Entering Jericho

Haiku for grumblers

Mr Zacchaeus,

short of stature, short of friends

wants to get a view.

Zac is wealthy, but

a tax collector by trade,

not well respected.

Jesus is coming,

passing through Jericho town.,

so Zac climbs a tree.

(This is a great yarn!)

Jesus comes by, sees the man,

Friend Zac, come on down!

I’m needing somewhere

to dine and to sleep tonight;

your place will do fine.

All the good people

begin to grumble: he goes

as a sinner’s guest!

The act of welcome

brings existential crisis:

Half my wealth I give!

The lost has been found,

sinful Zac belongs to God!

Clever move, Jesus!

© Ken Rookes 2019

How good is this, God? or The best form of welfare.

Haiku for the relevant Minister.

Those who are righteous
can treat others with contempt,
Jesus warned, beware!

The tax collector,
lowly, the Pharisee, grand,
stood in the temple.

The Pharisee prayed
proud, God it’s good to be me,
I thank you for that.

I’m such a fine bloke,
honest, blameless, quite unlike
that dole collector.

The tax collector
bowed his head, God, have mercy
on me, a sinner!

The second went home
justified, his prayer answered.
Not the Pharisee.

They are in control,
still, the Pharisees, with their
contempt for the poor.

How good is this, God,
that we are not drug users
and welfare cheaters?


© Ken Rookes 2019

Justice and Faith

Haiku for grabbing hold

Another story

from the story-telling man;

and more surprises.

The judge didn’t care

about the law, or people,

or what God wanted.

The judge was corrupt;

if you had enough money

you’d get your verdict.

She is a widow,

pestering, seeking justice;

the judge refuses.

She doesn’t give up,

keeps on with her bothering.

until he gives in.

She achieved justice,

grabbed it tight, not letting go.

God is easier.

Belonging to God,

day and night they are crying

for help, and it comes!

Justice is God’s work.

God’s people can be assured

it will be granted.

Justice and faith,

these two, beloved of God,

shaping God’s people.

© Ken Rookes 2019

On the edges

Haiku of inclusion

On the edges of

Samaria, Galilee,

where nobody goes.

North of Jerus’lem

Jesus meets with outcast men,

unclean, unwanted.

Ten lepers approached.

Keeping their distance they cried,

Have mercy, Master!

Go and show yourselves,

to the priests; they will confirm

that you are made clean.

As they make their way

their skin becomes clean and new.

One man turns around.

The Samaritan

falls rejoicing at his feet.

Jesus, I thank you.

Were not ten made clean?

One, alone, comes praising God;

a Samaritan!

Another surprise;

the foreigner commended

as a man of faith.

© Ken Rookes 2019

The size of a mustard seed

Haiku for the faithful

Increase our faith, Lord,

the apostles requested.

A silly question.

What’s the point of faith,

however big or tiny,

unless it is used.

You don’t need much faith,

a mustard seed will suffice.

Just put it to use.

Even a schoolgirl

can make a real difference;

faith joined with courage.

Do not reward us

for doing what’s expected.

We do what we must.

We are worthless slaves.

We owe God everything;

thanks are not required.

What to do with faith?

Love, forgive, build justice, peace;

welcome the kingdom.

Look deeply within;

see the faith already there,

ready to wake up.

© Ken Rookes 2019

The gap

Haiku for the indifferent

It’s always been big,

the gap between rich and poor.

Keeps getting larger.

The wealthy man’s scraps

could have fed the poor beggar.

They weren’t on offer.

For a peaceful life

the rich invest in awnings

that conceal the poor.

Beggars confront us,

we hide behind the question:

Are they deserving?

God does not question,

embracing the poor beggar,

deserving or not.

The wealthy protest,

if only we’d realised!

You chose not to know.

Should someone return

from the dead to give warning,

they still would not hear.

© Ken Rookes 2019

Not strong enough to dig

Not strong enough to dig

Haiku for those who are caught.

The man was corrupt

in charge of his master’s wealth;

finally caught out.

He is in trouble,

knows that he faces charges;

what is he to do?

To ashamed to beg

and not strong enough to dig;

what a dilemma!

He’s not finished yet!

Uses what’s left of his job

to curry favour.

When he’s unemployed

he intends to be welcomed

into wealthy homes.

Cunning like a fox;

summons his master’s debtors

and discounts their debts.

The master gets wind,

laughs at the outrageousness

of his steward’s scheme.

Make friends for yourself

by means of dishonest wealth.

Strange words from Jesus.

Disturbing advice

for those who follow the light;

Should we be more shrewd?

© Ken Rookes 2019

They called out to God

Haiku for those in bondage

Time’s dust overlays

memory; generations

cause the past to lie.

Joseph is forgot

and those who once were welcomed

are made enemies.

Arriving as guests,

they multiplied, became feared,

ended up as slaves.

Crying out to God

to end their cruel suffering;

Lord, deliver us!

Fugitive Moses,

tending sheep in Midian

sees a burning bush.

As the twigs crackle

Moses hears a voice calling,

takes off his sandals.

Most disturbingly

the voice purports to be God:

I am sending you!

I hear my people,

I know their pain. You must go,

bring them from Egypt.

Demurring, Moses

protests his limitations.

This is beyond me!

Say to my people

I am has sent me to you;

My name for all time.

© Ken Rookes 2019

Peniel

Haiku of struggle

Jacob heads for home

hoping that time has softened

his brother’s anger.

Jacob is fearful.

He prays for deliverance,

hopes in God’s promise.

He hedges his bets:

sends his ample gift ahead

trying to appease.

Pausing for the night

Jacob buys time, putting off

the confrontation.

Sends the mob ahead,

waits alone. A man appears;

strange, mysterious.

Coming together

in a primeval contest,

Jacob fights the man.

They wrestle, Jacob

and the stranger. No one wins,

The sun is rising.

The man asks Jacob,

Let me go! Before I do

give me your blessing.

I’ll give you a name.

you have contended with God;

you are Israel.

Jacob understood;

he had wrestled with the Lord.

Somehow he survived!

Each of us wrestles

with the Lord in our own way;

we don’t often win.

© Ken Rookes 2019

Finding the lost

Haiku for fringe dwellers

The tax collectors

and all the other ratbags

listened to Jesus.

All the good people

objected: This man hangs out

with unworthy types.

He told them stories

about things that had been lost.

Now they‘re being found!.

It doesn’t matter,

sheep, coins, car keys or people;

the lost need finding.

Grace is ev’rything,

I once was lost, now I’m found.

So the old hymn goes.

The ratbag sinners,

by definition, are lost;

they need an embrace.

They dwell on the fringe;

Jesus, offers them friendship.

No one need stay lost.

Lift up your eyes. Look,

the lost are all around us;

love them like Jesus.

© Ken Rookes 2019

Laughing Boy

Haiku of surprise

Back in ancient times

God wandered with some angels,

met with Abraham.

At Abraham’s tent

the Lord was welcomed with cakes,

yoghurt, milk and veal.

The childless couple,

long past it, would have a child,

the strangers promised.

Sarah overheard,

listening near the entrance;

she laughed at the thought.

The promise mocks her.

Her childlessness is failure;

laughter hides her pain.

The impossible

is made possible, with God;

so the story says.

Sarah does conceive.

Apparently the old folk

still knew what to do.

Laughing Boy arrives.

Lots of joy, hope, and wonder,

not to mention laughs.

© Ken Rookes 2019


Haiku in response to the Narrative lectionary.