blueness
Reach me a gentian, give me a torch
let me guide myself with the blue, forked torch of this flower
down the darker and darker stairs, where blue is darkened on blueness.
even where Persephone goes, just now, from the frosted September
to the sightless realm where
Justin
Posted on by James Woodward
Most of what is known about the life of Justin Martyr comes from his own writings. He was born at Flavia Neapolis (ancient Shechem in Judaea/Palaestina, now modern-day Nablus).
According to church tradition Justin suffered martyrdom at Rome under the Emperor Marcus Aureli
Pentecost
Posted on by James Woodward
Almighty God, who on this day
didst open the way of eternal life
to every race and nation
by the promised gift of thy Holy Spirit:
Shed abroad this gift throughout the world
by the preaching of the Gospel,
that it may reach to the ends of the earth;
through Jesus Christ our Lor
Josephine Butler
Posted on by James Woodward
Let your continual mercy, O Lord, kindle in your Church the Never-failing gift of love, that, following the example of your servant Josephine Butler, we may have grace to defend the poor, and maintain the cause of those who have no helper; for the sake of him who gave his life fo
Water
Posted on by James Woodward
Water
If I were called in
To construct a religion
I should make use of water.
Going to church
Would entail a fording
To dry, different clothes;
My litany would employ
Images of sousing,
A furious devout drench,
And I should raise in the east
A glass of water
Where an
Augustine of Canterbury
Posted on by James Woodward
O Lord our God, who by your Son Jesus Christ called your apostles and sent them forth to preach the Gospel to the nations: We bless your holy name for your servant Augustine, first Archbishop of Canterbury, whose labors in propagating your Church among the English people we com
Bede
Posted on by James Woodward
Today we commorate The Venerable Bede
Almost everything that is known of Bede's life is contained in the last chapter of his Historia Ecclesiastica, a history of the church in England. It was completed in about 731, and Bede implies that he was then in his fifty-ninth year
Yes?
Posted on by James Woodward
rejected things
After the final no there comes a yes
And on that yes the future world depends.
No was the night. Yes is this present sun.
If the rejected things, the things denied,
Slid over the western cataract, yet one,
One only, one thing that was firm, even
One th
When did you last talk about death?
Posted on by James Woodward
The British don't talk about death, says a survey, because they fear it. So if you are going to have a chat about, for want of a better word, dying, how might it go?
It's got to be the party pooper to end them all: "Hi. What's your name? What do you do? Do you think about death
Ascension
Posted on by James Woodward
Today is Ascension Day - here are some arresting and stimulating images to help us into a deeper sense of the meaning of this Feast:
Alcuin of York
Posted on by James Woodward
Alcuin of York had a long career as a teacher and scholar, first at the school at York now known as St Peter's School, York founded AD 627) and later as Charlemagne's leading advisor on ecclesiastical and educational affairs. From 796 until his death he was abbot of the gre
Dunstan
Posted on by James Woodward
Today we remember Dunstan (c.909–19 May 988) was an abbot of Glastonbury, a bishop of Worcester, a bishop of London, and an archbishop of Canterbury who was later canonized as a saint.
His work restored monastic life in England and reformed the English Church. His 11th century
The new Poet Laureate
Posted on by James Woodward
The excitement of welcoming the first woman to the post of poet laureate is similar to the emotion with which a supporter of an under-rated football team greets a goal. Then, of course, for both genders, there's the moral satisfaction, and political buzz, in seeing the
Rogation Sunday
Posted on by James Woodward
Today is Rogation Sunday.
Here is a bit of background!
Rogation days are, in the calendar of the Western Church, four days traditionally set apart for solemn processions to invoke God's mercy. They are April 25, the Major Rogation, coinciding with St. Mark's Day; and the
Caroline Chisholm
Posted on by James Woodward
Today in the Calendar of Saints in the Church of England we commemorate -
Caroline Chisholm (30 May 1808 - 25 March 1877) was a progressive 19th-century English humanitarian known mostly for her involvement with female immigrant welfare in Australia.
Born on the outs
Matthais
Posted on by James Woodward
Today we commenorate Saint Matthias
Saint Matthias (1st centuryAD- 80), according to the New Testament Acts of the Apostles, was the Apostle chosen by the remaining eleven apostles to replace Judas Iscariot following Judas's betrayal of Jesus and his suicide (Acts 1:18-26)
Meditate?
Posted on by James Woodward
mindful
To meditate does not mean to fight with a problem.
To meditate means to observe.
Your smile proves it.
It proves that you are being gentle with yourself,
that the sun of awareness is shining in you,
that you have control of your situation.
You are yourself,
Saint Georges Chapel Windsor
Posted on by James Woodward
In 1348, King Edward III founded two new religious colleges: St Stephen's at Westminster and St George's at Windsor. The new college at Windsor was attached to the Chapel of St Edward the Confessor which had been constructed by Henry III in the early thirteenth century. The
Attachment?
Posted on by James Woodward
brilliant light
happy are those who are free from attachment,
feeders on rapture shall they be,
like the gods of brilliant light.
the Buddha
Julian of Norwich
Posted on by James Woodward
Little is known about Julian of Norwich, a close contemporary of Chaucer’s –not even her name (“Julian” was the name of the church at which she was an
anchoress). Unlike Kempe, Julian wrote her text, Revelations of Divine Love,
exclusively about her vision and reli