‘The Seed’

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Quotes, Religious Thoughts, Religious Writing

At a date which is uncertain this month in 1624 George Fox was born, he was to become the founder of the Quakers and wrote these words, which seem to fit in so well with the lectionary at the moment I can’t help wondering if this letter was written around a similar lectionary period.

All dear Friends everywhere, who have no helper but the Lord, who is your strength and your life, let your cries and prayers be to him, who with his eternal power has kept your heads above all waters and storms.  Let none go out of their habitations in the stormy time of the night, those whose habitation is the Lord, the Seed, Christ Jesus.  In this seed you will see the bright and morning Star appear which will expel the night of darkness, by which morning Star you will come to the everlasting Day which was before night was.  So everyone feel this bright morning Star in your hearts, there to expel the darkness.

Yesterday the lectionary led us to hear of Jesus calming the storm and here we are reminded of who it is who has the power to keep our heads above, not just a storm, but all storms and waters.  The storms and waters that can so easily overcome us, darken our lives and cast deep shadows on our walk with Christ.

Two weeks ago the lectionary gave us the parable of the mustard seed, the Kingdom of God being likened unto it, while here George Fox calls Christ himself the Seed.  I have never knowingly come across this idea before, that Christ himself is the Seed and I am not sure quite how I feel about it.  Is Christ the Seed, the seed of faith, the seed of the Kingdom, the seed of something else?  Maybe following on from my own post last week, Christ could be seen as the seed of spirituality, lots more to think upon.

There is Love and There is Love

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Religious Writing

Knowledge, we are told, is disclosed to those who are worthy in this present life ‘as in a mirror’ and ‘in a riddle’, but hereafter ‘face to face’.  It seems absurd to me not to employ this analogy of other virtues because what has been prepared for in this life will be brought to perfection in the world to come.  And chief of all the virtues, according to the divine Word, is love of neighbour.  It must be, therefore, that the saints who are already dead love more than ever those what are still struggling in this life, much more indeed than those who try to come to the aid of their weaker brothers and sisters but who are themselves still subject to human weakness.  It is not in this life only that the words of Scripture – ‘if one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together’ – are operative.  It is love that animates the body of Christ beyond this life.

On Prayer by Origen

We had a fascinating discussion about this passage this morning especially with regard to the concept that those who have already died now love more perfectly.  It rational once you think about it, but I for one hadn’t thought about it in those terms before, in fact it is quite mind-blowing if you take it to its ultimate conclusion.  Even those who in this life didn’t show us the love of Christ now are compelled do so in complete perfectness just by virtue of being in his presence and seeing no longer dimly but face to face.

 

Canticle of the Sun

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Religious Writing, Saints

I came across this a short while ago and have veered in the short time I have known it from loving it to hating it and back again.  Parts of it resound and echo deep within me, parts of it grate and rub me up the wrong way.  Yesterday, a day without the sun we had come accustomed to – although the promised rain didn’t appear until this morning – reminded of this canticle as I drove back from the fellowship lunch with the hood down on ‘Baby’ and since then it has been bouncing round my head again with mixed feelings.

Most high, all-powerful, all good, Lord!  All praise is yours, all glory, all honour and all blessing.
To you alone, Most High, do they belong,  No mortal lips are worthy to pronounce your name.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through all that you have made, and first my lord Brother Sun, who brings the day; and light you give to us through him. How beautiful is he, how radiant in all his splendour!  Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.
All praise be yours my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air, and fair and stormy, all the weather’s moods, by which you cherish all that you have made.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Water, so useful, lowly, precious and pure.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through Brother Fire, through whom you brighten up the night.  How beautiful is he, how gay!  Full of power and strength.
All praise be yours my Lord, through Sister Earth, our mother who feeds us in her sovereignty and produces various fruits with coloured flowers and herbs.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through those who grant pardon.  For love of you; through those who endure sickness and trial. Happy those who endure in peace, by you, Most High, they will be crowned.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Death, from whose embrace no mortal can escape.  Woe to those who die in mortal sin!  Happy those she finds doing your will!  The second death can do no harm to them.
Praise and bless my Lord, and give him thanks, and serve him with great humility.

St Francis of Assisi

A Living Alleluia

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Religious Writing

A Christian should be an alleluia from head to foot.

St Augustine of Hippo (354-430)

Patron Saint of Coach Travellers?

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Julian of Norwich, Religious Writing

I know I am a week late (her feast day is 8th May) and I also know that Julian of Norwich isn’t the patron saint of coach travellers – indeed she isn’t even a saint – but as a number of St Andrew’s congregation are off to Norfolk this week I found myself dipping into her ‘Revelations of Divine Love’.  They are making an 11 hour coach journey, not my idea of fun at all, so I went looking for some words of comfort to sustain them on their journey.

God did not say, ‘You will never have a rough passage, you will never be over-strained, you will never feel uncomfortable’, but he did say ‘You will never be overcome’.

Nails v’s Love

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Religious Writing

Nails were not enough to hold God-and-man nailed and fastened to the cross, had not love held him there.

Catherine of Siena

Maundy Thursday

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Religious Writing

Blessed are you, O Upper Room, so small

in comparison to the entirety of creation,

yet what took place in you

now fills creation – which is even too small for it.

Blessed is your abode, for in it was broken

that Bread which issues from the blessed Wheat Sheaf,

and in you was trodden out

the Cluster of Grapes that came from Mary

to become the Cup of Salvation.

Blessed are you, O Upper Room,

no one has ever seen

nor ever shall see, what you beheld;

Our Lord became at once

True Altar, Priest, Bread, and Cup of Salvation.

In his own person he could fulfil all these roles,

none other was capable of this:

Whole Offering and Lamb, Sacrifice and Sacrificer,

Priest and the One destined to be consumed.

Ephrem of Syria

Ash Wednesday

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Religious Writing

Almighty and everlasting God,

you hate nothng that you have made

and forgive the sins of all those who are penitent.

Creat and make in us new and contrite hearts,

that, lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wrethchedness,

we may receive from you, the God of all mery,

perfect forgiveness and peace;

through Jesus Chrsit our Lord,

who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

Collect for Lent