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Category Archives: holy days
A meditation on the Cross
I imagine they made it of living wood; the tree itself shared your fate,cut down in service of hateful violence,its beauty overlooked, its sacrifice, turning our exhaust into air, sweet bitterness of fruit and pollen, its praise of heaven, limbs raised high, razed to the ground with you. They did not … Continue reading
Posted in holy days, poetry, prayer
Tagged creation, cross, justice, Lent, Lenten meditation
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Running out of water in the holy lands
A little Lenten story First in the north, between fruit trees and shade, it seemed it should be more difficult than this to die, except for the envy of avocadoes and apricots, hoarding the hidden streams of mercy for themselves; It made more sensein the south, where … Continue reading
Posted in holy days, lectionary reflection, poetry, prayer
Tagged Exodus 17:1-7, John 4:5-42, water, Year A Lent 3
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Sinking sand
A little Lenten story An English seaside town, its name suffixed with something left behind by the Romans. A sandy beach with buckets and spades, Punch and Judy, donkey rides, sandwiches gritty with their namesake, seagulls looking for leftover ice … Continue reading
Posted in holy days, story
Tagged childhood, grace, Lent, Lenten discipline, seaside, sin
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Born of water and the Spirit
I am not preaching this Sunday, and there was no little Lenten story/legend this morning, so consider this an offering to replace them both. ____________ You know, although it wasn’t recorded, that when God made Adam — dust of the … Continue reading
Posted in holy days, lectionary reflection, poetry, prayer, sermon preparation, story
Tagged Genesis 2:4-7, John 3:1-17, year a lent 2
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Things that do not exist
Taken out of context it reads like a ghost,
like the time I conjured up a cat
in the attic that leapt like a flame
and vanished along with its own shadow
when I was a child. Continue reading
Posted in holy days, poetry, prayer, story
Tagged ghost cat, ghost story, grief, Lent, memory, Romans 4:17, year a lent 2
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Saint Non
When David was born, and heaven and earth conspired to keep him and his mother safe from predatory evil, the earth split open once again, in sympathy with her birth pangs, and the rock on which she leaned melted like wax to take the imprint of her hand. Dewi was born into deep mercy. Continue reading
St David
A little Lenten legend A pigeon with a golden beak fed him from its overflowing crop words of grace like kisses that he might strew abroad with every penitential sigh the love of our sweet Saviour; his breath uncluttered by … Continue reading
Posted in holy days, poetry, prayer
Tagged grace, Life of St David, St David, st david's day, Welsh
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Money changers
A little Lenten story The priest asked me to come and help with an afternoon christening at church, which I did. His wife (another priest) kindly entertained the children while I helped host the family gathered around the font. After … Continue reading
Out of time
A little Lenten story. ______________ Beginning to surface from the night, sleep-weed still encircling my ankles, I thought, with langorous urgency, that I must text my mother right away; I soothed my awakening conscience that we had kept in touch … Continue reading
Posted in holy days, story
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The story of Barry Baker
A little legend for Lent Once upon a time, an indeterminate number of centuries ago, a little boy was found on the Barry Island beach. The child, not more than a year old, was wrapped in a blanket and laid … Continue reading
over the water 