My New Year's Resolution

 I re-read the Holy Bible in 2020. This time I took notes on every chapter. It was one of my most enlightening reads and it guided me through the pandemic in both faith and understanding. I'm all set to begin in Genesis and read through to Revelation again in 2021. Want to join me?

Happy New Year, Everyone...

     COVER TO COVER IN 2021

 

     Among my most meaningful things to do

     while reading the Holy Scriptures through

     is write Messiah's name in the margin

     of the Old Testament, where'er I find Him.

     Of course, I do not find Jesus' name,

     but I certainly find Him, just the same.

 

     I find Him in the Lamb and the Lion,

     foreshadows of the Temple in Zion,

     find Him in Joshua, David, Passover,

     in the Song, the whale, cover to cover.

     I've thumbed through pages and jotted a few

     Messianic treasures to share with you:

 

     Messiah's birth was foretold in Micah, five;

     seven centuries later, Jesus arrived;

     Virgin birth proclaimed, Isaiah seven,

     a Son would be fathered by God in Heaven.

     Kings would bow down to Him and nations serve,

     Solomon's Psalm Seventy-two observed.

 

     He'd be pierced and mourned, said Zechariah;

     Our Redeemer, fifty-three, Isaiah,

     this foretold of resurrection glory!

     Genesis to Revelation, God's great story!

     The Word reveals a magnificent plan

     in this tome of Our Savior, God and Man.

 

                        We’re all glad to see Twenty Twenty go

                        The virus has battered us, blow by blow!

                        The election and strong civil unrest

                        have put every one of us to the test.

 

                        We hope for God’s favor in the new year

                        for vaccines to eradicate our fear

                        to discard our masks and to hug and touch

                        to return to the lives we’ve missed so much!

 

                        It’s about to turn Twenty Twenty-one

                        My resolution list’s completely done—

                        At the top, before the new year’s over

                        I’ll re-read my Bible, cover to cover!

 

                        It’ll teach everything I need to know

                        while God’s love and grace and mercy flow.

                        Praise God, my Father and Jesus, my Friend

                        as I read each page, beginning to end!

 

Maude Carolan Pych

Revised for 2021

Jesus Presented at the Temple

 Image credit: pinterest.com

SIMEON & ANNA

 

Simeon wondered

if he were seeing things

He rubbed his tired old eyes

squinted and peered again

at the little family

that came through the Temple doors

 

The Sanctuary

was shadowy and dim

Flames from the oil lamps

were flickering—

Were his eyes playing tricks?

 

Wasn’t this an ordinary family?

…a couple like any

ordinary Jewish couple

here to present their firstborn son

holy to the Lord?

 

Nothing special about them

Just poor folk

with two lowly turtledoves

for the sacrifice…yet?

 

Perhaps this was wishful thinking

Perhaps, his imagination

He needed to be sure

Simeon moved a bit closer

 

Oh, he’d been waiting so patiently

for the fulfillment of the promise

of the Lord to comfort Israel

 

He knew He would—

for the Holy Spirit

assured him

he absolutely would not die

until he beheld the Messiah

…but that was long ago

 

Suddenly an unmistakable quickening

began rising up in his spirit…Yes!

…O Glory! Glory!

 

He bounded

toward Mary and Joseph

with arms outstretched

and swooped up

their swaddled infant son

uttering prophetic proclamations

jubilant and terrifying

 

I behold God’s salvation!

 

A light to the Gentiles

 

The glory of God’s people Israel

 

and directly to Mary, he prophesied:

 

…a sword will pierce your soul

 

She shuddered…

for she knew God had a plan, but…

What could this mean?

 

Then the widow Anna approached

Bent and grey and pious

she was a prophetess

who dwelled in the Temple

most of her life, praying

fasting and serving the Lord

with a joyful heart

 

Spontaneous praise

sprang from her lips

as she beheld the babe

Then Anna proclaimed

to all who would listen:

 

Come and see…

This is our newborn redeemer!

 

…from that day forward

Jesus grew

in wisdom and grace

 

the Cross before Him…

 

…and a sword did pierce

Mary’s soul

 

Maude Carolan Pych

A Christmas Poem for Children

A Special Poem For The Children...

‘TWAS THE NIGHT…OF ALL NIGHTS!

 

Children, gather round. It’s time for a story,

one that’s filled with hallelujahs and glory.

 

It’s about the glorious night of all nights,

angels and magi and sight of all sights!

 

About God, a virgin, the birth of a king,

wooly sheep, poor shepherds and gift giving!

 

My story takes place long ago, far away

and starts with a Babe in a crib full of hay;

 

His mother’s a virgin, His father is God,

the birth, a miraculous Heavenly nod.

 

The Baby is born in a Bethlehem barn

near a few smelly animals, like on a farm.

 

Poor shepherds in a field shudder with fright

when suddenly the dark sky fills up with light

 

as beautiful angels, bright splendors winging

tell of the birth with hallelujahs and singing!

 

So, the shepherds and sheep the very next morn

set off to visit this special Newborn.

 

Rich wisemen follow a bright beaming star

to the Bethlehem barn; the journey is far.

 

They ride astride camels, carrying treasures

to give to the One they’ll worship forever.

 

Why in the world would they do such strange things?

Why travel so far? Why great treasures bring?

 

The reason is simple, the Babe in the hay

becomes the world’s Savior, Who takes sin away.

 

His name is Jesus and He loves you and me

and wants us to love Him for eternity.

 

That was the night of all nights here on Earth…

the wonderful story of Jesus’ birth!

 

Maude Carolan Pych

  

Lambs...

 And now...my brand new poem for Christmas, 2020...

Image credit: catherinecgilmore.com

SPOTLESS LITTLE LAMBS

 

Before their drowsy eyes, during watch, last night

some shepherds witnessed a startling sight—

 

The sky came alight! There were fluttering wings

hallelujahs and so many splendored things!

 

Angelic hosts proclaimed Our Messiah’s birth

with “Fear not!” and “Glorias” and joyful mirth,

 

so this morning from that field in Bethlehem

they set off to laud the Infant Son of HaShem[1].

 

Without defect or blemish, the shepherd’s pride,

spotless little lambs trotted close by their side.

 

When the shepherds and sheep came to the birthplace

Mary and Joseph welcomed them, face to face.

 

Each shepherd bowed down before the Lamb of God;

the lambs drew close to Him, but that wasn’t odd

 

for there was a link that united them all

in God’s marvelous plan to save the world.

 

All of the lambs were destined for sacrifice—

the spotless wooly lambs and God’s Lamb, the Christ!

 

We’re grateful for the LOVE of the great I AM;

Atonement’s achieved at the Cross of His Lamb!

 

Maude Carolan Pych

 

 

---

[1] HaShem is one of the Hebrew names for God. It means “The Name.”

"Lambs" a painting by a dear friend,

the late Rick Sabato.

NOTE: "Behold the Lamb...poetically!", Maude's book of poems about the Birth, Death & Resurrection of Jesus, is available online at Amazon & Barnes & Noble. For information, visit my website at www.maudecarolanpych.net.

Newborn Baby Jesus

 Image credit: pinterest.com

THE BABY NEXT DOOR

 

I saw him the other day

the baby boy who lives next door

His parents are poor Hebrews, like we are

He’s swaddled the same way we swaddle our babies

and he cries and coos just like our babies do, yet—

 

the brightest star I’ve ever seen

shines down upon him every night

and shepherds have left their fields

just to take a look at him

exclaiming all the while

about angels singing in the sky

 

Really? Angels in the sky—

 

One day I saw wisemen from afar

dressed in finery, ride in on camels

They were bearing costly gifts to honor him

and actually bowed prostrate

before his little cradle

 

I met his mother at the well, yesterday

Her name is Miriam (Mary)

She told me they’ve named him, Yeshua (Jesus)

 

Yeshua is a fine name. It means savior

Savior. We’ve been waiting for a savior—

 

Hmmmmm…

 

Maude Carolan Pych

Here I am with a copy of "Behold the Lamb...poetically!"

To order copies, go to Amazon or Barnes & Nobel online.

For information & links to order, go to www.maudecarolanpych.net.

The Star and the Magi

 I heard on the news this morning that if you look at the sky tonight, on this evening of the winter solstice, you may be able to see a phenomenon that some call "The Christmas Star." Others call this the Jupiter Saturn Conjunction, the alignment of the two planets which will look extra brilliant...like a double planet. It's an extremely rare occurrence. Whether this is the amazing wonder in the sky that God used to lead the magi to Jesus, in the time of the Bible, or another phenomenon entirely, who can say? Coincidentally, this is the poem I unwittingly selected to share with you on this very date. Enjoy!

Image credit: irishtimes.com

THE GIFT BEARERS

 

Cosmic wonders, whats, and whys

whirl in the East

as a singular mysterious luminary

beckons in the heavens

Is it brighter than the other stars?

Does it pulsate? Does it bounce?

Does it shoot across the sky

like a flame-tailed comet?

Does its lustrous splendor

rival the glow of the moon?

 

Gentile magi who study stars and Scripture

see it and curiously mount their camels

to follow it across the desert. But, why?

They say they are seeking

the King of the Jews. Why would they?

They say they want to worship Him

Why Him?

What do they know that the High Priest

the Pharisees, Sadducees

and all the Jews of Jerusalem

who are awaiting the coming of Messiah

do not comprehend?

 

King Herod summons them, diabolically

Feigns sincere interest in their mission

urges them to return with details

so he, too, may worship the King

A sinister plot forms in his evil mind

for even he knows…

there is something about that star…

 

Continuing on

the irresistible starlight shines ahead

until it shimmers above a humble house

in the village of Bethlehem

It stops, still…absolutely still

The magi realize they are at

destiny's door

They knock

and are welcomed, when

 

Suddenly

their eyes behold

a Boy Child

and their hearts leap!!!

 

and whether it makes sense or not

(whether any of this makes sense or not)

the magi, in rich array

fall prostrate

on the earthen floor

and fill the little house

with hallelujahs!!!

 

They draw from their saddlebags, treasures…

          Gold…for surely this little family can use it

          Myrrh…fragrant foreshadow of suffering

          Frankincense…for a sensing in the depths

          of their God-given wisdom

          of a significant anointing

          somewhere in time

 

Mission complete

the gift bearers mount their camels

and still attentive to God's spirit

(this time in a dream)

do not return to Herod

 

The magi…

diligent seekers who found

Treasure

infinitely more valuable

than the precious gifts they bore

 

Maude Carolan Pych

NOTE: The above poem is one of many about the Birth, Death & Resurrection of Jesus, included in my book, "Behold the Lamb...poetically!"  To order a copy, go to Amazon or Barnes and Noble, online, or visit my website at www.maudecarolanpych.net for information.

 

"Littleness"

Several years ago, my pastor, Rabbi Jonathan Cahn, delivered a Christmas message about celebrating the holiday with "littleness." The essence of his message became a poem, one of my Christmastime favorites. I hope you enjoy it, too.

 

LITTLENESS

Matthew 19:14

 

In a little manger, in a little town,

was born a little boy,

to a little family of little means.

He brought the world great joy!

 

If the Lord of All could come so small,

with the biggest, highest aim,

then why oh why must we buy and buy

for the day that bears His Name?

 

We shop, we trim, we bake, we cook,

we visit, we send, we party,

we run up the tally on credit cards,

the bills we pay are tardy.

 

While the hustle and bustle can be great fun,

sometimes it steals our peace,

sometimes the true Christmas spirit gets lost

when our busyness won’t cease.

 

From the little manger, the little town,

the crib of the little boy,

comes a little Christmas thought to muse,

which may heighten Christmas joy…

 

Let us celebrate with littleness,

become as the little Child,

with simplicity, wonder, innocence,

pure Love that’s undefiled…

 

and the Savior, Our Lord, who was that Child,

shall smile at us, well pleased,

“For the kingdom,” He said, “of Heaven belongs

to people such as these!”

 

Maude Carolan

This photo finds me in Barnes & Noble, Woodland Park, NJ, where I came across a copy of my book on the shelf in the Christian Living section. The book is also available online at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, etc. It's titled, "Behold the Lamb...poetically!" It contains poems written over 30 years about the Birth, Death & Resurrection of Jesus. For more information, visit my website at www.maudecarolanpych.net.