Author: Jonny N
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Lamb, bound
The following is a poetic reflection on the painting ‘Agnus Dei’ (1635-40) by Francisco de Zuburban. You, alone in the dark. You, crowned in light. You, slumped on the line where life meets death meets life. You, helpless, legs bound. With passive horns, lying in humility, demanding nothing. Me, still looking on. I, Judas. I,…
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Show up
I saw a makeshift sign/poster on a design agency wall the other day, it read “Show Up. Be Present. Tell the truth. Let it all go.” ‘Show up’ seems to be coming at me from a few sources lately. David Taylor recently asked the artist Jim Janknegt to give his top tips for being a…
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The farmer's crop
Say that your main crop is the forest that you did not plant, that you will not live to harvest. [Extract from ‘The Mad Farmer Liberation Front‘ by Wendell Berry] What we work for as success is rarely success. What outlasts us are rarely the things we imagined would. So in all our doing we…
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Naked – a spiritual journey… and ‘Blankets’
I’m really enjoying reading Brian McLaren’s recent book Naked Spirituality at the moment. The structure of the book and “seasons” metaphor is proving helpful in describing my spiritual journey, and allowing me to see it with grace, as well as offer direction. Amusingly, even writing this seems to place me, at this time, neatly in…
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Let down and leaving town
The following is a reflection on Luke 24:13-36 often know as the story ‘on the road to Emmaus’ – Here is a story for anyone who feels let down by Jesus. We follow him, we learn from him, we think we’ve got him sussed out. He will fulfil our wildest dreams, and then… then… suffering,…
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Sacramental
I’m praying with eyes open today, as Peterson recommends (see ‘The Contemplative Pastor’). As I do so, I’m mulling over the psalmists concern to: “behold the beauty of the Lord and seek him in his temple.” Sacramental Made of meat, flesh on bone, dust gathering on soles of feet. Dust and stone my kith and…
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The right interpretation
“The right interpretation of the law is the one that produces love.” Augustine (Matthew 22:37-40)
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This is the day
Awake my soul The many shades of sky, crystalline white, pale mauve, a green, soft, light rests in to the blue, aqua tones found nowhere else in nature, except on the back of rare, warm water creatures. Yet here I sit staring out on a winters sky at the mid point between the equator and…