Already there is an odour of blessedness upon you, O ye who are soon to be enlightened: already ye are gathering the spiritual flowers, to weave heavenly crowns: already the fragrance of the Holy Spirit has breathed upon you: already ye have gathered round the vestibule of the King’s palace; may ye be led inContinue reading “Festal Garments (For Cyril of Jerusalem, Bishop and Teacher)”
Category Archives: The Swelling Year
The Three-In-One (For Patrick, Bishop and Missionary)
Today is St Patrick’s Day, a day which, in my part of the world, is an excuse to drink lots of beer, dress in green and orange and wear puffy hats with shamrocks on them. But there is a more meaningful core to this day. Patrick was in fact quite a remarkable man whose honest,Continue reading “The Three-In-One (For Patrick, Bishop and Missionary)”
Qui Habitat Part 5 (Fifth Sunday of Lent)
Today’s poem continues my series for the Sundays of Lent, due to finish next week with Palm Sunday. Each poem draws on the psalm and the Gospel reading for the day, as well as some of the other set readings where appropriate. You can find the readings that it based upon here. Qui Habitat PartContinue reading “Qui Habitat Part 5 (Fifth Sunday of Lent)”
Qui Habitat Part 4 (Fourth Sunday of Lent)
A father had two sons. One wished his father dead and demanded his inheritance now. And his father gave it to him. Squandering his father’s money, the son found himself starving and, without friends or resources, he returned, tail between his legs, to seek his father’s forgiveness. The father welcomed him back as though heContinue reading “Qui Habitat Part 4 (Fourth Sunday of Lent)”
Prepare Your Hearts (For Sister Emma)
Sometimes my “year of writing liturgically” (see here for more information) leads me to read and write about people with whom I do not immediately feel an affinity. Today’s poem is for Sister Emma Crawford, an Australian Anglican sister whose theology would be, I suspect, much closer to Catholicism than mine is. But her societyContinue reading “Prepare Your Hearts (For Sister Emma)”
Wounded Heart, Open Heart (For John of God, Worker Among Sick and Poor, Spain)
Stop, the priest said. He does not ask you to beat yourself. Your heart is grieved; that is good. Now turn your heart to Him. Leave your prison, he said. They trap you here and scourge you, but You can love those who are scourged. Your heart is wounded; turn your heart, Turn your heartContinue reading “Wounded Heart, Open Heart (For John of God, Worker Among Sick and Poor, Spain)”
On That Day (For Chad, Bishop of Lichfield and Missionary)
For the Lord moves the air, raises the winds, darts lightning, and thunders from heaven, to excite the inhabitants of the earth to fear Him; to put them in mind of the future judgment; to dispel their pride, and vanquish their boldness, by bringing into their thoughts that dreadful time, when the heavens and theContinue reading “On That Day (For Chad, Bishop of Lichfield and Missionary)”
Temple Prayers (For George Herbert)
Today’s poem is for one of my most beloved poets: George Herbert, the seventeenth-century Anglican minister who also wrote poems of breathtaking honesty and beauty. Herbert wrote extensively in Latin, but his English poems were only published after his death when his friend Nicholas Ferrar ignored Herbert’s request to have them all destroyed. I couldn’tContinue reading “Temple Prayers (For George Herbert)”
The Lot (For St Matthias)
St Matthias, the thirteenth apostle, is remembered by the church on Feb 24th. I neglected to write his poem on the day, so here it is, better late than never. For those unfamiliar with his story, you can read about him in Acts 1:15-26, where the remaining eleven apostles (Judas having hanged himself) are givenContinue reading “The Lot (For St Matthias)”
Qui Habitat Part 2 (Second Sunday of Lent)
Today’s poem follows on from my poem of last Sunday, the second of five lenten poems paralleling the Psalms with Jesus’ movement towards the Cross. Today Jesus continues His ministry in the face of the Pharisees’ and Herod’s threats, but pauses for a moment to mourn over Jerusalem’s refusal to trust in Him. The twoContinue reading “Qui Habitat Part 2 (Second Sunday of Lent)”
The Consolations of Writing 