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Paul Writes
"‘The Visit of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Elizabeth’ ..."
Wednesday was the Feast Day of ‘The Visit of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Elizabeth’ which is one of those days in the calendar which inspires me to think deeply about friendship and family. The account of the visit in Luke’s Gospel describes a joy filled meeting and speaks of strong bonds of friendship between the women, women who, as it happens are bound by family relationships, but nonetheless, demonstrate loving friendship and solidarity towards each other.
Elizabeth provides sanctuary for Mary, her young bewildered and pregnant cousin. We hear that Mary went to Elizabeth in haste, no doubt afraid and desperate to escape the prying and judgemental gaze of her neighbours. There were no phones, emails or texts, no Facebook or WhatsApp; Mary will have just arrived unannounced, and Elizabeth is overjoyed to see her – Blessed are you and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
There is no judgement here, just pure and unadulterated love and friendship. Women committed to each other, looking out for one another, being good to one another; and let’s not forget that there was a big age gap between them, Mary was not seeking the love and support of a contemporary, but clearly that didn’t matter. What mattered was that Elizabeth was there for Mary.
This scene is depicted in so many paintings, just google it and see! But for me there is a particular painting by the artist Brother. Mickey McGrath, OSFS, a commission from the Visitation Sisters of Minneapolis called ‘Windsock Visitation’, take a look at it https://www.visitationmonasteryminneapolis.org/2010/06/windsock-visitation-an-invitation-to-respond-to-art/ (the Visitation Sisters website). The picture is full of ‘joie de vivre’ but what is also significant is the inscription on it which says:
“This is the place of our delight and rest”.
The Visitation has also inspired music and poetry and one poem I love is by the Poet Sarah Are, called ‘Joy Like Water’:
Mary went to Elizabeth’s house,
Because that’s what we do when the world falls apart. That’s what we do when the script is flipped,
When the rug is pulled,
When it rains inside.
We go home.
We find friends.
We find love.So, Mary went to Elizabeth’s house,
Harbouring good news that must have felt like water— Something capable of helping her float or pulling her under. And only then,
Only there,
In the presence of a face that looked like love,
Does the word “joy” appear.Mary said, “How can this be?”
The angel said, “Do not be afraid.”
Mary said, “May it be so.”
But when Mary went to Elizabeth’s house and Elizabeth opened the door,
Joy—like a tipped cup of water—
Spilled out everywhere.I imagine that Elizabeth laughed.
I imagine that Mary framed her growing belly.
I imagine that both women pressed palms to stomach when that baby began to kick,
A holy ritual as old as time.
I imagine that God smiled.
And I imagine, that for the first time,
Mary could float.Isn’t it always that way?
I could harbour joy to myself.
I could tuck joyful moments deep into pockets, saving memories of better days for long nights. But when I share my joy with you,
When you open the door,
Joy spills out everywhere,
And it is love that helps me float.
With every fibre of my being, I hope that our churches are that place of sanctuary, where joy like water spills out allowing each one of us to float in love. Where the boundaries of age or gender, sexuality, race and whatever else simply fade away, and where we together are one family that in each other finds the promise of new life in Christ our true place of delight and rest.
Enjoy the summer with every blessing.
Fr Paul.
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Paul Writes
"We pray that at this time of National Celebration we may be upheld in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness and gentleness ..."
Like it or not, Saturday 6th May 2023 will be a day of great celebration for our nation and further afield. For many people, me included, it really will be a day of great joy whilst for others who struggle with the idea of monarchy, it will not. Whatever our personal views are however it cannot be argued that anything that brings our community together to share friendship and memories, and most often food, is a good thing and I hope everyone will benefit in some part from the energy of the weekend. Indeed celebration is a Christian thing, Our Lord's first miracle was after all performed at a wedding feast.
The King's Coronation ceremony will be rooted in longstanding tradition but the service will also reflect The King's role in modern Britain, and throughout the Coronation Weekend themes of community life, volunteering and service will be highlighted and celebrated both nationally and locally; here in Shaw and Crompton, we will be taking part in the Big Help Out on Bank Holiday Monday with a Churches Together 'litter pick' which reflects the King's commitment to safeguarding the environment and our Christian commitment stewardship of God's good creation.
The Church of England has helpfully provided us with resources for prayer and worship to support the Coronation and within this has used the following headings for prayer intentions:
Called to pray - to pray is to respond to the God who reached out to us in Jesus Christ.
Called to serve - the call to serve is central to our understanding of the monarchy and King Charles has already pledged himself to that vocation.
Called to dedication - committing our lives to God and each other.
Called to constancy - as King Charles prepares for coronation, we pray that in all the changes of the world he may be rooted in the changelessness of God.
Concern for religious freedom - we pray our King continues to champion this cause.
Concern for charitable work - we give thanks for the work the King has done and continues to do and pray we draw inspiration from it.
Concern for the environment - taking heart in the fact that the King was one of the earliest advocates of environmentalism.
A symbol of the nation - we pray the King fulfils this important role in national and international affairs, that he may be an example of the wisdom, justice and care that we all seek in our lives.
And we pray that at this time of national celebration we may be upheld in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness and gentleness, the characteristics of a faithful and inclusive Christian community. And to end, a prayer of celebration for community:
Living God, you bring us
together in community
and teach us to love one another
as you have loved us.
May we be beacons of your light
in the communities
in which we are set,
that through truth,
justice and action
we may see your Kingdom
come upon earth,
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
May God bless His Majesty The King, The Queen and us all.
Every blessing,
Paul.