morning rain The dawn light. A light rain. I hear it on the treetop leaves. Then, the mist. The morning wind blows it and the clouds away. Now colours deepen, and a sense of grace: the presence of water. And then, across the landscape the smell of morning rain. Du Fu (712-770 AD) […]
Blog: Pictures-Books-Reflections
Together?
Posted on by James Woodward
veins Look: how they grow to be each other. In their veins there is only God. Each other’s axis, a shimmering shape that glows, like fire, a rapture, a delight. They thirst, and are each other’s wine; see, how they are each other’s seeing. Let us let each rejoice into the other: outlasting self, […]
HEALTHCARE, WHOLENESS & HEALING Saturday, 7th March 2015
Posted on by James Woodward
Diocese of Bath and Wells Diocesan Healing Group event HEALTHCARE, WHOLENESS & HEALING Saturday, 7th March 2015 Healthcare is increasingly driven by clinical outcomes, budgets, targets and political constraints. This is at the expense of whole-person care and personal well-being – for both healthcare professionals and patients alike. Could the Church […]
who died?
Posted on by James Woodward
who died? When death comes like an iceberg between the shoulder blades, I want to step through the door full of curiosity, wondering what is it going to be like, that cottage of darkness? And therefore I look upon everything as a brotherhood and a sisterhood, and I look upon time as no more […]
Auckland Castle
Posted on by James Woodward
I have very vivid memories of visiting Auckland Castle as a sixth form student beginning to wonder about my vocation to the ordained ministry in the Church of England. At a young people’s gathering in the Throne room of this imposing building I remember the Bishop of Durham, John Habgood, addressing us in a simple […]
Sermon for Christmas eve St George's Chapel Windsor 2014
Posted on by James Woodward
St George’s Chapel Windsor Castle Christmas Eve Communion 2014: The Christmas Truce This evening I want to remind you of something very remarkable that happened exactly 100 years ago to this day. The world was at five months into an armed conflict that ended the lives of fifteen million people. On the western front German, […]
into His Peace
Posted on by James Woodward
And because of His visitation, we may no longer desire God as if He were lacking: our redemption is no longer a question of pursuit but of surrender to Him who is always and everywhere present. Therefore at every moment we pray that, following Him, we may depart from our anxiety into His peace. […]
The Christmas Truce
Posted on by James Woodward
The Christmas Truce One hundred years ago the world was at war – it was a conflict that changed the world for ever and at this anniversary we have been remembering its impact upon the families and communities in our country. In particular we remember with sorrow our human capacity for conflict injustice and destruction. […]
The twenty third day of December
Posted on by James Woodward
O come, O come, thou calling child: the creatures, those both tame and wild, the weak and pow’rful, coax along and change their trembling into song. Rejoice! Rejoice! The vuln’rable shall make us all insep’rable Jim Cotter Expectant : Verses for Advent
The twenty- first day of December
Posted on by James Woodward
O Come, O come, thou shaft of fire, to lead us on through dark and mire; through desert bare thou moving cloud protect and guide, fulfil what’s vowed. Rejoice! rejoice! Our God afresh the covenant shall soon enflesh Expectant : Words for Advent Jim Cotter
Understanding Age? Face the Future….
Posted on by James Woodward
It has been a great pleasure to offer a Forward to this stimulating contribution the literature on old age by the delightful William Cutting Foreword – (Face the Future. Book 2. Challenges, Joy and Faith for Seniors) Like many of you reading this book I am thankful for my satellite navigation system. It is […]
What is illusory?
Posted on by James Woodward
focus Walking, snow falling, it is possible to focus at various distances in turn on separate flakes, sharply engage the attention at several spatial points: the nearer cold and more uncomfortable, the farther distanced and almost pleasing. Living, time passing, it is preferable to focus the memory in turn upon the more distant retrospects […]
Radiant
Posted on by James Woodward
radiant this blessing God’s love calls us to that elsewhere world which only lovers eyes alight, eyes aflame can see at all. only those who have self surrendered: once, they were flecks of fire; now, they are the radiant sun. Rumi
to love and obey
Posted on by James Woodward
The French scientist and theologian Pierre Teilhard de Chardin sums it up nicely in his book “The Divine Milieu.” He writes: “God obviously has no need of the products of your busy activity since he could give himself everything without you. The only thing that concerns him, the only thing he desires intensely, is […]
Feast on your life?
Posted on by James Woodward
Love After Love The time will come when, with elation, you will greet yourself arriving at your own door, in your own mirror, and each will smile at the other’s welcome, and say, sit here. Eat. You will love again the stranger who was your self. Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart […]
intricate
Posted on by James Woodward
intricate Intricate and untraceable weaving and interweaving, dark strand with light: designed, beyond all spiderly contrivance, to link, not to entrap: elation, grief, joy, contrition, entwined; shaking, changing, forever forming, transforming: all praise, all praise to the great web. Denise Levertov, Web
Each minute the last minute.
Posted on by James Woodward
delicate The fire in leaf and grass so green it seems each summer the last summer. The wind blowing, the leaves shivering in the sun, each day the last day. A red salamander so cold and so easy to catch, dreamily moves his delicate feet and long tail. I hold my hand open for […]
unspoken…..
Posted on by James Woodward
unspoken Autumn The black moon turns away, its work done. A tenderness, unspoken autumn. We are faithful only to the imagination. What the imagination seizes as beauty must be truth. What holds you to what you see of me is that grasp alone. from Denise Levertov, Everything That Acts Is Actual
the right word at the right time!
Posted on by James Woodward
acting with no expectations Can you coax your mind from its wandering and keep to the original oneness? Can you let your body become supple as a newborn child’s? Can you cleanse your inner vision until you see nothing but the light? Can you love people and lead them without imposing your will? Can you […]