Ascension, preceding days

Dear William,

A lovely gift from the Magic Garden, a thank you to Edith. I hope she will allow me to use the pictures of the flowers for the prayer meditation. Brilliant rhododendron, lilac and exotic additions filling the presence.

Fr. Raymond has return from the pilgrimage of Medjugorde, thanking Our Lady for recovery in his painful walking after the first Mass.

Busy; The Abbot has alerted me to the mustering of the Knights Templar after tomorrow Sunday.

Our Saturday Postie hurried away after our lunch without the the express delivery. Monday expectation awaiting the images/Hebrew/Knox, D.V..

God love,

fr. Donald

Dear Father Donald,

I managed to obtain a printout of Psalm 119 from Excel, sized so as not to split up the stanzas between pages, and have put a copy in the post to you, wondering if perhaps it would scan to fit into your Blog (even just the: Images / Hebrew / Knox). I tried not to shrink it too much.

Psalm 119 is well described in the article you discovered, especially pointing out the different elements: "prayers of praise (45-48), lament (81-88), vindication (132-134), obedience (57-64), and petitions for wisdom (33-40)". Most of all I like the comment you highlighted, "the thoughtful outcry that rises when real life meets real God.” How perfect indeed that is recited during the Day Hours.

The Crufts arena would do nicely! - what a marvelous performance by that collie! I showed it to Edith and she loved it! Edith is meanwhile vexing herself as the rain falls and threatens to spoil the spring blooms in her little walled garden (sample photos attached) which is just the right size for her to potter in, and to cherish, just whenever she feels like it.

With my love in Our Lord,

William

The magic garden - looking forward to Ascension

 

Ascension – the days before

HE AND i (Gabrielle Bossis)

1945 May - 3 - "My beloved Jesus, I come to receive Your word and above all Your love  -  Thursday, this day dearest to my heart of all the days of the week." 

 "Enter into my courts. Ask the help of My mother. Go farther, still farther. Leave material things behind. Go right into the most secret shrine. There, where there is silence, the freedom of inner knowing, the flame that burns to burn more brightly.

Then ask the Spirit to brood over you as He brooded over the waters before the end of Creation. By yourself you are chaos. Do you fully realize this? Do you try to keep it in mind? Have you humbled yourself today in thought or deed? Not to cause you distress nor diminish your strength, but to tighten your hold on the power of your God, who is only waiting for your call.

And now, possessed by the Spirit, what else could inspire your words but Love? Tell Him, the Spirit of Love, to speak for you. Don't you think that it will be in the simplest, most delicate way? For the Spirit also adopts the language of the little ones. Wasn't My very humble mother overshadowed by Him when she answered the angel, 'Behold the handmaid of the Lord'?"

COMMENT: The words above, "HE AND ", gave new live to the verses from from the liturgy Chant of Lauds in the verses of Psalm 50  (of David)....   

The Book of Psalms by Ronald Knox

Psalm 50 (51)

1 (To the choir-master. A psalm. Of David, 2 when the prophet Nathan came to reproach him for his adultery with Bethsabee.)   

3 Have mercy on me, O God, as thou art ever rich in mercy; in the abundance of thy compassion, blot out the record of my misdeeds. 4 Wash me clean, cleaner yet, from my guilt, purge me of my sin, 5 the guilt which I freely acknowledge, the sin which is never lost to my sight. 6 Thee only my sins have offended; it is thy will I have disobeyed; thy sentence was deserved, and still when thou givest award thou hast right on thy side. 7 For indeed, I was born in sin; guilt was with me already when my mother conceived me. 8 But thou art a lover of faithfulness, and now, deep in my heart, thy wisdom has instructed me. 9 Sprinkle me with a wand of hyssop, and I shall be clean; washed, I shall be whiter than snow; 10 tidings send me of good news and rejoicing, and the body that lies in the dust shall thrill with pride. 11 Turn thy eyes away from my sins, blot out the record of my guilt; 12 my God, bring a clean heart to birth within me; breathe new life, true life, into my being.13 Do not banish me from thy presence, do not take thy holy spirit away from me; 14 give me back the comfort of thy saving power, and strengthen me in generous resolve. 15 So will I teach the wicked to follow thy paths; sinners shall come back to thy obedience. 16 My God, my divine Deliverer, save me from the guilt of bloodshed! This tongue shall boast of thy mercies;17 O Lord, thou wilt open my lips, and my mouth shall tell of thy praise. 18 Thou hast no mind for sacrifice, burnt-offerings, if I brought them, thou wouldst refuse; 19 here, O God, is my sacrifice, a broken spirit; a heart that is humbled and contrite thou, O God, wilt never disdain.20 Lord, in thy great love send prosperity to Sion, so that the walls of Jerusalem may rise again. 21 Then indeed thou wilt take pleasure in solemn sacrifice, in gift and burnt-offering; then indeed bullocks will be laid upon thy altar.[1]