Molecular loneliness, molecular belonging

July 2018: I go with family to the observatory at Herstmonceux. We listen to a talk about the telescopes. We are shown pictures of starry skies from when the telescopes were operational. One photograph has a patch of dark sky. Or so it seems. More recently, the story goes, the Hubble space telescope was trained … Continue reading Molecular loneliness, molecular belonging

Preemptive strikes upon the Divine

Stop asking God for what you think you want. What God is waiting for is not a right conclusion to a matter but for our suppleness in falling into His hands for Him to work in us.Benedicta Ward, Discernment: A Rare Bird When I ask people what they say to God, they often tell me … Continue reading Preemptive strikes upon the Divine

What shall we do?

This year I have started out trying to live all my waking moments in conscious listening to the inner voice, asking without ceasing, “What, Father, do you desire said? What, Father, do you desire done this minute?” It is clear that this is what Jesus was doing all day every day. But it is not … Continue reading What shall we do?

The only 3 prayers you need

Too often prayer is presented as petition.But the word ‘prayer’ is simply religious jargon for relationship with what we call God.In truth there are only three prayers. Prayer is properly not petition, but simply attention to God which is a form of love.Iris Murdoch, On ‘God’ and ‘Good’ in Existentialists And Mystics 1. “Here I … Continue reading The only 3 prayers you need

Thomas Merton’s life without care

What does the solitary life mean? It is the same as all monastic life. There is one basic, essential thing in the monastic life and in the Christian life, the thing that we all seek in one way or another, and it is some assurance that it is possible in this kind of life to put … Continue reading Thomas Merton’s life without care

An affirming source (6): Empowered

[See Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, inter-mission, & 5] Spiritual direction relocates authority from out there to in here. It’s about an authority that emerges from yielding not to an alien will but an affirming source … [We] are empowered, emancipated, to use the transforming energy we can exercise by acknowledging our dependence upon an unconditional source of affirmation.Rowan Williams: … Continue reading An affirming source (6): Empowered

An affirming source (5): Relationship

[See Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, & inter-mission] Our human identity therefore becomes one in which we both acknowledge in prayer this dependence [upon God] and respond to the gift that sets up not only our being but our renewed being in Christ; and in acknowledging that dependence we are empowered to ‘do the work … Continue reading An affirming source (5): Relationship