Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: asylum seekers, charles causley, Christmas, dickens, flight into egypt, great expectations, holy innocents, hope, icons, poetry, refugees
On retreat recently, I was privileged to spend time praying in front of this beautiful Icon of the Flight into Egypt. We remember today the Holy Family becoming asylum seekers, refugees escaping the murderous hate of Herod.
We remember too that this is not just part of the Bible stories but a part of the stories of the world today. We look to Syria, Egypt, the Democratic Republic of Congo to see murderous rage against innocent people as power seeks to keep power.
And innocence can be destroyed in so many ways. I was reminded of Charles Causley’s Innocent’s Song while watching the first part of the BBC’s excellent new adaptation of Dickens’ Great Expectations last night with the games being played with the life of the young Pip.
Who’s that standing at the door,
What are all those presents
Laying on the kitchen floor?
Who is the smiling stranger
With hair as white as gin,
What is he doing with the children
And who could have let him in?
Why has he rubies on his fingers,
A cold, cold crown on his head,
Why, when he caws his carol,
Does the salty snow run red?
Why does he ferry my fireside
As a spider on a thread,
His fingers made of fuses
And his tongue of gingerbread?
Why does the world before him
Melt in a million suns,
Why do his yellow, yearning eyes
Burn like saffron buns?
Watch where he comes walking
Out of the Christmas flame,
Dancing, double-talki ng:
Herod is his name.
santiago de chile 2011
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: crux, hope, jk rowbory, poetry, possibility
Tentatively toe-testing the waters
of the Rubicon,
nervously glancing around,
longing to linger on these safe, gentle banks;
dare you cross?
Twines of racing thought knot themselves
round your brain but
nothing ventured nothing gained so,
with a sharp intake of breath,
eyes tight shut, you place
that first irrevocable step.
Eyelids lifting
your feet plant one wet step after another,
waging war with your mind,
blocking its miasmous doubts
but letting your heart filter in –
allowing Hope and Possibility to lead you by the hand
and carry you trembling through.
- JK Rowbory
you can find out about Jenny Rowbory’s remarkable story here.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Advent, hope, justice, Kingdom of God, percy dearmer
O God,
Who set before us the great hope
That your Kingdom shall come on earth
And taught us to pray for its coming:
Give us grace to discern the signs of its dawning
And to work for the perfect day
When the whole world shall reflect your glory;
Through Jesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
- Percy Dearmer
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Kingdom of God, justice, hope, sin, shusaku endo, child poverty
Sin is for one person to walk brutally over the life of another and to be quite oblivious of the wounds they have left behind.
Article on how the new social contract in the UK is sending huge numbers of children into poverty here. This is not inevitable people, let’s gird our loins and work against this.
What surprises me, says God, is hope.
And I can’t get over it.
This little hope who seems like nothing at all.
This little girl hope.
Immortal.
- Charles Peguy, from The Portal of the Mystery of Hope
