Dear All,
We hope you have had a good Easter Week: how lucky we are that Easter comes in this season of greenness, growth, colours, new life. Do you know ‘Spring, a Season for Rising’ by Nikos Kazantzakis –
‘I said to the almond tree:
Speak to me of God;
And the almond tree blossomed.’
We are sending you some pieces in that vein hoping you will find some more joy in them as we travel through Eastertide – a whole six weeks of celebrating the Resurrection.
Our blessing is ‘Bless to me, O God’ from Heavenly Peace.
Enjoy the week! We start again with Evening Prayer tomorrow, Sunday 24th at 5.30pm.
With love
Easter People.
When we live as Easter people we give the lie to the idea that the Kingdom of Heaven is somewhere else, some time later. When we go on hoping even when there is little reason that we can see for hoping, when we bring the true Easter gifts to others & share them with them – those gifts of joy, of hope, of peace – we are living in the Kingdom of Heaven here & now. The Kingdom of Heaven doesn’t need to be just for the future – (& only then if we deserve it) – living in the spirit of Easter Sunday, & helping others to experience it, is the Kingdom of Heaven. Harry Wilson in ‘True Resurrection’ says, ‘Heaven will be recognised as a country we have already entered, & in whose light & warmth we have already lived’.
Listening to Spring.
Macrina Wiederkehr
How quietly the earth breathes forth new life.
I am listening.
I am listening to the seeds breaking open,
to roots growing strong beneath the ground,
to green shoots rising up from winter wombs.
I am listening.
I am listening to the forest filling up with song.
I am listening to the trees filling up with leaves.
I am listening.
I am listening to the sky with its many changing moods,
to flashes of lightning, peals of thunder,
to opening buds and greening grass.
I am listening to the breaking forth of light
in the vestibule of dawn.
I am listening to the freshness of the morning.
I am listening.
You discover, within your winter,
A summer-time that never ends;
You hold the earth & all people
As you hold the hearts of those you love;
You trust in dawn at the darkest hour;
You accept your weakness & it makes you strong;
When you try to live in the present moment:
You know your freedom is truly won
And you dance on your grave like the Easter Son.