Aquila exiled from Italy
The result of imperial decree
With Pricilla, his wife to Hellas’ isthmus did flee
To practice their industry
Leather workers and makers of tents by trade
This was their daily labour
And serving Jesus their Saviour
Now Paul the Apostle, a tentmaker too
Came to them to work and stay
And together they answered the Lord’s call
Teaching Jews and Gentiles all
Padre
Acts poem 18 for Acts 18.
Zeno’s school and Epicurus’ too
Debating daily – seeking for something new
Upon the god of war’s own hill
Listened intently to Paul’s address
Athens given over to idolatry
And over obsessed with worldly philosophy
Were willing the Gospel to test
And some at Paul did merely mock and scoff
But others a heart change gained
With a mere reference to an “unknown god”
Whose identity Paul made plain
Padre
Acts Poem 17 for February 17.
In Troas a dream of significance
Groundwork for Europe’s salvation laid
A Macedonian in a dream
Beckoned Paul to come and his people aid
So the Word of the Lord
Into Greek lands was carried
But it was not long before the saint
Was by opposition harried
Into gaol he was cast, but even there he prayed
And a earthquake great his bonds broke
And convert of a Philippian jailer made
Padre
Acts Poem 16 from Acts 16 for February
In Jerusalem a council held
Important decisions to be made
Apostles and elders gathered there
To discuss who should be saved
It was in a sense a task redundant
As it was a call the Spirit had already made
As Paul had baptised Gentiles of faith
And Peter too with Cornelius a foundation laid
And so circumcision of the flesh was not a requirement given
For the circumcision of the heart
Was all that’s needed to enter Heaven
————-
Padre
Poem 15 from Acts 15 for February’s Acts Poems
A superstitious and fickle crowd
A healing miracle observed
And they believed that by gods they had been visited
So sacrifices they then proffered
And when Saul corrected the misconception plain
They still could not comprehend
And jealous rivals opinion did sway
And so they against Saul did turn
And stoned him there and then
Left for dead he did survive
And God’s people to him did attend
Padre
Poem 14 from Acts 14 – Acts Poems for February
A Saviour risen and to Heaven borne
A traitor’s suicide because of self-scorn
A replacement picked from those who stayed the course
The chosen man, by the the Spirit endorsed
And so the church’s history begins –
How the way of light started and overcame sin
With Peter, and Paul, and a deacon or two
Dear Theophilus, I’ll reveal it to you
Padre
I hope to write 28 poems in February based on the 28 chapters of Acts. This is the first instalment.
Padre's Ramblings 