The reading for the Ash Wednesday Service on 26th February was John 13: 18-38 which has two sections headed…

“Jesus Predicts His Betrayal”

“Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial”

Having considered the circumstances around Judas and Peter, their weaknesses and motivations, their actions and the outcomes, I ended by reading a poem hoping it might help in our reflection and self-examination during Lent.

Immediately after the service a member of the congregation came up to me and suggested I should have it printed in the magazine. So here it is…

I was shocked, confused, bewildered as I entered Heaven’s door.

Not by the beauty of it all, by the lights or its décor.

But it was the folks in Heaven who made me splutter and gasp –  

The thieves , the liars, the sinners; the alcoholics, the trash.

There stood the lad from back in school, who stole my dinner money twice,

And next to him was my old neighbour, who never said anything nice.

Fred, who I always thought was rotting away in hell,

Was sitting pretty on cloud nine, looking incredibly well!

I nudged Jesus, “What’s the deal? I’d love to hear your take,

How’d all these sinners get up here, God must’ve made a mistake”?

“And why’s everyone so quiet, so sombre? Give me a clue”.

“Hush child” said He, “They’re all in shock; no-one thought that they’d see you”.

Dave Rowlands