The See of Saint Peter, 22nd February, 2021 Jesus builds his Church on the rock of Peter – and it’s still here, despite Peter not being quite the rock we might imagine or hope for. And that’s true for most of the Popes, if not all, that will follow and, …
Lent Sunday 1B, 21st February 2021 We touched last week on the concept of ‘re-wilding’ and its metaphorical use for a ‘re-wilding’ of the heart: that is, a deep conversion or change of attitude within those with the power to affect real change. I targeted Boris Johnson in this respect, …
Ash Wednesday, 17th February, 2021 The first blackbird has spoken, heard on emerging from Matins this morning, and signals an end to our winter of sin. Its tentative, and icy blasts of temptation may yet come, but it’s a beginning, and gradually, and faithfully, the dawn chorus will swell in …
Wednesday in Holy Week, 8th April 2020 The path to Passover seems inexorable; we know it so well and we know that Judas has the chance to say ‘no’ to his temptation as much as Jesus has the chance to say ‘no’ to his. But the plot unfolds inexorably and …
Tuesday in Holy Week, 7th April l2020 At the risk of censure, this period of isolation contains great benefits – at last we can discover the kernel of our monastic calling. I walk within the boundaries of the walled garden (what luxury!) and discover something new at every step. I …
Monday in Holy Week, 6th April 2020 Let beauty emerge. What Mary does here is a beautiful action significant of death. It’s not that we spend our lives preparing for death, as if death were our ultimate and final end, but that death is a marker for who we were …
Pam Sunday, 5th April 2020 A few weeks ago, just before the Sunday Mass here, a mighty branch suddenly detached itself from the Yew tree opposite my bedroom window, falling vertically into the nuns’ car park: this was a stunning and disturbing sight – one moment there, and the next …
Lent Sunday 5A, 29th March 2020 The sky is empty of all but lightAnd we have returned to our dwellingsLike the ancient IsraelitesEach to his own homeTo await the Passing OverOf the Angel of Death I do not fear him. A powerful verse from Sarah de Nordwall’s poem, ‘Time begins …
The Annunciation of the Lord, 25th March 2020 Brother Herbert’s mother once typed for Wittgenstein and once said to him that she didn’t understand what she was typing; to which he replied, ‘I don’t want you to understand, I want you to type’ – or words to that effect. Now, …
Lent Sunday 4A, 22nd March 2020 To have new sight is needed by us all. The blind man in today’s gospel story (Jn. 9:1-41) has a healthy humility born, perhaps, of his need to rely on others and to tread carefully. He cannot then deny his new sight and how …
