Unexpected visitors

This Photo is from my friend Joyce Smith. “Here is a picture of my unexpected visitor who arrived on my garden fence the other morning. My books suggest she is a red-legged Partridge who may have flew down from Upshire. With my love and prayers. Joyce.
Joyce notes that it is a rare visitor to her garden so an unexpected surprise.

Her chosen caption is As each new day dawns, let us be open to the joy of the unexpected.
Reflection on this took me into the area of hospitality, both in the giving and receiving of it. My natural starting point for this is the Rule of St. Benedict in which he wrote:
All visitors who call are to be welcomed as if they were Christ, for he will one day say: I was a stranger and you took me in (Mt 25).

Benedict then sets down how guests should be received and how they should be treated. Others in the monastic tradition have similar approaches to receiving guests as reflections of Jesus.
No doubt they were mindful of what the epistle to the Hebrews calls entertaining angels unawares – without knowing it. (Hb 13:1)

By extension the seeing of Christ in others is commended to all of us who profess the Christian faith (and is something other religions express too, in their own way). The general thought is that we are to see Christ in each other because we are striving to be Christ-like and so reflect him in who we are.

That’s not always easy to do. The red legged Partridge is very beautiful and we can easily see that she is a reflection of the breathtaking beauty of Creation. I’m think that if she had been a magpie (or even worse, a wasp!) I might have found it more difficult.
It’s the same with some humans too, though those who seek to find goodness and beauty in people will no doubt succeed.

It was a short hop in my thinking to consider the plight of the refugees. At present because of the conflicts in our world, there are many seeking shelter and safety. Through absolutely no fault of their own they are arriving in other places from their own countries. They have lost everything. They are, our unexpected visitors. How do we welcome them?

The numbers are overwhelming and it is hard for us not to be fearful and protective of our way of life. They are different in some ways in culture and even have differing values though we can all learn so much from each other if we but listen and share love.
The immediate group of ‘visitors’ , are the boat people, crossing the channel in dangerous and life-threatening conditions.

When I was thinking of their plight, other ‘boat people’, who fled their own country came to mind. They too travelled across a difficult sea, seeking a less harsh way of life. I speak of the flood of Irish immigrants to America and England in the 18th and 19th centuries, either driven out by the Great Famine, or political upheaval. Amongst them were some direct relatives of mine.

Other ‘boat people’ were the Windrush generation, much more recently. Actually, because we live on an Island, most of our ancestors came by boat to dwell here.
They were either conquerors like the Romans, Vikings, Danes or they were part of the great trek which brought tribes in waves along the Indo-European trail. (I draw a veil over the many lands which have been harshly occupied by others who thirsted for dominance, exploitation and power!)

Today, of course it is Syrians, Lebanese, Afghans, people from Yemen as well as some Africans, who are on the move. Our planet has always been a nomadic place and few of us can say that our ancestors and even our compatriots were settled people. The people who can claim true British descent are probably only those in Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Cornwall and that area from which we take our name, Brittany.

Somehow the rest of us sort of landed up here as unexpected visitors.
Sadly, many asre currently unwanted.
I’m just grateful, on behalf of my family past and present, that we didn’t have people in authority whose treatment of the various boat people has little to show St Benedict and others that we really do welcome people as if they were Christ.

So I thank Joyce for giving me some hope. Her unexpected visitor can serve to open our hearts to another, more kind and caring approach. Joyce welcomed this stranger with Joy. There was also delight because, like all visitors the Partridge brought a gift. She came with a beautiful reminder of the joy of God’s creation. We even see the pinky-red flowers behind her which forms a nature-filled welcome. If we pause, embrace the moment, give thanks for the ‘otherness’, then we might just catch a glimpse of what the poet Gerald Manly Hopkins calls the grandeur of God.

If we seek to find that grandeur of God, maybe dazzlingly, maybe dimly, we will take a step towards meeting Him in others and in Nature. That perception can itself mightily change our world. I say ‘our’ world but I end with saying: Thank You to the red-legged Partridge for popping by to share her World with us.

[Mr. G]

All that I am I give to You

*photo: Mr. G. from a poster at Santiago de Compostella*

This week I have been reflecting on St. Francis whose feast day was last Monday.

His love of the poor, of creation and those with incurable diseases makes him quite a contemporary saint. In these worrying times about the state of the planet and the way we are treating the poor in Britain as well as in the Third World, Francis has much to say to us as a warning. The prevalence and threat of Covid on a global scale may seem much greater than the people with leprosy but it is the reaching out with compassion and kindness, touching people where people suffer which is part of his great message of love and inclusivity for all.For Frances all creation praises God from Brother Sun to Sister Moon, from all who have little to the very wealthy, from death to eternal life.

He also taught of God with deep simplicity and we are grateful to him for the way he taught the Incarnation not in theological treatise but visually by inventing the Christmas Crib.

One of the most popular images is of him is feeding the birds and his praise of all creation is, for many, embedded in that image.
The fact that we know these stories, along with many other popular anecdotes, miracles, and events is because they were published as a collection titled, The Little Flowers of St. Francis.
Written or collected quite a while after his death, and therefore not a primary source for his life, it nevertheless captures and presents a spirit which is truly Franciscan.
The collection became deeply popular and it has been described as one of the most delightful literary works of the Middle Ages.
It was translated into Italian by an unknown Franciscan friar, from a much larger work. It has 53 short chapters and is often printed with The Mirror of Perfection, a reflection from Brother Leo, a special companion of Francis, in which he illustrates the distinctiveness of Franciscan life and spirituality.
Leo draws on the personal experience of life as one of the first of the Friars.

The Little Flowers sheds a light on the way Francis and his Companions (with St.Clare and those who prayed with her), paved the way for an imitation of the Franciscan way of life, witness and spirituality which continues to enrich both church and world today.
There are many, many editions of The Little Flower and it is easily available.

So, I want to end my week of personal reflection with a story from the Little Flowers.
It has something profound to say to most of us, I suspect:

Francis and a companion once visited the home of a rich man, late in the evening. The nobleman welcomed them with open arms and, we are told, received them as if they had been angels of God, with courtesy and devotion.
The man embraced them, washed their feet, wiped them and humbly kissed them. He kindled a fire, made ready the table with much food and served it with a joyful countenance.
He then prepared beds and offered many gifts. In the morning, he provided fresh clothing. If the brothers needed clothing, he would always pay for it. He professed that he was ready to provide for all their needs. He could do this because of all that God had provided him. He willingly would give of this to the poor.

The man, having done such a lovely thing also rejoiced and prayed for Francis.When Francis left him with great rejoicing he held the man in his heart and in his prayers.
Francis knew however that there was more. He had looked into his eyes and had not rested until he saw into his soul.
He said to his companion, “He would make a good friar. He is so grateful and thankful to God and so kind and courteous to his neighbour and to the poor.”
He reminded his brother that courtesy is one of the attributes of God who gives us all we need and is courteous and kind and loving towards us. These things he found in the man’s soul – the divine imprint.

Francis determined to return again soon to his house.
When Francis re-visited the area he called on the man again.

First, he knelt in prayer at the gate.
The man saw him and rushed down the drive to kneel besides Francis.
God was speaking to both their hearts and Francis lifted him up, and ‘in fervour and gladness of heart embraced him and kissed him, devoutly giving thanks to God,’ who had brought to him a new friar.
The man asked, ‘what do you command me to do, my father? Lo I am ready to do your bidding and give all I possess to the poor and thus, no longer held back by worldly things, to follow Christ with you.’

And so he did.

The nobleman had given out of the generosity of his heart and his means when Francis first visited him. He gave so much for the mission of Jesus Christ being carried out by Francis and his companions. But for him, there was something missing. Something he still had to give.The only gift that God truly wants from any and all of us. He gave himself. He joined Francis in his work. He gave his heart, his soul.

Make of this story what you will.

[Mr G]

Rebuild my Church

The Cross of San Damiano, Assisi

Rebuild My Church

This week, we are enjoying celebrating the life and mission of Saint Francis.
Those of us who have visited Assisi will know the holiness that the prayers of Francis, St Clare, and the band of their followers brought to the surrounding countryside and far beyond.

No doubt many know how his story began but I like telling it!

In 1181 a boy was born to a wealthy merchant family in Assisi. He was baptized Giovanni but became more popularly known by the name Francesco. It was always thought that he would eventually take over the family business as a prominent cloth merchant. Francis was, however, a spirited and rebellious youth. His wayward ways put him at loggerheads with his father, a relationship made all the more difficult when he was imprisoned for brawling with a neighbourhood gang.

This imprisonment changed him, though not to the liking of his father. He began to be concerned for the poor and especially for lepers. He threw away his clothes and renounced his father’s wealth. At the age of 20, he heard a different Father speaking to him. ‘Go make disciples of all nations‘, was what he heard.

Francis rushed away from home and came to the derelict church of St. Damiano on the edge of Assisi. There he knelt in prayer and looked at the faded crucifix still hanging over the altar. Saint Damiano had seen much better days and was all but derelict. Francis insists that, as he knelt, the voice of Christ came to him at that moment. The words he heard were: ‘Francis, rebuild my church, which you see is falling down.’ Eager to be given a specific task, Francis set about physically repairing the church. Other young people joined him and soon St. Damiano’s became a church again.

But, as is so often the case, God’s vision is wider than our understanding. We do what we think God wants and find that there is more to it. What God really wanted Francis to do was rebuild not just the church of St. Damiano, but THE Church. It was a time of spiritual decay and of disdain for God’s little ones in need — the poor, the lame, the leprous. Even the care of the Natural world was being neglected.
The story of St. Francis and his companions is well known and he is especially remembered on October 4th. His work among the poor; his care for creation; his love of the simple are legend. His devotion to Christ was total. These were the building blocks of a restoration of the Church. Francis through his simplicity of life and determination to serve God did exactly what God asked of him. He alongside his companions, rebuilt the Church spiritually and gave it new vision.

It wasn’t easy and certainly he did not go about fulfilling God’s vision through trite and glib statements. Rebuilding vision which holds one’s sight on God also includes bringing real hope. That is hard work and requires real dedication. There must be a genuine and delightful love of the vulnerable, the unloved and uncared for and the animal and natural kingdom. This involves compassion, care and an acceptance that everyone has an equal right to what God has provided for all to share.

That seems a long way from the World we know today, but the same was true for Francis. The pouring out of love on a loveless world demanded and goes on demanding, effort and total commitment to the Gospel of God in Jesus Christ. Nothing else will do

Francis and his mission did change the world he knew and has gone on changing it ever since.#
But that vision of the Gospel bringing real joy to the world needs to be constantly renewed.

Rebuild My Church! This call of God comes to Christians today. There is a wide vision to be embraced. God is calling us to reshape, refashion and renew His Church, particularly after the devastation of Covid.
We are being equipped, through prayer and conversation with God and each other, to be God’s dynamic people. We are being called to tell the story of His Love to all people whose lives we touch, including our friends, neighbours and family but also those we have yet to meet, whom God will put in our way. God is calling us to rebuild the vision of his love both in our own hearts and in the lives of those whom he calls us to serve. But, as with Francis, it starts with ourselves and it starts TODAY!

And that includes all in our world which in their own way, respect and revere God. Those who knowing love can bring it to others.
In this, it is no different than for St. Francis.

He used the Church as the platform for the true work of God
The real task is to Rebuild the World and we do that by having a wide vision.

Those of us who are proud the be Christians must always realize that God loves and saves the world. And, amongst others, he uses us to do it.
In giving thanks for Saint Francis and St Clare and the countless Franciscan followers over the centuries, we are being invited to share in this mighty and blessed work.

[Mr.G.]

ST FRANCIS’ PRAYER before The CRUCIFIX at St.Damiano

Re-balancing with Egrets

Here is another photo reflection from my friend Joyce Smith.

She comments:
These little egrets certainly seem to move with the rhythm of nature and life.

Egrets are part of the Heron family. The RSPB describes them as having white plumes on crest, back and chest; black legs and bill, yellow feet.
They were first seen significantly in 1989 and first bred in Dorset in 1996.
They can be seen on a number of south coast sites where they breed.
Some are also winter visitors.

The photograph which Joyce sent is very compelling and I found it particularly important to spend time with it. As I sat in silence, looking at it, words like Grace, Stillness, Beauty, Purity and Peace came to mind.

The background of lush, verdant grasses and plants, paints a background of nature embracing and framing the quiet poise of the two birds, patiently waiting to catch their next meal (always fish). Yet they are almost statuesque. The water laps around them and, behind , becomes an oasis-like pool in which they can wade.

Joyce invites us to sing and dance to the rhythm of life and there is a strong sense that the photo records a balance of nature to our own, often unbalanced and frenetic lives. The message seems to be that we were never meant to live the way we do. It’s an idealistic message, of course, for those whose reality of life is different.
Life isn’t that easy for us, especially at the moment, but let’s also remember that in the natural world of the egret things are tough too.

But in the photo there is a what I like to call a ‘Pause moment’ .

We are invited to be still, to pause, to breathe, to re-balance our lives, if only for a few minutes.
We are gently challenged to become part of who and what we are in God’s eyes and maybe we might learn a little to sing and dance to the rhythm of life – real life as God longs it to be for us.

But this contemplation shouldn’t leave us dissatisfied. There is nothing ‘if only’ about this. A companionable moment with a friend is never futile or wasted. It is a time to be still and maybe wait.

Bird-watchers are, I believe, very patient people. Holding their breath as the egret or some other bird, circles and lands. There is a thrill of expectation about to be fulfilled.

As I sat in companionable silence, quietly watching the egrets I knew what I was waiting for.

My companionable God. He comes so easily in quiet. Which is why the egrets remind me that I must cherish this moment as a Godly re-balancing.

The symbolism of the egret is said to be about being at peace with oneself and with the world. This is a state of balance and calmness.
When, even if only for a moment, we reach this level of spirituality and of peace with our Creator, then we can discover ourself as a more balanced and integrated person, full of life and of God.
This, of course, is a mirror. This photo holds itself up for us to see the One for whom it is most true – He who invites us to sing and dance with the joy of life – Jesus.

[Mr.G & Joyce with a little help from Revd. Lynn]

*** RSPB = Royal Society for the Protection of Birds