Tuesday, August 17, 2021
Sunday, August 15, 2021
'Holy Mother, pray for me' (Clapton & Pavrotti)
On this day when we celebrate the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into heaven where she shares the victory of her Son over death, I give you (again) this amazing 1996 performance of Eric Clapton, Luciano Pavrotti and the East London Gospel Choir. The song has lost none of its spiritual power. It's a cry from the heart for our time. Secularism has failed dismally to deliver the freedoms it promised to us as individuals, to our culture, and to our world. Furthermore the attempts of many church leaders to appease our culture by playing down the Gospel and the Catholic Faith have only made things worse.
This prayer is a desperate plea for Our Lady - who loves all her children so much - to intercede for a dying world. Let it touch your heart. God bless all my readers on this great day.
Monday, August 2, 2021
Message to All Saints' Benhilton Primary School Year 6 Leavers
All Saints Benhilton
Church of England Primary School
One of the blessings of being Vicar of All Saints’ Benhilton in south-east London is that the church, the vicarage and the school are on the same block, making for a partnership of ministry and support. We marked the last day of the school year (Friday 23rd July) with a Year 6 Leavers’ Service in All Saints’ Church. The children led most of the service which was one of thanksgiving to God for blessings received at the school. We also prayed for our Lord’s continued blessing on the children as they (soon) begin their secondary education.
The children marked this milestone in their lives by writing a ‘year book’ in which each reflected on their lives at ‘ASB’. I was asked to contribute something. This is what I wrote:
Dear Year 6 leavers,
What a time you have had in Year 6! Nobody really thought that the pandemic would last so long, and that your entire final year at All Saints’ Benhilton Primary School would be spent under lockdown conditions. But, with the loving support of your families and teachers, as well as the support you have given each other, you have done so well. You have been inspiring.
Of course, the other dimension that is so important at our school is the experience we share of anchoring into God’s love and strength through worship, prayer, reading the Bible and sometimes just sitting in silence, or supporting each other when we are really struggling. We have learned that our faith is not just a bit of decoration on the edge of our lives, or a kind of hobby to make us ‘feel good’; it is rather a deep seated instinct to cling on to the reality of God’s presence and love, even in times of darkness when there are more questions than answers.
So, although you missed out on a handful of the more predictable things that occur at school, the experience of faith and community which has helped us all through the lockdowns is itself a kind of education that will strengthen you immeasurably for the rest of your lives.
May you know God’s blessing as you go from All Saints’ into the next chapter of your life’s adventure. I give you one of my favourite verses from the Bible which has meant a lot to me throughout my life:
‘The eternal God is your refuge
and underneath are the everlasting arms.’
(Deuteronomy 33:27)
- Father David