Category Archives: Prayer and Devotion

Listening to the Benedictine monks sing their Gregorian chant Listening to the chant, I’ve long been able to hear the joy in the monks’ voices, but now I can hear the love. These are men in love, but not with a woman, but with God. They are in love with love, in love with theContinue reading “Listening to the Benedictine monks sing their Gregorian chant”

Devoted to God Everything is done with the utmost, precise ritual. The gospel cannot be read unless the reader is first blessed. The reader does not begin before pausing in deep contemplation and kissing the page. The bread and wine are not brought to the altar without it being wafted with incense from all sides.Continue reading “Devoted to God”

Stepping out Lord, I step out into the open, Away from the security of my favourite thoughts, Away from the safety of hiding in the background Afraid of standing out, afraid of failing. What will you show me when I am standing out in the light? Who will I meet? What will you guide meContinue reading “Stepping out”

Christ the Lord Once you were not, but now you are. I treat “Lord” as your name, but more truly it is your role in my life, The position you have attained – or, rather, the role I aspire you to have, The one that you should always have had. Not that you are notContinue reading “Christ the Lord”

Gazing at the full moon If I could run to the moon tonight, Through the bright, black sky, in sheer delight, And leap and bound up the beam of light, That draws me upward in giddy flight, With sure-footed steps through the air so bright, I’d laugh and yell to see the sight, Of theContinue reading “Gazing at the full moon”

Christ in all humility To hold everything in your hands, but to lay it all down, To have all power, but to grasp after nothing; To wait gently and patiently in tranquil love, For the other to step closer, Ardently longing for the approach, but forcing nothing; Bearing all power and authority as lightly asContinue reading “Christ in all humility”

Christ untaintable One of the things I love most about Christ is that he is untaintable. There is, in the very best of our human nature, a desire for purity. We recognise that we are compromised by our living in the world. It is too difficult to keep our hands clean – even when weContinue reading “Christ untaintable”

Give your life to Christ In a stormy ocean, a rock, A place to stand, To haul yourself out of the battering waves and be grounded, Secure. But also a boat. A rock and a boat. Freedom to go wherever you want. No confinement, or isolation, Safe, but a prisoner, Limited. Instead, liberated, Freer thanContinue reading “Give your life to Christ”

Just a sip of truth is enough It’s looking beneath the surface that you’re so good at. Things that I just can’t see – even though they are in my own heart and mind – you can see. And you work away to bring them to the surface, till at last I face them, andContinue reading “Just a sip of truth is enough”

Fear not for I bring you tidings of great joy Part 7 Father, I am afraid. Afraid of fear. Afraid that I will throw myself into the pit of fear even though the things I feared did not come to pass. Afraid that, at the very moment I was ready to stand firm, instead fearContinue reading “Fear not for I bring you tidings of great joy. Part 7”