Category Archives: General

Wednesday of the 2 nd week in Ordinary Time

He said to the man with the withered hand.
Stand up out in the middle.
We wonder where we are in this life and land.
For life is a perplexing immutable riddle.

I was in a depressed dream.
And as often happens a way opened out.
It’s true that things are not as bad as it may seem.
Even if everything may seem rather drawn out.

One moment everything was bad.
Never ending .
The world seemed mad.
And then a door opened with a happy ending.

Now I knew what I had to do.
At last I had some clue.

…. ..

It may seem hopeless
Then comes a solution
Just out of the blue

….

See Mark 3 : 1-6

Tuesday of Week 2 in Ordinary Time

You should go on showing earnestness to the end.

To the perfect fulfilment of our hopes.

Always knowing that in need, we have a friend.

Who if we ask, will show us the ropes.

Imitating those who have the faith and perseverance.

To inherit the promises.

Never worrying about appearance.

Doubting followers of St Thomas’s.

Here we have an anchor for our soul.

As sure as it is firm.

However modest our life’s role.

And something for the long term.

We try to reach right through beyond the veil.

Where Jesus has entered before us without fail.

……

There beyond the veil

Jesus has entered before

We need to follow

……

See Hebrews 6 : 10-20

Monday of Week 2 in Ordinary Time

Nobody puts new wine into old wine skins.
If he does the wine will burst the skins.
Despite or because of all our sins.
There are both losses and wins.I happened by this church, walking.
For a Sunday evening mass.
For some reason it was beautiful and inspiring.
For once I didn’t look through a dark glass.There was nothing really new here .
Or old and tried except an intense emotion.
For the first time I seemed truly to hear.
Now faith seemed as deep as the ocean.

This was just new wine in old wine skins.
But it did not break the skins.

……

New wine , old wine skins
So will it break the wineskins
Depends on the wine

……

See Mark2: 18-22

2 nd Sunday of Ordinary Time

I will make you the light of the nations.

So that my salvation may reach to the ends of earth.

Thus can we know our true foundations.

And a find a new house of our rebirth.

Today’s readings are all about the call.

But a call means little if not answered.

And if we are prepared for the long haul.

But is our reply loudly confident or quietly stammered.

I thought on the contrast.

Between these readings and newspapers.

The one based on love, eternal, present and past.

The other on conflicts and pointless vapours.

Do we see before us Jesus coming.

Or do we turn our back on him, retreating.

…..

There’s the lamb of God

Who takes away the world’s sins

Is that our response.

……

See Isaiah 49: 3 , 5-6 and John 1: 29-34

Saturday of Week 1 of Ordinary Time

The word of God is something alive and active.
It cuts like any sword but more finely.
But still we are restive.
And missing his presence , lonely.

I have again started to paint.
Mystical abstract water colours.
We know we will never be a saint.
But we can still find solace creating for others.

There are so many ways of witnessing.
And sometimes a picture can do just as well.
As long as we keep trying.
And we realise it will never sell.

And so we keep painting.

And as we do so, meditating.

…….

His double edged sword

Divides the soul from spirit

Joints from the marrow

……

See Hebrews 4 : 12-16

Friday of Week 1 of Ordinary Time

We must do everything we can.
To reach this place of rest.
Or we might be lost down the can.
Or at least lose all our zest.

I was dreaming Cardinal Martini’s prayer.
I promise to accept all you permit to happen to me.
I understood at last it was just accept in this prayer.
That’s not to like all that happens to me.

It’s not a very high bar.
Just to put up with fate.
It needn’t leave too bad a scar.
We just patiently have to wait.

If the soul can accept.
Cannot we accept.

…….

We must just accept
That’s not like everything
That happens to us

……

See Hebrews 4:1-5 , 11

Thursday of Week 1 of Ordinary Time

Harden not your hearts as at Meribah.

As on that day at Massah in the desert.

We must follow the guiding star.

In order to lessen all hurt.

Why does prayer for the dead make us feel good.

I think it’s because it’s an act of unselfish kindness.

Its contentment’s dreaming greenwood.

A reply to spiritual blindness.

Apparently studies show being kind.

Beats therapy for depression.

It’s a positive state of mind.

And a foil to mental aggression.

If you feel blue.

To boost yourself doing something kind is the clue.

……..

To perk yourself up

Just try doing some kindness

It may be the clue

……

See Psalm 94

Wednesday of Week 1 of Ordinary Time

Because he has himself been through temptation.
He is able to help others who are tempted.
He has already offered his oblation.
So that we may be, by grace, contented.

A priest friend has died after suffering illness.
So I did to him a little prayer.
I seemed to sense his , or at least mine, happiness.
Through sleep’s heavy disguising layer.

Should we pray for the dead.
Do they know, but we feel better.
Nothing else can be taken as read.
Anyway we certainly can’t send a letter.

Does it do good to pray .
For us yes , for others who can say.

…..

Is it good to pray
For us certainly it is
As for others?

……

See Hebrews 2: 14- 18

Tuesday of Week 1 of Ordinary Time

At present we are not able to see.

That everything has been put under his command.

So in a sense we are always sheltering in his lee.

But we need the fires of our faith fanned.

Remember that we are the beloved child.

Of a loving God .

If we do that we are always reconciled.

However much we are flawed.

If we remember how each time.

We are enlightened , guided , strengthened

And we do this at bedtime.

We will be consoled.

It was his purpose to bring his sons into glory.

And so we are part of his story.

…….

We’re the beloved child

Of a loving God always

That we need to know

.. …..

See Hebrews 2 : 5-12

Monday of Week 1 in Ordinary Time

He is the radiant light of God’s glory.

Sustaining the Universe by his command.

And thus day by day, we need to read his story.

Every day he can lend us, if we want, his hand.

Suddenly it came to me in a dream.

Always consider at the hidden bright side.

It’s not nearly as bad as it may seem.

We always have this silent yet attentive guide.

Every problem can be viewed two ways.

Either negatively or positively.

In doom or gloom or lit by the sun’s rays.

This is an attitude of mind rather than a plea.

And so we just carry on.

Until we are gone.

……

There is a bright side

Hidden behind that dark cloud

We just need to look

……

See Hebrews 1: 1-6

The Baptism of the Lord

He does not break the crushed reed.
Nor quench the wavering flame.
Of all new life he is the seed.
When it comes to his mercy we are all the same.

Leave it like this for the time being.
It is fitting that we should do all that righteousness demands.
This is a gradual fulfilment of a new revealing.
And new hopes rather than old commands.

The Epiphany, The Baptism and The Wedding at Cana.
Everything gradually unfolds.
And it falls like revitalising mana.
In all our households.

Today we are reminded of water’s healing power.
Poured in libation on a beautiful flower.

……

We share this baptism
It’s waters are for us all
As we move through life

…….

See Isaiah 42: 1-4, 6-7 and Matthew 3: 13-17

7 th January . Christian Orthodox Christmas Day

The people that lived in darkness.

Has seen a great light.

We on earth dwell in a kind of mistiness.

Not having anything spiritual clearly in sight.

On those who dwell in the land and shadow of death.

A light has dawned.

We can feel this celestial breath.

If we have prayed and listened.

Today is Christian Orthodox Christmas.

A time to celebrate and remember.

A different ancient unchanging wiseness.

Equally inspiring beautiful and tender.

Today, not rationalising but accepting, I fell asleep.

On waking , I felt great joy rising from the deep.

……

If you just accept

And not rationalise

A great peace can come

…….

See Matthew 4 : 12-17, 23-25

The Epiphany of the Lord

The nations come to your light.

And kings to your dawning brightness.

And we must keep the truth ever in sight.

However small is the circle of whiteness.

I was watching Pope Benedict‘a funeral .

Simple, mostly in Latin and moving.

Everything like the man, calm and natural.

A clear statement, yet unassuming.

I recall his fight against relativism.

Stating that there is a clear truth.

But not hooked on any ism.

The wisdom of age rather than the zest of youth.

He didn’t turn down responsibility late in life.

But remained unmarked by criticism and strife.

……

There is a clear truth

Not all things are relative

We just must seek it

……

See Isaiah 60 : 1-6

5th January

Our love is not to be just words or mere talk.

But something real and active.

As we come to the end of our life’s walk.

We are unable always to dwell on what is positive.

Sometimes if the night is bad.

Laced with negativity.

If you pray and try not to be sad.

A moment of turning brings serenity.

It can come suddenly.

With a new ambition.

Meant sincerely.

Bringing a sense of mission.

At every low point comes a turning.

And some contentment returning.

…….

When the night is bad

With negative thoughts churning

Just attempt praying

…….

See 1 John 3 : 11-21

4 th January

Where do you live, come and see he replied.

So they went and saw where he lived.

Are we willing for him to be our guide.

Or by doubt are we deceived.

Will we stay with him for the rest of the day.

Till the tenth hour.

Will we occasionally pray.

And in his vineyards labour.

As usual that night I was assailed by doubt.

It all seemed in this vast universe,so irrational.

And then , alone in church, disbelief was put to rout.

I just felt his presence by some unknown canal.

If we try by reason to know.

We always will be low.

……

Doubt always plagues us

Again and again we start

To pray and to hope

…….

See John 1 : 35-42

The Most Holy Name of Jesus

What we are to be in the future.

Has not yet been revealed.

We are bound by him by an immovable suture.

And in his hands our fate is sealed.

All we know is that when it is revealed.

We will be like him .

But to what can him be likened.

Our foresight is wayward and dim.

But we shall be like him.

Because we will see him as he really is.

Now we can not peer over the celestial rim.

We can only know we are his.

All I know is that in the quiet church pondering.

I ceased for a brief moment my questioning.

…..

He’s not yet revealed

But one day soon he will be

We will not be here

…..

See 1 John 2

St Basil the Great

A voice that cries in the wilderness.

Make a straight way for the Lord.

Save us from any small touch of bitterness.

But be people of accord.

Tossing and turning trying to sleep.

I thought, think of others not your own worries.

A pledge easier to make than keep.

The mind drifts back to one’s own stories.

We are all like John

Voices in the wilderness.

Doing our best , off and on.

Prone to worry and stress

We are not the centre of our little universe.

We are just passing through for better or worse.

……

We ask who are we

And there’s no final answer

So we keep asking

……

See John 1: 19-28

Mary Mother of God

He will be called Prince of peace.
Father of future ages .
Wondrous Councillor without cease.
Filling unlimited holy pages.Today a light will shine.
For the Lord is born.
We follow a new unswerving line.
The locks of despair are truly shorn.

The mass was short , low and simple.

The raising of bread in an undefinable way moving.

The soul moved by the bell’s quiet tinkle.

And the cup’s raising.

Thus in the simplest mass we find solace.

Rising from one so flawless.

…..

There’s one so flawless

We see in raised in the mass

And we can wonder

……

See The Entrance Antiphon

7 th day of the Octave of Christmas

His sceptre of power rests upon his shoulder.

And his name will be called Messenger of great counsel.

Life need not get forever colder.

Of this with confidence can we tell.

God who in the Nativity established all religion.

Grant that we may be numbered among those who belong.

We make this rendition.

In grateful song.

O sing a new song to the Lord.

O sing to the Lord , bless his name.

He can free us if we want from all discord.

For he is an eternal flame.

Christmas is ending.

And salvation is coming.

…….

Where’s salvation

It’s in the Nativity

We can only hope that

……..

See Entrance Antiphon of today’s Mass, The Collect and Psalm 95

The Holy Family

Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
And walk in his ways.
We need ask for no reward.
And we can still set the world ablaze.

I was watching the film Chariots of Fire.
What a great figure is the sprinter Eric Liddell.
His conscience will always inspire.
And what a noble selfless individual.

During his sprint he held these words of Samuel.
He that honours me , I will honour.
A good thought in which to dwell.
And here was a true gold medal of honour.

They will soar on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary, true regals.

……

Not run on Sunday
And that was his principle
And he would not budge

……..

See Psalm 127 , 1 Samuel 2:30 and Isaiah 40

St Thomas Becket

This is the Christ we proclaim.
This is the wisdom in which we train everyone.
Here is someone to acclaim
Before anyone.

I was looking at a photo of Pope Emeritus Benedict .
Here was such spiritual charm.
A man by God seemingly handpicked.
To keep us from worldly harm.

Even a picture of a sick old man.
Can soothe and inspire.
And remind us how it all began.
And that of seeking faith we need never tire.

For Benedict we are praying.
As he for the final call lies waiting.

……

A good holy man
A great theologian
Inspiring teacher

…. …

See Colossians 1 :24-29

The Holy Innocents

God is light, there is no darkness in him at all.
If we live our lives in the light we are in union with one another.
We only need to heed his call.
And cut life’s material tether.

If we acknowledge our sins .
Then God who is just will forgive our sins.
Then there will only be wins.
And we will fly on celestial wings.

The holy innocents proclaimed on this day.
Not by speaking but by dying.
We who have had our say.
Can only be sorrowful at their passing.

They follow the lamb, spotless.
We must carry on dauntless.

…….

We proclaim the Christ
Not by dying but living
For that is our role

…..

See today’s Entrance Antiphon and Collect and 1John1 :5-2:2

St John

That life was made visible.
We saw it and are giving our testimony.
There is something belonging to us that is invincible.
And this is no mere sanctimony.

I was worrying what the future might bring .
Then I saw an obituary of someone aged seventy.
Everything matters so little, really we should sing.
Death is the only real concern if you’re over seventy.

Three score and ten.
Or four score and ten if you’re very strong.
But the end comes soon for all men.
We ‘re not here for very long.

And so as I went to sleep .
Seventy was a number in mind to keep.

…….

I saw seventy
A number to keep in mind
When seventy plus

…..

See 1 John 1 :1-4

St Stephen

I can see heaven thrown open.
And the son of man standing at the right side of God.
Our dreams need ever be broken.
Even as we pass under the heavy sod.

My mother lies in fields pastoral.
We stood beside her graveside.
She wanted a green funeral.
Without any stone memorial as guide.

But the wooden sign has rotted away.
She would be one hundred and three today.
Only the oak tree marks her stay.
She had passed through life on her way.

She wanted to be marked only by nature .
That was her kindly nature.

…….

How has death marked her
With some stone memorial
No, with an oak tree

…….

See Acts 6

Christmas Day

He is the radiant light of God’s glory.

And the perfect copy of his nature.

This is the Christmas story.

And we too if we want are his creature.

In our own time he has spoken to us through his son.

The son that he has appointed to inherit everything.

A radiant and everlasting sun.

Of our existence, the mainspring.

Whatever our belief.

There is always light.

To our great relief.

If we desire it, he always is in sight.

Today a new light has risen.

Whether we see it is our decision.

……

What do we believe

Whom do we have some hope in

It’s our decision

…..

See Hebrews 1: 1-6

Another Country

Thoughts from a Christian perspective — by Edward Leigh

Category Archives: General

Wednesday of the 2 nd week in Ordinary Time

Tuesday of Week 2 in Ordinary Time

Monday of Week 2 in Ordinary Time

2 nd Sunday of Ordinary Time

Saturday of Week 1 of Ordinary Time

Friday of Week 1 of Ordinary Time

Thursday of Week 1 of Ordinary Time

Wednesday of Week 1 of Ordinary Time

Tuesday of Week 1 of Ordinary Time

Monday of Week 1 in Ordinary Time

The Baptism of the Lord

7 th January . Christian Orthodox Christmas Day

The Epiphany of the Lord

5th January

4 th January

The Most Holy Name of Jesus

St Basil the Great

Mary Mother of God

7 th day of the Octave of Christmas

The Holy Family

St Thomas Becket

The Holy Innocents

St John

St Stephen

Christmas Day