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Wednesday 19 September 2012

Little Canticle 115 (An A-Z meditation)


Having recently penned CURIOSITY as an acrostic meditation to celebrate the landing of the Mars rover, (You can click through to it from the Alphabetic index), I was reminded that a little while back I wrote a meditation that reflected one of the styles of a few of the Psalms (seven of them). The reflection begins with A and works its way through the English alphabet to Z.

LITTLE CANTICLE 115 (An A to Z meditation)

Almighty God, Creator, Saviour and redeemer of all people, we bless your Holy Name.

Beauty and Harmony come from you, O God: they are ours to enjoy and the enjoyment is deeper when we see you in them.

Creator of the whole universe, we owe everything to you: if we could give you all that we can see, touch and enjoy, it would not be enough to repay your love for us.

Daily, let us come before you to render worship and praise for all your loving kindness.

Earth, moon, planets and stars all formed as you desired: things both seen and unseen rejoice to be part of your creation.

First and last, last and first; you were there at the beginning and will be there at the end. Eternity is yours and only yours, O Everlasting God.

Great and wonderful are your deeds: may we be open to comprehending their source.

Holiness is your habitation and heaven your kingdom. By your grace alone we are invited to be dwellers there.

Immortal, invisible, the only wise God, hidden by light: and the fountain of light both in heaven and on earth.

Justice is your desire, O Lord. You hate those who thrive by the imposition of oppression and wickedness.

Kindness and mercy are yours, so we can fearlessly acknowledge your might and power: we willingly subject ourselves to your reign, for we know you are just and merciful.

Love is from your heart and about your throne. It was love that brought perfect God and perfect man to the humility and agony of the cross. That is the assurance of your boundless love for us.

Marvellous are the works of your hands, wrought by the power of your Holy Spirit. The Spirit's presence with us is an reminder of your continual love.

No-one can bear the sight of your face. It is too beautiful, too glorious and radiates transcendent splendour. We can hope, only, for a glimpse of that magnificence until we come to our eternal rest with you.

Omniscience is yours alone, O God: everything in heaven and on earth is known to you; yes, even the deep secrets of all our hearts.

Praise, O praise, our God who reigns: three persons in one God, who is in everything that is good and shuns all that is evil.

Quietness and stillness are his gifts: into these he speaks and through them we can prepare to receive the peace of knowing his presence.

Resurrection life is ours, through Jesus, your Son. We thank you for this unfathomable gift.

Salvation comes through you alone. Through Jesus it is assured and when we seek him, we can live in the peace of that assurance.

Thanksgiving, honour and praise are yours by right, O mighty God: we thank you for Jesus who showed us what You are like by his presence here amongst us: God, incarnate, made manifest.

Universal praise will be yours in the last days, when the end and the beginning of all things meet in the triumph of Christ's second coming.

Very God of Very God, we wait upon your glorious return.

When that day comes, we pray we will be ready to be swept into its cosmic triumph.

X, the sign of the Cross, points us to that day. We rejoice in it because, already, by it, Christ has conquered death and sin.

Yesterday, today and forever are gathered in your hand, O God. You are at our beginning and at our end. You are our history, our present and our future and we wait upon the time of your return.

Zeal for you, Lord is the mark of our waiting. Zeal that spills out from us upon all nations, so they may be gathered into your holy kingdom and to the fullness of your promise.

Other Little Canticles (similar format) can be accessed HERE

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Wildfires: Evidence of Climate Chaos
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Cascade of Stars and Gas (Imagined image: CGI)

Cascade of Stars and Gas (Imagined image: CGI)
Cascade of Stars and Gases. This image will take you to the meditation 'Deep Silence'

Butterfly Nebula (CGI)

Butterfly Nebula (CGI)
The Imaginary Butterfly Nebula . Anything like this would be a real Curiosity! The image will link you to the reflection titled 'Curiosity' which is actually a celebration of the achievement of landing the Mars Rover of that name

Ten thousand billion suns - A scintilla of God’s Universe

Ten thousand billion suns - A scintilla of God’s Universe
It is currently thought that the Universe has at least 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 stars! Hence the use of the word ‘scintilla’ for a mere ten thousand billion.

Cross and Particle Accelerator (CGI)

Cross and Particle Accelerator (CGI)
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Nebula (Embroidery)

Nebula (Embroidery)
Nebula (Embroidery) to accompany the poem 'Invitation' which can be found by clicking on the image.

Nativity Star (CGI)

Nativity Star (CGI)
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Orange Galaxy

Orange Galaxy
'Orange Galaxy' posted to accompany 'Bounded and Boundless'. Go to the poem by clicking on the image.

Cosmic Ikon 8 Moth

Cosmic Ikon 8 Moth
Cosmic Ikon 8: Moth Nebula(imagined-acrylic) The Gold field of deep space is intended to convey the Lordship of Christ over the whole of the Cosmos

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Surprise garden rose (Photo)
This beautiful head of roses in our garden, which are giving off a delightful perfume in the morning sun, seems a fitting picture to link to the sonnet 'Evolution and Beauty'. Let the picture take you there. It is a surprise because it is growing high on a bush of otherwise pure yellow roses: amazing!

Cross and Vortex

Cross and Vortex
'Cross and Vortex' to accompany 'Stars and Planets Sing Your Glory'. Click on the image to go to the poem/hymn.

Gaseous Cosmic Threads (Mixed media)

Gaseous Cosmic Threads (Mixed media)
Gaseous Cosmic Threads: Mixed media - acrylics and painted threads

St Francis’ Sky (Photo)

St Francis’ Sky (Photo)
Warm Umbrian Hills: Click image to take you to the poem St Francis' Sky

Cosmic Icon 7 Summerflower

Cosmic Icon 7 Summerflower
Cosmic Icon 7 - Summerflower Nebula (Acrylic)

Cosmic Labyrinth (CGI)

Cosmic Labyrinth (CGI)
'Cosmic Labyrinth' - This icon is a symbol of the path through the near reaches of the Cosmos with its 'Havens' where current advances in science (2012/13) are celebrated. By clicking on the picture you will be taken to the latest version of the poem of the same name.

Cross of Autumn Leaves (cropped Photo)

Cross of Autumn Leaves (cropped Photo)
Time, perhaps to consider a restorative break before the approach of Advent/ Christmas. Let this image take you to 'On Drawing Apart'.

IONA: The Marble Quarry (Photo)

IONA: The Marble Quarry (Photo)
On the South shore of Iona is a bay which shows the industrial scarring of a beautiful place. Read of it by clicking on the picture

Celtic cross candle (Photo)

Celtic cross candle (Photo)
Celtic Cross and candle' linked to the poem 'Awesome, Wonderful Creator'. Go to the poem by clicking on the image.

Light of the World amidst stars (CGI)

Light of the World amidst stars (CGI)
'Light of the world' posted to accompany 'To Light'. Find the poem by clicking on the image.

Iona from Fionnphort (Watercolour)

Iona from Fionnphort (Watercolour)
Iona from Fionnphort. At this point of the Isle of Mull, the end of a pilgrimage or trip to Iona is in sight. Click on this picture to take you to the poem 'IONA - The Pilgrim Way'

My Mesh Mask for Radiotherapy

My Mesh Mask for Radiotherapy
This is the mask which was moulded to my face to ensure the radiotherapy I had in April 2017 was precisely targeted. You can read more by clicking on the image

Double Celebration

Double Celebration
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St Neots Sunset (Photo)

St Neots Sunset (Photo)
Surrounded by beauty: Whie 'Evolution and Beauty' became one of the most viewed poems on this blog, Pam, my wife took this gorgeous picture of a sunset over the flatlands of Cambridgeshire UK. Click on it to go to the poem

Gabriel - written/painted by Pam, my wife in 2015

Gabriel - written/painted by Pam, my wife in 2015
Gabriel began the Christmas story with his visit to Mary. The story is told in our Christmas collection in the Carol, Go to Nazareth My Great Messenger. Click on this image to take you there.

Maple Leaf Nebula (CGI)

Maple Leaf Nebula (CGI)
IMAGINARY IMAGE TO CELEBRATE CANADA DAY: Click on this his imaginary 'Maple Leaf Nebula' to take you to a poem entitled 'Nebula' (image not to be confused with NGC 2024, the Flame Nebula which is also known as the Maple Leaf)

Beauty in the Garden - June 2016

Beauty in the Garden - June 2016
Beauty in the Garden - June 2016

Aurora Imagined over Iona (Watercolour & pastel)

Aurora Imagined over Iona (Watercolour & pastel)
First posted here on Adomnan’s day (23rd September) 2015. An imagined natural phenomenom that could be seen to resonate mystically with the idea of Iona being a ‘thin place’ where heaven brushes earth.

Assisi Sunset

Assisi Sunset
Assisi Sunset

Thinking about the Brain

Thinking about the Brain
This image is formed from a small section of neural pathways posted by the Koch Institute, clipped, part inverted and stitched together. It is intended to impart a sense of our extensive, but still partial understanding of what goes on in that awesome part of our bodies, our brains. By clicking on the image, you will be taken to a celebratory poem/song ‘For Amazement by Beauty’ about all of our senses.

Source (CGI by Trevor Thorn)

Source (CGI by Trevor Thorn)
Source: Expand the image to reveal its heart

Rainbow spiral (CGI)

Rainbow spiral (CGI)
'Rainbow Spiral' to accompany 'Darkness,Illuminator' . Find the poem by clicking on the iImagined mage

Cross and simple Prayer rope (Photo)

Cross and simple Prayer rope (Photo)
Cross and simple prayer rope: make one like this to use as an aid to using ‘The Jesus Prayer'