When I consider the brief span of my life absorbed into the eternity which comes before and after…the small space I occupy and which I see swallowed up in the infinite immensity of spaces of which I know thing and which know nothing of me, I take fright and am amazed to see myself hereContinue reading “From Ashes Part 9: The Philosopher’s Wretchedness”
Tag Archives: faith
From Ashes Part 8: No work for tinkers
It is autumn in my home town of Melbourne as I write these words, and outside the University library the streets are bathed in orange, golden and golden-brown leaves. It is a glorious sight, one of those moments where something seemingly hopeless – the dying of leaves – can be simultaneously so beautiful. I wasContinue reading “From Ashes Part 8: No work for tinkers”
From Ashes: The Crushed Flower (For Therese of Lisieux)
The flower that is me, Crushed – in crushing, free. Yet still I wilt here to see This dying beauty. Until You tread in victory, I languish in me. Crushed by foot, by sea Of crowd’s apathy, I will Yet trust, Christ, in Thee, Thorn-crowned on a tree, Your will Crushed; in crushing, free TheContinue reading “From Ashes: The Crushed Flower (For Therese of Lisieux)”
Bursting Dimensions
If you really believe, then the day and the dull of its light won’t confine the dimensions of sight; you may look through the night and see there the promise of Life. Do you really believe? On your way through the frontiers of darkness and time, you may feel all your might leak out intoContinue reading “Bursting Dimensions”
The Jolt, the Life
Having been looked at by God, I had to and have to look at God. (Søren Kierkegaard, Journal) You – how can I call you by familiar names? Only Thou seems fitting; yet You invade Space, time, as though next to me, as though plain. Yet You are not plain: You assault, You raidContinue reading “The Jolt, the Life”
Psalm 131: Humility and Submission
Yesterday I posted a poem based on the beautiful Psalm 131. It is one of the shortest psalms in the Bible, yet one which I have found particularly comforting at times of emotional and psychological distress. Today I am posting a recording I have made of a new musical setting of Isaac Watts’ hymn basedContinue reading “Psalm 131: Humility and Submission”
From Ashes Part 5: “…all that I have written is but straw”
…if the evil which is the cause of sorrow be not so strong as to deprive one of the hope of avoiding it, although the soul be depressed in so far as, for the present, it fails to grasp that which it craves for; yet it retains the movement whereby to repulse that evil. If,Continue reading “From Ashes Part 5: “…all that I have written is but straw””
Easter Thursday
And He reigns! He reigns in light and in quiet, in death and in life, in depth and in height. He reigns in plenty, He reigns in drought. He reigns in our faith, reigns in our doubt and nothing is too big for Him who rose from death a shining King… Put toContinue reading “Easter Thursday”
Lent 35: Tuesday of Fifth Week
Wait, and serve. The household needs food and the garden needs pruning; the vineyard needs tending, the truth must be stored. Serve, and trust. The master, though absent, both sees and will honour your everyday efforts in deed and in heart. Trust, and fear. He won’t be long coming though days seem to pass. TheContinue reading “Lent 35: Tuesday of Fifth Week”
Lent 24: Friday of Third Week
Our minds cannot contain something so small, so microscopic, yet Universe sustained within – a mustard seed which sees the mountain, sees despair beneath its foot and says to it, Now move. O God. The mountain blocks our view. The heights have dizzied; the depths distress. Open your seed within.
The Consolations of Writing 