Author Archives: veerjih

“The mystical certainty that nothing can separate us from the love of God grows when we ourselves become one with love by placing ourselves, freely and without guarantee of success, on the side of love.” Dorothee Sölle, quoted in Christian Mystics by Matthew Fox

“God is in us, and He is present everywhere. It is God’s all-encompassing love that manifests itself in us. When this happens, we see no difference between people: everyone is good, everyone is our brother, and we consider ourselves to be the servants of every created thing.” Elder Thaddeus (1914 – 2003) Artwork by CarlContinue reading “International Day of Non-Violence”

“The noblest joy of the senses,the holiest peace of the heart,the most resplendent lustre of all good worksderives from this:that the creatureputs his or her heartwholly into what s/he does.” Mechthild of Magdeburg, 13th century Beguine

“The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it’s indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it’s indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it’s indifference.” Elie Wiesel (1928 – 2016), writer, holocaust survivor and Nobel Laureate, born on this day

“Michaelmas gales assail the waning year,And Michael’s scale is true, his blade is bright.He strips dead leaves; and leaves the living clearTo flourish in the touch and reach of light.Archangel bring your balance, help me turnUpon this turning world with you and danceIn the Great Dance. Draw near, help me discern,And trace the hidden graceContinue reading “Feast of St Michael and All Angels”

“”World-mothering air, air wild,Wound with thee, in thee isled,Fast home, fast fold thy child.”Gerard Manley Hopkins, The Blessed Virgin Compared to the Air We Breathe The breath of life has always had a special, sacred meaning for people worldwide, since it is the mark of our mortality. The first and last breaths are marked withContinue reading “Thought for the day, Sunday 28th September”

“In his poem, There Was a Child Went Forth, part of the Autumn Rivulets cycle, Walt Whitman describes the things that a child sees in his daily wanderings – the shadows, the field-sprouts, the wharves and the ferries, the clouds and the apple trees, the workers, and the families both kind and cruel.He closes withContinue reading “Thought for the day, Saturday 27th September”

“I said to my soul, be still, and wait without hopeFor hope would be hope for the wrong thing; wait without love,For love would be love of the wrong thing; there is yet faithBut the faith and the love and the hope are all in the waiting.Wait without thought, for you are not ready forContinue reading “Thought for the day, Friday 26th September”

“That person who’s kindWho practices righteousnessWho remains at peaceIn the world’s madnessWho feels all sentient beingsAs his or her own self –This person attainsThe Deathless OneAnd is accompanied alwaysBy the true God.” Kabir, 15th century India, pictured (left) with Guru Nanak and Mardana

“Blessed saint francispray for usnow and in the time of despondencyyour brother the water is poisonedchildren no longer know your brother the firethe birds shun us They belittle youpopes and czarsand the Americans buy up Assisiincluding youblessed saint franciswhy did you come among us? In the stony outskirts of the cityI saw you scurrying aboutaContinue reading “Thought for the day, Wednesday 24th September”