Sunday 16 February 2020 — Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
“He has set fire and water before you.
Put out you hand to whichever you prefer.”
This is our choice.
“Man has life and death before him. Whichever a man likes better will be given him.”
These words from Ecclesiasticus are so true.
We wonder why God allows evil. He doesn’t will it: it is our free will which ordains it.
“He never commanded anyone to be godless.”
The world increasingly rejects God, ignores Him. Doesn’t even think on Him. This is our free will.
In the afternoon we go to our village church for evening prayer. We are the entire congregation at that beautiful service.
We hear the story of Genesis from the King James Bible. We think how could all this be true when we are but a speck of dust in this universe of trillions of stars.
Yes, but as the priest tells us, we may be, humanity, the point of the needle. Needles have a point. That is their point. There may be a purpose in all this. It is our choice whether to believe.
Monday 17 February 2020
“Your faith is only put to the test to make you patient.” (James)
My faith is so weak that my patience is indeed tested. I sometimes think that I will never truly and wholly believe til I am dead.
Tuesday 18 February 2020
I am struck by this phrase sitting in our village church:
“When sin is fully grown, it too has a child, and the child is Death.” (James 1:12)
Is that not a powerful phrase to conjure with?
Wednesday 19 February 2020
Today’s Mass is at Farm Street, the 150th anniversary of the Catholic Union.
“Be quick to listen but slow to speak and slow to rouse your temper.” (James 1)
Wise words often not heeded, at least within the mind.
There is an exhibition at the Tate. The religious pictures from James II’s chapel in Whitehall Palace leave me strangely unmoved. Perhaps too ornate and mannered?
Thursday 20 February 2020
Before driving up to Lincolnshire I go to Mass in the Cathedral. There is a powerful sermon on the theme of “Who do people say that I Am”. Peter answers “the Christ”, but what do we say? Just a good man, or a liar, or Christ? Given His claim He can either be the Christ or a liar. I choose the former sitting there. Elsewhere, doubts creep in.
Friday 21 February 2020
I read Psalm 112 alone in our church.
“Praise the Lord, ye servants:
O praise the name of the Lord.”
You can watch Compline on YouTube now. It is quite a soothing way of going to bed. A single monk alone in his candlelit cell singing the office.
Belief comes slowly and with practice.
“Let dreams depart and phantoms fly, the offspring of the night…”
Saturday 22 February 2020 — The Chair of St Peter
The church is being cleaned and I walk up the hill to see the hunt riding by and read Universalis.
“The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want. Fresh and green are the pastures where he gives me repose.”
Appropriate, with great emerald views stretching away twenty miles to the south.
The words of Compline from Psalm 4 spring to mind:
“What can bring us happiness, many say.
Lift up the light of Your face on us, O Lord.”
That is why I turn to religion. It makes me happy, or did so the first time I heard the monks singing Compline and went to bed with their words in my mind.