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This week my devotional readings are looking at the concepts surrounding journeying, something Celtic Christianity values very highly and which I wrote about at length in my post about pilgrimage in videogames. But I've been on a journey of faith which may have started in Aberdeen, Scotland, or it may have started further back still, in Castlerock, Northern Ireland. It has been a long journey, either way, leading me closer to God and what he wants from me in this life.
Except, of course, it hasn't just been a journey of faith. Life itself has been a journey, one of learning, growing, adapting, re-adapting, moving from place to place and through one set of ideas into another alongside different groups of people for each of the stages of the journey. This is not a separate journey from the journey of faith, but rather its natural counterpart, the inevitable journey within which the faith journey is ultimately seen. They are deeply entangled: my coming to faith was bound up in my decision of which school to attend, which was in turn a factor of my personality and not wanting to be overwhelmed with an enormous school. My interests led me to the subject which I eventually studied in Aberdeen and which brought me to crisis point in my faith, before rebuilding in me a love for the Bible and for teaching. The conscious awareness of a call to explore ordination came as part of the choice of church to attend after we moved from Aberdeen to the South West, which in turn was a calling we felt through the circumstances of our lives. God works through all we do and all we endure. He works through the people we are to mould us into the people we will be and as I embark on the next stage of this journey, more complicated and terrifying and exciting than all the ones before it (because that so often seems to be the case) I know He'll be holding my hand. Do you ever see life as a journey? What might you destination be? Have you ever found yourself getting off sooner than you'd expected? What happened and what was that like? What purposes do you discern in your travels? Founder of the Church of the South Pacific [Forum Thread] [Discord], a safe place to discuss spirituality for people of all faiths and none (currently looking for those interested in prayer and/or "home" groups);
And The Silicon Pens [Discord], a writer's group for the South Pacific and beyond! Yahweo usenneo ir varleo, ihraneo jurlaweo hraseu seu, ir jiweveo arladi. Salma 145:8
Tonight's reading was about music - sprcifically the importance of music to Celtic journeys and to our own journeys through life and faith. This was a bit of challenge to me.
I love music. It fills my life, but often it is projected emotion, or feeling in melody or the musical equivalent of a story or virtual reality. It is not always expressive of what is going on inside me, so much as taking me places I want to visit. So much of the music I sing tells a story and it is rarely my story, but I sing it anyway. I act it out and find joyful expression in that artifice. But my reading was about the music that spills out of our hearts and that is a rarer thing for me. There are songs I love because they do tell my story, melodies that harmonise with what I'm feeling right now. And amongst those are hymns and spiritual songs that I often turn to in the quiet, melancholy moments. One that resonates with me right now, however, is technically a pop song. It's called Honest Questions and it appears on Daniel Bedingfield's debut album. It is quiet, reflective and, as the title suggests, honest. It takes the form of a prayer and I come back to it every now and then and pray it as I sing, so in a way it has accompanied at various points of my journey, meaning different things each time, or with focus on a different lyric, a different phrase of the melody. The lyrics are as follows: Quote:Can you see What songs do you sing from your heart? What melodies play there and what do they say about you and your journey through life? Do songs ever become prayers for you? Do you yearn through music? What if someone was really listening? Founder of the Church of the South Pacific [Forum Thread] [Discord], a safe place to discuss spirituality for people of all faiths and none (currently looking for those interested in prayer and/or "home" groups);
And The Silicon Pens [Discord], a writer's group for the South Pacific and beyond! Yahweo usenneo ir varleo, ihraneo jurlaweo hraseu seu, ir jiweveo arladi. Salma 145:8
So, today is the feast day of one of the most famous Celtic saints: a Romano-Briton who made it his mission to see his faith spread across Ireland, the land that had stolen his youth by force. In a fitting coincidence, my reading tonight was also about St. Patrick (but since the book goes by the weeks of Lent - a moveable season - they could not have known that today would be 17th March) and it recounted the fantastical story of Patrick's stand at Slane Hill, in opposition to the High King of Ireland and this druids.
But what I found myself thinking of was the much simpler version of this tale we told when we performed it in mime for a summer concert in my sixth year of primary school. I was not a Christian, then, but the gestures of a mimed prayer I had to learn as 'Patrick's father' - an imagined precursor to the lorica, or protection prayer known as St. Patrick's Breastplate - performed to the haunting music of Enya, spoke to me in some way. I think the first inklings of my call were then, though it would take years for that to be realised in any way at all and many more still before it might begin to make sense. God works in mysterious ways, but He is always working, even in the little things, to bring about the changes in us that build His kingdom. I believe we have the freedom to resist and go our own way and ignore him and perhaps many off us do most of the time, but there's hope in a little prayer, mimed by a 10 year-old, flowering into a calling to ministry twenty seven years later. St. Patrick's Breastplate Wrote:I arise today Founder of the Church of the South Pacific [Forum Thread] [Discord], a safe place to discuss spirituality for people of all faiths and none (currently looking for those interested in prayer and/or "home" groups);
And The Silicon Pens [Discord], a writer's group for the South Pacific and beyond! Yahweo usenneo ir varleo, ihraneo jurlaweo hraseu seu, ir jiweveo arladi. Salma 145:8
Tonight's devotional looked at Pelagius, a controversial figure of the early church, although something of a hero among Celtic Christians, and how he viewed sin a little differently than his more Latin contemporaries. Whereas Augustine of Hippo taught of original sin and the base nature of humanity, Pelagius taught that that base nature was the divine image, implanted in is at creation and that sin merely occupies that which God had made good.
The impact of sin in Pelagius' imagery is very much the same. The difference is in the emphasis on innate goodness that we can, with God's help in Christ, restore. I think that both ways of looking at sin and the idea of being made in the image of God tell us something of the truth: that balance between God's grace and sin's destruction which lies within all our lives. We must acknowledge both and lean on God's goodness to rid ourselves of the latter and fully embrace the former. Like I suggested in my sermon on Sunday, this requires that we get to know ourselves fully, to understand all the good and the bad and take hold of them before God. The goodness we must thankful for, the evil we must give up to burn in altar fires. And we must do this every day. Fortunately, Christ is with us when we do this, walking this path to that holy place, the after of sacrifice. He who held in his body the perfection of the image of God and no sin at all is a great comfort to us, especially when all who question us get told, "they're with me." How do you see human nature? How do you reconcile our capacity for both immense good and terrible evil? What would Christ's "they're with me" mean to you? Founder of the Church of the South Pacific [Forum Thread] [Discord], a safe place to discuss spirituality for people of all faiths and none (currently looking for those interested in prayer and/or "home" groups);
And The Silicon Pens [Discord], a writer's group for the South Pacific and beyond! Yahweo usenneo ir varleo, ihraneo jurlaweo hraseu seu, ir jiweveo arladi. Salma 145:8
Today is the feast of St. Joseph and so I thought it would be worth reflecting a little on this often overlooked character in the Biblical narrative.
Joseph, beloved of primary school boys everywhere as the role they must play in the annual school nativity (I too know the pain of being passed over for the role of Joseph) is rarely really the star (no pun intended) of the nativity story. Obviously, that role ought to go to Jesus, but, since he is an infant in the tale, it has historically been Mary who is the centre of attention - and not unjustly so. Mary's devotion and obedience to God is palpable and her role undeniably privileged, even as it puts her in a precarious situation. But Joseph, too, shows incredible faithfulness and love in his actions. He shows love for Mary in his decision to break off their betrothal quietly when he first believes her to have been unfaithful. He does not want to ruin her (although it's probable that this would have done so already, he's still uncharacteristically gracious for a man of his time). He shows faithfulness to God in sticking with the marriage after his angelic dream, something which cannot have been easy. Then we see that love and faithfulness tested by a long journey and a birth in difficult circumstances. We know, too, that he is still a faithful part of Jesus' life by the time the boy is twelve, and whilst it seems he had died by the time of Jesus' public ministry, Jesus' large family and the fact that his mother seems to have had the means to continue on her own suggest that he cared for them an very well. Joseph's love for Mary and Jesus is a challenge to many men who might fail to provide for their families, or even consider family and faithfulness at all, but his faithfulness to God in uncertain and unseemly-looking circumstances is a challenge to us all. May we all respond to the call of God on our lives as be well as he. Have you ever thought much about Joseph before? What do you think it might have been like to be in his position? Would you have trusted in angelic dreams or would you have preferred to safeguard your own reputation? Founder of the Church of the South Pacific [Forum Thread] [Discord], a safe place to discuss spirituality for people of all faiths and none (currently looking for those interested in prayer and/or "home" groups);
And The Silicon Pens [Discord], a writer's group for the South Pacific and beyond! Yahweo usenneo ir varleo, ihraneo jurlaweo hraseu seu, ir jiweveo arladi. Salma 145:8
Tonight's devotional reading followed on from the theme of us as God's perfect creation matter marred by the invasion or disease of sin by asking us to consider how wonderfully we have been made and how much God really loves us. As I read the notes, I immediately recalled one of my favourite psalms and, sure enough, part of it was the reading they included at the end.
This psalm, 139, has been a favourite for a long time. I read it at my grandmother's funeral, though she was not religious in any way and, more recently, someone read it to me as a reminder of God's love for me no matter who or what I might be. It is powerful stuff. Tonight, I merely suggest you read it slowly and considerately. Try breathing in on one line and out on another. Calming, deep breaths from your belly work best. In the formal Church of England psalmody, one pauses for a short while between the two halves of a verse and I find that that sometimes encourages slower, more reflective reading. If you're inclined to do so, read it prayerfully as something you are actually saying to God. When you're finished, ask yourself, what would/does it mean to be loved this much? Ponder that a while in silence. Psalm 138:1-18 Wrote:The Inescapable God Founder of the Church of the South Pacific [Forum Thread] [Discord], a safe place to discuss spirituality for people of all faiths and none (currently looking for those interested in prayer and/or "home" groups);
And The Silicon Pens [Discord], a writer's group for the South Pacific and beyond! Yahweo usenneo ir varleo, ihraneo jurlaweo hraseu seu, ir jiweveo arladi. Salma 145:8
Psalm 51:1-13 Wrote:Prayer for Cleansing and Pardon One of today's Lectionary readings is another psalm of considerable importance in my life. Purported to be written by King David after the greatest moment of sinful weakness in his life, when he stole Bathsheba, another man's wife, made her pregnant and then arranged for that man to be killed so that his shame would not be revealed, it is a frank look at both the nature of human sin and of divine forgiveness. Its structure is very telling. Verses 1 and 2 are a plea to God for forgiveness, often the first response to our realisation that we have done something wrong. We can get that hot feeling of shame and guilt which makes us feel dirty and so we seek to be made clean. David appeals to God's love and mercy, trusting that these characteristics of God are so great and so true that even his terrible crime might be 'blotted out' by them. Verses 3 to 5 are David's recognition of his own sinful state. He is fully aware of his wrongdoing and, it seems, until he has received forgiveness, he is haunted by them. I'm sure we've all had the experience of knowing that we've done something wrong and of being unable to escape the sense of guilt that knowledge has produced in us. David feels it intensely. Interestingly, however, despite the fact that David has arranged to have a man killed and possibly violated Bathsheda, it is against God that he sees his sin as being committed. This doesn't mean that we don't need to say sorry to people we hurt, nor that we shouldn't try to make amends, but David recognises that all sin is ultimately an affront to the perfect, holy God and it is to Him that we must repent and only from whom we can seek forgiveness. This is one of the fundamental differences between Christian and secular morality. The Christian must always acknowledge God's claim on their lives and seek His righteousness, not merely the righteousness of the world around them. Similarly, David's recognition that he had never been anything other than a sinner is an important step in our relating to God. God's standard is perfection and until we recognise that we can never meet that standard as we are, we cannot truly put our trust in Him to set us free from the demands and spiritual consequences of not meeting that standard. We need to know that 'all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God' (Romans 3:23) before we can begin to claim the place of honour that God has set aside for us in Jesus' name. Verses 6 to 9, then, reveal David's faith in God's forgiveness - the assurance that sin can be forgiven - and his joy at the result of that. Being open about our secret shames and seeking forgiveness and acceptance is a truly liberating experience. Whilst David acknowledges the pain of this process when he speaks of the bones God has crushed, the result is 'joy and gladness'. This theme is continued in verses 10 to 12, which show David's understanding that he is not merely forgiven and made clean, but that his spirit, that breath of God that gives him life, but tainted by sin, is replaced with something better, something new and fresh from God: a spirit that will help him live better, so that he is not cast from God's presence, but that he is restored and willing to serve, as we see in verse 13. Here, at the end of this section of the psalm, David's response to this forgiveness and restoration is to share the gift he has been given with others, to teach and call others to repentance. The journey from recognising our sin to being restored by God is not an easy one, but it needn't take long either. We simply have to recognise our own weakness and shame and bring it before the one who made us, who can clean us and who will renew us so that we can serve Him as we ought. And, in the process, we will experience the liberation of forgiveness and the joy and gladness of an untroubled heart. Do you have any secret shames in your life, or ways you know you have hurt or harmed others by your actions or inaction? Why not bring these things before God now to seek forgiveness and a new spirit, that you might serve to make the world a better place than it was before? Founder of the Church of the South Pacific [Forum Thread] [Discord], a safe place to discuss spirituality for people of all faiths and none (currently looking for those interested in prayer and/or "home" groups);
And The Silicon Pens [Discord], a writer's group for the South Pacific and beyond! Yahweo usenneo ir varleo, ihraneo jurlaweo hraseu seu, ir jiweveo arladi. Salma 145:8
This week my devotional readings for Lent are looking at the Stowe Missal, an ancient Celtic liturgy for a Eucharistic Mass and, in doing so, it is reading questions both about how we consider liturgy and how we contemplate the Eucharist.
My own relationship to both these things has shifted over the years. When I first visited a church that used liturgy (in the sense of set calls and responses, etc.) (it happened to be an Anglican church) I was out of my depth and found the whole thing rather terrifying, not to mention stifling. I was used to just praying my own words and found the set phrases of the liturgy restrictive. Similarly, the Eucharist was more formal than the way I was used to in the Presbyterian Church of Scotland and I found that a bit scary, too. Now, nearly two decades later, as a member of the Church of England, my thoughts and feelings about these things couldn't be more different. I love liturgy. I love how it focuses the mind and how the language helps to bring one into a more reflective state of mind, ready to perceive the presence of God. I love how it makes you rehearse your faith, even when you might not be feeling it, to keep that relationship alive, and I love, as the Celts did, how the words and ritual create a sacred space where earth and heaven touch and the humdrum is at a remove. The Eucharist, too, has become more important to me, especially during the pandemic, where opportunities to experience it in person have been few and far between. I was able to attend. mid-week communion last week as one of the local churches had re-opened and it mean a lot to share the space and the ritual with other Christians as we collectively brought to mind the death of Christ as seen in the elements of the sacrament. If I ever do manage to be ordained, I know that these two things, liturgy and sacrament, will be at the heart of what I spend my working hours doing, even when not in a service at all, for they form a baseline for living in the presence of God, such that my service will be an for Him. How do you feel about liturgy and ritual? What ritual do you have in your own life and how does it affect you? Founder of the Church of the South Pacific [Forum Thread] [Discord], a safe place to discuss spirituality for people of all faiths and none (currently looking for those interested in prayer and/or "home" groups);
And The Silicon Pens [Discord], a writer's group for the South Pacific and beyond! Yahweo usenneo ir varleo, ihraneo jurlaweo hraseu seu, ir jiweveo arladi. Salma 145:8
Apologies for the lack of a reflection yesterday evening. I was struggling to find up with anything and figured that a good night's sleep would do me better.
Tonight, however, I have a thought. My devotional reading is continuing to explore the Eucharist as presented in the ancient Stowe Missal and looked particularly at the breaking of the bread. There was a whole ritual to this for the Celts, one which emphasised the significance of the bread as the body of Christ, including the president breaking a whole loaf into a set number if smaller pieces arranged on a plate in an elaborate cross shape, different parts of which were given out to different groups of people, this representing the specificity and diversity of the other representation of the body of Christ: the church. But what particularly struck me tonight was that the Celtic Christians thought it important to really taste the bread when you took it. They didn't believe in a duality of body and soul, but that both were interlinked as one and, as such the sensual aspects of our humanity matter and they matter to God. It also made me think of the practice of mindfulness: deliberately taking time to experience what you're doing in the moment. There's certainly lots of room for mindful or meditative spirituality in the Christian faith and truly experiencing the moment we are living, joyful or sad, is, I think, part of our prayer life as we experience the life God has given us and we live it back to him. We can also savour scripture this way, described as being better than our daily bread for sustaining our souls and meditating on a small piece of the Bible can help to bring new insights and to help us memorise and internalise the text. Have you ever practiced mindfulness or meditation? Do you find it helpful? Could you imagine finding God in that moment? Founder of the Church of the South Pacific [Forum Thread] [Discord], a safe place to discuss spirituality for people of all faiths and none (currently looking for those interested in prayer and/or "home" groups);
And The Silicon Pens [Discord], a writer's group for the South Pacific and beyond! Yahweo usenneo ir varleo, ihraneo jurlaweo hraseu seu, ir jiweveo arladi. Salma 145:8
So, just as last night we looked at the way early Celtic Christians stretched out the significance of the bread in the Eucharist into s more elaborate and involving ritual, so, tonight, my reading covered the same for the wine, including how larger quantities are usually involves than today, that the experience might be savoured, how water was added to the chance first to represent the church and wine, return-to-normality at this point the Spirit of Christ, gets added later, and how the president would circle the heads of t the communicants with the chalice whose reciting a classic Celtic encircling player of protection.
All of these things point to the immense significance the Celtic Christians saw both in the Eucharist as a sacrament and the blood of Christ itself which the wine represented. This was no mere memorial ritual, but an effort to be drenched anew in the powerful, saving blood of Christ. For the Hebrews, blood represented the life of a person or animal and, in the Eucharist, when we eat the bread and drink the wine we are taking in representative form both the form and the life of Christ, as well being reminded of His suffering and death, through which we are granted eternal life with Him. It is for this reason that many church traditions, including the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion, teach that Christ is really present in the Eucharist in a way somehow more profound than his omnipresence in this world. These elements contain or symbolise the real presence of Christ in the Church and we should dwell on the significance of that when we take them. Have you ever taken communion? Did you see the significance of what you were doing it did you let the ritual pass you by? Think about the elements and what they represent. Do you think you could be moved by such thoughts? Founder of the Church of the South Pacific [Forum Thread] [Discord], a safe place to discuss spirituality for people of all faiths and none (currently looking for those interested in prayer and/or "home" groups);
And The Silicon Pens [Discord], a writer's group for the South Pacific and beyond! Yahweo usenneo ir varleo, ihraneo jurlaweo hraseu seu, ir jiweveo arladi. Salma 145:8
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