July 2021 – Prayers, Poems, and Christian Ponderings

Sheep dogs!

In “normal” times during the summer months if you spend anytime in Scotland you have the opportunity to watch in awe the sheepdog trials or if attending some Highland Gatherings fall in love with both sheep and collie dogs! The working sheep dog displays amazing concentration in the job at hand working with amazing partnershipContinue reading “Sheep dogs!”

On Turning Ten

Thanks to you who have been reading these posts. If you have labored through the last three with T.S. Eliot then I offer you a treat, how about a doughnut and a cup of coffee. Today, I too need a treat so I am turning to poet Billy Collins. On the cover of one ofContinue reading “On Turning Ten”

“The Church must be forever building”

In this the third and final post from T.S. Eliot’s Choruses from the Rock we continue to hear Eliot wrestle with the question -Can faith itself hold up? Today we hear a few lines from Part 2 of this 10 part poem. To read the whole poem please use the link https://www.arak29.am/PDF_PPT/6-Literature/Eliot/Chtherock_eng.pdfEnjoy! And the ChurchContinue reading ““The Church must be forever building””

Build with new bricks!

In April 2019 we watched, with all of Paris, in disbelief as Notre Dame Cathedral suffered such destruction. This towering miracle of beauty and majesty was suddenly engulfed by fire. What once was, might never be again! Prayers were offered all over the world as the roof slowly gave way. Could faith itself hold up?Continue reading “Build with new bricks!”

Choruses from the Rock

In the next three posts I venture to bring to your attention, and hopefully for your enjoyment and pondering, the words of T.S. Eliot in his Choruses from the ‘Rock’, 1934. In brief, The Rock was a play written on commission to support the 49 Church Fund of the Diocese of London. The funds raisedContinue reading “Choruses from the Rock”

Standing Uneasily

In the most recent publication of the journal Poetry, there is a piece by Jennifer Horne in which she describes the work of the poet and of poetry. She writes “I embrace poetry as a subversive force, for once you are split open by a poem you can only become whole again by refashioning yourselfContinue reading “Standing Uneasily”

Untying knots!

It is many years since my youth, when I recall I was able to gain a merit badge for tying knots. Knots themselves are not that difficult to learn, the real skill is being able to untie the many knots we inadvertently tie. If we are honest we have tied knots at times in ourContinue reading “Untying knots!”