Jesus clipped the devils' wings.
Now they can only hop impotently on the ground,
whispering naughty nothings in our ears.
Let us not listen.
Sunday, 29 May 2016
About Jesus and me
You are the Lord of my life
You are the Prince of my heart.
You are my Shepherd
but, best of all,
you are my Brother.
Thank you for being everything to me.
You are the Prince of my heart.
You are my Shepherd
but, best of all,
you are my Brother.
Thank you for being everything to me.
About evil and goodness
Evil is seen against the backdrop of goodness.
Our sad feelings about the darkness of life's tragedies and sorrows
are an implicit acknowledgement
that we aspire to live
in the light of happiness, goodness, beauty, joy.
The darker the night,
the brighter the stars.*
* Compare with the beautiful hymn, "Be still and know I'm with you"
Our sad feelings about the darkness of life's tragedies and sorrows
are an implicit acknowledgement
that we aspire to live
in the light of happiness, goodness, beauty, joy.
The darker the night,
the brighter the stars.*
* Compare with the beautiful hymn, "Be still and know I'm with you"
About 'speaking' our faith gently
Someone wrote recently that Jesus vented his wrath forcefully,
implying, I thought, our right to do likewise.
Some thoughts on this:
Jesus is God.
His is absolute authority,
to be wielded as a particular situation requires.
We are but God's children;
most of us, at some time or another,
failing and flailing about in ever-increasing circles.
It behoves us then, surely,
to speak to others as, in some way,
co-respondents in the ills and evils of life,
humbly looking to God to pull us up by our bootstraps,
loathe, always, to jump down the throats of others.
implying, I thought, our right to do likewise.
Some thoughts on this:
Jesus is God.
His is absolute authority,
to be wielded as a particular situation requires.
We are but God's children;
most of us, at some time or another,
failing and flailing about in ever-increasing circles.
It behoves us then, surely,
to speak to others as, in some way,
co-respondents in the ills and evils of life,
humbly looking to God to pull us up by our bootstraps,
loathe, always, to jump down the throats of others.
About images of Jesus
What is your image of Jesus?
There are many; the Good Shepherd, the Messiah, the Lord, the King; but who and what is he to those of us who have come to know and love him.
The image that means the most to me is of Jesus as my 'big brother', perhaps because I was the eldest in my own family and always seemed to feel as though I had to look out for the others. He is the older brother that we might dream of, the one who'll always watch over us, the solid secure presence.
I really feel that Jesus is always there for me; someone I can turn to, knowing that he will care and do everything he can to help me sort out the everyday ups and downs of life.
What a joy it is to have the sure and certain knowledge of his love for me personally. It would be wonderful if everyone who needs it (which is all of us really, I believe) could find the same comfort and strength that comes from knowing Jesus in whatever way each of us needs.
PS My second favourite image is of Jesus as the 'Good Shepherd'. If anyone needs a shepherd in order to be kept on the 'right path' and to be lead by restful waters, it's me!!
Of course, I always have husband to fall back on as well. He's is never very far away from 'keeping me on the right path' (or so he says; and who am I to demur or disagree!!). No wonder I need the restful waters!!
There are many; the Good Shepherd, the Messiah, the Lord, the King; but who and what is he to those of us who have come to know and love him.
The image that means the most to me is of Jesus as my 'big brother', perhaps because I was the eldest in my own family and always seemed to feel as though I had to look out for the others. He is the older brother that we might dream of, the one who'll always watch over us, the solid secure presence.
I really feel that Jesus is always there for me; someone I can turn to, knowing that he will care and do everything he can to help me sort out the everyday ups and downs of life.
What a joy it is to have the sure and certain knowledge of his love for me personally. It would be wonderful if everyone who needs it (which is all of us really, I believe) could find the same comfort and strength that comes from knowing Jesus in whatever way each of us needs.
PS My second favourite image is of Jesus as the 'Good Shepherd'. If anyone needs a shepherd in order to be kept on the 'right path' and to be lead by restful waters, it's me!!
Of course, I always have husband to fall back on as well. He's is never very far away from 'keeping me on the right path' (or so he says; and who am I to demur or disagree!!). No wonder I need the restful waters!!
Friday, 27 May 2016
About giving our word - and God giving his
When we say, "I give you my word", it is an implicit 'promise' that whatever we have said is true.
God, you gave us your Word, your promise to send us a Saviour.
You kept your promise; you gave us your Son, who is your Word,
the image and embodiment of your very self.
God, you gave us your Word, your promise to send us a Saviour.
You kept your promise; you gave us your Son, who is your Word,
the image and embodiment of your very self.
About the Jewish leaders and Jesus
The Jewish leaders* did not want to listen to Jesus
because they did not want to follow anyone;
they only wanted to BE followed.
*NB I really feel that the phrase, 'the Jews', as it is generally translated in St John's Gospel, gives a very bad impression of the Jewish people of that time, when the fact was that most, if not all, of Jesus' followers were Jewish then, as indeed was Jesus himself!)
because they did not want to follow anyone;
they only wanted to BE followed.
*NB I really feel that the phrase, 'the Jews', as it is generally translated in St John's Gospel, gives a very bad impression of the Jewish people of that time, when the fact was that most, if not all, of Jesus' followers were Jewish then, as indeed was Jesus himself!)
Wednesday, 25 May 2016
About 'offending' God?
God, we cannot 'hurt your feelings'!
You are whole, entire,
on fire with love for all your creation.
Your only sorrow is for us
who choose to refuse
your ways of freedom, life and love.
You are whole, entire,
on fire with love for all your creation.
Your only sorrow is for us
who choose to refuse
your ways of freedom, life and love.
Monday, 23 May 2016
About 'God among us'
We are able to see our church from our bedroom window
God, what a special gift it is to have this view.
I am able to gaze upon your little home from my window.
I think of you all alone there,
waiting for us to come to you;
but, of course, you are never alone.
The whole company of the angels and saints of heaven are with you
as you dwell in peace and love among us.
Jesus, you are here.
You inhabit the earth, our home.
God, what a special gift it is to have this view.
I am able to gaze upon your little home from my window.
I think of you all alone there,
waiting for us to come to you;
but, of course, you are never alone.
The whole company of the angels and saints of heaven are with you
as you dwell in peace and love among us.
Jesus, you are here.
You inhabit the earth, our home.
Tuesday, 17 May 2016
About the weakness of the so-called powerful
John the Baptist and Jesus both died because of the weakness of someone in power.
In John's case, it was Herod and for Jesus, it was Pilate.
In their weakness, they were more concerned about the opinion of others
than about what was right.
Both John the Baptist and Jesus were fearless preachers of the truth.
Their 'weakness' was their strength.
For those who had the power to save or condemn
their 'power' was their weakness.
In John's case, it was Herod and for Jesus, it was Pilate.
In their weakness, they were more concerned about the opinion of others
than about what was right.
Both John the Baptist and Jesus were fearless preachers of the truth.
Their 'weakness' was their strength.
For those who had the power to save or condemn
their 'power' was their weakness.
About morning prayer
If I pray before I enter the day,
it allows the fuel of God's love to course through my veins,
to help me to live in the knowledge
of God's power in my life.
it allows the fuel of God's love to course through my veins,
to help me to live in the knowledge
of God's power in my life.
Monday, 16 May 2016
About the archaeology of the Bible
Excellent theologians throughout the centuries have trawled through the crevices and recesses of scripture and recorded their treasures.
Yet each one of us may look again and find some hidden gem or question, which has lain unearthed since first recorded and first laid down.
For example, these (and many others) have exercised my brain over the years -
Yet each one of us may look again and find some hidden gem or question, which has lain unearthed since first recorded and first laid down.
For example, these (and many others) have exercised my brain over the years -
- Why was Lazarus in the grave for 4 days? Is there some significance to 4 and not 3, as in the case of Jesus?
- Why did Jesus cause all those pigs to drown when they were the source of income for so many?
- Why did Jesus not just cast out the bad spirits? How can a bad spirit 'drown'?
- Why did Jesus curse the fig tree for having no fruit when it wasn't the season for fruit?
Saturday, 14 May 2016
About the gates of heaven (see also 13.3.16)
The mystery for me is who closed them?
What is the meaning of the saying that, by dying, Jesus 'opened' them?
Could it mean this?
God did not, would not, close the doors on us.
We walked through them and shut them behind us with our disobedient and seemingly independent ways - in fact with our pride.
The doors are not in some far-off heaven but are within us, in our hearts and minds.
Jesus has come knocking on those doors, asking us to open them to him.
He has shown us that, even though having suffered the full range of physical, mental and emotional agony, to the point of, and beyond, death,
he really is alive.
Death is not the end of life but the beginning of a new and ever-lasting adventure of life and love.
What is the meaning of the saying that, by dying, Jesus 'opened' them?
Could it mean this?
God did not, would not, close the doors on us.
We walked through them and shut them behind us with our disobedient and seemingly independent ways - in fact with our pride.
The doors are not in some far-off heaven but are within us, in our hearts and minds.
Jesus has come knocking on those doors, asking us to open them to him.
He has shown us that, even though having suffered the full range of physical, mental and emotional agony, to the point of, and beyond, death,
he really is alive.
Death is not the end of life but the beginning of a new and ever-lasting adventure of life and love.
About sin
Sin is a spiritual 'leprosy'.
We must keep away from it. It is infectious.
This is an unusual thing for me to write but it came into my head in this form
and I feel it has something to say, even if I'm not entirely happy with it.
(I don't even like the word 'sin' and have my own definition for it
which is, 'An offence against love'
but that seems a bit 'wordy' to use in this context.)
We must keep away from it. It is infectious.
This is an unusual thing for me to write but it came into my head in this form
and I feel it has something to say, even if I'm not entirely happy with it.
(I don't even like the word 'sin' and have my own definition for it
which is, 'An offence against love'
but that seems a bit 'wordy' to use in this context.)
About humanity and inhumanity
Sometimes, the wickedness of which humanity is capable
has to be seen to be believed.
I don't know what I had in mind when I wrote this thought,
and it is gloomy,
but how many of us don't feel like this at times.
has to be seen to be believed.
I don't know what I had in mind when I wrote this thought,
and it is gloomy,
but how many of us don't feel like this at times.
Sunday, 8 May 2016
Quotations from Julian of Norwich - 1
Revelations of Divine Love
The Fifth Chapter
Paragraphs 1 and 2
"In this same time our Lord shewed me a .. sight of his homely loving.
I saw that he is to us everything that is good and comfortable for us. He is our clothing that for love wrappeth us, claspeth us, and all becloseth us for tender love, that he may never leave us; being to us all-thing that is good, as to mine understanding."
The whole of this chapter is incredibly beautiful (the chapters are very short).
The Thirty-Ninth Chapter
Paragraph 4
".. our courteous Lord willeth not that his servants despair, for often nor for grievous falling: for our falling letteth not him from loving us. Peace and love are ever in us, being and working; but we be not always in peace and in love. But he willeth that we take heed thus that he is Ground of all our whole life in love; and furthermore that he is our everlasting keeper ......"
These are the two quotes which have meant the most to me but the whole book is full of similar beauty.
I hope these may have given a small taste of the love and consolation which is to be found within its pages.
The Fifth Chapter
Paragraphs 1 and 2
"In this same time our Lord shewed me a .. sight of his homely loving.
I saw that he is to us everything that is good and comfortable for us. He is our clothing that for love wrappeth us, claspeth us, and all becloseth us for tender love, that he may never leave us; being to us all-thing that is good, as to mine understanding."
The whole of this chapter is incredibly beautiful (the chapters are very short).
The Thirty-Ninth Chapter
Paragraph 4
".. our courteous Lord willeth not that his servants despair, for often nor for grievous falling: for our falling letteth not him from loving us. Peace and love are ever in us, being and working; but we be not always in peace and in love. But he willeth that we take heed thus that he is Ground of all our whole life in love; and furthermore that he is our everlasting keeper ......"
These are the two quotes which have meant the most to me but the whole book is full of similar beauty.
I hope these may have given a small taste of the love and consolation which is to be found within its pages.
About Julian of Norwich
On May 8th, in the year 1373, Julian of Norwich had a series of visions which coloured her whole life thereafter and on which, she spent the rest of that life reflecting. She wrote about it in a little book called "Revelations of Divine Love".
I may have first heard of her around 1973, the six hundredth anniversary of her experience. Her book had come back into public awareness at least at the beginning of the 20th century because my copy was published in 1926. It was given to me by the housekeeper to our parish priest when he died. He had lent it to me when I asked him about her and I fell in love with it immediately.
The foreword explains that, while the spelling is modern, "the actual wording of the text has been kept considerably closer to the text than....." other editions". It is this text that I find so enchanting.
By chance, her name came up in a conversation the other evening and caused me to pick up the book which has lain in my desk for many a year. Being reminded that the date of her vision was today, this gave me the idea to share these thoughts and, perhaps, from time to time, to share my favourite passages.
I'll copy my two favourites in a new post.
I may have first heard of her around 1973, the six hundredth anniversary of her experience. Her book had come back into public awareness at least at the beginning of the 20th century because my copy was published in 1926. It was given to me by the housekeeper to our parish priest when he died. He had lent it to me when I asked him about her and I fell in love with it immediately.
The foreword explains that, while the spelling is modern, "the actual wording of the text has been kept considerably closer to the text than....." other editions". It is this text that I find so enchanting.
By chance, her name came up in a conversation the other evening and caused me to pick up the book which has lain in my desk for many a year. Being reminded that the date of her vision was today, this gave me the idea to share these thoughts and, perhaps, from time to time, to share my favourite passages.
I'll copy my two favourites in a new post.
Saturday, 7 May 2016
About God and science
Belief in and love for both,
cause me to look at the world through -
the lens of God's love,
the microscope of God's mercy
and the telescope of God's truth.
cause me to look at the world through -
the lens of God's love,
the microscope of God's mercy
and the telescope of God's truth.
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