Category: Contemplative Spirituality
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Humanness: a contemplative companion to Chapter 4 of Growing up to be a child
This contemplation, based on chapter 4 of Growing up to be a child, explores what it means to be a human being. In his gospel, Luke recounts how the child Jesus ‘grew in wisdom and stature and in favour with God and with the people.’ Luke’s description suggests four domains or areas in which…
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Love: a contemplative companion to chapter 3 of Growing up to be a child
Our world is fragmented: creatures disconnected from creation, nations torn by powerful interests, families broken by arrogance and addiction, children crushed by violence and abuse, nature spoiled by thoughtless consumption. In this contemplation, while receiving God’s love for ourselves, we cry out to God – Earth Maker, Pain Bearer, Life Giver – for all those…
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Vulnerability: a contemplative companion to chapter 2 of Growing up to be a child
In a wonderful verse in Isaiah, the prophet uses the illustration of a nursing mother: ‘Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne?’ Impossible as that may seem, Isaiah contrasts that with God’s steadfast love: ‘Though she may forget, I will not forget you!…
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Growing up to be a child: a contemplative companion
In Growing up to be a child I have explored what Jesus might have meant when he invited each of us to become like a little child. This is a radical and challenging invitation, one that calls us to a whole new process of development, one in which our heart and soul, and perhaps ultimately our body and…
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The Story
This morning I finished ‘The Story’: Luke’s ‘epic journey with Jesus, the Son of God, and his first followers’. A great new presentation of the gospel of Luke and the Acts of the apostles. Engaging, inspiring, thought-provoking, puzzling. Some of my thoughts: I hadn’t previously noticed the strong connection in Luke’s gospel between Jesus…
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Grey
This morning, in our reflections, Lois and I were using a practice called Terra Divina which we came across in Ian Adams’ helpful book, Running over rocks. Adams encourages us to pause and contemplate the natural world around us, to ‘read the text of the landscape. [This is] like reading a book, except now it’s…
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Dabbling with Ducks
All along the backwater, Through the rushes tall, Ducks are a dabbling, Up tails all! Ducks’ tails, drakes’ tails, Yellow feet a-quiver, Yellow bills all out of sight Busy in the river. – Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows I love Eddie Askew’s ability to take something as simple and…
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Go simply in your spirit
Holy Week. The excitement of Palm Sunday and Jesus’ entry to Jerusalem The culmination of three years of journeying The perplexity of those last days The anguished grief of Good Friday The empty waiting… We journey this week with some of the women who had accompanied Jesus over those three years, and who…
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Go simply in your lifestyle
As we enter the fourth week of Lent, we will spend time looking at the Bethany family: Mary, Martha and Lazarus. We will encounter their vulnerability, their love, their hospitality. We will think about our fragile, vulnerable world, and how we can go simply in our lifestyles, combining active care and contemplative devotion, careful stewardship and…
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Go simply with yourself
Tomorrow begins the third week in Lent. During this week we will journey with Mary Magdalene: Mary, the one afflicted by seven demons; Mary, the one set free; Mary, the one whose name Jesus spoke – tenderly, lovingly. We are invited to simply be ourselves, not needing an exciting lifestyle, busy schedules, comfort foods,…