Friday, 20 November 2020
Friday, 23 October 2020
About the truth
The most important thing is to see the truth
but not necessarily, to say it.
If the truth is to be told,
then say it with love.
Saturday, 3 October 2020
About being 'chosen'
The usual translation of the words of Jesus on this subject is,
"Many are called, but few are chosen."
My own thought is that it would be better read as,
All are called, but few choose."
Those of us who have heard and heeded this call should be ever grateful for it and can never be judgemental about those who haven't.
We can never fully know or comprehend the mystery of why we heard and followed and why others didn't.
All we need to do is to love God by loving everyone who comes our way and is in need of God's love, as channelled by us as best we can.
Friday, 21 August 2020
A question about being or not being perfect
As human beings,
is to try to be perfect
to begin by acknowledging
that we are not and cannot be perfect?
Friday, 7 August 2020
About our struggles to love
Sometimes, the pipes and tubes and channels of our hearts
can be blocked by unacknowledged, or even unrecognised,
resentment and bitterness and pain.
Let us hope that the chimney sweep of love,
with the brushes of compassion and understanding,
can unblock those arteries and allow us to love
where we would and should.
Sunday, 2 August 2020
Sunday, 26 July 2020
A poem about seeing God in the dawn and the dusk of the day
Oh God, you are my God and I love you.
I see you in the flowers of the gardens and the fields.
I feel you in the gentle breeze that brushes on my face.
I hear you in the singing and the callings of the birds.
Oh God, you are my God and I love you.
I see you in the late and the lingering light of day.
I feel you in the warmth of the afterglow of sunset.
I hear you in the darkness and the silence of the stars.
Oh God, you are my God and I love you.
I see you in the flowers of the gardens and the fields.
I feel you in the gentle breeze that brushes on my face.
I hear you in the singing and the callings of the birds.
Oh God, you are my God and I love you.
I see you in the late and the lingering light of day.
I feel you in the warmth of the afterglow of sunset.
I hear you in the darkness and the silence of the stars.
Oh God, you are my God and I love you.
Friday, 24 July 2020
About seeing God in the sky at dusk, through my bedroom window
A couple of nights ago, I walked into the bedroom and, looking through the window, the beauty in the sky took my breath away. I really felt I was looking at the handiwork of God, that God was actually in the sky.
As I lay in bed shortly afterwards, these words came into my mind.
I saw you in the light of the sky.
I felt you in the warmth of the sunset.
I heard you in the silence of the stars.
A second verse grew from this.
I see you in the flowers of the fields.
I feel you in the breeze upon my face.
I hear you in the callings of the birds.
The poem which follows this post grew from these two verses.
As I lay in bed shortly afterwards, these words came into my mind.
I saw you in the light of the sky.
I felt you in the warmth of the sunset.
I heard you in the silence of the stars.
A second verse grew from this.
I see you in the flowers of the fields.
I feel you in the breeze upon my face.
I hear you in the callings of the birds.
The poem which follows this post grew from these two verses.
About uncried tears
How many people are living in the prison of uncried tears.
No matter; in the end,
that is, at the end of our lives,
all uncried tears will be cried - and dried -
in the place and space "where every tear will be wiped away."
No matter; in the end,
that is, at the end of our lives,
all uncried tears will be cried - and dried -
in the place and space "where every tear will be wiped away."
Sunday, 28 June 2020
About being brothers and sisters
God, our Father, gave us his Son to be one of us, to be our brother.
This means that we are all brothers and sisters of Jesus,
and, therefore, brothers and sisters of each other.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could all remember that.
This means that we are all brothers and sisters of Jesus,
and, therefore, brothers and sisters of each other.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could all remember that.
Thursday, 25 June 2020
About judging or not judging
It may be acceptable to judge what people do -
but we can never judge why they do it.
How often do we know why we do what we do ourselves?
but we can never judge why they do it.
How often do we know why we do what we do ourselves?
About steeling oueselves to deal with life
God, please fill the sinews of my soul
with the steel of truth,
tempered in the fire of love.
with the steel of truth,
tempered in the fire of love.
Sunday, 21 June 2020
About Pope francis
Pope Francis is, for me, a hero of our times, if not, the hero.
His courage, despite his fears, which he so disarmingly acknowledges, is a beacon for us all.
He cannot help it. His passionate belief in truth, love and mercy drive him on to proclaim the reality of the love of God which should be channelled through us all to the whole world.
His courage, despite his fears, which he so disarmingly acknowledges, is a beacon for us all.
He cannot help it. His passionate belief in truth, love and mercy drive him on to proclaim the reality of the love of God which should be channelled through us all to the whole world.
Saturday, 20 June 2020
About being anchored or adrift
Without you, dear Lord, we are so easily thrown adrift from our moorings,
tossed and turned about every which way the currents flow.
With you, dear Lord, we are safely anchored, secure,
no matter what storms the oceans of life may throw at us.
tossed and turned about every which way the currents flow.
With you, dear Lord, we are safely anchored, secure,
no matter what storms the oceans of life may throw at us.
About where to weigh the anchor of our lives
Throughout our lives,
all of us will have many storms to weather.
May we learn always
to weigh our anchors in the bed-rock of love.
all of us will have many storms to weather.
May we learn always
to weigh our anchors in the bed-rock of love.
About life being a two-way street
Life is always a two-way street;
goodness and badness jostling against each other
all along the way.
Thank goodness we know
that goodness will always win the day,
if not today, then at the end of all our days,
that day will dawn!
goodness and badness jostling against each other
all along the way.
Thank goodness we know
that goodness will always win the day,
if not today, then at the end of all our days,
that day will dawn!
Sunday, 7 June 2020
About the Trinity
The Most Holy Trinity
The Father is the mind from which comes truth.
The Son is the heart from which comes love.
The Holy Spirit is the soul from which comes life.
The Father is the mind from which comes truth.
The Son is the heart from which comes love.
The Holy Spirit is the soul from which comes life.
Sunday, 24 May 2020
About why a Church needs a Head and a Heart
The Church must have a Head and a Heart
because we can lose an arm, a leg, and live.
Without a head or a heart, we're dead.
Without a head or a heart, we're dead.
About priests as the 'midwives' of our faith
Priests may be said to be the 'midwives' of our faith.
Through their anointed ministry,
the word of God is delivered
to our minds and hearts,
and Jesus is reborn and received
into our bodies and souls.
Through their anointed ministry,
the word of God is delivered
to our minds and hearts,
and Jesus is reborn and received
into our bodies and souls.
Friday, 22 May 2020
About the heart of Jerusalem
It seems that Jerusalem has a divided heart.
Or could it be, rather, a shared heart.
Something for us to pray for and work at, perhaps.
Or could it be, rather, a shared heart.
Something for us to pray for and work at, perhaps.
Sunday, 17 May 2020
About oil and water and sacraments
Water washes off and cleanses us.
Oil seeps in and enriches us.
These are marvellous outward signs for the sacraments.
In baptism, we are, 'washed' free, symbolically, from all the effects of ours and of others' human frailties, faults and failings as we are welcomed into the family of God.
In confirmation, matrimony and holy orders, we are anointed with oil to nourish us as we enter into a new state of life.
In the anointing of the sick, we are anointed with oil as a remedy and a symbol for the healing of our bodies and souls.
What very precious gifts are both oil and water.
May we always appreciate, value and treasure them both.
Oil seeps in and enriches us.
These are marvellous outward signs for the sacraments.
In baptism, we are, 'washed' free, symbolically, from all the effects of ours and of others' human frailties, faults and failings as we are welcomed into the family of God.
In confirmation, matrimony and holy orders, we are anointed with oil to nourish us as we enter into a new state of life.
In the anointing of the sick, we are anointed with oil as a remedy and a symbol for the healing of our bodies and souls.
What very precious gifts are both oil and water.
May we always appreciate, value and treasure them both.
About the 'breath' of life
As oxygen is to our bodies,
so God's Spirit is to our souls.
For the health and life of our bodies and souls,
may we learn to breathe deeply upon both.
so God's Spirit is to our souls.
For the health and life of our bodies and souls,
may we learn to breathe deeply upon both.
Monday, 11 May 2020
About resisting and defeating evil
There is a spirit of evil roaming about the world,
looking for somewhere to gain a foothold.
It is up to us to make sure
that we do not leave our doors open.
The 'devil' is an evil spirit who has many minions trawling about the world, looking for places to infiltrate. *
Do we need to fear these evil spirits? No, not at all! They have no actual power at all, only the capacity to lie and to distort reality.
We can and should try to see these lies for what they are and choose to discount them.
We alone give these impotent spirits power if we allow ourselves to be influenced by them, by listening to their lies and allowing them to affect us in negative ways.
It is said that the best way to defeat evil spirits is to laugh at them. They can't stand that because it shows them that they cannot defeat us.**
*A marvellous depiction of this idea is to be found in The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis.
** See If Satan can't steal your Joy by Jerry Savelle.
looking for somewhere to gain a foothold.
It is up to us to make sure
that we do not leave our doors open.
The 'devil' is an evil spirit who has many minions trawling about the world, looking for places to infiltrate. *
Do we need to fear these evil spirits? No, not at all! They have no actual power at all, only the capacity to lie and to distort reality.
We can and should try to see these lies for what they are and choose to discount them.
We alone give these impotent spirits power if we allow ourselves to be influenced by them, by listening to their lies and allowing them to affect us in negative ways.
It is said that the best way to defeat evil spirits is to laugh at them. They can't stand that because it shows them that they cannot defeat us.**
*A marvellous depiction of this idea is to be found in The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis.
** See If Satan can't steal your Joy by Jerry Savelle.
Sunday, 10 May 2020
About having children and learning to love
Having children can teach us how to love others
and in fact, can teach us how to love.
It can also show us,
more than anything I've ever experienced,
how God loves us.
and in fact, can teach us how to love.
It can also show us,
more than anything I've ever experienced,
how God loves us.
Monday, 4 May 2020
A prayer about praying
When I pray, dear Lord,
help me to empty myself of me
and fill myself with you.
help me to empty myself of me
and fill myself with you.
Saturday, 2 May 2020
Thursday, 30 April 2020
About the lifeblood of our bodies and souls
As oxygen is to our bodies,
God's Spirit is to our souls.
God's Spirit is to our souls.
Saturday, 25 April 2020
About the religion of Jesus
Jesus was Jewish through and through. He himself said, when questioned, that he had not come to change one "jot or tittle" of the laws of Judaism or, as we might say today, one iota, but rather to fulfil them.
He cannot be thought of as a Christian surely because a Christian is considered to be a follower of Jesus so it would not make sense to think of him as someone who was following himself whilst here on earth.
The Judaism of the people of his own race was central and pivotal to him in his life and always will be to the Christian Faith he founded. The Jewish scriptures are the foundation on which the Christian New Testament rests.
May those of us who are Christians always treasure the richness of that foundation and value and respect it and those people today who still follow it. They are our forebears in the Faith we love.
He cannot be thought of as a Christian surely because a Christian is considered to be a follower of Jesus so it would not make sense to think of him as someone who was following himself whilst here on earth.
The Judaism of the people of his own race was central and pivotal to him in his life and always will be to the Christian Faith he founded. The Jewish scriptures are the foundation on which the Christian New Testament rests.
May those of us who are Christians always treasure the richness of that foundation and value and respect it and those people today who still follow it. They are our forebears in the Faith we love.
Saturday, 18 April 2020
About learning to swim in the sea of life
You teach us to swim in the sea of life
by standing in the water with us.
by standing in the water with us.
About the gifts we have and the gifts we don't have
It is as important to discern the gifts we have
as it is to discern the gifts we don't have.
Then let us call them by those names
rather than by thinking of them
as strengths and weaknesses.
Give us, dear Lord, the wisdom to do so.
as it is to discern the gifts we don't have.
Then let us call them by those names
rather than by thinking of them
as strengths and weaknesses.
Give us, dear Lord, the wisdom to do so.
Friday, 17 April 2020
About love, truth and Life
We cannot extinguish love.
Love is the fire which will not go out.
We cannot extinguish truth.
Truth is the water which constantly flows.
We cannot extinguish life.
Life is the breath which never dies.
Love is the fire which will not go out.
We cannot extinguish truth.
Truth is the water which constantly flows.
We cannot extinguish life.
Life is the breath which never dies.
About ourselves - in this life and the next
All we can do in this life is the best we can with what we have been given - cutting our coat according to our cloth.
Only in the next life, which is just around the corner, will everything be seen for what it is.
Only there, will we find complete understanding, of ourselves - and others.
Only in the next life, which is just around the corner, will everything be seen for what it is.
Only there, will we find complete understanding, of ourselves - and others.
About the pull of the sun - and of God
The sun is holding us in its elliptical embrace,
even as we struggle to break away;
holding us, warming us,
fuelling our lives.
And so are you to us, Our God,
drawing and gently pulling us in
with your lasso of love.
even as we struggle to break away;
holding us, warming us,
fuelling our lives.
And so are you to us, Our God,
drawing and gently pulling us in
with your lasso of love.
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