December 20,2007

Well I have succumbed to having a blogspot. In the past I have always thought it excessively arrogant to post the meanderings of one's mind on the interenet for all to see. But perhaps it can be of some value in helping people to be encouraged. My own particular interest, of course, is prayer, meditation and Zen practice. So here I am as we swiftly run up to Christmas with all the rush and same old trotted out moans and whines! It this any way to really be grateful for the very gift of life? This gift is really a deep mystery - not that we can't explain it but that it is 'more than meets the eye' It is always more than we can ever comprehend. Surely the fact that our life is one that the divine creator could become a very real part of indicates the magnificence of just life. The scripture readings for this upcoming Sunday includes 'God is with us' meaning the incarnation but what does it mean that God is with us? Was there ever a time when God wasn't? Perhaps the incarnation is a visable manifestation of the fact that God has been, is now and always will be with us and life should be lived in this awareness. However to do that joyfully we have to be liberated from all the distorted images of God as the one who watches all our failures and is such a harsh judge. I am preaching at tall the masses at St. Peter's Cirencester this weekend and I hope I can get across that this life is so precious and that our ordinary life is the place of our spirtual practice and God's presence in every bit of it is that of an encouraging, benevolent creator.