Whose authority

Haiku of astonishment

The unclean spirit:

a useful explanation

for much illnesses.

At Capernaum

he taught in the synagogue.

It was the Sabbath.

He taught and he healed.

The question on all lips: by

whose authority?

The unclean spirit

was noisy, challenging him.

Jesus rebuked him.

As the story goes

the spirit came out of him,

crying out loudly.

They were astounded

by Jesus and his teaching:

Where did this come from?

The news spread quickly:

Even the unclean spirits

do what he commands!

What authority?

That of the kingdom of God

of truth, grace and hope.

© Ken Rookes 2021

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

Baptism

 

Haiku for a calling

In the wilderness,

beyond the civil, polite,

and respectable.

Camel-hair jacket,

belt of leather, dining on

locusts, wild honey.

John the enigma,

known as baptiser, calling

people to repent.

I am nobody,

John declared. One is coming

far greater than I.

Jesus came to John

from Nazareth in the North;

Baptise me, he said.

Jesus emerges

from the Jordan to the dove

and to heaven’s voice.

Jesus is baptised

in God’s Spirit, and confirmed

in his ministry.

Baptised in water,

he will baptise his friends with

the Holy Spirit

This is the moment

and this is the man, says John.

He of whom I spoke.

© Ken Rookes 2020

The Word

 

Haiku of the Light.

In the beginning.

John carries us back in time:

God and the Big Bang.

Pushing back beyond

Miriam, Sarah and Eve

to Creation One.

An over-all plan

from the beginning of time:

hope for humankind.

He said, Let Light shine!

And life, light for all people

breaks through the darkness.

John came voicing hope,

to announce the one true light.

He was not the light.

The Light-Hope-Logos,

seed found at creation’s core,

becomes one of us.

Those who receive him,

who take his word deep within,

are made God’s children.

The law has limits.

Jesus brings grace, truth and love;

life comes from these things.

Many speak of God.

Only Jesus, called God’s Son,

truly makes God known.

© Ken Rookes 2020

Birth Stories

Haiku for underscoring

Luke tells his stories;

birth stories to underline

Jesus’ importance.

Righteous and devout,

Simeon had been promised

he would see the Christ.

Old man Simeon

came timely to the Temple,

led by the Spirit.

Met the family,

took the child, lifted his voice:

Let me go now, God.

You have promised me,

I have seen your salvation:

light and life for all.

This child is destined

to upset the privileged

and confront the smug.

There will be much pain.

Always there is pain when God’s

new order breaks through.

Anna, the prophet,

also very old, joins in,

to speak words of hope.

© Ken Rookes 2020

Annunciation

 

Improbable Haiku

Annunciation;

a big word for an event

cloaked in mystery.

What really happened?

Only sceptics such as me

would ask that question.

Greetings, favoured one!

The angel addresses her,

claims her attention.

The girl, young, awestruck

by news of a pregnancy.

How would I respond?

How can these things be?

The girl has not known a man;

it’s not possible.

Ah, the story goes;

you will be overshadowed

by the Most High God.

You’ll have a baby.

You will call the child Jesus;

he will be God’s Son.

© Ken Rookes 2020

Revolutionary Tract

Haiku to cause offence

The magnificat:

revolutionary tract

proclaimed by Mary

A new era comes

where the humble will be blessed,

the wealthy brought low

The powerful ones

are brought down from lofty thrones,

the lowly lifted.

The proud are confused

in their thoughts, the strong justice

of God is revealed.

This is the era

of justice and hopefulness

that God has promised.

Capitalism

is eclipsed in Mary’s song;

the rich sent away.

Let’s stop pretending

that the bible is neutral,

politically.

© Ken Rookes 2020

Make straight the way

 

Haiku to clear the Shadows

He was light’s shadow,

pointing to the shining One

in whose glow he stood.

He is not the light,

but he points to one who comes

that we might know life.

Religious leaders

came to listen, questioning,

Are you he who comes?

Not the Messiah,

nor am I Elijah, or

another prophet.

If none of these, then

who are you? I am a voice

from the wild places.

I’m the voice that shouts,

Make straight the way, be ready

for the Lord who comes.

Among you stands one

far greater than me. You will

know him when he comes.

© Ken Rookes 2020

The good news begins

 

Haiku of commencement

The good news begins

as Jesus, also called Christ,

is waiting offstage.

Voice in wilderness.

Baptiser John, the wild man,

makes the announcement.

The Lord comes! Prepare

to receive him; be ready

to hear his message.

The crowd flocks to John

to hear his repentance call,

to be forgiven.

He is a wild man,

this baptiser; dressed roughly,

living on insects.

Easy to ignore

the impolite, to discard

their uncultured words.

Coming after me

is one far greater; he will

baptise with Spirit.

© Ken Rookes 2020

Days of Darkness

 

Eschatological haiku

The days of darkness

are coming upon us all;

the sun will be hid.

The moon will not shine,

and the ever faithful stars

will absent themselves.

We might all be lost,

unable to navigate,

or to find the way.

Will he be coming,

the sky-sweeping Son of Man,

to bring us all home​?

Read the signs, he told

his friends. The fig tree’s lessons

are long forgotten.

The generation

did, in fact, pass away; He

must have got it wrong.

My words will remain

when all else is gone, he said.

Ah, Lord, but which ones?

When not expected

the Master will return. Be

about his business.

© Ken Rookes 2020