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******** to the 'Stiff Upper Lip'

by Tony | 2/26/2009 in | comments (2)

It's probably a bad thing for my blood pressure, but I've been reading a lot of unexpurgated bilge bemoaning the lack of 'British reserve' and people 'wearing their hearts on their sleeves' over the last 24 hours. These people complained about an apparent trend for people to grieve for the loss of those who are completely unrelated to them. They complain about the 'Diana Effect' and go on to draw a conclusion that this is entirely unworthy of traditional 'British' sentiments.

Where did this all come from?

Well, I've been reading the public responses on the BBC website to the temporary 'suspension of politics' in the wake of the tragic death of David Cameron's oldest son. Some people seem to resent the fact that Parliament was suspended for a short time out of respect for the grief of the Leader of the Opposition. Some people seem to think that it's a bad thing for others to respect the grief of someone in the public eye and to be affected by it.

Well, I've got news for them. Here is a famous quote:

No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were: any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for thee.

The key phrase is this: "Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind"

Isn't this what we are ALL called to be? To be 'involved in mankind'... to be in solidarity with those who suffer? To share their grief and to let them know that they do not suffer alone or in isolation.

I do not have the right to presume to know what Mr and Mrs Cameron are feeling right now. Their grief is unique and personal to them alone. But no matter whether someone is the Leader of an Opposition or whether they're the local refuse collector, if I come to hear about a tragedy or a loss they are suffering, it is heartless of me to refuse to feel sympathy out of some misguided loyalty to some concept of 'Britishness' best now left in the wastes of history.

Jesus commanded us to love one another as we would ourselves wish to be loved. It seems to me that the so-called 'stiff upper lip' is in direct opposition to this commandment. So what if we're now more inclined to show our sympathy and be more emotionally affected by the losses of those in the public eye? Those losses are no different to those that are in our own 'private' eyes: those of our own immediate circles... We wouldn't be expected to be unaffected there would we?

If being drawn to sympathy and caring by the plight of someone 'famous' is a bad thing, then I don't know what is good any more.

God asks that I wear my heart on my sleeve. And this I do openly in order to honour Him and those who suffer in my midst. And woe betide anyone who suggests otherwise in my presence.

A season of diminishment, growth, repentance and healing.

by Tony | 2/25/2009 in | comments (1)

Today Lent begins with the imposition of ashes.

The ash reminds us that we are mortal and that we will, one day, see our bodies wither and turn to dust. It reminds us that time is passing remorselessly and without favour to any. What better time is there to seek the forgiveness of God? As Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor alluded to today, in his homily at Westminster Cathedral, we all have many little sins that, day by day, increase the weight our spirits have to bear.

We have accumulated these sins by being undisciplined in our lives. Discipline is a hard skill to come by. There are so many ways in which we can be led astray: temptations pull us in this direction and that, laziness stops us from going in any direction at all, our natural inclinations work against our duty to become more holy.

Lent, being a clearly understood season of abstinence and sacrifice, offers us the chance to diminish the impulses to do wrong by increasing our discipline to do right as a conscious choice. We need not think of Lent as a season of trial. It isn't. It can be, instead, a season of growth and freedom, a time when we can - through increasing self-discipline - free ourselves of the things that hold us back from a more personal and rewarding relationship with our God.

Now is the time to consider the things we have done that hurt us, hurt others and hurt our relationship with a God who loves us unconditionally. Take the time to examine your conscience and your relationships. Have you hurt someone? Promised something and not done it? Been untruthful to the detriment of others? Have you been unkind? Have you hurt God Himself by invoking him in vain? Have you hurt yourself by being uncharitable in your heart and closed yourself off to charity towards others?

Use Lent to free yourself of these faults. Use the Confessional and really heal yourself.

Catholics rarely seem to make use of the Confessional these days according to various surveys. It seems to me the point of Lent has been lost on many, as has the opportunity. Perhaps you are scared of 'Confession'? Perhaps the thought of talking about all your deepest and darkest secrets sends you rigid with fear? Perhaps you fear the judgement of the man behind the grille? Perhaps it seems like too big a mountain to climb? Perhaps you've forgotten the right words to use and you're scared of looking like a fool?

I promise you that I once felt the same. I was once so ashamed of my silly little sins that going to Confession brought me out in a cold sweat. I'd long since forgotten how to make a Confession in the formulaic style I was taught. But eventually I couldn't hold out any longer. Eventually I made my way into that little box and falteringly told the priest that I hadn't been to Confession in years and I didn't really know how to do it right. And immediately the priest told me not to worry about any of it. What mattered was that I was there, talking to God, being honest and open about the things I had done wrong. And the words just flooded out. They tumbled over themselves to be said. So many years of pain and guilt for the things that I had done wrong and forced myself to ignore and, unsuccessfully, to forget. A weight was lifted from me and the relief was so overwhelming that I could barely keep up with it. Finally talking to the priest, who I now recognise must have heard all these silly little sins a thousand times or more before, healed me in a way I didn't really know was possible.

I emerged (years ago now) a changed man with a new and precious understanding of the Joy of Confession. It's called being in a State of Grace and it's the knowledge that all your sins have been forgiven. All of them. Without exception. Because you chose to be open and honest and approach God willingly. And because you did, He responded with a loving embrace that exceeds anything you can possibly imagine. It's available to all. Don't be frightened of God. He loves you so much that He cannot refuse anyone who seeks solace in Him.

Of your charity...

by Tony | 2/23/2009 in | comments (1)

Please say a "prayer for my intentions"...

I cannot reveal anything other than that prayers are needed. I would be grateful if you would join with me in them, however.

Grateful thanks will be yours.

This made me smile. Lots.

by Tony | 2/21/2009 in dancing, happiness | comments (0)

There's absolutely nothing religious about this. Except perhaps being thankful to God for the gift of happiness. Which is what these videos made me. A lot.

For some reason the children in Rwanda dancing with Matt is possibly the most heartwarming.

For more about the history behind the videos, go to http://www.wherethehellismatt.com

Thinking while watching paint dry...

by Tony | 2/19/2009 in | comments (1)

I am somewhat lacking in computer facilities at the moment (this is being prepared on a laptop balanced precariously on the edge of my bed). My desk is in bits, as is my proper main computer (its component parts are spread all over the house) while I decorate my living room prior to installing new matching shelving and desks. This is the culmination of my project to maximise the amount of storage downstairs in the house. (Next stop, upstairs, but that's a huge project involving knocking down walls and moving plumbing. Eek!)

So, today I have been sitting and watching paint dry. It's actually quite theraputic. Since it wasn't possible to waste my time on my computer, I just sat in the one available chair with my feet up on the window sill staring out at my front garden. I'm rather proud of my front garden. I put in lots of lovely multicoloured foliage last year and it looks almost as good now in winter as it does in summer. Some of the plants are still flowering after 9 months - despite all the recent snow and frigidness. There's a little water feature (one of those half barrel things) that I can turn on when I want the tinkly sound of water splashing. It's rather nice to just gaze at it and forget the modern world with all its bustle and stress and just concentrate on the natural beauty and all that potential energy hidden away inside the tightly wound buds on the cherry tree. Each bud, each leaf, each shoot is a work of art - and they're not of my making.

It made me happy.

Ever felt like you have more than one home?

by Tony | 2/17/2009 in | comments (1)

Well I have... And this is it. I've been to Rome twice and on both occasions I felt like I was 'coming home' - which might be thought of as odd, seeing as I barely speak a word of Italian and had to communicate with the Gelato sellers by means of gesticulation and incomprehensible 'Engtalian' - and no, I didn't do the English thing of shouting slowly in English - but I did get my feminine words mixed up with the masculine and made an ice cream seller look quizzically at me when I was referring to myself!

Anyway, there's something about Rome - and in particular the Piazza San Pietro - that made me feel more comfortable than I've ever felt in a city (and normally I don't like cities). I could wander the streets of Rome for ever, which is good, because, despite being a petrol-head, absolutely nothing would persuade me to drive on them!

I really want to go back. And... I nearly have enough Air Miles to do so. Perhaps just after Easter? Perhaps this time I'll spend some more time with my 'Learn Italian in what feels like 37,255 easy-but-interminable steps' books?

Mmmm... Uno grande melone gelato per favore... Mmmm...

What does 'giving up for Lent' really mean?

by Tony | 2/15/2009 in | comments (1)

It's a question that's intrigued me for years. It's also been a real problem for me. There's not that much in the manner of things that I consume that I can realistically 'give up for Lent'. The common thing is to give up some favourite type of food, but I don't eat all that much and there aren't 'regular' things that I eat and particularly enjoy that I can realistically give up. For example, I could give up chocolate - but I don't eat it all that often, so it would hardly make much of an impact in my life.

Giving something up for Lent is supposed to enhance some form of virtue in oneself. It's usually the sacrifice of something physical leading to a form of 'self mortification', a form of 'death' in a sense of something worldly and bodily - temporarily of course - that perhaps allows us to empathise a little with the sufferings that Christ allowed himself to experience and hopefully to draw a little closer to Him...

But there is more than one way to give something up. For someone racking their brains for something to do for Lent, how about giving up a bad or selfish habit - or better yet, replacing it with a good and virtuous one?

A couple of years ago, I gave up skipping breakfast. Now at first glance that seems like I'm adding something, not taking it away. But this meant I had to have more willpower. I had to get up earlier before leaving for work where previously I'd rolled out of bed five minutes before the deadline to catch the train and breakfast was simply not an option. And my health suffered as a result of my laziness. So instead I decided to cut out that laziness and eat something to set me up for the day instead. I replaced a bad habit with a good one, and my health improved. It was hard, not dozing comfortably in bed for as long as I could (I like my bed!) but I improved my willpower and I was better for it: physically and spiritually.

This year, my circumstances being different - and my habit now being to eat breakfast! - I have decided that I'm going to give up oversleeping. I'm going to be strict with myself and not stay up all night working and as a result miss half the daylight. It'll be difficult - my body clock rebels at the thought of going to bed before midnight and frequently I'm simply not tired before 5am, but I intend to do this and start living in the daylight for a change!

I'm going to give up a bad habit this coming Lent. And, with luck, I'll replace it with a new and better one. There has to be some virtue in that...

Hungry for the real meaning

by Tony | 2/15/2009 in | comments (0)

Sometimes it seems to me that the prayers in the English Missal can be, dare I say it, somewhat banal in their translation from the original Latin.

Now I'm no Latin scholar - the last Latin I learned was 25 years ago at school - so I have to acknowledge, with gratitude, the article in this weeks 'Tablet' which looked at the post Communion prayer of this Sunday's Mass and has helped me gain a new appreciation for what the prayer really says...

"Lord, you give us food from heaven. May we always hunger for the bread of life"

It would be so easy to take these few words at their face value in English and not seek the deeper meaning. It's not a simple matter of feeding and wanting only food that's good for us. The Latin version speaks of the Lord nourishing us with Heavenly delights. It enthuses and strengthens us when we join with the priest and ask that we should always and increasingly desire this heavenly nourishment. Not simple food, but that which sustains us: the breath of God Himself, in our living and our very existence.

So I was very glad that Father deliberately emphasised the word 'hunger' at Vigil Mass tonight. The English doesn't do the Latin justice, if you ask me, but at least we can hear that we should be emphatically and earnestly seeking more nourishment from God: not just physical food, but also the spiritual that sustains our souls and strengthens us in our lives to face the various trials that we all face from time to time without despair but with trust in the One who saves us, if only we let Him.

A new look

by Tony | 2/06/2009 in | comments (0)

A new look, recalling languid lush summer days while we shiver in the winter gloom.

I hope you like it.

Sci-fi, God and inspirational things...

by Tony | 2/05/2009 in Gayatri Mantra, prayer | comments (1)

Most of my friends know this about me already: I am a sci fi fan. I love most things of the genre: Star-Trek, Doctor Who, Star Wars, etc. I also really like Battlestar Galactica (both the high-camp 1970s version and the current 're-imagined' masterpiece).

Now I don't commonly attach any particular religious significance to sci-fi, I just enjoy it for the escapism and the story-telling so imagine my surprise and delight when tonight I happened across the translation of the lyrics used in the main titles of Battlestar Galactica... It's the Gayatri Mantra, sung in Sanskrit, and is a sacred verse from the Hindu tradition, although to me it speaks volumes about how we humans reach out to the Divine in all our traditions. Regardless of how we individually view those traditions and their efficacy (for want of a better word right now), that movement towards God, that reaching out, that yearning for the Divine can be stunning and beautifully profound. Discovering this verse was one of those moments of realisation of beauty that I will treasure forever.

The desire for Good, the opening of our hearts for God to guide us, that willingness of spirit to be led somewhere better and to be better than we are now... that is something we surely all can learn to appreciate and love.

No matter who you are, what your tradition is, perhaps we can all join in our hearts with this prayer:

Aum bhoor bhuwah swaha,
Tat savitur varenyam
Bhargo devasaya dheemahi
Dhiyo yo naha prachodayat

It has many translations, but the most common is:

Oh God! Thou art the Giver of Life,
Remover of pain and sorrow,
The Bestower of happiness,
Oh! Creator of the Universe,
May we receive thy supreme sin-destroying light,
May Thou guide our intellect in the right direction.

May we all be guided by our God towards the Right and the Good and may we all seek that Guidance from God whom we love.

Oh... and enjoy Battlestar Galactica on the way too! ;)

Candlemas Day

by Tony | 2/02/2009 in candlemas day, prayer | comments (0)

Copied from http://clericalwhispers.blogspot.com/2009/02/candlemas-2nd-february.htmlA PRAYER FOR CANDLEMAS DAY

LORD Jesus Christ, You are the true Light enlightening every soul born into this world.

Today we celebrate the feast of Candlemas.

Before Holy Mass, the priest blesses the candles, whose wax is the humming summer's work of countless bees.

The flames of these candles will shed their light upon the altar at the Holy Sacrifice.

Help us to realize, this day and every day, that our own humdrum daily work, if it is done for love of You, and in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, will be a supernatural work, and will shine brightly before You for all eternity.

Help us realize, too, each time we see the blessed candles at Holy Mass, or at the bedside of the sick, that they are a symbol of Yourself, the Light shining in the darkness of this world.

Help us to live in that Light, to make it our own, and to kindle it in the souls of others, increasing the area Of light and lessening the darkness in the World.

This, dear Lord, help us do, through the merits of Your own dear mother, Mary, who did everything for love of You, from the moment she brought You into this world till the day she joined You in the realms of light at her death.

Then we, too, working for You, shall be light-bearers who will help to spread Your kingdom on earth, and increase the number of those who dwell in heaven, the city of eternal light.

Amen

Another year goes by...

by Tony | 1/20/2009 in | comments (1)

And I rack up another year.

Happy birthday to me!

Letter from Gaza

by Tony | 1/20/2009 in gaza, prayer | comments (0)

This Sunday our parish priest read out an open letter from Fr Manuel Mussallam who is the priest for the tiny Catholic community of 200 in the Holy Family parish in Gaza. The profoundly moving letter recounted the situation in Gaza under the conditions of war imposed by Israel over the last few weeks. My heart broke at this passage:

I announce to you from the heart of the father and priest, the death of the daughter of our school in Holy Family, the dear, Christine Wadi al-Turk, the first Christian to die in the war. Christine was in the tenth grade in our school and she died this morning, Friday, January 2, 2009 as a result of fear and the cold. The windows in her home were open to protect the children from glass fragments and the missiles that pass above it. The bombing that hit her neighbor's home caused her whole body to shake in horror. She could not bear all this, so she went to complain to her Creator about her situation and request a home and a refuge where there is no crying, screaming or wailing, but joy and happiness.

I find it deeply distressing that any nation should seek to wage war on innocent civilians and, in particular, that a child should be driven to death by fear.

The letter is reproduced in full on our parish website: http://www.saintdominics.org.uk/news.htm

Please take the time to read it and, perhaps, to join in prayer with the Christians of Gaza as they recite the words Fr Manuel has provided for prayer at the top of each hour:

O Lord of peace rain peace on us, O Lord of peace, grant peace to our land. Have mercy, O Lord, on your people and do not keep us in enmity forever.

Amen.

I'm really not a very good blogger am I?

by Tony | 12/29/2008 in | comments (0)

Nearly four months has gone by without a peep from me. For that I'm sorry. Life has not been easy recently, what with my father suffering a fall resulting in a broken hip and two bouts of illness for me (flu followed almost immediately afterwards by the dreaded winter vomiting bug, which knocked me off my feet for nearly three weeks) I've not really had the inclination or the time to keep up with this thing... Perhaps a New Year resolution is appropriate?!

A pause for thought...

by Tony | 9/11/2008 in | comments (0)

Today is the 11th of September.

Seven years have gone past, yet still the images of the World Trade Centre towers falling have the power to shock. I still remember clearly where I was and what I was doing as I learned of the atrocity.

I want to take a moment to remember those who died both then and afterwards as a result of the attacks and the responses to them.

No matter who they are, each soul is precious to God. I pray that those who died and were innocent of any crime may have come to joy and peace in the presence of God. Because I hope that all souls may be saved, I pray that those who were guilty may have in their final moments realised the truth of their actions and that they were able to seek forgiveness from God that their souls might be washed clean and saved. I pray that those who seek violence or vengeance in this world may find instead charity and peace. Lord, on this day, comfort those who weep for lost ones.

May peace be with you all.

Hmm...

by Tony | 9/11/2008 in discernment, priesthood, seminary, training | comments (0)

Bad news, I'm afraid.

I've decided that I'm not ready for seminary life. I've backed out of beginning studies this year. I just need to prepare myself better for the challenges of living in a community environment, which sadly I've not had the chance to do as I've been so sidetracked in the last few months. After nearly 20 years of self-sufficiency and being able to come and go as I please I need still to prepare myself better, so I'll give it another year.

All is not not lost!

A Perfect Storm? (2)

by Tony | 9/01/2008 in gustav, hurricane | comments (0)

Hurricane Gustav is approaching New Orleans. That poor city which hasn't yet recovered from Hurricane Katrina is facing the possibility of yet another natural disaster. Let us hope and pray that the levees hold and those who are left behind in the city, both residents and those who are there to protect life and property, will survive the onslaught of the approaching maelstrom.

A Perfect Storm?

by Tony | 9/01/2008 in | comments (0)

The BBC is today reporting a leaked Home Office letter suggesting that crime will go up because of the economic downturn. It says that smuggling will increase as well as property crime - theft, burglary, etc - and violent crime. It also says that there will be increased hostility to migrants as competition for jobs increases and that there will be a tendency towards support growing for far right political parties as a result.

I'm hoping that this won't end up as a socio-political disaster - i.e. far right parties do well, immigrants get increasingly mistreated or worse. It seems to me that British society has spent the last few decades gradually losing its moral centre and as it does so reactionary forces are left unchecked. Each time the economy has a setback, the security and the rights of the weakest suffer.

Society has let itself go. We need a strong moral centre for the nation. We need a sense of justice and we need strong messages of goodness. Everyone deserves it. We need strong moral leadership. The reactionary forces that surface every time the economy (or security) suffers need to be countered by a strong message of peace and hope. Now, more than ever, we need to speak of peace and justice to all, otherwise we run the risk of a 'perfect storm' of social, economic and political events resulting in a great tragedy for the good of our citizens and those who visit our shores.

It is time for men and women of goodness to step and be counted.

Unstoppable Love

by Tony | 8/31/2008 in | comments (0)

I just heard these words in a lovely song. Don't they describe God so
well?

A topic for meditation, I think.

Getting closer...

by Tony | 8/26/2008 in apple mac, Fr Philip Harries, pc, priesthood, seminary, training, website | comments (0)

Should I start chewing my nails now? It's seven days and counting until I leave for the Seminary.

I still have a mountain of laundry to do, clothes to pack and books to box up. Then I have to pack up my computer. No... I have to pack up my computers. I use a Mac day-to-day, but I also have responsibilities with regard to keeping my local parish's website (St Dominics) up-to-date and that requires a PC. On top of this I am the quintessential 'Gadget Man' - a residue of 17 years of an IT career! So I'll be carting quite a considerable amount of technology 120 miles westwards to Oscott... My poor little car is going to be packed to the roof!

I am, however, not actually worrying about any of this at all. Especially since this weekend when I was privileged to meet Father Philip Harries while on a short holiday in Wales: he was recently ordained for the Diocese of Menevia after having studied at Oscott. He joyfully assured me that I will really enjoy my studies at Oscott and I have to say that I can't wait!

Roll on the packing!