Sunrise On The Mount (Part 1)

Sunrise On The Mount (Part 1)

Here is my poetic rendition of the sermon on the mount (spans two posts)

A multitude, yea, all of those with unclean spirits vexed,
Gather to Him to hear the Word which heals and protects.

Lifting up His eyes and voice, He taught upon the mount,
Your rewards and your blessings, and how your virtues count.

Blessed are you poor in spirit, the humble hubris-less inherit heaven's realm;
And blessed are you gentle-meek for you shall boldly take the earthly helm.

Blessed are you that mourn and weep for human wrong and sin,
Comfort shall God give you – His arms to hold therein.

Blessed are you that crave for right – enduring dry and parching thirst.
Like a sponge into cup of truth be plunged, sated, saturated, immersed.

Be happy you who mercy sow, forgiveness you invest.
At harvest, reap you mercy and know that you've been blessed.

Happy are the pure in spirit and wise are your decisions.
You clearly see the way to Him, His holy face your visions.

Blessed are the peacemakers – He knows you by your love.
You indeed are children of the one true God above.

Good cheer to those reviled and persecuted in God's holy name.
The world will slander and attack you but you should feel no shame

Like the prophets before you, they thank you with the sword.
Rejoice, Rejoice! and be glad, for so great is your reward.

So all you blessed people, use your blessings well.
Shine your light upon the world – from rooftop and on hill.

You salt the earth, you brighten, you enlighten, and you savor.
But carefully guard the holy truth, or lose all of His favor.

For woe shall come to he whose gifts will he not share,
Like worthless tasteless salt cast out, all blessings shall strip bare.

Oh, you with bellies full, and you whose hearts are filled,
Do your part or like blades of wheat, wither, and be under tilled.

Woe to you who admonish, laugh, and jeer at His holy plan,
Weep and mourn will you when you meet the Son of Man.

You populist false prophets, you demagogues in high regard,
Whose positions gained at cost of truth, will be mocked, de-frocked, disbarred.

Demonstrate the light you have, place it not under bushel.
For if your neighbor truly love, you’ll show him what is crucial.

And if he smites you on the cheek, take not revenge on he.
‘Eye for eye’ may indeed be just, but mercy from you flee.

But, if the other cheek you offer, you stand your moral ground.
Yielding not your soul or thought or hope, your action then is sound.

And watch your tongue, He tells us not to call someone a fool.
Judgment is God's privilege, and He wields many a powerful tool.

If ye judge not with a stone, so ye shall not be judged.
Be ye so forgiving, and to you mercy shall not begrudged.

Does this mean you must accept the rule of sin and wrong?
Endure and love and teach Earth’s lost souls, yet in His law be strong.

For the law shall never pass away, not even jot or tittle,
‘Til all the prophecy fulfill and our judgment yields to His acquittal.

Whosoever breaks the law and leads others down that path,
Shall be the least in Heaven and risks almighty wrath.

For unless you exceed the righteousness of Pharisee and scribe,
You cannot enter into heaven, try ye sneak, or beg, or bribe.

Give, and then recoup great measures of mercy, love, and grain,
For with the same that ye mete withal, it shall be measured to you again.

And as ye would that men do to you, do ye to them too.
Beyond your friend, as any sinner, but to your foe, and great rewards accrue.

Yes, love ye your antagonist, do good, lend, & expect not thanks or gain.
Ye shall be His own, for He is kind, even to unthankful, even unto Cain.

To kill is wrong as we all have known from the time of Abel’s slaying
But angry hatred of your brother risks a sentence never staying.

Since times of old, it has been said, “commit not adultery”
But already have you done this in lusty gazes, wanton and sultry.

It hath been said divorce is as simple as a giving your wife a writ;
But in doing so you cause her & future lovers to adultery commit.

Fix your problems and your sources of iniquity and sin.
Think it through, pluck it out, cast it into the rubbish bin.

Better to lose an eye or limb, rationale, or damned philosophy,
Than your body, mind, and soul to end in fiery catastrophe.

And in your prayers there is no need to go on heathen-like forever.
Sibyl-speech mayn’t reach His ear, so simplify your endeavor.

Saying humbly, ‘Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed it be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come Thy will be done on Earth as in Heaven same.’

‘Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we do too in turn.
Lead us not into temptation and deliver us forever from the flames which ever burn.’

Outward piety, in front of men, for self-serving desires, boastful and vain,
Does not garner His reward so focus your entreaties upward, and in his favor remain.

To trumpet your fasting, or the good you do, the alms you give, is vain hypocrisy.
So quietly help the poor; for your Father shall give openly for your gifts in secrecy.
 
Do not store up things on earth where they may be lost to moth, or thief, or rust.
Deposit rather labors bounty, for heart will follow too, in vaults of Heaven’s Trust.

No one can serve two masters, That is to say both God and Greed.
For in giving your devotion to one you will neglect, yes lose the other, guaranteed.

But one of the two will enslave you, in the other you are freed.
So trust in Him, like Cherubim, to give you what you need.

Be you free from worry and anxiety about your daily life.
What you eat, what you drink, don’t let these cause you any strife.

Your body’s features, how thick or thin, what you wear, and how you’re seen.
It’s not what enters but what comes forth that despoils and makes unclean.

For is not life more than planning your next meal?
Is not life more than maximizing your physical appeal?

Consider you the lilies of the field, which neither toil nor spin.
Even the robes of rich King Solomon pale when all their blooms come in.

Your Father knows you need these things, so seek his kingdom first
He shall clothe ye in his vestments, In His fashion be well versed.

Consider little sparrows that neither store nor save a shred.
Yet God the Father makes sure that they are sufficiently fed.

How much more important and loved than vegetation and lowly beast
Are His children to Him; He will prepare what you need; Indeed He sets a feast.

So worry not for Tomorrow’s bread, Let him seek his own.
Live in the moment by doing what you ought, and mercies plenty shall be shown.

Don’t chase the wind, for how can worry add a moment to your days.
Do your best, forget the rest, and like a plant of Pentecost, soak up all His rays.

Your eye is the lamp of your body, the window through which outward light may shine;
But when through it only darkness pass, your heart’s fruits wither on the vine.

So just ask the Lord and you will receive; Seek, and the answers you shall perceive;
Knock, and for you will even heavy bolted portal open-heave.

For imperfect though you are, who would refuse their own child a piece of bread or fish?
Who among you would place stones or snakes upon their supper dish?

How much more will the Father, who is perfect, give you when you place your wish?
Love complete your God and Neighbor, for His law, His love for you will never vanish.

Can one blind man lead another? Fall into the pit, they might.
The blind should seek to follow those whom God has blessed with sight.

A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above the master.
But everyone who is fully taught becomes like the teacher, like a pastor.

But how can you, the mote or speck in your brothers eye inspect,
Whilst a branch is in your own, you hypocrite, how can you correct?

Remove first the mighty log which is blocking your own vision
Only, then can you help your brother, with much improved precision.

A good man produces good out of the treasure of his heart whether bold or meek.
An evil man does likewise; for out of the abundance of the heart does man speak.

Be careful not to give the dogs the holy, nor cast your progeny-pearls before the swine
They will attack you and then trample both great & little treasures which are thine.

Remember that fulfillment was His purpose, He came not to abolish Mosaic Law.
So revisions are abominations, the great noise, and evil raven’s caw.

Enter by the narrow gate you few who can find life’s happy entrance.
Beware the wide track to yawning gate of Dis, It does distract, ‘Come & earn your sentence’

Beware the wolves in fleece who lie and publish untrue epistles.
Know them by their fruit – grapes haven’t thorns, and figs haven’t thistles.

Every good tree will be tended and bare a healthy crop of fruit.
Simply barren or choke-fruited trees shall fires stoke and furnace walls be-soot.

Hear His Word all peoples. Listen, heed, and with truth be incentivized.
Not all who appeal “Lord, Lord” on Judgment day will be recognized.

You who speak and prophecy in His name, but in action you eschew.
You’ll be repulsed, turned-out, exiled, for the evil that you do.

But hearing and heeding is like building your foundation upon the rock.
Wind & rain & flood repel, and even earthquake cannot shock.

But those who hear and heed not, are a house upon the sand.
In front of tempest, flood, and tempter, they surely cannot stand.

And when He finished these sayings (paraphrased) all the people were amazed,
For He speaks with authority never heard before; so now let God be praised.

And He goes on healing many, even on the Sabbath, just as He had started.
His ministry extends to all, centurion, leper, Samaritan, all of the faithful-hearted.

For God so loved the world, He sent His Son, His Word, His Logos-Corpus.
That if we repent and believe in Him, He’ll admit us to Heaven’s life-eternal chorus.

So pray that He restore to you clean heart and joyous faithful Holy Spirit,
And let the Paraclete descend so that great happiness, shall you inherit.
 
Back
Top