Spirituality – emeritablog: life after work

A Fruitful Sunday

Julie our Reader was preaching on Following Jesus, and the last verses of two hymns, both from Iona, spoke to me: “Let me turn and follow you, and never be the same” and When God Almighty comes again / he’ll meet us incognito as then. / And though no word (I forget the rest ofContinue reading “A Fruitful Sunday”

On the Feast of Stephen

Reading the weekly newsletter of All Saints Blackheath, I learned that St Stephen’s Lewisham would be celebrating their patronal festival with a Patronal Mass at 11:00 today. St Stephen’s is the church next to the police station. I often walk past it on my way between Abi’s house and the centre of Lewisham. Until recently, it had been surrounded by scaffolding, and I had never been inside.

Advent Candles

Last year’s plain candles, revealed a week at a time, on one side; this year’s added, week by week, on the other side. The sunrise was a bonus.

Julian of Norwich

In preparation for my visit to Norwich, I had downloaded a modernized version of Revelations of Divine Love onto my Kindle. I read much of it sitting in her cell in the church which is now named after her. There were eight larger-than-lifesize panels depicting some of the “showings” in the chapel at Ditchingham whereContinue reading “Julian of Norwich”

Edith Cavell Trail

After 4 days on the Norfolk Coast Path, I arrived in Norwich and discovered foot and cycle paths in honour of Edith Cavell. Since my stall as a canon was in her memory, I had to follow it! From her grave and memorials at Norwich Cathedral, I followed a main road out of town toContinue reading “Edith Cavell Trail”

Daffodil Labyrinth

Attended “Growing into Retirement” at Launde Abbey. The theme was liminality (the state of being betwixt and between, neither one thing nor the other) which fits in with my view of 2016 as a gap year. Beautiful surrounds, including this daffodil labyrinth. What will it look like when the daffodils are over?

Spirituality for the Perplexed

Philip Sheldrake distinguishes four types of spirituality : ascetical, mystical, practical and prophetic. In Psalm 95 at Morning Prayer, modern liturgies sometimes stop at the words “O, that today you would listen to his voice!” In the ascetic tradition, this is a matter of discipline, focussing on God through religious practice. In the mystical tradition, listeningContinue reading “Spirituality for the Perplexed”