Lent Quiet Hour - Week 2

Christ in the Desert by Ivan Kramskoi, 1872

Poems, prayers and readings for our Lent Quiet Hours in the First Week of Lent, based on ‘temptation’, the theme of the Gospel reading for the First Sunday of Lent.

Thank God for Mountains

Christ in the Desert by Nicholas Roerich, 1933

A poem inspired by Matthew 17:1-9, the Gospel reading at St Stephen Walbrook on Thursday 27th February:

When our only perspective is face value,

let us consider the contours and textures of our own;

   an image of creation. 

Fear is a faceless world without features;

Stretched so thin it lacks depth. 

Transparency an unintended by-product of extreme tension;

    our face shining because it’s skin tight. 

Glory is the shining face on top of the rugged mountain;

A white light; full of every colour.

Let us all thank God for mountains; 

even those of us not yet invited to the top.

Lent Quiet Hour - Week 1

Poems, prayers and readings for our Lent Quiet Hours in the week after Ash Wednesday.

Ash Wednesday - Prayers of Intercession

These prayers were written for the lunchtime Eucharist and Imposition of Ashes at St Stephen Walbrook on 26th February 2020:

Start-Stop : A Confession on Shrove Tuesday

The Creation of the World, Fernand Leger, 1923

Start:Stop at St Stephen Walbrook offers busy commuters in the City of London the chance to start their day by stopping to pray and reflect for ten minutes. This is my reflection for Tuesday 25th February 2020 - Shrove Tuesday. Good morning and welcome to Start:Stop. In many Eucharistic liturgies it is common to say together a ‘memorial acclamation’; “Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again.” The season of Lent, which begins tomorrow, is a time when we are particularly encouraged to pause in the space after that second comma; to consider how we have filled this in-between-time after Christ’s resurrection and before His second coming.

BOOK REVIEW : Barabbas by Pär Lagerkvist

Barabbas, a novel by the Swedish Author Pär Lagerkvist written in 1950, tells the story of the man held captive at the same time as Jesus but released by Pontius Pilate at the Passover feast - thus avoiding crucifixion.

The Pomegranate - Symbolism and Meaning

Dahlias and Pomegranates by Henri Matisse, 1947

We are in South Africa for the funeral of my partner’s Mum, Marie. In her garden is a large pomegranate tree. The tree was planted by Henry’s grandmother. It is now summertime here, so the tree is in full fruit, with the ripening pomegranates about to burst open. The pomegranate, or grained apple, is one of the oldest cultivated fruits in the world and has a rich symbolism and meaning.

BOOK REVIEW : Saying Yes to Life by Ruth Valerio

Saying Yes To Life - The Archbishop of Canterbury's Lent Book 2020 by Ruth Valerio

Ruth Valerio uses the Days of Creation (Genesis 1) to form the seven chapters of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s 2020 Lent Book, which ends with a large bibliography and is accompanied by a website that contains five fifteen minute video clips and links to further resources associated with each chapter - which will be helpful for those using the book in the context of a weekly study group during Lent.

Start-Stop : A Song for Anna

A Song for Simeon - by Edward McKnight Kauffer to accompany T.S.Eliot's poem, 1928

Start Stop at St Stephen Walbrook offers the chance for busy commuters to start their day by stopping to pray and reflect for ten minutes. Reflections start every quarter of an hour on Tuesday mornings from 7.45am with the last reflection starting at 9.00am. This is the script of my reflection from Tuesday 4th February 2020.

BOOK REVIEW : The Man who Listens by Janet Taylor Caldwell

Recently I was fortunate to have the chance to speak with The Very Reverend David Ison, the Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral, who has had a great deal of experience training both priests and lay people. We talked about different aspects of what it means to be a priest and what I have learnt so far from my experience at St Stephen Walbrook - the birthplace of the Samaritans. Amongst the great deal of wisdom he imparted was a recommendation to read this book - and I am very glad I was able to find a second hand copy.

Start-Stop:Teach Me, O Lord

The Ancient of Days, William Blake, 1794

Good morning and welcome to Start:Stop. Today the church celebrates the Patron Saint of Scholars, St Thomas Aquinas.