The Blood of Doves

The horrifying attack on two doves released by the Pope this weekend upset many people: it had an element of pure Gothic horror. Subconsciously, we feel a particular chill at seeing a white, clean innocent dove killed in a religious setting. It seems an omen of some kind, a divine communication - but we are unsure what.

BBC bird experts have tried to quench any symbolism by saying that white doves are the poorly camouflaged regular prey of city sparrowhawks. In Rome, they are the prey of audacious and predatory gulls who usually feed on sandwiches.

Jesus noted the harmlessness of domestic doves. Doves are like sheep among wolves - sparrowhawks being wolves in the world of birds. Doves belong to the pigeon family. This may be why Noah sent a white homing pigeon out from the Ark, to see if there was dry land, any hope. The dove returned bearing sprig of an olive tree in its mouth, which proved somewhere had not been flooded and that one fruitbearing tree still grew. The dove signified “hope” and “new life”. Jesus used animal images to say something about Christian vulnerability:

“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves” Matthew 10

Jesus pointed out how how naked and vulnerable are those who preach and share the Gospel in a world which rejects Him and the Gospel: sheep among wolves without defence. A wolf can outrun a sheep and cleverly works cooperatively, in hunting packs. There is only safety for a “stupid” sheep in the midst of a flock. Weaker outsiders are easy to separate and pick off. Jesus recommends how His "sheep" and "doves" should deal with the cunning, tribal cleverness and speed of His enemies. In this, he means:

• pursue innocence and purity - so that one gives no foothold to enemies eager to find a crack in the armour of the righteous. 
• employ shrewdness, which is knowledge of the world, wisdom, realism. 

This mixture of personal purity and courage in the face of God-hating behaviours, added to knowledge of human character and faith, is exactly how Jesus dealt with evil himself. Jesus always outwitted his enemies, remaining in control. He was not “picked off” early, before His time, due to being shrewd, in many ways:

• He spoke indirectly, using surprise 
• He knew the Scriptures better than his opponents 
• He turned their arguments against them 
• He knew what was in their hearts and who to trust and who not to trust. 

One sympathises with the Vatican, that their well-intentioned, symbolic action intended to speak of peace, the Holy Spirit, purity and love - turned into a spectacle of horror. It shows a certain "other worldliness" about bird behaviours in Rome where, if one eats a sandwich in public, one risks being dive-bombed by a gull.

The fact is that the innocent dove is the main sacrificial victim in the Old Testament. It was the blood of the dove that justified the poor, sacrificed on the altar. Though Jesus talked about His Cross being “the sign of Jonah” (Jonah's name meaning “Dove”), the blood of the dove is no longer powerful or valid as before.

Only the blood of Christ covers the sin of the modern poor -  who are us. If the Vatican is like Noah, using doves to proclaim “dry land” and “peace” and “hope” in the world, we are obliged to suggest that the real message of this event is actually:

• There is no “peace” or “dry land” or “hope” in this rebellious and evil world - save through the blood of Christ and through His Cross.

Sermon on "Living in occupied territory"

Sermon by Rev Paolo Castellina on how Jesus Christ offers rescue for those living in "occupied territory" - with its  consequences -  a term in common parlance today.

Summary 
By rebelling against God, the rightful Lord, this world has become a battlefield between "lords" that contend for domination over it. 

This situation has caused it to become a "territory" occupied by spiritual forces, which are usurpers devoted to the ruin and downfall of its inhabitants. God, however, resolved through His Christ, to recover what lawfully belongs to him. This text presents us with the beginning of the mission of Jesus Christ, the Messianic King foretold by the prophets, beginning from Galilee. His message is summed up in: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near". It is not an invitation, but the command of a Sovereign. So we see Him exercising His royal prerogatives and calling effectively His first disciples to follow him. His mission continues today, with undiminished efficacy and it will certainly be accomplished. Today we reflect on Matthew 4:12-23 considering all its consequences.

Ladies of Eighty

I noticed a charming elderly lady today at tea in Waitrose, dressed in a stylish bright purple shawlcoat which looked lovely against her white hair, unchanged since her childhood nursery days. She was asking keen questions, being witty. She had not withdrawn from life, but she was above it, in some way. She was amused by it, not frightened of it, living on a plane of vitality apart from the intense "struggle of life" that younger people are tied up in.

So I wrote this poem about her.  My poem about her is also a tribute to this poem.

Ladies of Eighty

Ladies of eighty should dress 'strong'
Wear a hat with feather, sing a song!
Announce there is no joy or fun,
In sober pastels and ghastly 'dun'.

Ladies of eighty should dress right
Comb pure white hair - emanate Light.
Hair still parted for the Thirties - neat,
Just as when they skipped in a pre-war street.

Ladies in purple should twinkle in their eye,
Ask interested questions, laugh at every lie!
Prove inner joy conquers every test:
All Life's effort to upset its best.

Ladies in purple should laugh a lot!
Giggle at many things - funny or not.
Not look bothered by crass vulgarity,
Live for gardening, cake - and gaiety!

Alison Bailey Castellina
copyright 2014

What did I learn from keeping a diary in 2013?

I kept a diary last year. It is so small it fits in my handbag.

 My aims were to:

• create a sense of continuity in a busy life, in a fragmented world; 
• understand the pattern of my life; 
• use it for practical reasons. 

I wanted to learn about being in health, in today’s world. I recall my years of chronic illness and that experience is, I know, slightly different: there is more limit in the range of experiences, more time to maintain continuity, to read and pray!

My findings are:

a) Hundreds or thousands of totally unconnected things happen in a year, on many levels, separate things running at the same time. One challenge after another comes from all angles and we must solve them all -  if we can, with God's help and wisdom. These challenges involve work, creativity, people, money, exploration, travel, particularly if one is working.
b) Major world events and politics, in general, impact one's inner life, but more so in winter.
c) The pattern of our life is determined by seasons. One should live and plan, with one eye on the seasons. It is true that "there is a season for everything" (Ecclesiastes)
d) The period January-April tends to lack high points, so can be used for short projects.
e) June is the month for family events and parties; July is for touring England as we have most sunshine then and less rain than in June; August is the month of wider adventures...exciting travel, if we can afford it.
f) September is a very active month with innate energy, lots happening. Treat it as the start of the year!
g) Early December is manic - better advance planning is required to offset it.
h) Holding modern life together is a feat, taking up one’s whole being, energy, health. One works, earns, eats, sleeps and tends oneself to accomplish this.
i) Life is a mingled but incredibly rich 'skein' of hard work, creativity, routine, stress, pain, meals, moments of 'silver' and rare moments of unadulterated 'gold' which entail pure pleasantness.
j) There are about five or six 'golden moments' lasting about an hour or no more than five in a year. Precious to identify and keep them in the heart...
k) 'Golden moments' come when we are not expecting them from loved ones, creativity, meeting new people, exploration in all its ways, days out, views, gardening, wildlife, reading a superb book, a film, spring, Christmas, family history coming together in a satisfying way…..
l) Physical pain evaporates. One cannot remember a pain or ailment (or its cause) even six months later, even if you write about it at the time.
m) Shock, stress and memorable pain comes from the illnesses and pain of others, particularly if they change character, or there is a lasting mental illness, which can be a kind of bereavement.
n) Habits are hard to change.
p) Without some major decision or work pressure, one’s life pattern does not change much, in a year, except for habits in relation to saving money.  One can change spending habits overnight!
q) One does not note down spiritual learning, but events, in a regular diary. Spiritual learning has its own internal, unwritten memory and direction, which is indelible.
r) Spiritual reality does not evaporate like pain and minor discomforts and comforts, and it can massively expand in a short time of pain or marginalisation, which add seriousness, depth and quality to one's character and understanding.

14 things to do in 2014

I owe most of these suggestions to the Liz Earle magazine. I use her award winning botanical shampoo. Liz Earle comes top (in Which?) for cosmetics.

1. Redecorate a room, using mood boards at Pinterest to inspire you. Go to car boot sales and pick up thrown outs and repaint or cover it. Use mirrors, better than pictures to add sparkle.

2. Plan, make and plant your own vegetable patch and paint your shed as a garden office and watch things grow.

3. Get a fountain pen and enter recipes in your personal book in black ink.  It is an heirloom in the making.

4. Start a blog, mastering the art of adding photos.

5. Learn a language seriously: 20 minutes a day keeping a vocabulary book just as at school.

6. Do a personal make-over as simple as getting an expensive soft eyeliner or special eye shadow, or tinting your (greying) hair

7. Sew - I am just making a bag to carry around at work to take my mobile phone

8. Read a classic novel. Reading can reduce stress by up to 60%, so turn off the TV and internet now and then.

9. Learn a musical instrument, either the one your always wanted to learn or one you pick up in a second hand shop.

10. Clear out your wardrobe or remake items in it you do not wear.  Sell what you have not worn in the last year and put the money to work on new clothes

11. Create your own sport and do it. It could be just just stretching to music or walking with Nordic walking poles but think of it as your own.

12. Take a calligraphy class. Send your own handwritten letters and write your own texts for framing.

13. Visit a new county or region of your own country. Tick them off your list.

14. Dance : ballet, jazz, ballroom or listen to dance music at home.

15. Expand your tastes in food. Master foods through a book like DK's Cooks Ingredients and eat a new food, herb, vegetable each week:

Calendar of English Life and Months: January

My Calendar of English Life : January

January was instituted instead of March as the first month of the year in 153BC so it is Roman not Greek. It was named after Janus, the Roman god of transition and doors, who looks both ways. The Saxons called it "wolf month" and other etymologies meant "the coldest month". It contains mid winter on 15 January. In England, it is the coldest month and the third rainiest month, but not the darkest month, which is December. Its nights are the coldest nights, to chill those affected by winter winds and floods. January can be dominated by snow and polar winds. 

January is also a barren month. Nothing grows and much of Nature sleeps. January's 'life' is low, but revives by a winter fire :

Squirrels locate their hidden nuts, but most hibernating creatures are deep asleep underground. Meadows are flooded, trees fall and tempests roar against the coast. It is the month of blankets, books, recipes for winter food, thick woollen tights and boots, watching weather forecasts with a wary eye. One may feel like doing some home decorating, but fail to do it as the low, winter light is not good enough to test colour schemes. You plan and home cook and save, instead. January is not good for cross-country walks but it is the time for roaring fires in country pubs.  It is post-Christmas, cosy 'hibernation'.  The brain sleeps after a hot chocolate or evening cocoa.

Fashions:  fur, wool, cashmere

Colours: red, tartan, black

Style: warm and cosy, homemade or prehistoric...

Seasonal Foods: leek soup, beetroot, bubble and squeak and sweet potato chips and hollandaise sauce, whiting, rhubarb crumble, pork and sage, Jerusalem artichoke, brussels sprouts, celeriac and celery, grapefruit, roast parsnips and pear. For game and meat eaters: pork, lamb, venison sausages, bacon

Drinks: pear cider, beer, claret, hot chocolate with marshmallows.

Activities:  buying diaries, quizzes, crosswords, sitting by roaring fires, knitting and sewing, making fur accessories, reading, watching old films, reading last year’s diary, sitting in teashops, making and eating cake, counting pennies, eating chocolate, sleeping....

The Gospel of John: a superb film

Last night, we watched our copy of the second part of a beautiful film, "The Gospel of John" (2003) a word for word text of NT from Visual Bible series. Hearing key Christian doctrines spoken word for word by the mouth of Jesus (actor) is refreshing. I feel I know him better as a result and when and how incidents in John's Gospel took place.

The facts fly in the face of those who hold that Jesus was permissive and that the gospel is just "love, love, love". Clearly love and caring are fundamental to Christianity but the true Jesus says to the religious leaders: "You have no love for God in your hearts : you will die in your sins!"  without a shred of political correctness. 

In my view, every Christian and church should use (and share) this great film. Anyone can concoct their own version of "Jesus" without evidence, even going against the evidence, but it is clear they will not get blessing, insight or salvation from doing this because He wants us to accept Him only as He is, as evidenced through His own words....