Seeker

We were having a morning coffee in our living room when a Great Tit flew in through the open window. It was a young bird, rather unskilled in aerial navigation. In its panic to escape the terrifying humans, it eventually found a safe perch on a curtain rail. We didn’t want to alarm it further, so making sure all the windows were wide open, we moved out to the garden. We hoped it would find its way out. Some time later I crept back in. The bird seemed to have gone. It hadn’t. It had moved to another curtain pole. My entry caused frantic flying. It flew hard against the unopenable part of a window and fell to the floor stunned. Was it dead? Eventually the young Great Tit rose to its feet, but stayed there, occasionally lifting a wing. Was it injured? Could it still fly? Yes, it could. When I moved the sofa to give it more space, it flew up to the windowsill, where it remained motionless. I went outside to continue to watch it. Was it scared to move? Was it waiting, as young b...

William Wilberforce 3 inspirational people of the 18th and 19th centuries are remembered by the Church of England today. These are William Wilberforce, social reformer and Oloudah Equiano and Thomas Clarkson, anti-slavery campaigners. This portrait is of William Wilberforce (1759 - 1833). He was a member of an influential group of evangelical Christians known as the Clapham Sect. William Wilberforce was active in social reform, a concern that arose from his Christian faith. As an MP for Hull and then Yorkshire he campaigned for improved factory conditions in England and for the abolition of the slave trade.  You can read more about him in a  brief biography of William Wilberforce on the BBC History website . Oloudah Equiano Oloudah Equiano (c.1745 - 1797) was a former slave, then seaman and writer. He was an African captured as a child in what is now Nigeria, sold into slavery, shipped to Barbados and later Virginia where he worked at weeding and gathe...

The red and blue of Norway's national flag are said to represent freedom.  'Freedom' is a 'good' that Norwegians value highly. They take pride in the openness of their society, in tolerance and liberal values. All this must depend to a large extent on trust within their communities. Will this trust be destroyed by the dreadful destruction of human life and property in Oslo and Utoyah Island yesterday? I associate Norway with peace, probably because I've only visited as a summer holiday maker, touring its beautiful landscape, the last time 2 years ago for my nephew's wedding to a Norwegian. I don't associate it with fanaticism, urban bombings or mass shootings. Neither have the Norwegians, until now. They need our support and prayers. For another post about shooting the innocent see Shooting People

Just a quotation to ponder today  about what it means to be a true disciple of Jesus what it means to know the truth and how that makes for freedom. This comes from John's account of Jesus' teaching in the temple at Jerusalem, during the last days before his crucifixion. "Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.' "  John 8: 31-32 Image Credit: Freedom is all you need: Flickr. CC Licence This post in the 23rd in a series of daily Lenten reflections based on a Bible reading form the Common Worship Lectionary of the Church of England. This one is based on John 8: 31-47

Only 3 of the 13th century Magna Carta's 63 clauses are still valid in English law. One of these 3 is the first, which guarantees the freedom of the English Church. The original charter was written in medieval Latin. An English translation of this clause (from the British Library) reads as follows: "FIRST, THAT WE HAVE GRANTED TO GOD, and by this present charter have confirmed for us and our heirs in perpetuity, that the English Church shall be free, and shall have its rights undiminished, and its liberties unimpaired. That we wish this so to be observed, appears from the fact that of our own free will, before the outbreak of the present dispute between us and our barons, we granted and confirmed by charter the freedom of the Church's elections - a right reckoned to be of the greatest necessity and importance to it - and caused this to be confirmed by Pope Innocent III. This freedom we shall observe ourselves, and desire to be observed in good faith by our heirs i...

 photo by Joana Roja I usually find November depressing. In the Northern hemisphere the hours of daylight are getting far too short for me to feel naturally optimistic. Today it's really cold here and there's snow on the ground - far too early. I'm longing for Spring already. It's an appropriate time to be yearning for what is promised but not yet here. Today is the last day of the Christian year. Tomorrow is the first Sunday of Advent and the beginning of a new liturgical year. Advent is a season of hope, of waiting in expectation of the coming of Christ into the world. This picture by Joana Roja uses the traditional Advent colour of purple to represent both royalty and the penitential nature of the season. She has added the warm tones and the suggestion of advent candles to represent light in darkness and the longing for what is promised. I came across a short video by Christine Sine with beautiful images and music by Jeff Johnson. It's her 2010 Advent...