The following four meditations were written at, or inspired by, a retreat on Celtic Spirituality at Glastonbury House, 2000.

It was the week of Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday.

Shrove Tuesday

Sometimes in prayer

I glimpse my Lord and Saviour Divine,

experience His wonderful love

flowing straight from His heart to mine.

Sometimes in prayer

I witness the sorrow my Lord felt,

experience the depth of His love

as He suffered for me at Calvary.

Sometimes in prayer

I gaze into my Saviour`s eyes,

I realise why He had to die,

for love of a sinner such as I.

In His great love our Creator Father God

brought order out of the cosmic chaos.

In His great love our Lord Jesus

brought light into the deep dense darkness.

In His great love the Spirit

blew across the dusty desert landscape

bringing life to the world.

In His great love our Father gave us Jesus

In His great love Jesus said,

“Not mine, but Your will be done.”

In His great love the Spirit came

breathing new life into the

dry, dusty hearts of His people.

Sometimes in prayer I bring to God

the chaos in my mind

the darkness of my heart

and the desert in my soul.

And when I do

He turns the chaos into order

the darkness into light

and fills my soul

with springs of living water.

Sometimes in prayer

I feel the Spirit circling me round,

experience His all-pervading cloud

and know that in Him true peace is found

and know that in Him true peace is found.

* * *

Lines From A Cellar Chapel

Enter

cold stone chapel

Stone floor,

stone bench,

stone altar.

Peace pervades this holy place

where I will meet You face to face.

As I sit here in the gloom

I am with You in the tomb

I see Your body

wrapped in a shroud

and worship before You,

head bowed

Dark, cold tomb.

You are before me.

Your face looks straight at me

And as I gaze into the deep pools

Of Your caring, compassionate eyes

My heart is captured and captivated.

You hold my life in Your hands

You give me hope

You speak to me.

New life sprang from sweet Mary`s womb

New life will spring forth from the tomb

My death is not the end,

It is the beginning of your New Life.

And so, confident of Your great love

And saving power

I sit to linger in this holy place

Where I have met You face to face.

A strange calm covers my soul,

“peace which the world cannot understand.”

Leave

the gloom,

new light in my soul

Ascend

cold stone steps

Your warmth in my heart

Ascend

to a

NEW LIFE

with You.

* * *