Before a Cross

~ Praying b  e  f  o  r  e    a    c  r  o  s  s and it spoke to him. ~ The image is 'The Miracle of the Crucifix' by Giotto, based on the life of St. Francis of Assisi

Journey in Darkness

Of Darkness and Light (Vol. 1) #1 . I started in darkness with no guide but faith and I longed for the love of God . I began to break from my habits of being and my feeble capacity for love . I rejoiced in the blessed moments of peace that came upon my soul …

The Message

The message embracing pain              is so pervasive All know the terrible tearings             of the spirit The injuries inflicted             on our invisible selves And it is to the soul conscious             of its susceptibility to spiritual scars That the desolation of the cross             offers its way of consolation. ~

Infinite, Beloved Cosmos

It’s not just about morality And it’s not just about rituals But a love that goes deeper Into your soul And how that connects you Like a cross With the wonder of God Of neighbour And of infinite beloved Cosmos.

The Way of Resurrection

Being In nature . God He did not consider . Equality With God . A greatness To grasp . But chose To be a slave . Serving All human beings . And humbled By obedience . He came To a cross . Of others’ Devising . Discovering Death . And the way Of resurrection. . …

Contemplative Spirituality

What is contemplative spirituality? It’s similar to meditation.  It can involve silence.  It involves stillness and waiting. It is about the inner world but also the world around us. It is also about what can’t be seen. I first learnt about contemplative spirituality from reading The Interior Castle by St. Teresa of Avila.  The describes …

A Year of Inspirers (19): St. John of the Cross

This is one of the most amazing diagrams I have ever come across... St. John was a poet and an artist as well a great spiritual teacher, and I love this mysterious diagram he drew to illustrate "Mount Carmel". The middle section near the bottom has the words "nothing nothing nothing....", which inspired this short …

Inspiring Prose – “a tree set on fire”

" The Cross of Christ is the Jacob’s ladder by which we ascend into the highest heavens...That Cross is a tree set on fire with invisible flame, that Illuminateth all the world. " Thomas Traherne from The Traherne Windows, Hereford Cathedral The writer Thomas Traherne is remembered on 10th October, so I am re-posting from …

Reflections on The Poverello (4): Praying Before a Cross

There is a beautiful painting by Giotto of St. Francis kneeling before a cross.  The church building  is falling to pieces all around him.  Francis kneels, in devotion and in deep contemplation. St. Bonaventure tells the story: “One day when Francis went out to meditate in the fields he was passing by the church of …

Lifted From Earth

. Lifted From earth . You draw all To yourself . The magnetism Of the cross . Of life And of death . Pointing In all directions . All ways Of breath. . 'Cross in the Mountains', Friedrich