From "The Answer" by R S Thomas

Is there no way other than thought of answering the challenge?
There is an anticipation of it to the point of dying.
There have been times
when, after long on my knees
in a cold chancel, a stone has rolled
from my mind, and I have looked
in and seen the old questions lie
folded and in place
by themselves, like the piled
graveclothes of Love’s risen body.


Ronald Stuart Thomas was born in Cardiff in 1913, the son of a sea captain. He was educated at University College of North Wales and later undertook theological training at St Michael's College in Cardiff. He was ordained as an Anglican priest in 1936. He died at the age of 87 on the 25th September 2000. He wrote prolifically during his lifetime and his work can be explored at OldPoetry.

Tomb stone photo from Ascension Research Organization.
Linen image from Google Images.

Our ++Kate Has A Birthday Today!!!

We owe Hat Tips to Ann Fontaine+ [Wyoming] and Kay Sylvester+ [Cal] for the birthday newsflash, and to Tom Woodward+ of Sante Fe, NM for the separate but appropriate and tasteful limerick about Our Kate:

"Here's to our PB named Schori,
whose gift to the church is Amore.
When pressed by the left
and the right, being deft,
her focus remains: God's Glory."

"O God, our times are in your hand: Look with favor, we pray, on your servant Katharine, as she begins another year. Grant that she may grow in wisdom and grace, and strengthen her trust in your goodness all the days of her life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Happy Birthday, Katharine!

Consider giving a gift to Episcopal Relief and Development in honor of ++Katharine's birthday today. Go here to make tax-deductible donation in her name.

"My Soul Is Awakened"

My soul is awakened, my spirit is soaring,
And carried aloft on the wings of the breeze;
For, above, and around me, the wild wind is roaring
Arousing to rapture the earth and the seas.



The long withered grass in the sunshine is glancing,
The bare trees are tossing their branches on high;
The dead leaves beneath them are merrily dancing,
The white clouds are scudding across the blue sky.


I wish I could see how the ocean is lashing
The foam of its billows to whirlwinds of spray,
I wish I could see how its proud waves are dashing
And hear the wild roar of their thunder today!

By Anne Bronte.
Images by Google Images.

9000th Visitor...Thank you!

I would like to thank visitor number 9000 in Austin, Texas for your visit today and for taking your time on exploring my blog. Thank you! Catherine+

"I Have Not Yet Done That For Which I Was Made"

O Lord my God

teach my heart

where and how to seek you,

where and how to find you.

O Lord you are my God

and you are my Lord

and I have never seen you.



You have made me and remade me,

and you have bestowed on me all the good things I possess

and still I do not know you.

I have not yet done that for which I was made.

Teach me to seek you

for I cannot seek you unless you teach me

or find you unless you show yourself to me.

Let me seek you in my desire,

let me desire you in my seeking.

Let me find you by loving you,

let me love you when I find you.

Text by St Anslem.

Photos courtesy of ENS Images, Scott Gunn of InclusiveChurch.org and

Google Images.

Blogger's note: I am thankful to God, my Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, for leading the House of Bishops in the way of true wisdom and grace for all of God's people. It is my view that the calm, graciousness and intellect of our Presiding Bishop, Katharine, led the way and created the atmosphere for clarity and listening. And never has our House of Bishops been as clear and attentive to the needs of the baptized than on March 21st, in the year of our Lord, 2007.
Catherine+

"At the Sound of Your Name"

Here in this place new light is streaming,


Now is the darkness vanished away,


See in this space our fears and our dreamings,


Brought here to you in the light of this day.


Gather us in, the lost and forsaken,


Gather us in, the blind and the lame;


Call to us now, and we shall awaken,


We shall arise at the sound of your name.


Used as the invocation to the sermon delivered by The Rev Linda Calkins+ of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington D.C., these words are from the hymn by Marty Haugen entitled "Gather Us In", on the 4th Sunday in Lent, 2005. Hat tip to Jane R who provided the source of these words.

"Calling All Angels..."

A man is placed upon the steps, a baby cries
and high above the church bells start to ring


and as the heaviness the body
oh, the heaviness settles in
somewhere you can hear a mother sing.

Then it's one foot then the other
as you step out onto the road
how much weight? how much weight?
then it's how long? and how far?
and how many times before it's too late?

Calling all angels,
calling all angels.
Walk me through this one
don't leave me alone.

Calling all angels,
calling all angels
We're cryin' and we're hurtin'
and we're not sure why...

And every day you gaze upon the sunset
with such love and intensity
why it's...it's almost as if
if you could crack the code
then you'd finally understand what this all means.





But if you could...do you think you would
trade it in
all the pain and suffering?
ah, but then you'd miss
the beauty of the light upon this earth
and the sweetness of leaving.

Calling all angels,
calling all angels
walk me through this one
don't leave me alone.

Callin' all angels,
callin' all angels
walk me through this one
don't leave me alone.

Callin' all angels
callin' all angels
we're tryin'
we're hopin'
we're hurtin'
we're lovin'
we're cryin'
we're callin'
'cause we're not sure how this goes...


Lyrics by Jane Silberry. All Rights Reserved. Photos courtesy of Google Images.