St Mary Abbots
Lent 2008: Celtic Prayer
What do we mean by Celtic ?
Very little evidence: misty and vague
The Venerable Bede: born 672
Certainly was a movement of monks moving around.
The Celtic saints: Columba: Aidan: Cuthbert: Hilda and many more
Two key themes:
A wistful sense of longing for a lost homeland
A perpetual sense of pilgrimage and exile.
Writings & Prayers:
Combination of Bede and other minor sources.
Gavin Wakefield (Durham) suggests the following themes can be deduced from all we know, for example, about Aidan: all of which formed his prayer life
Passion for God
Possessions as Secondary
Gentleness & Openness
Seeing Christ in Others
Equality & Humility with leaders and ordinary people
Importance of education
6 Key points about Celtic Prayer.
“Living and praying are inseparable”
About Journeying
the longest journey is the journey inward: the whole of life is here
About Creation
“The Celtic way of seeing the world never lets me forget my relationship with the earth.” (Esther de Waal The Celtic Way of Prayer H&S 1996)
About Time
The rhythm of the year
The rhythm of the day
About the Senses
Lighting a fire/Baking bread/Milking a cow/making clothes/weaving
About being able to spend time alone
The solitary
About the Cross
The Celtic cross has the great O of the world itself
Crucifixion/Creation/Redemption – all held together
About Healing
Body cannot be healed apart from the soul.
Thus the resurrection brings perfect healing.
The Prayer of the Venerable Bede
I Pray you, good Jesus, that as you have given me the grace to drink in with joy the Word that gives knowledge of you, so in your goodness you will grant me to come at length to yourself, the source of all wisdom, to stand before your face forever. Amen
A modern Celtic Prayer
Come on pilgrimage.
Let us walk together the road of life.
We will go on well trodden paths,
And also open us new ways.
We will seek,
We will search,
We will rejoice,
And perhaps we will sing.
You cannot come as an onlooker,
That leaves you on the outside,
Yet still influencing us,
As we influence you.
Come and share your experiences,
Your sorrows and your joys.
If your prayer has gone dead,
Your God is too small,
Your vision too narrow,
Come journey into new depths,
Let life be an adventure.
Come and participate,
Come and discover-
We will go to strange places,
We may even meet dragons.
But we do not journey alone
We go together along the road
And our God goes with us.
Amen
David Adam
The Road of Life SPCK 2004
Monday 18 February 2008
The Big Question - St Mary Abbots 170208
John 3.16
The answer to the questions of Nicodemus, the Pharisee, about what must a person do to be born again (or to be born anew)?
Only in John.
Nicodemus comes at night so that people do not know.
Asks Jesus a key question - how do I attain salvation.
Interesting question to ponder and the road through Lent.
Link to baptism - imagery of water anbd spirit.
This slavation is a gift of Go; perfected in Jesus - achieved through the transformation of suffering and a looking to the resurrection.
The answer to the questions of Nicodemus, the Pharisee, about what must a person do to be born again (or to be born anew)?
Only in John.
Nicodemus comes at night so that people do not know.
Asks Jesus a key question - how do I attain salvation.
Interesting question to ponder and the road through Lent.
Link to baptism - imagery of water anbd spirit.
This slavation is a gift of Go; perfected in Jesus - achieved through the transformation of suffering and a looking to the resurrection.
Wednesday 6 February 2008
Lent begins St Mary Abbots 060208
The Season of Lent begins this week as Jesus enters the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights.
Ash Wednesday is one of the most solemn and holy days of the year when Christian traditionally begin a season of reflection, meditation, study and prayer. In many churches, a cross marked in ashes made from last year's Palm crosses is marked on the head of believers.
Jesus is tempted and tested in the desert - yet is without sin.
And so, the focus in on each human person coming to terms with the reality of herself and himself.
The 20th century writer Thoma Merton wrote widely on how the 4th century Desert Fathers of Egypt, Arabia, Palestine and Persia went into the desert to mirror the desire of Jesus to reflect on the world and on society.
"What the Fathers sought most of all was their own true self, in Christ," he wrote. And that is a key aim for many Christians in Lent: to come to a great understanding of who we really eye in the face of God: our own true selves.
And so our prayer this Lent is rooted in the Collect which unites us across our churches:
Almighty and everlasting God,who hatest nothing that thou hast madeand dost forgive the sins of all them that are pentitent:create and make in us new and contrite heartsthat we, worthily lamenting our sinsand acknowledging our wretchedness,may obtain of thee, the God of all mercy,perfect remission and forgivenessthrough Jesus Christ our Lord;who liveth and reigneth with thee,in the unity of the Holy Spirit,one God, now and forever.Amen
Ash Wednesday is one of the most solemn and holy days of the year when Christian traditionally begin a season of reflection, meditation, study and prayer. In many churches, a cross marked in ashes made from last year's Palm crosses is marked on the head of believers.
Jesus is tempted and tested in the desert - yet is without sin.
And so, the focus in on each human person coming to terms with the reality of herself and himself.
The 20th century writer Thoma Merton wrote widely on how the 4th century Desert Fathers of Egypt, Arabia, Palestine and Persia went into the desert to mirror the desire of Jesus to reflect on the world and on society.
"What the Fathers sought most of all was their own true self, in Christ," he wrote. And that is a key aim for many Christians in Lent: to come to a great understanding of who we really eye in the face of God: our own true selves.
And so our prayer this Lent is rooted in the Collect which unites us across our churches:
Almighty and everlasting God,who hatest nothing that thou hast madeand dost forgive the sins of all them that are pentitent:create and make in us new and contrite heartsthat we, worthily lamenting our sinsand acknowledging our wretchedness,may obtain of thee, the God of all mercy,perfect remission and forgivenessthrough Jesus Christ our Lord;who liveth and reigneth with thee,in the unity of the Holy Spirit,one God, now and forever.Amen
Saturday 2 February 2008
St Brides Fleet Street 3rd February 2008
Good to be back at St Brides:
Weekend - Feast of the Presentation
40 days after the birth of Jesus he is presented in the Temple
The Nunc Dimmitis is said for the first time.
Simeon - represents the righteous and the devout - who have been waiting.
His Song: could be a song for the Guild of St Bride: because it is a song for all Christians
we can go in peace
we can see the salvation
Jesus is for everyone
The glory of God lies ahead
Tradition from 4th C was to carry candles - the light of Christ has come into the world: he is presented to us in a dark world.
Candle is only a symbol
The true light lies within us.
Weekend - Feast of the Presentation
40 days after the birth of Jesus he is presented in the Temple
The Nunc Dimmitis is said for the first time.
Simeon - represents the righteous and the devout - who have been waiting.
His Song: could be a song for the Guild of St Bride: because it is a song for all Christians
we can go in peace
we can see the salvation
Jesus is for everyone
The glory of God lies ahead
Tradition from 4th C was to carry candles - the light of Christ has come into the world: he is presented to us in a dark world.
Candle is only a symbol
The true light lies within us.
Moscow City Ballet in Poole
Taking a few days off in Dorset recently, I managed to get tickets to see the Moscow Ballet Company perform the Nutcracker at the Lighthouse Arts Centre.
It is a long time since I saw a ballet and have to admit that I wasn't quite sure before I arrived but it turned out to be a really great evening.
The second half was much better than the first; the showcase of ballet skills from the male and female dancers was truly remarkable and it was a delight to witness.
The average age of the audience was high - which is disappointing because all the local budding ballet schools should surely munch up tickets? - but the quality of the seat, the view and the general professionalism of the venue all added to the evening. Plus - an ince cream in a theatre for £1.50. Now, in London ...............
It is a long time since I saw a ballet and have to admit that I wasn't quite sure before I arrived but it turned out to be a really great evening.
The second half was much better than the first; the showcase of ballet skills from the male and female dancers was truly remarkable and it was a delight to witness.
The average age of the audience was high - which is disappointing because all the local budding ballet schools should surely munch up tickets? - but the quality of the seat, the view and the general professionalism of the venue all added to the evening. Plus - an ince cream in a theatre for £1.50. Now, in London ...............
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