Category Archives: General

1st Sunday in Lent

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Invocabit me et ego exaudiam eum eripiam eum.

Et glorificabo eum longitudine dierum adimplebo eum.
When he calls me I will answer him, I will rescue him ,  Lord come.
And honour him ,with long life will I satisfy him,  Lord come.
The sung  mass  introit was from psalm ninety.
The same we sing at Compline on Sunday .
A hymn to the Almighty.
And to hopefulness every day .
What a pleasure it is read Compline.
A peaceful presence on going to bed.
It’s more about consolation than condemning sin.
More about calm than what’s said.
He who abides in the shelter of the most high.
Shall remain under the protection of the most high.
……
It is he who will
Free you from the snare of the
Fowler who seeks to destroy
…….
See Psalm 90

Saturday after Ash Wednesday

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I have not come to call the virtuous .

But sinners to repentance.
My route to virtue is still circuitous.
From day to day I shift my stance.
He ate and drink with tax collectors.
And sinners .
Perhaps even with tax inspectors.
And every kind of runners and riders.
If he were here .
Would he drink with us .
I suspect he would stay near .
And would do so without any fuss.
We are the tax collector Levi.
He says follow me to the sky .
……..
He says follow me
Of course we rarely do so
Perhaps we should do
…..
See  Luke 5: 27-32

Friday after Ash Wednesday

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Then will your light shine like the dawn.
And your wound be quickly healed over .
Forgiving love is like a sword drawn.
A new  limitless Passover.

Is that what you call fasting.
Is that the sort of fast that  does please.
My fast is so inadequate , hardly testing.
Almost  I’m afraid quite a breeze.

I have promised to give up social media.
At least not reading all the hate .
There’s just too much multimedia.
And so much which does grate .

We can’t always do what’s right.
So we use try and know what’s right.

……..

How much should we fast
Whatever we can manage
There is a balance

…….

See Isaiah 58: 1-9

Thursday after Ash Wednesday

 

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Man who is merely a breath.
Whose life fades like a shadow.
Even content, ours is merely a living death.
Now we are above , soon we will be below.

For anyone who wants to lose his life will save it.
But anyone who loses his life for my sake will save it.
As so we know we will be lifted from the pit.
As long as we attempt to follow his writ.

How these words of his revive me in setbacks.
Even today they helped  me .
Despite all the many kickbacks .
Now I feel more clearly can I see.

So there will always be disappointment.
But we must not fall prey to resentment.

………

So our life passes
Like a shadow ,a mere breath
But then is reborn

………

See Vespers of Today , Psalm 143 and Luke 9 : 22-25

Ash Wednesday 2022

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For he is all tenderness and compassion.
Slow to anger , rich In graciousness.
And for him , where is our passion.
And of course there’s our ungratefulness.

I am at the Cathedral listening to Alegri’s Miserere.
Its haunting refrain never fails to move .
We can only keep going despite a tear.
But this sadness too does soothe.

We feel so inadequate.
That our faith is so weak.
But we know we have an advocate .
As long as we continue to seek.

Lent is upon us. We seek the holy door.
It’s not so much as giving up than doing more.

……..

It’s more tenderness
Rather than mortification
That is the keystone

…….

See Joel 2 : 12-18

Monday of Week 8 in Ordinary Time

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There is one thing you lack.

Go and sell everything you own.
We find it so hard to give anything back.
To view all our possessions as just a loan.
It’s quite easy to obey the commandments .
Except this, giving up everything .
There are just too many enchantments.
So our renouncements rarely take wing.
Perhaps the secret is not to care.
To view everything as a gift .
To avoid cupidity’s pride and snare.
And steer clear of every kind of rift.
Easy enough to say it.
Very difficult to do it.
…….
Enter the needle
Impossible for us all
Because we own things
…….
See Mark 10 : 17-27

Tuesday of Week 8 in Ordinary time . St David . 1 March

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I look on everything as so much rubbish.
As long as I have Christ and being given a place in him.
Here is a real  worthwhile wish .
Here is no mere passing  whim.

As usual I was thinking on wasted opportunities.
A life that could have done so much more .
But I have to cope with my shortcoming realities.
Better to dwell on one’s spiritual core.

You have to live for today’s event.
Tomorrow will have its own challenge.
Tomorrow will be Lent.
Although my fast won’t be at all savage.

I can’t try for perfection on my own.
Everything comes from him  as a loan.

……..

Try for perfection
Just by your own  small efforts
That’s impossible

……

See Philippians 3: 8-14

8 th Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Keep on working at the Lord’s work.

In the Lord you cannot be labouring in vain.
Whether in church or Kirk.
We are all part of the chain.
At my last mass with the monks at Downside .
Never again to hear this Gregorian chant .
Or to have this prayerful guide.
But there never is such a thing as can’t .
Those words of Paul stayed in my mind .
We all have our different work to do .
As we search we will surely find .
Even if at the start we have little clue.
Doing the Lord’s work in  reading and writing.
Wherever it is , is just one form of working.
……
Doing the Lord’s work
Is never then done in vain
That’s Something to cheer
…….
See 1 Corinthians 15 : 54-58

Saturday of Week 7 of Ordinary Time

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I anyone of you is in trouble he should pray.

If anyone is feeling happy he should sing a psalm.
At Downside for one more day .
Here I lay down my head in calm.
I was asked to do the reading from St James.
How awesome  to read in the Abbey .
His truth bursts out in flames.
Veracity‘a eternal  ray .
He tells us the prayer of faith will save the sick man.
And the Lord will raise him up again.
Maybe nothing in life will go to plan.
But with prayer we are safe in sun and rain.
Elijah prayed hard for it not to rain .
And for three and a half years it did not rain.
…….
Prayer conquers all
If only we can do it
But why not just try
…..
See James 5: 13-20

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Friday of Week 7 of Ordinary Time

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What can bring us happiness many say.

Lift up the light of your face on us O Lord .
The eternal question , of the can and the may.
Unhappiness cut with the spiritual sword.
I am at Compline at Downside for the last time .
Sitting now alone in the darkened Abbey .
And once again the old feeling of joy is sublime .
Will it come again , maybe .
You will not fear the terror of the night.
Nor the arrow that flies by day .
The darkness always pierced by your light.
Contentment clings like  silver clay .
Upon you no evil shall fall.
We can  pray and walk tall .
……
Here profound silence
The Abbey is quiet and still
Here then I can pray
……
See the Psalms of Compline . Ps 4 and Ps 91

Thursday of Week 7 in Ordinary Time

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If anyone gives you a cup of water to drink.

I tell you he most certainly will not lose his reward.
Christ is the last link.
He will never cut our life’s cord.
He tells us if your eye should cause you to sin.
Tear it out .
But that’s not literal just spin
To free us from doubt.
But we only have to offer a cup of water.
To start our redemption.
And give us as great a love  as we feel for a granddaughter.
And a way to relieve all tension.
But it was the thought of the water given.
That made the most impression that we are forgiven.
……..
If we give water
That is surely a good start
Or if given us
……..
See  Mark 9 : 41-50

Wednesday of Week 7 of Ordinary Time . St Polycarp-155

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You are no more than a mist .

That is here for a little while then disappears.
We don’t know even if we truly exist .
And only with his will it clears.
We think today or tomorrow we are off to this town.
Making money and trading .
But it is according to his will that we are up or down.
Dying,   just existing or living.
We never know .
What will happen tomorrow.
Will we diminish or grow.
Be high or low.
How proud we are .
But from our haven we are far.
……..
We are just a mist
Coming and going today
And there’s tomorrow
…….
Polycarp knew not
The Christ just those who knew him
But it was enough
…..
See James 4: 13-17

Tuesday of Week 7 in Ordinary Time. The Chair of St Peter

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Who do you say.

The son of man is.
A question for every day.
Who do we say he is.
Is he just a good man .
Merely a prophet .
One of our clan.
Part of our set .
Or is he God’s son
On whom the sun never sets.
Indeed the creator of the sun.
The holder of all assets.
Can we answer like Peter.
How do we answer
……..
Who is he we ask
Is this the true question
For what else matters
…….
See Mathew: 16 : 13-19

Monday of 7th week in Ordinary Time

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For anyone who has faith , anything is possible.

Help the little faith I have , I do have faith
One thing is certain , we are responsible.
Although we don’t  know the strength of our faith.
We are of the faithless generation. Will he put up with us for much longer.
But we know he will not sentence us to damnation.
His patience will always be stronger.
We rarely ask for his intercession.
Unless  in crisis we cry out yelp.
Or when mired in depression.
But he is always there to offer help .
We too have this spirit of dumbness.
We look to him to end this numbness.
…….
All is possible
If we really do have faith
But do we have it
……..
See Mark 9 :14-29

7 th Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Love your enemies .

Do good to those who hate you.
A sentence echoing down the centuries.
Obeyed for as long as the Summers dew .
We pay lip service to this injunction.
But it’s nigh impossible to keep in the frame .
We do almost anything to avoid arriving at this junction.
We give Christians a bad name .
But listen to thee words, however woke .
Jesus said this to his disciples.
So it’s meant for so called Christian folk .
We’re not just here for  tuneful recitals .
All this is very hard .
That doesn’t mean it’s barred.
……
Turn the other cheek
How often do we do it
Not very often
…….
See Luke 6: 27-38
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Saturday of Week 6 in in Ordinary Time

 

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There in their presence he was transfigured.

His clothes became dazzlingly bright.
Something I have never figured.
All is hidden in spirituality out of clear sight.
God is , he has not been , nor will be.
The iseness  of creation is God  eternal.
He is not on our plane , can’t you see.
This is what has has no start or final.
This eternal does not humanly react to us .
It always is reacting to us , it is just thus.
We will never miss this bus .
Because it is always driving by us .
Or God was , will be and  is.
But either way we are his.
……
How can we divine
What is not on our own plane
I fear we cannot
……
See Mark 9: 2-13
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Friday of Week 6 of Ordinary Time, Blessed John of Fiesole , Fra Angelico


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Be my protector , a mighty stronghold.
Lead me , guide me for the sake of your name .
In my dreams you me enfold.
Putting depression to shame .

When I dream of  my being I feel worried.
When I dream of loving I feel contentment.
So can I be less hurried .
And live more in the moment .

For God everything is simultaneous.
There is no future or past .
At our death we leave time and all that is extraneous.
We enter into the is , oneness at last .

Standing  that day in Fra Angelico’s cell
For that moment  I was free from all the pell- mell.

….

The cell was empty
Just a fresco on the wall
Telling a story

…….

Thursday of Week 6 of Ordinary Time

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It was those who were poor according to the world.

That God chose.
I wonder how we can break the mould .
And know they are the golden rose .
They were rich in faith .
And heirs to God’s kingdom.
Will that help us to encourage interfaith.
For all this  is leading to wisdom.
He promised this to those who love him.
But for the poor there is still no respect.
They are the true limb.
All else is vaguely suspect.
We who are not poor.
Suspect we are the true sore.
………
What leads to wisdom.
Those who are poor in spirit
Can we accept it
….. ……
See James : 1-9

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Tuesday of Week 6 of Ordinary Time

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Be quick to listen, but slow to speak.
And slow to rouse your temper .
Easier to think about than do as we seek.
We ask ourselves where is our true centre .

I was looking at the peaceful Serpentine.
A moment later I tripped and crashed on my head.
Thus in a flash we are lost while before we were fine .
We cannot see  a minute ahead.

We are told God’s righteousness is never served by anger .
So we must do away with all bad habits .
But it come so quick this canker .
In the mind a thousand cross little rabbits .

St James may have lots of good advice .
But it’s not enough to free us of all vice .

…….

We are just walking
In a flash we are falling
In life there is death

…….

See James 1 : 19-27

Tuesday of Week 6 of Ordinary Time

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All that is good comes down from the father of all light.

With him there is no shadow of a change.
Everything now may be hidden from sight.
Far away , out of our  pitiful range.
He said , have you no perception.
Are your minds closed.
He suffers from no alteration .
And we must wait for all to be disclosed.
He said why are you talking about having no bread .
Do you not understand.
We are in the present , we cannot see the road ahead.
Yet our lives are swept away like sand.
One day we may understand.
But not in this our  waking land .
…….
Do you understand
No I’m afraid I do not
But one day I will
……..
See  Mark 8 : 14-21

Monday of Week 6 of Ordinary Time

 

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The harvest is rich , but the labourers are few.
So ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers.
We ask ourselves , what is our place in this queue.
Are we mere takers or active givers.

I know my place.
I may read but I don’t  do enough work.
I will be nowhere near the front in this race.
I need to do some more homework.

We are told to carry no purse, no haversack.
And salute no one on the road.
But I turn and tack.
Fearful of this spiritual load.

I will always be in the middle of this pack.
I hope St Peter doesn’t give me the sack..

……..

The harvest is rich
But we are not labourers
We are onlookers

………

See  Luke 10 : 1-9

Sunday of Week 6 in Ordinary Time

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Alas for you who laugh now.

You shall mourn and weep.
Help me to remember this vow.
And see this as a promise to keep .
Luke’s Gospel talks of happy and alas .
Happy the poor .
But I only remember this at Mass.
It does not reach the heart’s core.
We are told happy are  those now  hungry .
They will be satisfied.
And that we should go humbly.
And all this should be our guide.
So we just keep going forward.
Hoping to avoid the untoward.
……..
We know this is truth
That the poor will be happy
But not for us now
…….
See Luke 6, 17, 20-26

Saturday of Week 5 of Ordinary Time

 

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They ate as much as they wanted.

And they collected basketfuls of the scraps left over
Their faith remained undaunted .
There was no need to wait for Passover .
Do we have faith in oracles .
We wait expectantly .
Not believing in miracles.
Our worries are there incessantly.
One day there will be no bread .
Only a miracle will raise the curtain.
But it will come not in this life where all is read.
But where all is now uncertain .
We should not worry about the fall of our tide.
God , we pray will provide.
…….
We are so many
There is so little of bread
But God will be there
…….
See Mark 8 : 1-10
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Friday of Week 5 of Ordinary Time

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He has done all things well.

He makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak .
This is where our heart may dwell.
And where we should seek .
He said to him Ephphatha.
That is be opened.
One day I may hear my Ephphatha.
But will my ears ever be opened.
The beach was utterly lonely.
Although the busy town was close .
Gentle waves  barely lapping only.
No other sound , a solace to all woes.
It is only when all is quiet for the Christian.
That we  truly start to listen .
……
Not a soul was there
Only the wide open beach
At last I could think
…….
See  Mark 7: 31-37

Friday of Week 5 in Ordinary Time

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She replied, the house dogs under the table can eat the scraps.
Jesus said For saying this you may go home happy .
We run  hopefully on endless laps .
Determined despite all  not to be unhappy .

I  was striding over the Wold.
The air fresh , the wind strong .
I rested a moment in the church from the cold.
Here I was far away from the throng .

In this peaceful  lonely place
The heart could rest and soar.
All slowed to the quietest pace .

I could not  and did not ask for more .
It is the smallest scrap of a moment.
That we can find the greatest fulfilment.

………

The place is  empty
But the heart can still be full
If it is all quiet

……..

See Mark 7: 24-30