Water at the Bon Echo Rock

                                               Ruth in Repose in Bon Echo Provincial Park (note the sign)

The LORD said to Moses, ‘Go on ahead of the people, and take some of the elders of Israel with you; take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will be standing there in front of you on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink.’ 

                      Exodus 17: 5-6 NRSVue

Three days in a row last week we visited different Ontario Provincial Parks -- Presqu'ile, Bon Echo, and Sandbanks. The days were sunny and cold and we had a feeling that the weather would some become milder and our truly Winter opportunites might come to an end. 

At Bon Echo we cross-country skiied in to the narrows of Mazinaw Lake, a spot with a wonderful view of this large body of water with it's cinched waist. To the north is the majestic cliff rising 100 metres, a place considered sacred by Indigenous peoples for hundreds of years with pictographs along the base. In another time it was also the site of a lodge which catered to Christian clergy and artists, including members of the Group of Seven. 

                                                            Old Man and the Ski(s)

There was plenty of snow on our way through the pine woods to the lake and the surface was frozen after a prolonged cold spell. Still, we chose cautin and travelled along the shore to the narrows which were open. We've experienced this open water in other years, even when we were sufficiently confident to ski across to the cliff. 

The narrows can be incredibly busy during camping season with inexperienced paddlers doing their bumper car imitation. On Friday we sat in the silence with no one else around and savoured our "communion" picnic of sandwiches and tea. The sun reflecting off snow and ice and open water was stunning and we felt blessed. 

Today's psalm reading was from Psalm 78 and refers to Moses striking a rock in the wilderness to miraculously provide water to God's people. Even though our wintry moment was half a world away from the parched Negev Desert there was a sense of the miraculous in our experience. We make a point during our outdoor excursions to pause and acknowledge the Creator, taking nothing for granted. 

I assure you we did not drink from the icy waters of Mazinaw Lake, nor did we swim. I did take the plunge last October -- holy Moses! -- but I wasn't even slightly tempted on frosty Friday. 

                                                         Bon Echo -- AJ Casson, Group of Seven 

The Discipline of Walking in the Light

 

A scoundrel and a villain goes around with crooked speech,

 winking the eyes, shuffling the feet, pointing the fingers,
 with perverted mind devising evil, continually sowing discord;

on such a one calamity will descend suddenly, 

   in a moment, damage beyond repair.

 There are six things that the Lord hates,
    seven that are an abomination to him:
 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
 a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that hurry to run to evil,
 a lying witness who testifies falsely, and one who sows discord in a family.

Proverbs 6:12-19 NRSVue

This passage from Proverbs was one of the daily readings this past week and for some reason a certain politician came to mind as I read about crooked speech and sowing discord, the latter phrase twice. Proverbs is not a book of the bible I'm inclined to visit but these verses were so powerful in this discordant, violent time we find ourselves in. 

I chatted about this with Ruth over our morning coffee (I'm a fun guy to start the day) and we touched on the phrase in the Prayer of Jesus, "deliver us from evil." We repeat it every Sunday morning to the point that it becomes rote but it is essential. 

It's hard not to be discouraged these days when it does seem that feet run toward evil yet the writer of Proverbs goes on to offer encouragement, Yes, we need to be clear-eyed about the threats we face but the values of our forebears and the presence of God will sustain us and guide us in our sleeping and our waking. 

Walking in the light is a discipline and our hope in Christ. 

20 My child, keep your father’s commandment,
    and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
21 Bind them upon your heart always;
    tie them around your neck.

22 When you walk, they  will lead you;
    when you lie down, they will watch over you;
    and when you awake, they will talk with you.

23 For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light,
    and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life,

              Proverbs 6:20-23 NRSVue

The Pitt and an Unexpected Blessing

 May you be gentle and loving, clear and sure. 

May you trust in the unseen providence that has chosen you to be a family. 

May you stand sure on your ground, and know that every grace you need will unfold before you — like all the mornings of your life.

from To Bless the Space Between Us: A Book of Blessings." Father John O'Donohue 

We have been watching Season 2 of the emergency room drama The Pitt, and while we're still impressed it doesn't have the same power as the multiple Emmy Award winning first season. The exception for us so far is episode three with two scenes we found moving, one I may describe at another time.

                                      Nurse Practitioner Donahue and Dr. Langdon

A doctor, a male nurse practitioner, and the dad of a boy who has managed to lodge marbles up his nose are musing on fatherhood as they problem-solve. The physician, Dr. Langdon, shares a prayer, a blessing he learned during hard times. It was written by the late John O'Donohue, an Irish priest who died in his sleep at the tender age of 52. How did this priest find his way into the script of a medical series? Star of the show and script writer Noah Wyle explained in an interview: 

"John O'Donohue is an author that I got turned on to several years ago by David Crosby's widow, Jan — a good friend who was looking for some koans of wisdom to help her through a difficult time," Wyle shared. "His 'Book of Blessings' I found to be just absolutely beautiful. Every one, on every subject, had some really lovely phrasing, and some really lovely wisdom. So he's just been in my back pocket."

That personal connection eventually found its way onto the page.

"When it came time to writing this scene," Wyle continued, "it's three fathers in a room with a kid that won't sit still — and that's a rare thing to get. Donahue [the nurse] is a new father; he's got a baby at home. Langdon's got [slightly] older kids. And fatherhood doesn't come with a manual. So you've got three guys in there talking about their experiences of being fathers."

We like that Wyle includes the stuff that has influenced him on life's journey.

A curioius connection with O'Donohue in our family. When our son, Isaac, walked the Camino de Santiago, an 800 kilometre pilgrimage walk, as a 19-year-old he took the priest's book Anamchara with him. An older Irish pilgrim saw Ike with the book and mentioned that he was friends with the author. A couple of months after he returned from Spain Isaac received an autographed copy of the book in the mail from his walking companion. 

Blessed are those who Mourn in Tumbler Ridge

                                                                  Tumbler Ridge Memorial

The massacre of innocent children in a small BC town, along with a teacher and family members of the perpetrator, has shaken Canada. We are not accustomed to school shootings in Canada, thank God, and as always mass killings results in shock, even when we are far from the events. 

It was appropriate that Members of Parliament took time in the House of Commons for solemn reflection and leaders of the political parties offered heartfelt statements of condolence and support. Many members, including Prime Minister Carney, were moved to tears. Yves Francois Blanchet. leader of the Bloc Quebecois made an exception to speaking only in French as he offered his remarks. 

                                                                       Prime Minister Mark Carney

Elizabeth May the acting leader of the Green Party, a party of one in the House, spoke through her emotion to address this horror. May is a Christian who in a conversation I had with her at Laurentian University 30 years ago told me that after she was Prime Minister she would become an Anglican priest. Neither aspiration has come to fruition but her faith continues.

May quoted scripture in her remarks, a reference from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. Here is a portion of what she offered: 

We are not just a nation, we are a proud nation. We are also a family.

We love each other.

Today, our hearts are broken. 

I think of Matthew 5:4, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted”, but that comfort may feel far, far away right now if you are in Tumbler Ridge. Know wherever you are that we are praying for the injured, for the 12-year-old little girl fighting for her life in hospital. We will be with you this day, yes, and whether we are believers or not, we are all one in the human family and we hold you all close. If there is ever any opportunity for us, as individual members of Parliament, to do anything to alleviate the pain, the suffering and the grief of the people of Tumbler Ridge, we are with you today.

We always will be.

I hope we do love one another in this country and that those who want to turn this tragedy into an anti-transgender hate-fest will be rebuked and sllenced. The families of those who lost loved ones and a grieving community deserve better. Jesus also said, Blessed are the peacemakers. 

                                                                             lizabeth May

Antoni Gaudi, Architect and...Saint?

 

"God, our Father, who inspired your servant Antoni Gaudí, architect, with a great love for your Creation (...) Grant me success in fulfilling my task and deign to glorify your servant Antoni, by granting me, through his intercession, the grace that I ask of you (state your request). Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen."

There is a detective series from Spain, City of Shadows, in which the grisly murders occur at various buildings in Barcelona designed by the visionary architect, Antoni Gaudi. One of those buildings is featured in the poster above. It's a great premise and we watched a couple of episodes but the torture and subtitles got to us. 

I have written about Gaudi more than once in relation to the Sagrada Familia church, a building begun in 1885 and nearing completion more than a century later. The plan is to consecrate the church some time in 2026. 

This year is also the 100th anniversary of the death of Gaudi and there is hope that this year a decades long effort to recognize Gaudí as a saint of the Roman Catholic church will be realized. Another architect, Jose Manuel Almuzara describes Gaudi as the "architect of God" and hands out cards with a photograph of Gaudi on one side and the prayer above on the other.

                   

                                                                                    Antoni Gaudi

The Vatican declared Gaudi "venerable" last year, so it may happen. While my respect for the architect wouldn't be increased or diminished by a designation of sainthood I do feel that his creativity was God-given, but I think this of a lot of artists, whether they are sacred or secular in intentions. 

I do appreciate the Vatican's description of Gaudi:  

Born in 1852, Antoni Gaudí i Cornet accepted the task of directing the project of the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona in 1883. His focus was making art a hymn of praise to the Lord and he considered it his mission to make God known and bring people closer to Him.

                                                   Inside Sagrada Familia 

Harmony Fit For a King

 

   Our philosophy

‘Harmony’ is a universal expression for the order, connection and balance found in nature. 

The Harmony philosophy sees everything in nature as interconnected, including ourselves. This means taking a holistic approach to the challenges facing our planet, and looking to solve these challenges by working with nature, rather than against her.  King's Foundation 

Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord; and by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of thy only Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Last evening Ruth and I agreed to watch the first few minutes of the new documentary. Finding Harmony: A King's Vision, narrated by Kate Winslet.  We weren't holding out much hope that this would be much more than a vanity piece for King Charles III -- how much would the monarch want to reveal about himself when the role requires a certain distance to create the image of royalty? We live in a day when royal families have limited power and are more inclined to ribbon cutting that "off with their heads!". 

Our skepticism seemed to be confirmed at the outset as Charles' regal entourage rolled up to a stately country home and he was greeted like a scene from Downton Abbey. This was Dumfries House, a historic estate purchased and restored by Charles as the home for the King's Foundation, https://kings-foundation.org/finding-harmony-a-kings-vision/ an organization dedicated to seeking environmental and relational harmony in Britain and around the world. Children and seniors come to Dumfries House to enjoy the grounds and to learn about small scale agriculture.

We discovered that the Foundation is involved in a rain forest preservation project in Guyana and an educational program in Afghanistan that has been allowed to continue under the Taliban. 

We got to see clips of  comments made by Charles going back more than half a century in which he called for the reduction of the use of pesticides and the promotion of organic growing. He was described as a kook in the media in often  bold headlines. 

                                              King Charles with his subjects at Cluckingham Palace 

At Highgrove, Charles' home since the 1980s, he has been involved in habitat restoration for biodiversity and saving heirloom plant species, including various vegetables. He keeps chickens in a coop with the cute title of Cluckingham Palace and we see him feeding them and gathering eggs. 

Charles has also hosted Indigenous elders and leaders from around the world at Highgrove, as part of his conviction that Indigenous approaches to the harmony of nature, including humanity, is essential. Near Highgrove there is a community created by the King in which all the homes have ready access to green spaces. 

                                                    Highgrove private chapel for King Charles

I know that Charles is a person of Christian faith with an expansive and respectful perspective on interfaith dialogue. I would have enjoyed learning more about how his faith influences his outlook on harmony in Creation. 

We did see the chapel he built on the estate for individual contemplation -- don't we all have one? -- with an inscription from Evening Prayer in the  venerable Book of Common Prayer, "Lighten our darkness we beseech thee", appropriate given that he is the "Defender of the Faith" for the Church of England. 

The documentary includes home movie footage of Charles outdoors as a child. He speaks of the influence of the Queen Mother, his grandmother, in learning to love nature. 

As you can gather, we watched to the end and felt that Finding Harmony was worthwhile and inspiring. That opening scene of the royal entourage does remind me of the immense personal wealth of the King. Can we achieve harmony on our planet when there is such a gap between rich and poor? 

You might want to seek out the documentary and draw your own conclusions. 

The Scream & the Climate Emergency

  When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to [Jesus] privately, saying, “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”  

Jesus answered them, “Beware that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah!’ and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places:  all this is but the beginning of the birth pangs.

“Immediately after the suffering of those days

the sun will be darkened,
    and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from heaven,

    and the powers of heaven will be shaken. Matthew 24: 3-8, 29

When the Pacific island volcano called Krakatoa erupted in 1883 it created a tsunami that swept through that part of the world, causing widespread destruction and death. It also resulted in a "volcanic winter" as the ash created  a pall over much of the planet which blocked the sun. It also resulted in vivid sunsets of unnatural colours. Many wondered if this was a sign of the biblical End Times and there was an existential dread that affected people whether they were religious or not. Humans have always attempted to make sense of the signs of the times, politically, religiously, and in the natural world. Sometimes we get it right, often we get it wrong. 

One of the persons disturbed by what he was seeing in the skies above Norway was a young Edvard Munch, the artist best known for his omnipresent painting known as The Scream. Art historians suggest that the garish skies were Munch's representation of the ominous evening scenes he witnessed as an impressionable young man. 

This image has been pilfered to be applied to everything from tee-shirts and mugs. One of the several versions of the painting was stolen at the beginning of the Winter Olympics of 1994 in Lillehammer and recovered, unharmed, three months later. 

There is a certain currency to The Scream in the midst of the Climate Emergency, the unnatural disaster which is shaping our marvellous planet. So many nations including Canada seem to be backing away from a commitment to address the causes of climate change. While the United States is on a reckless path of denial, our federal goverment is making a host of scary decisions to dismantle the modest gains the Trudeau adminstration made. Catherine Mckenna, a former environment minister has expressed her concern and Steven Guilbeault, also a fomer environment minister, quit the Carney cabinet in disgust. 

We don't want to be Chicken Little alarmists about the changes we are witnessing around us.  Yet we could do with some mighty rebel yells as environmental scientists plead for governments to pay attention to what is unfolding. The massive marches in cities around the world as part of then-teen Greta Thunberg's Fridays for Future seem like some distant dream rather a hopeful movement that took hold only a decade ago. Greta at age 15 spoke to the United Nations and the World Economic Forum in blunt and honest language. 

Maybe we all need to lean out our windows akin to the scene in the 50-year-old film Network (1976!) where the unhinged yet prophetic news anchor Howard Beale told his audience to lean out their windows and yell "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not gonna take this anymore!" 

Actually, I'll choose to pray and act as a Christian whose deep desire is to love Creation and Creator, not only for myself but for generations to come. We may need to do some unfettered "birth pang" screaming as well.