eighteenth amendment
national prohibition
thirteen awful years
led by protestants
fearing evil of liquor
handcuffed alcohol
policemen were paid off
bootleggers became wealthy
speakeasies crept up
cancelled years later
by 21st amendment
drinking continues
Hoc est corpus*, hocus pocus
Legerdemaine, a shift in focus
Hoc est corpus, from the Mass
Hocus pocus, parody crass
Transubstantiation phrase
Ridicule, to baser plays
Papists, Protestants at odds
Declaring doctrines with regards
To our Lord’s communinion meal
Causing strife, divisions real
Luther replaced trans with con
Zwingli’s bread, alone anon
Calvin said we participate,
Joined to Christ when we partake
Hocus Pocus, thus a slur
“Magical”, what was inferred.
After Christ’s blood, more was shed
Strange remembrance, but ‘nuf said…
----------
*Hoc est corpus meum, Latin for ‘This is my body’
From what I can find, Hocus Pocus was the stage name for a magician who performed around 1640. Somewhere along the way, someone noted a similarity of sound between 'hoc est corpus' and 'hocus pocus', and observed (sarcastically) that the Catholics must believe magic occurred during the reciting of the mass to change the wine and bread into the blood and body of Christ...
I remember Laika
The warm sun and wind keep winter at bay
but it is time to say goodbye to Laika, the dog
the new face of the moon.
The farewell can’t be delayed a boy has run to
the outer field sits on a stone tries not to cry
the struggle to accept the unavoidable.
Dark cloud from the North where nature is solemn
there is no hint of gaieties in their towns’
architecture
Winter hearts will dispose and scatter misery
protestants do not allow for lofty dreams.
The wind is cold, new rules people must work harder
the almond tree must stop flowering in mid-winter
spreading unseemly hope over the planet.
I
The Last Supper and Intimacy with Jesus
His humility in foot-washing, even of Judas
The Pope still does that for ordinary 12
Like communion for other few Protestants
But largely ignored for Friday and Sunday
What and why, Thursday as "Maundy"?
II
Maundy as in Commandment, from the LORD
As he set the example, before His arrest
Betrayed by Judas and my sins (John 3:16)
What precisely? To wash feet in humility?
Or to Love as he loved? Maybe both today?
But the Monarchs of England had warm traditions
To give Maundy money, often special coins minted
To as many citizens as there are years in age
Of the "ruling monarch" of Britain (till 1689)
Even foot washing by the King or Queen
It is fun and sad and wonderful: Maundy Thursday
Thank you LORD, shalom shalom, Peace to YOU
John Meyendorff makes a careful case that the Holy Spirit can be interpreted as a Feminine Aspect in the Trinity. He is clear that Only the WORD became flesh as Jesus Christ. But in Meyendorff's chapter in a volume edited by Dow Kirkpatrick (1974) titled THE HOLY SPIRIT, we are cautioned NOT to slide into Gnostic beliefs.
Argyle socks, kilts,
Scottish tartan scarves
and Knox — aye
Mary, Queen Mary
shall you marry Darnly
for love? Nay...
Torches, kilts and song.
Heather in hands, waving
but Knox knocks their merry
socks off, eccentrically calling
Mary, a Jezebel queen.
Stuart clings to her Catholicity,
as she permits worshipping
as Protestants — not good
enough for Knox. Of kilts and tales
told, no dancing, singing or drinking fold —
bearded and bold John rattles.
Knox’s mentor burned at the stake.
His ire, his hand raised, will not accept
the same fate, so he rains down hellfire.
Kilts and bagpipes, boots marching,
music playing. Aye, Mary Queen of Scotland
with drumsticks banging, the pretty thing
rules with her heart...loses her head.
3/22/2021
Julia Ward’s Scotland
Easter of the Resurrection of Christ
Protestants were supposedly persecuted
for their faith,
so they left England.
In America they annihilated Natives
and in their protest
they abandoned Christ
for Rabbit and the egg hunt,
as if rabbits were egg-laying.
They are falsifying the history
and falsifying reality,
distorting figurative language
and rhetorical figures.
The word "cross" reminds me of last evening.
Thirty five men assembled in a choir.
Coming together from along a river valley.
The Finn Valley Men's choir.
No ordinary get together this.
A peace initiative funded by
powers that be in Europe.
Cross border and cross religion.
Protestants and Catholics.
Centuries of division not cast aside
but soothed in song. So fine to
see them all in tune, no way to know
in which church they were baptised.
All God's creatures.
Many a flame, brightens the sky
Such events to re-enact
A plot in vain that would underlie
A pre-determined pact
Brought up as a Catholic child
Beliefs that would not wane
The distinct view of Protestants
Reflecting royal reign
The disapproving treatment then
Catholic Priests and all
Of secret church services
Hidden holes – no fall
A venture to the land of Spain
Discover and to fight
A brave and learned soldier
Gunpowder to alight
Plans devised, against the king
Thomas Winter’s plot
Fawkes informed and now assigned
Such tales were not forgot
A secret meet within the Inn
Robert Catesby lead
A gang adjoined as one to swear
Our plans will go ahead
A parliamentary opening
Imminently placed
For barrels rolled into the night
Hidden without trace
A letter sent to Monteagle
Reward for such a warn
Uncovered act, to light a fuse
The truth of which be sworn
Hidden in the cellar below
O’ Guy to now arrest
A plotters display of guilty heads
The ending of their quest
Written by Geraldine Taylor ©
Easter Brunch is a big deal
in the metropolis where Fred lives.
Restaurants run their ads
Ash Wednesday through Good Friday.
Years ago brunch began at 11
for Catholics coming out of Mass.
Protestants arrived at noon or so
depending on the sermon.
Back then everyone dressed up
in Sunday suits and Easter bonnets.
Children had on brand new outfits.
But Fred says Easter Brunch this year
started at 9 and no dress code prevailed.
Church was not on everyone’s agenda.
The weather was sunny and nice.
Shorts and sandals sufficed.
Donal Mahoney
Do I define terrorism
as a state of spiritual vandalism?
Or is it a group in minority
expressing their superiority
by murdering and sucking up humanity,
As a deity watches on an unrelated entity.
To our eyes it brings tears of sorrow.
We can only imagine the world of tomorrow.
Violence, bloodshed and prayerful murder,
Beaten, bruised and unimaginably tortured.
Civilians who live hopeless lives,
Happiness extinguished by faithful lies.
How can we hope to see the light?
When blinding darkness shines far more bright?
Can a single religion establish peace?
This very idea is a gnarled disease.
We worship the same god, in one form or another
and fight within our faiths, one form or another.
Catholics and Protestants, Jews and Gentiles,
Shaivas and Vaishnavas, Sunnis and Shias.
Small drops of water between fingers may slip,
but water when together, holds up a ship.
Follow ones own faith and preach your grace,
Religion maybe good, but not at the cost of human race.
McGee and Finn where working again
performing some road repairs
Across from a place of constant disgrace
A den of sorted affairs
Soon comes by, a Jewish Rabbi
And after the coast seemed clear,
slips on in, to the house of sin
And all Finn could do was sneer
"Is nothing holy to a man of the cloth"
Said McGee while raising his spade
I won't be his judge, nor carry a grudge
But I'm sure he'll be measured and weigh
A little while after, there came an old Pastor
who lurked around the front door
Keeping and eye, if someone might spy
Him darting in the first floor
But McGee caught sight of this sinners delight
and looked to the heavens again
And said "These Protestants know nothing of God"
With his hand on his heart, agreed Finn
A short while later, both excavators, notice a Catholic Priest
He was looking around, to see no one was found
And both were surprised, said the least
When the Priest went on in, to that dark house of sin
Then McGee just started to cry,
With his hat in his hand, spoke to Finn once again
Proclaiming
"One of the girls must have died"
.The first gift of Christmas was love
It was bestowed from above
It was given to all
to both rich and poor
to those who are strong
or who can easily fall
To dark,yellow,and white
To the ones less smart
or those who like first stars shine bright.
To muslims and catholics
buddhists and protestants
To believers and atheists
To the young and the old
To all humankind,to found and lost souls.
The first gift of christmas was love
It was bestowed from above
To those who show compassion
Forgiveness and their care
To those who receive blessings
and know the way to share
To those who look at others
with the warm eyes of a child
and to those who leave an empty space
for our little Jesus Christ.
The first gift of Christmas was love
It was bestowed from above
May We all search deeper
Of this gift be a keeper
May this love transmit joy
that kind of joy which last
That joy radiant on faces
That joy a heart embraces
That joy which comes to visit
and then remain with us.
Happy Christmas
to all my sweet friends
and your families
love you all
Charma.
Some friends have suggested that I'm anti-Catholic,
And it's true I was raised Protestant,
Heard the Pope shamed in words vitriolic,
As at best Satan's henchman with evil intent.
But I think Protestants are not any better,
In their judgments, both sides, two of a kind,
For sinners still, they could not be wetter,
Condemned by the Bible they both have enshrined.
I suspect that all men just lust after power,
Want to prove they're right, that God's with them still,
Partisans who all need a cold shower,
For their false pride corrupts even men of good will.
Remember that Science is part of creation,
Before you look askance at your brother,
Reflect on what's really good for the nation,
For Science and Bible say we have one mother!
Brian Johnston
June 20,2014
sip your coffee and smoke cigar
you the ass holy and mob boss
catholic faith noth
protestants’ hybrid
St. John the Baptist spurious
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