Ascension

 

Look here you lot, it's the great Feast of the Ascension, so enough Putinism, war theory and, ahem, bikers. Here's a meditation by Austin Farrer from Words of Life:

Where then, in all my spreading world is Jesus Christ, the man risen and glorified? When clouds received him from our sight, into what height, what distance did he go? However far away I place him, I gain nothing by it: he fits no better beyond Orion than behind the nearest trees. His risen being is no part of our interlocked system of bodily force, whether far or near. He is nowhere in this world. He is not outside it, either, for it hasn’t got an outside where he could be. Where is he then?

It is useless to start from me, and to fan out and out, looking for Jesus Christ: I must start from Jesus Christ, and fan out from there until, I reach myself.…

At first it may seem that we have two answers, spreading on independent planes and nowhere touching at a single point. Christ’s universe of spirit, and ours of physical force. Yet thinking further we perceive that it cannot be so. For while it is indeed impossible to place heaven in the world, it is impossible not to place the world in heaven. If Christ’s knowledge is spiritual, as ours is physical, then he knows us, for we are spirits too, spirits in fleshly bodies; and if he knows our spirits, he knows what our spirits know, including their bodily knowledge. He hears us speak from within our throats; he thinks our thoughts as fast as we can form them. But he feels in our fingers too, and looks through our eyes; he lives out along the lines of our vision, and our sun, moon and stars are his. By sheer love, heaven grafts the world into itself, and roots our universe in its own heart. 

Jesus Christ, living Son of the living God, clothed in our nature, I cannot place you in my world, but neither can I escape from yours. I cannot reach you by many steps, but I can reach you by one, the single step of faith, which lands me in the heart of heaven. If ever I am to end with you, it is from you I must begin. Thou God seest me; and if ever I am to see across the gulf from me to you, it will be by starting with you, and seeing myself through your holy and compassionate eyes.

 

And again, from Crown of the Year:

WE are told in an Old Testament tale, how an angel of God having appeared to man disappeared again by going up in the flame from the altar.  And in the same way Elijah, when he could no more be found, was believed to have gone up on the crests of flaming horses.  The flame which carried Christ to heaven was the flame of his own sacrifice.  Flame tends always upwards.  All his life long Christ's love burnt towards the heart of heaven in a bright fire, until he was wholly consumed in it, and went up in that fire to God.  The fire is kindled on our altars, here Christ ascends in fire; the fire is kindled in the Christian heart, and we ascend.  He says to us, Lift up your hearts; and we reply, We lift them up unto the Lord.

 

Yes indeed.

Sursum Corda,

LSP

All Saints Prelude

 

Tonight we celebrate the defeat of the demons, tomorrow we look to heaven and the jubilation of the countless throng of the Saints as they worship the Lamb. By way of prelude:

What a joyful sound! Lift up your hearts, sursum corda, the Gospel of salvation has one voice. Victory is assured and evil will be blown away like smoke before the wind.

Let Angels prostrate fall,

LSP

More Art

 

I saw this on Facebook and loved it. You might too, or not, that's up to you. Speaking of which, do you think good art expresses eternal, mythic truth? Likewise bad art, its opposite. That in mind, we are warriors in a battle of Good against Evil, Light against Dark, and in that battle we have the heavenly aid of the Angelic Force. So take heart.

Sursum Corda,

LSP

The Annunciation

Today's the Feast of the Annunciation, when the angel "announced unto Mary and she conceived by the Holy Ghost" and salvation came into the world. 

I find this reflection by Benedict XVI helpful, from his visit to the Shrine of the Annunciation in Nazareth:

What happened here in Nazareth, far from the gaze of the world, was a singular act of God, a powerful intervention in history, through which a child was conceived who was to bring salvation to the whole world. The wonder of the Incarnation continues to challenge us to open up our understanding to the limitless possibilities of God’s transforming power, of his love for us, his desire to be united with us. Here the eternally begotten Son of God became man, and so made it possible for us, his brothers and sisters, to share in his divine sonship.

That downward movement of self-emptying love made possible the upward movement of exaltation in which we too are raised to share in the life of God himself (cf. Phil 2:6-11). The Spirit who “came upon Mary” (cf. Lk 1:35) is the same Spirit who hovered over the waters at the dawn of Creation (cf. Gen 1:2). We are reminded that the Incarnation was a new creative act. When our Lord Jesus Christ was conceived in Mary’s virginal womb through the power of the Holy Spirit, God united himself with our created humanity, entering into a permanent new relationship with us and ushering in a new Creation. 

The narrative of the Annunciation illustrates God’s extraordinary courtesy (cf. Mother Julian of Norwich, Revelations 77-79). He does not impose himself, he does not simply pre-determine the part that Mary will play in his plan for our salvation: he first seeks her consent. In the original Creation there was clearly no question of God seeking the consent of his creatures, but in this new Creation he does so. Mary stands in the place of all humanity. She speaks for us all when she responds to the angel’s invitation. 

Saint Bernard describes how the whole court of heaven was waiting with eager anticipation for her word of consent that consummated the nuptial union between God and humanity. The attention of all the choirs of angels was riveted on this spot, where a dialogue took place that would launch a new and definitive chapter in world history. Mary said, “Let it be done to me according to your word.” And the Word of God became flesh. 

When we reflect on this joyful mystery, it gives us hope, the sure hope that God will continue to reach into our history, to act with creative power so as to achieve goals which by human reckoning seem impossible. It challenges us to open ourselves to the transforming action of the Creator Spirit who makes us new, makes us one with him, and fills us with his life. It invites us, with exquisite courtesy, to consent to his dwelling within us, to welcome the Word of God into our hearts, enabling us to respond to him in love and to reach out in love towards one another.

When we reflect on this joyful mystery, it gives us hope, the sure hope that God will continue to reach into our history, to act with creative power so as to achieve goals which by human reckoning seem impossible. Yes indeed.

Sursum corda,

Lift Up Your Hearts!

Joy!!

The news hasn't been good. The Religion of Peace is acting with characteristic savagery, the Administration stonewalls, lies and bullies, ammo's too expensive or unavailable altogether and we're being smitten by a plague of tornadoes. Oh, I almost forgot! Mainstream Anglicanism in the West has become a sort transsexual pantomime.

Really?

So here's a version of the Lord's Prayer to lift the spirits and get everyone closer to the goddess.

Our mother who art in earth 

hallowed be thy creation 

shekinah come 

indwell wisdom 

within this mortal person 

you give us this day 

our daily cup 

attend our deepest wounds 

for we are called to birth life anew 

tempt us with your beauty 

to pursue your desire 

and deliver us from all slavery 

present this hour 

for thine is the drink of passion 

that nursed a manger baby 

great found of mystery 

spring 

now and forever, amen.

Toothsome...

Pretty neat, eh? Here's some more. It's a form of intercession to be used at a women's Eucharist. 

"Sophia Wisdom: Our world community today, broken, unhealed and full of suffering, cries out for women's voices and leadership. We need women priests...to witness daily for nonviolence in a world gone mad with the power of weapons and guns and greed. 

Getting rid of the guns and greed

We need women priests...to put their bodies on the line and witness to the Powers that Be to stop bloodshed. We need women priests...to name our government's squandering of the people's money. We need women priests...to call our government, church, and all institutions to transparency, conversion, and accountability. 

Wall Street Trembles

We need women priests...to speak up to the government and voice the basic needs of the grassroots -- which have gone unmet for so long. We need women priests...to preach the Good News to the poor, the oppressed and exploited, and to empower them mightily. 

Afflicting the Rich

We need women priests...to boldly proclaim the Gospel so that it afflicts the rich and comfortable -- who need shaking up. We need women priests...to name the injustices-which are many-that take us away from the fullness of our humanity. 

We Demand Respect!

We need women priests...to demand respect for our Earth and her life-giving waters. We need women priests...to restore us and our lives to wholeness/holiness-and to recreate us as community."

You Clowns

What a gang of clowns.

LSP