Reading the Bible Non Stop

For all those readers who, as a certain Archdruid puts it so eloquently "have fallen off the [Lenten] wagon with a bang," here's a link to the first of  shipoffools.com's The Bible non-stop - Genesis. From what I can see they've now reached Numbers...after five years sustained effort. There's dedication for you!

What Kind of Wilderness?

...and the spirit drove him out into the wilderness.

                                                                                   (Mark 1)

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom.

                                                                                       (Isaiah 35)

God's Grace and Chocolat

I'm not sure what the theme of my homily today ought to be. Do I want to speak of the miracle of Our Lord's divine transformation? Not really, no. I don't want to talk about His divinity. I'd rather talk about His humanity. I mean, you know, how He lived His life, here on Earth. His kindness, His tolerance... Listen, here's what I think. I think that we can't go around... measuring our goodness by what we don't do. By what we deny ourselves, what we resist, and who we exclude. I think... we've got to measure goodness by what we embrace, what we create... and who we include.

 - Pere Henri in the film version of Joanne Harris's  Chocolat

Another recycled Greenpatch:

And by the way, for a brilliant depiction of our shadow sides, the various and mixed motives behind Lenten observances and how they can go horribly wrong, do, if you've not already had a chance to, have a look at Joanne Harris's Chocolat.  The whole novel, but especially the scene near the end when the priest (in the book) or the mayor (in the film version) pigs out in the Chocolaterie window. It would be hilarious if it weren't so sad.

To which I'd add now -  such a wonderful depiction of God's grace - in the screenplay at least, along with the famous Bishop's Candlesticks scene in the film of  Les Miserables. (I prefer the Chocolat take on it myself, though what that says about me I don't like to think!)

Great minds think alike anyhow: as I was pondering all this yesterday Chris Goan of This Fragile Tent pipped me to the post with his Chocolate and The New Kingdom.

Ash Wednesday

Psalm 51 - another much recycled Greenpatch

Lent Approacheth

Well here I am, back down to earth after my recent expeditions and wondering where January went. Why, it's been nearly a week since I last blogged, for a start! I can't believe  that Lent is almost with us. Not yet, surely? Yet I spotted a  large pile of last year's Palm crosses in church yesterday waiting to be turned into ash,  so it must be so.

So, with Ash Wednesday in mind, here's a link to another of the marvellous blessings by Jan Richardson of The Painted Prayerbook - Ash Wednesday: Blessing the Dust.

Spiritual Underpinnings - in search of direction?

Here's another 'classic,' which I forgot to include in my original "Underpinnings," post. When I first stumbled across Katymagdalene of Vocation Blog's account of her early attempts to find a spiritual director - I first a) Laughed so hard I nearly spat my coffee out over my keyboard, b) Thought guiltily about my own oh-so- carefully crafted 'bio,' on our local network list and blushed*, c) Remembered my own frustration as a seeker trying  to make sense  - (any sense!) of the seemingly labyrinthine communications systems of the Good Old C of E, (emails not replied to, phone calls not returned) and d) thought - this piece should be compulsory reading for every director and would-be director, discouraged seeker and ecclesiastical communications person. It deserves a wider audience.

* In my defence -  no animals were mentioned at least...

The Labyrinth that Wasn't

Gunwharf Quays shopping centre, Portsmouth

Is it just me, or do other labyrinth fans find themselves spotting fledgeling  labyrinths  where none  were ever intended? I really had to resist the temptation to start walking this paved area in a Portsmouth shopping centre yesterday afternoon. We've a similar 'secret labyrinth,' in front of Debenhams in my home town; just crying out for the 'real thing,' to be built there.  Oh, for an oasis of peace amidst the crowds of shoppers!