Within your will , O Lord, all things are established.
And there is none that can resist your will.
Thus we are enriched.
Our destiny to fulfil.

I am watching Son et Lumiere on St Peter’s facade
It is Peter’s voice describing his mission.
I am truly awed .
Here is true ambition.

I do understand all the Italian.
The priest whispers the translation.
I feel I now understand I have joined Christ’s battalion.
A kind of enriched formation.

All senses invaded.
By music , light and story presented.

……

Then you are Peter
And on you I build my church
No need to hear more

…..

See The Entrance Antiphon of today’s mass

O God by whose gift St Francis was confirmed in poverty.
Grant that by walking in his footsteps.
Through joyful charity.
We may follow your son’s  distant steps.

But we cannot embrace poverty.
Something stands in our way.
I suppose it is property.
That’s why we remain lay.

But the example is there.
We make tiny steps forward.
Nothing is ever very clear.
But we have hopes henceforward.

Be content with what we have achieved.
Happy with what we have received.

….

St Francis’ example
Will always be before us
If we allow it

……

See The Collect of the day

Were your faith the size of a mustard seed.
You could say to this mulberry tree, be uprooted.
Yet still we can from doubt be freed.
Even if conviction is muted.

Perhaps we should not despair of faith we do not have.
But rather rejoice in what we have found.
Despair laid and hope to calve.
To the foothills of the heights we are bound.

I think I will never have faith complete.
I will always have these doubts.
But there is always a new morn to greet.
Out of this barren soil there will be new sprouts.

I will never move the mulberry tree.
However much in prayer I make my plea.

….

Faith is never found
In its full entirety
But we can just try

…..

See Luke 17: 5-10

I have been holding forth on matters I cannot understand.
On marvels beyond me and my knowledge.
While my life seeps slowly into the sand.
Can I this sincerely acknowledge.

We, jealous of what others do , or how they look.
Was not the life of St Therese  of no consequence.
Her only parting gift an exercise book.
It became great by some strange providence.

Our life here just a first step.
Towards something greater.
We’re in a kind of provincial rep.
Before we have a chance to meet the creator.

And on this stage who are we anyway.
Do we exist beyond our mind and this day .

…….

An exercise book
Is all that she left to us
And love of small things

……

See Job 42