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!”
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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!”
Nothing Fancy
A few weeks ago the leaders of the G7 gathered for their summit in Cornwall, the southwest corner of England. I recalled a walking holiday a few years ago along the coastal paths of Cornwall. Some days the path stayed fairly close to the coast and other days it took turns inland and uphill asContinue reading “Nothing Fancy”
The Summer Day
In my last post I mentioned I would be staying with the poems of Mary Oliver for a few days. Her poem The Summer Day ends with the often quoted last two lines. Yet don’t be in any hurry to arrive there, enjoy her every word. The poem begins with the questions we have allContinue reading “The Summer Day”
Sunflowers
Although I’m “not in Kansas anymore” I can recall the surprise and delight of the hot summer days and the wide wide prairies, and the sight of fields and fields of sunflowers. The contrast of the wide horizons of the prairies from the smaller, tighter space of Scotland took much adjustment. In fairness though, bothContinue reading “Sunflowers”
Leap of Faith
Before you ask, the answer is No! I don’t possess the courage to do such a circus act as the flying trapeze. Just looking at the photo brings my heart to my mouth! Courage and artistic flair are combined with commitment and trust in the ability to pull this off. Certainly, as a child goingContinue reading “Leap of Faith”
A Thin Place
Perhaps there never will be enough photographs of Iona Abbey! At one time Iona was the center of Europe in the sense that from this center Christianity was spread throughout Scotland and from there through the rest of the United Kingdom and beyond eastward into many parts of Europe. Certainly, when viewed on a map,Continue reading “A Thin Place”
“While the tennis ball went back and forth”
The middle of June through the early part of July for tennis fans means the clay courts of Stade Roland Garros in Paris and the grass courts of Wimbledon, London. These venues are home for two of the great Grand Slam tennis fixtures. As a child I so loved the two weeks of what seemedContinue reading ““While the tennis ball went back and forth””
Prayers, Poems, and Christian Ponderings 