The Celtic Pilgrimage – Northumberland / North Yorkshire

This the last of this series of Celtic Pilgrimage reflections and we end at a pivotal time in the life of the Christian church from the 7th century. The Synod of Whitby 664AD was called by King Oswiu, hosted by Hilda, Abbess at the double monastery at Whitby. Men and women lived separately within the monastery but worshipped together in monastery church.

Christianity had been slowly spreading through Northumberland and Yorkshire throughout the 620s. Missionaries from Rome and from the Celtic tradition were shaping religious beliefs throughout the kingdom of King Oswiu. However, different practices had developed between these two branches of Christianity and not surprisingly these differences caused conflict and confusion.

There was the matter of the style of the Monks Tonsure. The tonsure was part of monk’s identity.

I include the cartoon which speaks volumes for me. I view it through 21 century eyes but it is a reminder that what seemed be of vital importance at one point in history loses its importance across the ages. https://twitter.com/GouldingChris

Another major difference, was between the two ways the date of Easter was calculated. I do not intend to go into detail other than to say the two different methods of calculation meant that Easter had two dates which could be up to four weeks apart. It is recorded that on one year, King Oswiu was happily celebrating Easter Sunday while his wife was still keeping her Lenten fast and observing Palm Sunday. Something did need to be done.

It is important to recognize that the Celtic, mainly Irish, and Roman missionaries did have much in common – there was much more that united them than divided them. By the time of the synod, the southern Irish had already adopted the Roman calculation of Easter, and the monks at Iona themselves would change by the early 8th century. The decision of the Synod of Whitby regarding calculating the date of Easter endures to this day.

The matter was settled when King Oswui asked the question of Synod “who is the gatekeeper of heaven?” Both Bishop Wilfred who supported the Roman stand point and Bishop Colman supported the Celtic position both agreed that it was St Peter. Bishop Wilfred also claimed the authority of St Peter while Bishop Colman claimed the authority of St John. King Oswui accepted St Wilfred’s stand. Bishop Colman left Lindisfarne following the Synod and returned to Iona.

This Synod was an important step in the settling British Christianity around the authority and rule of Rome.

What the last stop on our Celtic Pilgrimage highlights, is the serious differences people had to wrestle with. What we do require today is the spirit, the simplicity that was the hallmark of the early Celtic Christians. We need to embrace, as they did, the beauty and Divine presence of creation and a concern for it. Then live as followers of Jesus.

Type in English Heritage Synod of Whitby into your Browser, for some additional information and photographs. There is also an English Heritage podcast.

Pause and Pray

We, rightly, are concerned about the world we live in. Celtic Christians due of the beauty and the Divine presence in creation. We need to embrace that spirit.

+ In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Opening Prayer
Creator God, you made the goodness of the land,
the riches of the sea and the rhythm of the seasons;
as we thank you for the harvest, may we cherish and
respect this planet and its peoples,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Word of the Lord

Psalm 100
O be joyful in the Lord, all the earth; •
serve the Lord with gladness and come before his presence with a song.
Know that the Lord is God; •
it is he that has made us and we are his; we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; •
give thanks to him and bless his name.
For the Lord is gracious; his steadfast love is everlasting, •
and his faithfulness endures from generation to generation.

Pause

New Testament Reading

Philippians (4.4-9)
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about* these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

Pause

Thank you, Lord, for this day, the privilege of travelling a little further in your company.

Speak through my words Lord. May they bring wisdom, healing, comfort, encouragement and humility. May they speak out for justice, freedom, truthfulness and equality. May they be your words, Lord.

Bless us with strength when faith is wounded by the world around us.
Bless us with patience when our prayers are seemingly unanswered.
Bless us with peace when daily schedules start to overwhelm us.
Bless us with joy in quiet moments and simple pleasures

Jesus Christ, Good Shepherd, loving and embracing the vulnerable and weak, looking for the fallen, searching for the lost, be with all who work with those whose lives have been devastated by loss, whether by natural disaster or human fault. Grant them courage, strength and protection, these loving shepherds, who willingly choose to place their own lives at risk in often dangerous situations that others might now live.

Bless those whose faith, even when tested by pain, loss or sorrow, still shines through the darkness of their lives as a witness to you, and speaks so clearly of your love for them. Bless them, for their witness to your grace and mercy, and hold them gently in the comfort of your arms.

Let us draw into our circle of prayer our:
Family and Friends
Local church and its leaders
wider community
widening our circle to include:
those in government and positions of authority
those who are oppressed, those who are hungry and homeless
those who are ill, those facing death
Merciful Father, accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen

The Lords Prayer

May the blessing of love be ours
May the blessing of joy be ours
May the blessing of peace be ours
May the blessing of patience be ours
May the blessing of kindness be ours
May the blessing of generosity be ours
May the blessing of faithfulness be ours

May the blessing of gentleness be ours
May the blessing of self-control be ours
That we might become a blessing to others
through your Holy Spirit flowing freely from our hearts

+ In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

You may wish the finish this time of reflective prayer sitting silently and enjoying a peaceful moment or two. You may also think about listening to some music that has touched you or a favourite hymn or song. Enjoy these moments! God bless!

Derek Akker
(Derek is a retired Anglican Parish Priest and a member of the congregations of All Saints & St James)
Harvest Collect Year C – Liturgy © Common Worship, The Archbishops Council, 2000
The prayers by John Birch are from ‘Ripples’ and are reproduced with his permission

Parish of Kirklees Valley, Bury, (All Saints, Elton & St James, Woolfold)
In the Diocese of Manchester
CCLI Licence Number 1243418 Church Copyright and Streaming Licence

Whitby Monastry, Photo by Cajeo Zhang on Unsplash

St Luke’s Gospel Introduction
Lindisfarne Gospels As we pause and pray let us hold close to us the profound yet Public domain the simplicity of the Celtic way.

Celtic Christianity in Scotland is often associated with the works of Columba and the monks of Iona or Ninian and other saints of the west of Scotland. In this reflection, we travel to the East of Scotland and Fife. The St Fillan was in fact Irish, he was the grandson of Cellach Cualann, King of Leinster, and came to Scotland in 717. He came with his Irish princess-mother St. Kentigerna, and his Irish prince-uncle St. Comgan. St Kentigern, founded a religious community beside Loch Lomond.

St. Fillian became a missionary monk, he devoted himself to the evangelization in Perthshire, later becoming a hermit at Pittenweem and tradition is that he lived in this cave, before being chosen as abbot of the nearby monastery, which he governed for some years. He retired to Glendochart in Perthshire, where he lived a solitary life and built a church. There he died and was buried at the place now called Strathfillan.

As with many, legends build up around their lives, often long after their death. Fillan has a number of such stories and whatever we may wish to think of these stories, Fillan left his mark, people did not have to remember him or tell stories about his life.

The first legend is about a wolf killing an ox, the ox was being used to carry building material. Fillan decided as an act of penance the wolf should be persuaded to take on the ox’s role and help with the building of the church.

The second legend relates to Fillan’s time living in a cave where he also wrote his sermons. He wrote by the light of his luminous left arm. Fillan probably means “little wolf” in Irish.

The final story is that Fillan’s bell and staff was carried by the Abbot of Inchaffray into the Battle of Bannockburn. Robert Bruce was later to found a priory in Pittenweem in Fillan’s honour.

The Crozier of St Fillan, from an 1890 drawing St Fillan’s Priory and Burial Ground,

Pause and Pray

Whist our knowledge of so many Celtic saints is
shrouded in this mist of not knowing, we do, however, see women and men who so often did not seek greatness. They were journeying or as Samson of Dol put it being a ‘Pilgrim of Christ’. They tried to live out the Gospel message.

Being on a pilgrimage should involve (besides the physical journey both times of stillness), reflection and making connections with life today. Today, we can reflect on places of learning and the men and women who teach. We can give thanks for our education and those who contributed to our formation as members of the communities we live with.

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+ In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Opening Prayer

Merciful Lord, you know our struggle to serve you:
when sin spoils our lives and overshadows our hearts,
come to our aid and turn us back to you again;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Word of the Lord

Psalm 32 (6-9)

I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’ •
and you forgave the guilt of my sin.
Therefore let all the faithful make their prayers to you in time of trouble; •
in the great water flood, it shall not reach them.
You are a place for me to hide in; you preserve me from trouble; •
you surround me with songs of deliverance.
‘I will instruct you and teach you in the way that you should go; •
I will guide you with my eye.

Pause

Gospel Reading

Luke 15 (17-24)
Part Parable of the Prodigal, the acts of a Loving Father

Then Jesus said, ‘There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.” So, he divided his property between them. A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and travelled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living.
When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. So, he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, “How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.’ ” So, he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. Then the son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” But the father said to his slaves, “Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!” And they began to celebrate.

Pause

Bless the strangers I meet today, Lord; in café, bakery, bus stop, car park, crowded street. Their lives a mystery, sorrows, joys, loves and deep concerns so well disguised. But bless them, Lord, these unknown faces, make this day one of encounter, not only with strangers but also with you. (John Birch)

Guide us, gracious Lord, as we make our way through this week, your feet revealing safe paths to follow, your calming voice giving confidence to continue, through unfamiliar, challenging and often beautiful places. (John Birch)

Oh, that a busy world might pause to glance through Scripture’s window and see within its pages not just history, prophesy, signs and wonders, beautiful poetry or even controversy; but simply hands that from the formless created a universe, raised a people, embraced the poor, lifted the weak and, even now, held out for all to touch still show the scars of a Saviour’s love. (John Birch)

The Lords Prayer

May the Father’s hand keep you from stumbling, the footprints of Jesus give you confidence to follow, and the fire of the Spirit keep you warm and safe in your walk with God this day. (John Birch)

Derek Akker
(Derek is a retired Anglican Parish Priest and a member of the congregations of All Saints & St James)

Collect 2nd Sunday of Lent Year C – Liturgy © Common Worship, The Archbishops Council, 2000

The prayers by John Birch are from ‘Ripples’ and are reproduced with his permission

Parish of Kirklees Valley, Bury, (All Saints, Elton & St James, Woolfold)
In the Diocese of Manchester
CCLI Licence Number 1243418 Church Copyright and Streaming Licence

Images:

The Crozier of St Fillan, from an 1890 drawing St Fillan’s Priory and Burial Ground,
R. Gibb, 1890 Public domain

St Luke’s Gospel Introduction
Lindisfarne Gospels
Public domain

Wales was a land of saints, by saints I mean holy men and women who lived and spread the Gospel in the mid 5th century onwards. These men and women did not go through a process of canonization. This Age of Saints saw (according to some) over 800 saints, with 600 associated with feast days. Legend has it that there were over 20,000 saints buried on Bardsey Island, Lleyn peninsula, North West Wales.

Let us not be so preoccupied with the accuracy or otherwise of the 20,000 saints buried on Bardsley Island that we miss the point that it was an Age of Saints. This age came after the fall of the Roman Empire in the late 5th century. It was in this dark and unsettled period that Celtic Christianity was able to grow. The small ports and the coastal rural setting were an ideal location for the missionary work to flourish.

In terms of this pilgrimage to Wales the sheer number of saints and sites does present some issues, who do you focus on and where do you start? You can so easily become overwhelmed. Pilgrimages do not always go smoothly, the unexpected does happen perhaps nothing more than a nuisance, but sometimes potentially more serious. But also, pilgrimages can drive you into information overload and ending up with a cacophony of images and words that can so easily turn into a spiritual jumble.

St Illtyd’s Church, Llaniltud Fawr or Llantwit Major

So, hopefully to avoid that happening let us visit Llaniltud Fawr or Llantwit Major (English) in South Wales and be introduced to Saint Illtud (also spelt Illtyd)

This was the site of the school and monastery established by St Illtyd in the early 6th century. It is one of the oldest academic centres in Britain The curriculum included Old and New Testament studies, philosophy, geometry, numeracy, geometry, grammar and rhetoric.

Amongst his students were Samson, one of the patron saints of Cornwall, there are also claims that David and Patrick were also students. Many of the Church Fathers of Wales also attended St Illtyd Monastery and their influence was to spread through Wales, into Devon and Cornwall and beyond to Brittany.

There is a legend that Illtyd married a devout women called Trynihid. Their marriage was a happy one, but after what has been described as a miraculous incident they decided to separate and live lives dedicated to the Lord. Illtyd went on to establish the monastery at Llaniltud Fawr while Trynihid to the Welsh mountains and founded a convent and refuge for women. (source https://orthochristian.com/87874.html )

There is no doubt that St Illtyd was one of the most influential saints of Wales. His monastery was a site of learning and of prayer. It is said that there was continuous prayer of by monks 24 hours a day

To add to your knowledge of Celtic Christianity in Wales you could visit https://www.visitwales.com/search?search=celtic+wales+and+Christianity or https://sacredsiteswales.co.uk/ this site has a multi-faith dimension.

Pause and Pray

St Luke’s Gospel Introduction, Lindisfarne Gospels

While our knowledge of so many Celtic saints is shrouded in this mist of not knowing, we do, however, see women and men who so often did not seek greatness. They were journeying, or as Samson of Dol put it being a ‘Pilgrim of Christ’. They tried to live out the Gospel message.

Many of the saints from the Age of Saints, the great cloud of witnesses from Wales, left their mark, not in the stone of the many graves but in lives they lived and the light of Christ they shared with others and continue to share today.

Being on a pilgrimage should involve, besides the physical journey, both times of stillness, of reflection and making connections with life today. Today we can reflect on places of learning and the men and women who teach. We can give thanks for our education and those who contributed to our formation as members of the communities we live with.
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+ In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Opening Prayer
Almighty God,
by the prayer and discipline of Lent
may we enter into the mystery of Christ’s sufferings,
and by following in his Way
come to share in his glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

The Word of the Lord

Psalm 27 (9-14)
Hear my voice, O Lord, when I call; •
have mercy upon me and answer me.
My heart tells of your word, ‘Seek my face.’ •
Your face, Lord, will I seek.
Hide not your face from me, •
nor cast your servant away in displeasure.
You have been my helper; •
leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
Though my father and my mother forsake me, •
the Lord will take me up.
Teach me your way, O Lord; •
lead me on a level path, because of those who lie in wait for me.

Pause

Gospel Reading Luke 13 (31-34)
At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, ‘Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.’ He said to them, ‘Go and tell that fox for me, “Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed away from Jerusalem.” Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!

Pause

Bless the strangers I meet today, Lord; in café, bakery, bus stop, car park, or crowded street. Their lives a mystery, sorrows, joys, loves and deep concerns so well disguised. But bless them, Lord, these unknown faces, make this day one of encounter, not only with strangers but also with you. (John Birch)

The Lords Prayer

May the Father’s hand keep you from stumbling, the footprints of Jesus give you confidence to follow, and the fire of the Spirit keep you warm and safe in your walk with God this day. (John Birch)

Derek Akker
(Derek is a retired Anglican Parish Priest and a member of the congregations of All Saints & St James)

Collect Lent Year C – Liturgy © Common Worship, The Archbishops Council, 2000

The prayers by John Birch are from ‘Ripples’ and are reproduced with his permission

Parish of Kirklees Valley, Bury, (All Saints, Elton & St James, Woolfold)
In the Diocese of Manchester
CCLI Licence Number 1243418 Church Copyright and Streaming Licence

St Illtyd’s Church, Llaniltud Fawr or Llantwit Major (Stevieb3945 Wikimedia Commons)

St Luke’s Gospel Introduction,Lindisfarne Gospels, Public domain

There were probably over 20 monasteries in Cornwall that were part of the Celtic church in the mid to late part of the first millennium, but by the Norman period there had been a significant decline.

Our pilgrimage takes us across Cornwall from Padstow (Cornish: Lannwedhenek in the north to Fowey (Cornish: Fowydh, meaning ‘Beech Trees) on the south coast. It follows the probable route early Christians took from Ireland and Wales to Brittany.

We start in Petroc’s Place, old English Petroc-stow which evolved into Padstow. St Petroc, little Peter landed from Wales in around AD 500. It is said that he founded 4 churches in the area. Petroc may also have taken his mission to Brittany, where there is a number of churches dedicated to him, under the name Perreux.

Saint Sampson’s Church, Golant

We continue our journey from Padstow to Fowley in the company of Samson (also spelled Sampson). It is probable that Petroc and Samson, they both had a missionary veal, became co-patron saints of Cornwall.

Samson is seen as one of the most successful Celtic missionaries, born 490 and died about 565. He was born in southeast Wales to a wealthy and devout family. At about the age of five, he was sent to study at the Monastery of Llanilltud Fawr founded by St Illtyd. Samson would have studied scripture, philosophy, poetry, rhetoric, grammar and arithmetic. It was a comprehensive education that prepared him for his missionary work.

He also spent time at the monastery’s daughter house on Caldey Island in Pembrokshire and from there he later visited Ireland, before returning to Llanilltud Fawr, where he became abbot and consecrated bishop in about 520.

Samson left Llanilltud Fawr and travelled with friends and family to Cornwall as a pilgrim of Christ. He landed in Padstow and began his ministry to Cornwall. Travelling from Padstow across Cornwall to Fowley building up a fruitful ministry.

Samson left England and went to Brittany where he spent the rest of his life and founded monasteries, including one at Dol and another at Pental, in Normandy. He was one of the foremost missionaries of his century. For more about Samson, I suggest you go to orthochristian.com/105687.html. Also, on a separate page, there is a map of the Saints Way, produced as a tourist guide but is thought to follow an ancient route between Padstow and Fowley.

Pilgrimage is, however, more than a tourist trip. It is the opportunity to get a sense of place and the early Christians. Samson of Dol must have been a man of stamina but also one of learning, prayer and appreciation of ascetic living. He never lost the enthusiasm for mission and drawing others into the Christian journey.

Why not use the map and the web to explore the Saints Way.

Pause and Pray

While our knowledge of so many Celtic saints is
shrouded in this mist of not knowing, we do, however, see women and men who so often did not seek greatness. They were journeying or as Samson of Dol put it being a ‘Pilgrim of Christ’. They tried to live out the Gospel message.

Samson of Dol despite all his missionary work was a man who sought to embrace the ascetic and solitary life. Our collect and readings reflect Samson’s deep-seated desire for a simpler and spiritual way of life.

Being on a pilgrimage should involve (besides the physical journey) times of stillness, of reflection and making connections with life today. Samson of Dol endured times when fellow monks rejected his vision and his passion to live out the Gospel.

As we join this virtual pilgrimage and walk the Saints Way let us remember that the tracks from Padstow to Fowley are not an easy stroll, there are risks and it is strenuous.

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+ In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Opening Prayer
Heavenly Father,
your Son battled with the powers of darkness,
and grew closer to you in the desert:
help us to use these days to grow in wisdom
and prayer that we may witness
to your saving love in Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Word of the Lord

Psalm
verses from Psalm 91

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High •
and abides under the shadow of the Almighty,
Shall say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my stronghold, •
my God, in whom I put my trust.’

Pause

Gospel Reading
Luke 4.1-2
The Temptation of Jesus
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil.

Pause

In our prayers we remember those who are searching for faith.

Lord, bless our journey through this coming week. May the pace be steady, paths made safe, no obstacles impede, and conversations with fellow travellers be fruitful and uplifting. Lord, bless our journey through this coming week. (John Birch)

Forgive us when we forget how much you desire our involvement in the unfolding of your plans, when rather than be an active participant we are content to be the passive bystander often heard to grumble that nothing seems to get done. Forgive us, and involve us, Loving God, we pray! (John Birch)

Bless those who, with a word or hug, can bring a smile onto the face of someone who is struggling with life – a simple, inexpensive but infinitely precious gift from one heart to another (John Birch)

The Lords Prayer

Lord of creation,
whose glory is around and within us:
open our eyes to your wonders,
that we may serve you with reverence
and know your peace at our lives’ end,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
(Common Worship Alternative Collect for the 16th Sunday of Trinity)

+ In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

The blessing of the God of life be with us in our journeying
The blessing of the risen Christ be with us in our following
The blessing of the Holy Spirit be with us in our questioning
The blessing of the heavenly host be with us in our worshipping
Bless, O God, each hour, each day, that we shall walk with you. (John Birch)

Derek Akker
(Derek is a retired Anglican Parish Priest and a member of the congregations of All Saints & St James)

The prayers of John Birch are from ‘Ripples’ and are reproduced with his permission

Parish of Kirklees Valley, Bury, (All Saints, Elton & St James, Woolfold)
In the Diocese of Manchester
CCLI Licence Number 1243418 Church Copyright and Streaming Licence

From May to October 2021, we had a series of Celtic reflections which I know were enjoyed by many of you. Over the Christmas period I had a Zoom session with friends from the Anglican Church, Haarlem and, during a truly enjoyable session the possibility of me writing reflections on St Cecilia, a return to more Celtic reflections and another pilgrimage style reflection was raised. Having done a reflection on St Cecilia I have decided to combine the idea of pilgrimage with a strong Celtic influence.

This reflection is about preparation for the pilgrimage and the journey we will take together. Our pilgrimage will start in Cornwall moving across the Severn Estuary to Wales and then to the Isle of Man; the Scottish borders will be our penultimate destination before ending in Northumberland. The pilgrimage will be through five reflections.

Our virtual pilgrimage takes us back some 1,500 or so years; while I will keep reminding you that there are gaps in our knowledge of these early Celtic Christians they were, however, like us. They were people with needs, hopes, and anxieties; with friends, families and communities. They would have had fears and hopes and trying to trust in an uncertain world. They lived simple but hard lives, made a living from the sea, the land, being creative and being engaged in trade. They are our ancestors who worked hard and sought to be followers of Jesus. They heard the psalms and the Gospel and sought to find the Divine influence in the world around them. They were our sisters and brothers from the past and we can use their influence for the presence and the future.

Many of those who were teachers and Christian leaders had themselves had training both within monasteries and travelling to centres of learning in France (Breton). Teaching of the local people would be through the reading of the scriptures and the telling of stories, stories based on what was available locally. The legend of St Patrick taking a small three petalled flower and using that to explain the Trinity is an example. The early Celtic teachers had to be good story-tellers and walk the walk. Their example taught folk the steps needed be a follower of Jesus.

I will be returning to the prayers composed by John Birch, he accompanied us through our earlier Celtic Reflections. I thank him for his continued generosity in allowing the use in these prayers.

Pause and Pray

St Luke’s Gospel Introduction
While our knowledge of early Celtic saints and their lives is
Public domain shrouded in this mist of not knowing, of not being able
to see them clearly, we do see women and men who so
often did not seek greatness. They were servants and
welcomed people in the name of Christ. They tried to
live out the Gospel message.

Lindisfarne Gospels

+ In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Opening Prayer
Almighty Father, whose Son was revealed in majesty before he suffered death upon the cross: give us grace to perceive his glory, that we may be strengthened to suffer with him and be changed into his likeness, from glory to glory; who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. (Common Worship Collect for the Sunday next before Lent Year C)

The Word of the Lord (Psalm and Gospel for the Sunday next before Lent Year C)

Psalm Psalm 99 (1-4a)
The Lord is king: let the peoples tremble; •
he is enthroned above the cherubim: let the earth shake.
The Lord is great in Zion •
and high above all peoples.
Let them praise your name, which is great and awesome; •
the Lord our God is holy.
Mighty king, who loves justice, you have established equity;

Pause

Gospel Reading Luke 9.28-36
The Transfiguration
Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, ‘Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah’—not knowing what he said. While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, ‘This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!’ When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen

Pause

In our prayer we welcome those who are searching for faith.

Bless all whose journey, that search for faith, acceptance and identity, which is made more difficult by circumstances, doubt, diversions, exhaustion, stumbles along the road and the load they carry.
May they hear your voice and see your footsteps, know how close you are, lay down their burden, reach out for your hand and allowed land. (John Birch)

May, the whisper of God be your guide in your journey through this day. That gentle, persistent reminder to engage with those around, offer encouragement, prayer and support where it is needed, speak into conversations both locally and further afield, give your faith perspective, and show God’s love and peace when faced with difficult situations.
In your journey through this day the whisper of God be your guide. (John Birch)

The Lords Prayer

+ In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

God’s arm around you, God’s love within you, God’s light guiding you
Journey in peace today and the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit keep you in his love now and always. Amen

Derek Akker
(Derek is a retired Anglican Parish Priest and a member of the congregations of All Saints & St James)

Walking with God, John Birch pages 53, 21,100

Parish of Kirklees Valley, Bury, (All Saints, Elton & St James, Woolfold)
In the Diocese of Manchester
CCLI Licence Number 1243418 Church Copyright and Streaming Licence

Images: Silhouette of the Celtic Cross and Lighthouse on Llandwyn Island An atmospheric shot of the crosses and lighthouse seen on the approach to Llandwyn island, on the SW corner of Anglesey.
Angus McCulloch – Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0

A Sunday ordinary at Highgate
“Men and women seated on benches on each side of a dinner-table” British Cartoon Prints Collection Public domain

We moved through Advent in preparation for the celebration of Christmas and then onto Epiphany celebrating the showing of the Christ child to the world. Now we are in what some Christians refer to as Ordinary Time, the Sundays before Lent.

What is Ordinary Time? Its roots are found in the Latin word ‘ordinalis’, numbers in a series, which stems from another Latin word ‘ordo’ from which we get the English word ‘order’. Ordinary Time, in fact, occupies most of the Church Year and represents the ordered life of the Church and is far from mundane or uninteresting.

But perhaps after Advent, Christmas and Epiphany it is good to stop and have a few weeks that are ‘ordinary’ before we enter the season of Lent. A time to find our Lord in the ordinary or as the poet John Keble puts it ‘the Trivial Round’.

O could we learn true sacrifice,
What lights would all around us rise!
How would our hearts with wisdom talk
Along life’s dullest, dreariest walk!

The trivial round, the common task,
Would furnish all we ought to ask,—
Room to deny ourselves; a road
To bring us daily nearer God.

Seek we no more: content with these,
Let present comfort, rapture, ease,
As heaven shall bid them, come and go;—
The secret this of rest below.

Only, O Lord, in thy dear love
Fit us for nobler tasks above;
And help us, this and every day,
To live more nearly as we pray!

(from ‘HUES OF THE RICH UNFOLDING MORN’ by John Keble 1792-1866)

Now let us have a time of prayerful reflection:

Most powerful Holy Spirit
Come down upon us and subdue us

From heaven where the ordinary is made glorious,
and glory seems but ordinary,

bathe us with brilliance of Your light like dew.
(The Northumbria Community Trust)

Just an ordinary muddy field with sheep

Psalm 138
I will give thanks to you, O Lord, with my whole heart; •
before the gods will I sing praise to you.

I will bow down towards your holy temple and praise your name,
because of your love and faithfulness; •
for you have glorified your name and your word above all things.

In the day that I called to you, you answered me; •
you put new strength in my soul.

All the kings of the earth shall praise you, O Lord, •
for they have heard the words of your mouth.

They shall sing of the ways of the Lord, •
that great is the glory of the Lord.

Though the Lord be high, he watches over the lowly; •
as for the proud, he regards them from afar.

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you will preserve me; •
you will stretch forth your hand against the fury of my enemies;
your right hand will save me.

The Lord shall make good his purpose for me; •
your loving-kindness, O Lord, endures for ever; forsake not the work of your hands.

Lord of the hosts of heaven,
our salvation and our strength,
without you we are lost:
guard us from all that harms or hurts
and raise us when we fall;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Pause

Matthew 5.14
‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

Pause

1 New every morning is the love
our wakening and uprising prove;
through sleep and darkness safely brought,
restored to life and power and thought.

2 New mercies, each returning day,
hover around us while we pray;
new perils past, new sins forgiven,
new thoughts of God, new hopes of heaven.

3 If on our daily course our mind
be set to hallow all we find,
new treasures still, of countless price,
God will provide for sacrifice.

4 The trivial round, the common task,
will furnish all we need to ask,
room to deny ourselves, a road
to bring us daily nearer God.

5 Only, O Lord, in thy dear love
fit us for perfect rest above;
and help us, this and every day,
to live more nearly as we pray.

Let us draw into our circle of prayer our:
Family
Friends
Local church and its leaders
wider community

widening our circle to include:
those in government and positions of authority
those who are oppressed
those who are hungry and homeless
those who are ill
those facing death
Merciful Father, accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen

The Lords Prayer

Go before us, Lord, in all we do
with your most gracious favour,
and guide us with your continual help,
that in all our works
begun, continued and ended in you,
we may glorify your holy name,
and finally, by your mercy receive everlasting life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

_________________________

You will have read and or perhaps sung along the words of John Keble, below is the longer version of the poem. I only knew the shorter poem and the hymn version up until recently but then I can across this 16 verse poem version. It is worth the read.

HUES OF THE RICH UNFOLDING MORN

Hues of the rich unfolding morn,
That ere the glorious sun be born,
By some soft touch invisible
Around his path are taught to swell!

Thou rustling breeze, so fresh and gay,
That dancest forth at opening day,
And brushing by with joyous wing,
Wakenest each little leaf to sing.

Ye fragrant clouds of dewy steam,
By which deep grove and tangled stream
Pay, for soft rains in seasons given,
Their tribute to the genial heaven.

Why waste your treasures of delight
Upon our thankless, joyous sight,
Who day by day to sin awake,
Seldom of Heaven and you partake?

Oh! timely happy, timely wise,
Hearts that with rising morn arise!
Eyes that the beam celestial view,
Which evermore makes all things new!

New every morning is the love
Our wakening and uprising prove;
Through sleep and darkness safely brought,
Restored to life and power and thought.

New mercies, each returning day,
Hover around us while we pray;
New perils past, new sins forgiven,
New thoughts of God, new hopes of Heaven.

If, on our daily course, our mind
Be set to hallow all we find,
New treasures still, of countless price,
God will provide for sacrifice.

Old friends, old scenes, will lovelier be,
As more of Heaven in each we see;
Some softening gleam of love and prayer
Shall dawn on every cross and care.

As for some dear familiar strain
Untired we ask, and ask again,
Ever, in its melodious store,
Finding a spell unheard before;

Such is the bliss of souls serene,
When they have sworn, and steadfast mean,
Counting the cost, in all t’espy
Their God, in all themselves deny.

Oh could we learn that sacrifice,
What lights would all around us rise!
How would our hearts with wisdom talk
Along life’s dullest, dreariest walk!

We need not bid, for cloistered cell,
Our neighbour and our work farewell,
Nor strive to find ourselves too high
For sinful man beneath the sky.

The trivial round, the common task,
Will furnish all we ought to ask;
Room to deny ourselves, a road
To bring us daily nearer God.

Seek we no more; content with these,
Let present rapture, comfort, ease—
As Heaven shall bid them, come and go:
The secret this of rest below.

Only, O Lord, in Thy dear love,
Fit us for perfect rest above,
And help us, this and every day,
To live more nearly as we pray.
(John Keble (1792-1866)

Embrace the trivial round, the common task for it will provide all we ought to ask. Amen

Derek Akker
(Derek is a retired Anglican Parish Priest and a member of the congregations of All Saints & St James)

Some material is from – Liturgy © Common Worship, The Archbishops Council, 2000

Parish of Kirklees Valley, Bury, (All Saints, Elton & St James, Woolfold)
In the Diocese of Manchester
CCLI Licence Number 1243418 Church Copyright and Streaming Licence

At the beginning of 2022, I received this greeting from a friend ‘Happy New Year to you and here’s hoping for a happy, healthy and blessed 2022 – filled with beautiful music!’ I had just finished the reflection on St Cecelia and the words ‘filled with beautiful music!’ struck a cord, if you will excuse the pun. It seems right to follow the reflection on St Cecilia, the patron saint of music and musicians with a reflection on music itself.

I am not a musician, I wanted to be from the time as a toddler when I sat on my Nana’s knee as she played honky-tonk piano. She played in the style of Winifred Attwell, – who you may ask? Well! use your search engine find out. She was the first professional musician I heard play.

I should perhaps add that Nana was not my grandmother or even a relation. We lived in her rented flat in South West London. She was lovely, a Cockney women and a real character, also she had been in service of Lord and Lady de Frece or Vesta Tilley, the Music Hall star.

To say I did not enjoy school would be an understatement but there were some highlights outside of the classroom and with no books to read or writing to be done. It was where I was introduced to classical music. I remember Benjamin Britten’s The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra and Elgar’s Enigma Variations, the Pomp and Circumstance Marches being played and there were occasional visits from The British Army’s school of music, Kneller Hall, Twickenham just down the road from the school. I also strummed a bass, a tea chest with a broom stick in the middle and some string and I played washboard in a Skiffle Group organised by one of the few insightful members of staff. He was popular with the children but not some of the staff.

We often had the walk from school on a Sunday morning to Twickenham Parish Church for Mattins and this was where I was introduced to choral singing. Looking back, I think it was here where I started to understand that I did not need to read or understand the words to appreciate the different sounds of the organ and the range and tone of the voices and be moved by the music. Obviously, as a child I did not try to analyse what was going on. I just enjoyed the sounds, the atmosphere, it was a good place to be, a Sunday morning sanctuary. Unfortunately, we did not go every week.

Over the years I was introduced to many styles of music, some I enjoyed more than others. What I have learnt is that music can lift us up, sooth us, excite us and for people of faith it can spiritually strengthen us and has a Divine quality. Music can also teach us something about diversity and living with differences. How does a church bring into its worship the rich diversity church music available today? I would suggest with difficulty, yet there is beautiful music from ancient chants through the hymns of Wesley to Kenrick and the Wildgoose collection from, Iona and we have 21st Century hymn writers.

I hope your lives will be filled with beautiful music, whatever that may be and I hope you will continue to make a joyful noise to the Lord.

‘Be filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ’. (Ephesians 5:18-20)

A reading from the Psalms

Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth;
break into song; sing praise.
Sing praise to the Lord with the lyre,
with the lyre and melodious song.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
shout with joy to the King, the Lord.
Let the sea and what fills it resound,
the world and those who dwell there. – Psalm 98:4-7

Hallelujah!
Praise God in his holy sanctuary;
give praise in the mighty dome of heaven.
Give praise for his mighty deeds,
praise him for his great majesty. – Psalm 150:1-2

Let us pray

We thank you for all those bring us the music that inspires and lifts us up in our worships and as we go around our daily tasks. We thank you for string instruments, wind instruments, percussion, digital instruments and for the singers which invite us to lift our voices with theirs in praise.

Lord God we ask that you bless all who guide us through this ministry of music and worship. May their music bring you praise and glory

Lord, bless us with courage and imagination,
and give us the power to use music to praise you
from the depths of our being.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever. Amen.

Now let us draw into our circle of prayer our:

Family
Friends
Local church and its leaders
wider community
widening our circle to include:
those in government and positions of authority
those who are oppressed
those who are hungry and homeless
those who are ill
those facing death
Merciful Father, accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen

You spoke
And a universe
Burst into existence
You breathed
And an ocean
Broke against shore
You laughed
And a wild goose
Flew across the horizon
You sang
And a love song
Was played for the world

Now may God’s blessing go with us,
God’s love surround us, God’s footsteps guide us and God’s strength supply us throughout the day ahead.
(John Birch)

Derek Akker
(Derek is a retired Anglican Parish Priest and a member of the congregations of All Saints & St James)

Parish of Kirklees Valley, Bury, (All Saints, Elton & St James, Woolfold)
In the Diocese of Manchester
CCLI Licence Number 1243418 Church Copyright and Streaming Licence

A while ago when part of a Zoom social event with the Anglican Church Haarlem, I received a number of requests for topics to be included in my weekly reflections. One such request was from Martin Van Bleek, the organist and choirmaster to write a reflection on St Cecilia, a patron saint of music and of musicians.

Like so many Saints, writers commenting on their lives have to make a disclaimer. Little is known of the life Cecilia but what we have is legend with no historical reliability. But it is a good story and does provide the opportunity explore how this third century woman would become associated with music and reverenced by many musicians.

It widely agreed that Cecilia was born in Rome in the 2nd century AD into a wealthy family. Some claim she was martyred around 230 AD,

Cecilia was entered into an arranged marriage with Valerian, who was not a Christian. On her wedding night, she requested Valerian not to consummate the marriage, saying that it would upset her guardian angel. Valerian responded by asking to see this angel, and Cecilia said that it would only be visible if Valerian was a Christian. Valerian then accepted Christ, and was able to see the angel of which she spoke.

Valerian was baptized, along with his brother Tiburtius. They later undertook the task of burying those who had been martyred for their faith, this was illegal at the time. The brothers were arrested and pressed to renounce their faith. They refused and were executed. Cecilia was later arrested for burying their bodies and later martyred.

Some of the accounts of her martyrdom are graphic. Firstly, the authorities attempted suffocate her by locking her in a room and heating the furnace to an extremely high temperature. This was unsuccessful. Next, they attempted to behead her but without success. Cecilia lived for three days after the attack before she died.
St Cecilia’s life and death possessed much of what would make her stand out in the early church and lead to her beatification: her courage in the face of persecution, her identification with the virginity and through that to the purity of Mary and her remarkable heavenly visions.

The legend is that Cecilia became the patron saint of music because she heard heavenly music in her heart during the wedding ceremony. It was over a thousand years before we saw clearer musical connections, and art depicting Cecilia often with an organ. It is also worth noting that during the 15th century music was often seen a revelation of the divine.

A Hymn for Saint Cecilia – Ursula Vaughan Williams

Sing for the morning’s joy, Cecilia, sing,
in words of youth and praises of the Spring,
walk the bright colonnades by fountains’ spray,
and sing as sunlight fills the waking day;
till angels, voyaging in upper air,
pause on a wing and gather the clear sound
into celestial joy, wound and unwound,
a silver chain, or golden as your hair.

Sing for your loves of heaven and of earth,
in words of music, and each word a truth;
marriage of heart and longings that aspire,
a bond of roses, and a ring of fire.
Your summertime grows short and fades away,
terror must gather to a martyr’s death;
but never tremble, the last indrawn breath
remembers music as an echo may.

Through the cold aftermath of centuries,
Cecilia’s music dances in the skies;
lend us a fragment of the immortal air,
that with your choiring angels we may share,
a word to light us thro’ time-fettered night,
water of life, or rose of paradise,
so from the earth another song shall rise
to meet your own in heaven’s long delight.

Pause

Let us … ‘be filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ’. (Ephesians 5:18-20)

Let us pray

Collect for St. Cecilia Day
Most gracious God, whose blessed martyr Cecilia sang in her heart to strengthen her witness to you: We give you thanks for the makers of music whom you have gifted with Pentecostal fire; and we pray that we may join with them in creation’s song of praise until at the last, with Cecelia and all your saints, we come to share in the song of those redeemed by our Saviour Jesus Christ; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen. Source – Unapologetically Episcopalian

For Church Musicians and Artists
O God, whom saints and angels delight to worship in heaven: Be ever present with your servants who seek through art and music to perfect the praises offered by your people on earth; and grant to them even now glimpses of your beauty, and make them worthy at length to behold it unveiled for evermore; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Source – Unapologetically Episcopalian

Now let us draw into our circle of prayer our:
Family
Friends
Local church and its leaders
wider community
widening our circle to include:
those in government and positions of authority
those who are oppressed
those who are hungry and homeless
those who are ill
those facing death
Merciful Father, accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen

The Lord’s Prayer

May the Lord bless us, and keep us from all harm,
And may we be led into eternal life. Amen

Derek Akker
(Derek is a retired Anglican Parish Priest and a member of the congregations of All Saints & St James)

Parish of Kirklees Valley, Bury, (All Saints, Elton & St James, Woolfold)
In the Diocese of Manchester
CCLI Licence Number 1243418 Church Copyright and Streaming Licence

Images:

Saint Cecilia playing organ.
Saint Oswald parish church, ( Upper Austria ). – Gothic revival relief ( 1912 ) by Andreas Crepaz – Wolfgang Sauber – Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0

St Cecilia with a Harpsicord
Galleria Napoletana (Museum of Capodimonte) Francesco Guarino – Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0

Commemoration 22 November

I make no apologies for returning to a theme we reflected on in Advent last year, the Nunc dimittis. We start with the words of the Nunc dimittis and the opportunity, through YouTube, to listen to the Song of Simeon composed by Geoffrey Burgon, sung by Paul Phoenix and the Boys of the choir of St Paul’s Cathedral.

The  Nunc dimittis
LORD, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace: according to thy word.
For mine eyes have seen: thy salvation;
Which thou hast prepared: before the face of all people;
To be a light to lighten the Gentiles: and to be the glory of thy people Israel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35neN-cHkok

During Advent I received an email which ended with the words ‘In God’s peace’ followed by the signature. In the context of this reflection, it should read ‘Go in God’s Peace’ but what could this mean?

Firstly, whatever we say about peace, it has a Divine quality, as Christians this Divine quality is present whether we see or hear it ourselves. Peace also is something we can experience in our daily life, in the ordinary things of life and they too have a Divine quality. Peace i.e., quiet, tranquillity, and safety are experiences most people enjoy. Whether it be the early morning quietness before the events of the day overtake us, or the tranquillity of sitting and looking across a lake to the mountains in the background or looking out over a becalmed sea or more probably just looking of our windows. As for safety, it could be returning home after coping with crowds in shops or on the streets. We return home and sit down and let out a big sigh. We are home, our place and even our sanctuary.

Peace is not always easy to find. I remember many years ago running some sessions on prayer and how to find somewhere in the home where you could sit and pray in peace. The following day I bumped into one of the group, a Mum with two young children. She said she was enjoying the sessions but as for finding a peaceful place during the day, that was a different matter. Later over a coffee we tried to resolve the problem of there being no peaceful place and then she offered a throw away comment, ‘the only place I can get peace during the day is in the loo’. We looked at each other in silence and then I said perhaps you have found your peaceful place. It worked for her.

Each Sunday at the end of the Eucharist we are dismissed with the words ‘Go in peace to love and serve the Lord’. It is difficult to go in peace if we are not at peace within ourselves. Going in peace is not always easy, some people find it easier than others to act in a peaceful way. I was reminded of this recently when I took Holy Communion to someone who is seriously ill and confined to his home. I said the words ‘Go in peace . . . ‘ afterwards he said ‘I should say the words to you because I’m not going anywhere’.

Peace is not just confined to ourselves, our family and friends and our church. The Divine quality of peace by its very nature, reaches out into a world around us and it can be hard, noisy and sometimes argumentative. Yes, Peace can seem a long way from having a Divine quality.

Make me a channel of Peace

Let us begin a time of quiet reflection.

Find yourself a favourite place.
Slowly breath in through your nose and hold your breath for the count of two, breathe out through your mouth for the count of four. Do this a few times.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Slow me down, Lord!
Ease the pounding of my heart
By the quieting of my mind.
Steady my hurried pace
With a vision of the eternal reach of time. (Orin L. Crain)

Read this poem, author unknown, slowly

On This Day….

Mend a quarrel
Search out a forgotten friend
Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust
Write a love letter
Share some treasures
Give a soft answer
Encourage youth

Manifest your loyalty in a word or deed
Keep a promise
Find the time
Forego a grudge
Forgive an enemy
Listen
Apologise if you were wrong

Try to understand
Flout envy
Examine your demands on others
Think first of someone else
Appreciate, be kind, be gentle
Laugh a little more.
Deserve confidence

Take up arms against malice
Decry complacency
Express your gratitude
Worship your God
Gladden the heart of a child
Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth

Speak your love
Speak it again
Speak it still again
Speak it still once again….

Pause

One thing I have asked of the Lord,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life;
to behold the beauty of the Lord
and to seek Him in His temple.

Scripture Reading from the Gospel according to St Luke (2.28-40)

Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,
‘Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word;
for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles  and for glory to your people Israel.’
And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon* blessed them and said to his mother Mary, ‘This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.’
There was also a prophet, Anna* the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband for seven years after her marriage, then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshipped there with fasting and prayer night and day. At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child* to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.

The Return to Nazareth
When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favour of God was upon him.

Pause

Listen to your life.
See it for the fathomless mystery that it is.
In the boredom and pain of it
no less than in the excitement and gladness:
touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it
because in the last analysis all moments are key moments,
and life itself is grace. (Frederick Buechner)

The Lord’s Prayer

Pause

Slow me down, Lord,
And inspire me to send my roots deep
Into the soil of life’s enduring values
That I may grow toward the stars
Of our greater destiny. (Orin L. Crain)

Blessing
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you.
May He guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm.
May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you.
May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
(Taken from Morning Prayer from Northumbria Community’s Celtic Daily Prayer published by Collins.’ )

Go in God’s peace or to use that beautiful Hebrew word ‘šhālôm’. that beautiful Hebrew word for peace. Knowing that we are going in God’s peace.

Trilingual peace graphic (Hebrew Shalom שלום – Arabic Salam/Salaam السلام).

Public domain Wikimedia Commons

Derek Akker
(Derek is a retired Anglican Parish Priest and a member of the congregations of All Saints & St James)

Parish of Kirklees Valley, Bury, (All Saints, Elton & St James, Woolfold)
In the Diocese of Manchester
CCLI Licence Number 1243418 Church Copyright and Streaming Licence

*Olive branch Evrik and Mets501 Public domain

“We saw the star in the East, and we came to worship him.”

The theme for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in 2022 was chosen by the Middle East Council of Churches. More than ever, in these difficult times, we need a light that shines in the darkness and that light, Christians proclaim, has been manifested in Jesus Christ.

Christians are called to be a sign to the world of God bringing about unity. Drawn from different cultures, races and languages, Christians share in a common search for Christ and a common desire to worship him. (World Council of Churches)

It is good to be reminded that we are part of something far larger than our local church or denomination. We are a diverse group of people who express our faith through worship in different ways, our culture, race and language help build up and create the blocks that build up our worship. They may be the blocks but they are not the foundation, the foundation is wider and deeper than all the building blocks of worship, our foundation is Christ.

We are a diverse group, we only have to look at our own families. At one level, there is the choice and tastes in music, art, food, dress and so on. We may raise our eyebrows, shrug our shoulders and smile at them. At a deeper level we may have family members who see the world in a different way to us and respond differently to what they experience in life. Their response to situations may puzzle, confuse, worry or even disturb us but we still love them, for as followers of Jesus, that is what we are called to do. It is not always easy, love can be hard and sometimes we need to put space between us and our loved ones but we still love them.

We are not all the same and we do have to learn to live with the diversity that surrounds us. If this is the case in our daily lives we should not be surprised that it is present within the Christian Church worldwide but also within our own worshipping communities.

* Centre panel of the mural International Understanding and Unity.
(Pennsylvania State Capitol Senate building)

The woman in blue is a female impersonation of the Waters of Life from whom flows the sacred waters to nourish all the world. She also is making reference to female suffrage.
An inscription is inscribed on the panel with a passage from the Apocalypse:

“He carried me away to a great and high mountain and shewed me the Great City and he shewed me a pure river of Water of Life as crystal proceeding out of the throne.” (Revelation 22:1)

Recognising our diversity but also our need to understand and to work toward unity let us follow the star and worship Him.

O God,
who by the leading of a star
manifested your only Son to the peoples of the earth:
mercifully grant that we,
who know you now by faith,
may at last behold your glory face to face;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

The Magi Visit the Messiah (Matthew 2: 1-12)
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

“Lord, we thank you
For those who have helped us on our journey
that led to you.
Lord, we worship you
For lighting our path through chaos and doubt
by your Holy Spirit.”

With faith and confidence, we come in prayer, before God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit:

The Magi came from the East to pay homage and to offer gifts from their cultures and countries. We pray today for Christian communities throughout the world in their diversity of worship and tradition: Lord, preserve these treasures, particularly in areas where the presence and survival of the Church is threatened by violence and oppression.
Lord hear our prayer

The early years of the Lord’s life were marked by massacres at the orders of the despot Herod. We pray for children living in places in the world where violence continues. Lord, inspire us to work without ceasing to defend the oppressed and include the marginalized.
Lord hear our prayer

After the visit of the Magi, the holy family had to flee and became refugees in the land of Egypt. We pray for all uprooted people: Equip us Lord, to show hospitality to those driven from their homes, and grant us the spirit of welcome to those looking for a safe haven.
Lord hear our prayer

The birth of Jesus was announced as good news for all humanity. We pray for our efforts to seek harmony and dialogue with other faiths: Lord, give us humility and patience to walk with others with respect.
Lord hear our prayer

The Magi returned to their home by a different way. Lord, help us to find new and creative ways to follow you and to witness to you so that the world may believe.
Lord hear our prayer

Creator of the heavens,
who led the Magi by a star
to worship the Christ-child:
guide and sustain us,
that we may find our journey’s end
in Jesus Christ our Lord.

As we open up the treasure of our giftedness and put it at the service of the Body of Christ, let us pray that God’s Kingdom will come and God’s will be done:

The Lord’s Prayer . . .

Peace be to the whole community, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all who have an undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen. Thanks be to God.

Derek Akker
(Derek is a retired Anglican Parish Priest and a member of the congregations of All Saints & St James)

Collects – Liturgy © Common Worship, The Archbishops Council, 2000 – Prayers from the World Council of Churches
Parish of Kirklees Valley, Bury, (All Saints, Elton & St James, Woolfold)
In the Diocese of Manchester
CCLI Licence Number 1243418 Church Copyright and Streaming Licence

Images

Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC

Public domain – Violet Oakley (June 10, 1874 – February 25, 1961)

(https://vindevie.me/2017/10/23/violet-oakley)