The tomb

Haiku of surprise

Stories of wonder

seeking to give shape and form

to deep mysteries.

Early on day one,

still dark, the Magdalene came,

to visit his tomb.

The large stone employed

as a door had been removed.

Mary is distressed.

She ran to tell them:

They have taken his body;

we do not know where.

It was as she said;

the tomb was empty, only

the linen remained.

Mary, weeping, stayed

at the tomb. Two angels asked:

Why are you weeping?

My Lord is taken.

I know not where he lies, or

what’s been done to him.

A stranger enquires:

Why do you weep? She asks him:

Tell me where he is.?

The man speaks: Mary!.

Her weeping eyes are opened.

Rabbouni! Teacher!

As per instructions

Mary found his disciples

I have seen the Lord!

The resurrection

reports begin; a woman

and an empty tomb.

© Ken Rookes 2021

The end

 

Haiku of the passion.

Can’t risk a riot;

wait till the festival’s past.

Then we can kill him.

Nothing much has changed,

the dirty work still happens

when no one’s watching.

They set up Judas

to betray him. Paid him well,

presumably.

Sharing sacred meal

he spoke of being betrayed..

Surely not I, Lord?

They shared bread and wine.

My body, my blood, for you;

find me deep within.

You will all leave me

when the testing time is here;

even you, Peter.

Sit here while I pray,

he told his friends. But they slept;

the flesh being weak.

Betrayed and taken,

put on trial; the outcome

predetermined.

Taken to Pilate.

Are you the King of the Jews?

Have you no answer?

Let me release him;

he does not deserve death. No!

Give us Barabbas!

Much mocking, spitting,

purple cloak with crown of thorns.

Lead him out to die.

They crucified him,

with two bandits, one each side.

There was much mocking.

At noon the darkness.

At three, abandonment’s cry,

and then the last breath.

With linen grave-cloth

he is entombed. A stone rolled

to seal the entrance.

 

© Ken Rookes 2021

 

The Greeks

Haiku of fulfilment

They liked debating,

those Greeks, coming with questions

to put to Jesus.

He had a Greek name,

Philip; perhaps that is why

the Greeks approached him.

Things are climaxing;

the hour is coming. Glory

revealed in dying.

The grain falls to earth

to find fulfilment through death.

and is made fruitful.

This is the pattern

for living that is true; death

overcome by life.

My soul is troubled.

It’s not hard to imagine,

what might lie ahead

This is the reason

I have come, not to retreat,

but to embrace death.

The world has been judged;

rulers who wield power, fear,

will be driven out.

When I am lifted

love’s power will be revealed;

they will come to me.

© Ken Rookes 2021

Lifted

Haiku of the light

In the wilderness

Moses elevates the snake;

bronze for healing.

Look upon the snake,

he told them. You who are ill

will not die, but live.

Look upon the Christ

when he is lifted, John says;

you, too, will find life.

When he is lifted,

when the cross is made his home,

we will see his truth.

He will shine as light,

challenging earth’s dark sadness,

that which is evil.

Seek out the light

and dwell in him; find his truth,

life without limits.

In your wilderness

raise your eyes; you will see him,

chasing your darkness.

© Ken Rookes 2021

My Father's House

Angry haiku

It’s early in John,

the confrontation is there

from the beginning.

The powerful ones

who rule religion, are scared

of his freedom words.

In Jerusalem

the temple stands for order;

ancient traditions.

Through the temple’s gates

he strides, his angry vision

impels him to act.

Upsets ev’rything;

sheep, cattle, money changers.

This is not God’s house!

Show a sign, they say,

that proves your right to do this.

Will my body do?

Not yet a sign, but

one will be given: Three days,

then resurrection!

Come again, Jesus;

drive them out, those who pervert

your words with their lies.

They are many still

who choose power, not the cross;

or the costs of love.

© Ken Rookes 2021

Tough words

Haiku for disciples

He began to teach:

The Son of Man must suffer.

His friends are appalled!

Religious leaders,

take issue with his message,

are out to get him.

He will be silenced

one way or another. They

will do what it takes.

They will reject me,

I must be put to death. Don’t

say these things! They cry.

Time for plain speaking.

Would you be my disciples?

You must bear your cross.

Follow in my way.

Only by letting it go

can you save your life.

The gospel’s demands

must come ahead of all else.

Lose you life for me.

What is the world worth,

its pleasure, fame and fortune,

if you lose your soul?

(Hear this, O blind guides,

proclaiming your fake gospel

of prosperity!)

© Ken Rookes 2021

Testing Time

Haiku for the start of Lent

Immediately:

baptism to temptation.

Mark gives no details.

In the wilderness,

tempted; forty days, Satan,

wild beasts, and angels.

Satan the tester,

doing what God asks of him;

checking out Jesus.

How was he tested?

Mark has no answers, leaving

us to speculate.

Jesus commences;

he will not be diverted

from his Father’s will.

Comes to Galilee

with God’s message of good news:

The day has arrived!

The kingdom is near,

the age of love is revealed;

believe it and live!

© Ken Rookes 2021

Dazzling White

 

Surprising haiku

Transfiguration,

that’s what we call the event;

filled with wonder, light.

Peter, James and John;

mates of Jesus, went with him

up a high mountain.

Some sort of vision,

collective experience

shared by one and all.

Jesus was glowing,

dazzling white like bleached cloth

shining in the sun.

Moses, Elijah;

law-giver, prophet; join him

in conversation.

Perhaps they talk death;

the two long buried, and one

still facing his own.

His mates are flummoxed,

don’t know what to say. Better

not to have spoken.

A cloud and a voice

bring the scene to its climax:

My Son: Hear his words!

© Ken Rookes 2021

At Capernaum

 

Haiku for making a start

Jesus hung out with

Simon, Andrew, James and John;

his first disciples.

The Capernaum

sermon completed, Jesus

entered Simon’s house.

His mother-in-law

being crook, Simon informed

Jesus, who healed her.

Quick recovery;

being a woman she got

straight back to serving.

With dusk the Sabbath

ended; the townsfolk came out

seeking to be healed.

Before dawn he left

to find a deserted place,

so that he might pray.

They went and found him.

Ev’ryone’s looking for you,

wants your healing touch!

There are other towns

where my message is needed;

I must go there, too.

© Ken Rookes 2021

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