have." But Christ says: "Wrong. Blessed are the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, because they do not put their trust in what is so transitory." Blessed are the poor, for they know that their riches are in the One who being rich made himself poor in order to enrich us with his poverty, teaching us the Christian's true wisdom.
-Oscar Romero 1917-1980
The Violence of Love