Month: November 2022

Gaia

Visitors to Chelmsford Cathedral this autumn were able to experience an astronaut’s view of the world when the stunning ‘Gaia’ artwork came to Essex.

Measuring six metres in diameter and created from 120dpi detailed NASA imagery of the Earth’s surface, ‘Gaia’ provided the opportunity to see the planet in its entirety as it slowly revolved in the nave of Chelmsford Cathedral, accompanied by a surround-sound composition by BAFTA award winning composer Dan Jones.

The Exhibition was held in conjunction with an inaugural Science Festival, providing an opportunity for people of all ages to be inspired and to discover the fascinating world of science.  This had the support of Essex County Council’s Climate Action Fund and Anglia Ruskin University.

The Exhibition was attended by large numbers if people including many children and young people. It provided an opportunity for people of all ages to be inspired and to discover the fascinating world of science.

The context of the Cathedral lent another dimension which by nature of the faith professed within and outside the walls of the building is a visible reminder of the things of God, His care, love and compassion holds us all close to His heart.

The concern for the earth God has created is something many of us are sharing in the face of climate change and the many unusual weather and climate events which are afflicting us.  As I looked quietly at the globe, lit from within and suspended two metres above our heads (more if like many children you lay on your back looking up.), I saw the immensity of our planet, poised in space. It is the vulnerability of both it and us which struck me forcibly. This fragile earth and gift of God needs our responsible care and deep stewardship.
I saw more. Seeing the planet in this way it struck me just how much water covers the surface and, by comparison, how little land. On what is quite obviously, a finite and limited area, there is no room for warfare, exploitation, Nimbyism, selfishness and greed. We don’t own any of it. We share the earth with everyone and every creature. We share it all with Nature. So,we have got to change the way we see everything and everyone. We can no longer leave it to a few, often incompetent, Governments. We certainly cannot allow a handful of less than a dozen dictators to impose their will on millions of others and destroy livelihoods, homes and habitats at will. How dare we allow that to happen and do nothing!

As I write COP27 is in progress in Egypt. Whether it will actually make progress remains to be seen. Yet we all have a part to play in this process. We cannot allow them to destroy innicent livesThose of us who serve God as our Creator, Lord and Spiritual guide – however we express that – can and must pray. Prayer is not a last resort but a first Resource.

Below is a prayer written by Pope Francis, to start us off.

A Prayer for our Earth

All-powerful God,
you are present in the whole universe
and in the smallest of your creatures.
You embrace with your tenderness all that exists.
Pour out upon us the power of your love,
that we may protect life and beauty.
Fill us with peace, that we may live
as brothers and sisters, harming no one.

O God of the poor,
help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this earth,
so precious in your eyes.
Bring healing to our lives,
that we may protect the world and not prey on it,
that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction.

Touch the hearts
of those who look only for gain
at the expense of the poor and the earth.
Teach us to discover the worth of each thing,
to be filled with awe and contemplation,
to recognize that we are profoundly united
with every creature
as we journey towards your infinite light.

We thank you for being with us each day.
Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle
for justice, love and peace.

Amen

Prayer of Pope Francis, Laudato Si’

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The words in italics at the beginning of this article is drawn from Chelmsford Cathedral’s website. Below is an explanation of  Gaia

Since the 1970s James Lovelock developed the Gaia hypothesis, named after the ancient Greek goddess of the Earth (See GAIA). As originally conceived the ‘Gaia’ concept envisages the Earth as a super-organism that operates to regulate its own environment, principally temperature, to keep it habitable for the biosphere.

The Sea, The Sea

Ocean Gyre.

Many years ago I was tutored by Fr. Hugh Maycock, who was probably one of the most interesting and intriguing people I have ever met. One day,  he gave me two pieces of Basildon Bond azure paper on which were typed two poems.
One, which I have called Robes won by dying, is about the way autumn leaves change colour and an explanation of why they must. (You can read this as my blog for September 25th)
The second poem I lost long ago but, oddly, it came to light recently amongst some old papers. It deserves to be read by others so I publish it below.
Both poems have an interesting, if brief, story behind them.

Father Hugh told me that they were written by a young man he knew who had been diagnosed with an incurable illness. In his physical and spiritual pain he had two battles to endure and engage with. One, of course, was the battle with the bodily and mental pain of his illness. The other was with the test of his faith and the making sense of what was happening to him. No doubt, like many in that position, there was a sense of ‘Why Me?’ and ‘Why is God allowing me to suffer?’  

Father Hugh told me that the poems where born out of that struggle. In the Sea, The Sea, he is wrestling with his faith whilst enduring pain and, more importantly, his coming death.  After struggle, the poem ends at a point where faith has been answered by love. Father Hugh told me that the young man died peacefully.

I think he gave me the poems at a point when my own faith was being tested but I also like to think that, in some way, he thought I might preserve them for others. I have often reproduced the other poem. It is now time for me to do my duty towards this one.

The Sea, The Sea

White foam splashes over bow of soul
lying storm-tossed in the waves of life,
unable to find that safe anchor 
which breathes of peace and tranquillity.

Cast adrift, facing furious headwinds  
of uncertainty, pain and doubt,
the boat of the soul plunges deep,
is cast high on crest of storm,
blind to that land where  love
dwells waiting to hold still.

Is all lost? Will hell’s fury 
stake her claim on all that is you?
Frozen by white horses ripping 
over surface of cold, deep water.

You think so, yet in that moment 
when ending seems to come
and mariner abandons all of hope,
there – walking on the water, radiant, 
bright, He comes whom wind and wave obey 
and fury spent spreads calm.

In that sweet moment of stillness 
Following  storm, through your eyes 
he looks and says, What faith have you 
that makes you fear and doubt?

You, suddenly becalmed and safe from storm 
sink instead, into those arms 
that hold you fast and look through eyes 
that see no storm but glorious sunrise 
shimmering over gentle waves,
sparkling with  a new found love.

Anon.

Autumn Confetti

Autumn leaves falling as nature’s confetti, photographed by Gill Henwood.
As the year turns with the adjusting of our time clocks, Gill reflects.

Confetti, as the clocks go back

Scarlet startled me on the step,
Stopped me in my hurried tracks
to shelter from the rain storm.
Summer green hid below the exposed
upper canopy of spreading layers
still warm, still calm, still lush.

Flames ripped along leaves clinging
to the fine slender branches,
Autumn fires engulfed the dancers
spangling gold, orange, vermilion
Overwhelming viridian vigour.
Ruby shining leaves fell in their final
whirl to carpet the cold slate steps.
Clear water washing them away
sprinkled with rose petals

A christening of confetti
For their grave. Yet…
Resurrection will come
with the snowdrops.

[Gill Henwood]

A Spider goes to a Concert

Photo: detail of ceiling at the church of St Germain des Prés, Paris. [Mr G]

One of my pastimes is to be a ‘groupie’ with a local choir which includes friends. Last weekend we went to Paris where they presented two concerts and a musical involvement in the Saturday Mass at St Sulpice. It is currently acting as the Cathedral whilst Notre Dame is being restored. At the first concert, in the church of St Germain des Prés, some of the sopranos noticed a spider hovering over the choir as they sang. It had travelled quite a distance from the ceiling but by the end of the concert, it had disappeared. So I wrote this poem….

 A Spider goes to a Concert.

Down came the Spider  
Abseiling intrepidly,
hanging by its own thread,
precariously, from the church roof.
It stops.
Hovering over music ascending
from collective voices.
Sounds made by practiced singers.
“Look, a Spider”, a soprano points out
between pieces.
but the Concert builds to its
final crescendo.
No time to spend on Spiders.
As the music fades,
the concert ends and the Spider
is gone.

Not a Spider at all,
but an Angel,
taking up the music to heaven,
for God to enjoy!

[Mr. G.]

Inspired by a spider who came to a concert by
The Felicitas Choir at the church of St Germain des prés
Paris. 27th Oct 2022)