Word in the Hand

Mark 1:12-15 The Spirit drove Jesus out into the wilderness and he remained there for forty days, and was tempted by Satan. He was with the wild beasts, and the angels looked after him. After John had been arrested, Jesus went into Galilee. There he proclaimed the Good News from God. ‘The time has come’ he said ‘and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe the Good News.’ As it's half term, Lent has begun with grandchildren duties and  many viewings of Disney's Aladdin. Amazing where you get inspiration from.  Hopefully, many of us will have the opportunity sometime during Lent to step outside the mundane path of life and take a retreat. There are so many different ways these days, literally spending the time in a secluded space, guided by courses, reflective books or on-line encouragement. Lent's lengthening of the days offer us a little more daylight that could be turned to our advantage given our desire and a little luck.  This is a spir...

Joel 2:12 Due to a whole cacophony of family duties and distractions I came upon Ash Wednesday utterly unprepared and unfocused.  By the time I curled over into sleep, i had drunk coffee and alcohol, eaten meat and chocolate, spent too much time on the computer, too much time driving around, forgotten to turn the radio off, forgotten to go outside to pray. Not one Lenten observance even considered.  That evening I had ran into Mass late, only to be tutted by the priest. As I was the reader this was not the best of beginnings. Chastened, I approached the lectern not at all surprised at the Lord's sense of timing.  Joel's reading resounded  'Now, now...Come back to me with all your heart'.  It's not my heart, Lord. It's the world that surrounds it.  It's the responsibilities that come with being a full-time working, studying, wanting to work in the vineyard, grandmother, mother and wife. It's the inabili...

O, Divine have mercy Heal me with compassion And swaddle me with your love I fear to be in your presence knowing how many times I have turned Treating life as a dead-end street Whilst you waited for memory to return Take me again in your arms, O Divine With hyssop, purify me as a holy place As bright as the mountaintop snow   As a tabernacle of scented blessedness  O Divine create within me, a new song  A rhythm of heart beating truth Let the breath of your Spirit renew me  And my days bear the joy of your word All I can offer is me, O Divine  All the sorrow that cannot be carried The brokenness that won't hold any longer And a heart that cries out to be held O, Divine have mercy Heal me with compassion And swaddle me with your love wordinthehand2015 1 7  10