Brilliance

Just getting over another LCET retreat...basically trying to shed some of the calories piled on over two days...and of course feeling really holy.

Devised and lead the chapel service on Wednesday night (with the lovely Mrs VDM), which illicted the adjectives "awesome", "excellent", and "brilliant" as well as the phrase "if only church was like that more often" from the supreme being, Chris Curtis...high praise indeed and I am feeling very smug ...whilst trying not to be proud!!

The service was based around the story of the fall and when I saw this was the lectionary reading my heart sank...what should we do with that? But I was also excited by the wealth of imagery in the story and the idea that we like Adam have been made guardians of life; to look after all that is around us and to help creation find it's identity. We found some great liturgy from Roots Worship that talked about God bursting our bubble when we forgot Him and thought and acted like god's ourselves. Obviously that called for bubbles (any excuse) and before everyone entered we put a plate outside with sliced apple on it and a sign that said 'have a taste'... glad to say most of the team were lead into temptation ;-).

We had a morning on the book of Jude which was good, we gardened for the monks which was a great way to give something back to them and during some of the free time we had I found a great book called something like 'Poetry for the spirit' and within it an absolutely mind boggling poem by RS Thomas...how you can say so much in so few words is beyond me (as many would testify). It's when faced with something like this that you can begin to understand the idea of genius, I think.

Kyrie (from Mass for Hard Times)

Because we cannot be clever and honest
And are inventors of things more intricate
Than the snowflake – Lord have mercy.

Because we are full of pride
In our humility, and because we believe
In our disbelief – Lord have mercy.

Because we will protect ourselves
From ourselves to the point
Of destroying ourselves – Lord have mercy.

And because on the slope to perfection,
When we should be halfway up
We are halfway down – Lord have mercy.