Wideness in God's Mercy

Take a moment to reflect on His eternal love and mercy....vast as the ocean...

via Pinterest

There's a Wideness in God's Mercy

There's a wideness in God's mercy

Like the wideness of the sea;

There's a kindness in His justice

Which is more than liberty.

There is welcome for the sinner, 

And more graces for the good; 

There is mercy with the Saviour; 

There is healing in His blood.

For the love of God is broader

Than the measure of man's mind, 

And the heart of the Eternal

Is most wonderfully kind. 

If our love were but more simple, 

We should take Him at His word; 

And our lives would be all sunshine

In the sweetness of our Lord.

by

Frederick W. Faber

Christ Is All In All!

Saint Patrick
via Holy-Icons.com

One of the most inspiring Saints of old for me is St. Patrick. From the time I came in contact with his story and history, I've been really impressed and spiritually blessed. Since today is St. Patrick's Day, I thought I'd share something of him. Some of you may have come across this post before in my other blog, but I don't think there is any harm in sharing it here again this year, too, especially for those who haven't seen it before. 

Now, if you ask many people nowadays who St. Patrick was, they would most probably not know very much about him other than the myths and legends that have been woven endlessly around him for countless generations. These legends have obscured the man behind those legends and made most of us (yes, even us Christians) forget why he became such a legend in the first place.

St. Patrick
via Confession of St. Patrick

Patrick (c. A.D. 386-461) wrote very little about himself and no one during his lifetime wrote about him, either. However, we are fortunately left with a few of his writings that tells us something of the true Patrick, a holy and humble man of great faith in God with a truly apostolic mission. The most important document is his the Confessio or Confession (*I highly recommend reading it*). In it he sketches his life story - how he was captured by Irish slave traders, how he called on the Lord in the day of his distress and was saved, how he miraculously escaped his captivity and returned to his home in Briton, then how he was called back to the people who had enslaved him in order to preach the Gospel to them, and how he obeyed God's call despite the danger and difficulties. 

Paul Gallico said this about Patrick in his A Steadfast Man: A Life of St. Patrick (1958),

"He [Patrick] stands forth as a wonderfully human being, a man with almost all man's failings, yet touched by the divine. The testimony of his own hand exposes one who is not ashamed to admit that he owed everything to God, and that, had it not been for Him, he, Patrick, would have been other than he was.

"Out of the pages of the Confessio arises the figure of a man of indomitable purpose and compelling spiritual power, who, as [Bishop] Secundinus [probably a nephew of Patrick] wrote in his hymn, 'in sincerity of heart had confidence in God'.

"It is this sincerity, faith, and confidence - the utter subjection of himself to God - that gave Patrick his stature and account for the success that has placed him amongst the saints of the ages. 

"Patrick's trust in God breathes from every page and from every line he wrote. It replaced a confidence that he never felt in himself, for Patrick entertained no illusions as to his initial abilities and talents. But God made everything possible to him, helped him to overcome every obstacle, physical or spiritual, with which his adventurous life was studded. he walked armoured in this faith and nothing could touch him; not the swords and spears of his enemies, or the occasional envy or spite of his friends. 

"It was this love for God and his dedication to the life, the work and the word of Christ that gave Patrick his steadfast and unchanging nature. God was Patrick's catalyst who fused and tempered his character. From the time that the boy Patrick discovered Him on the freezing slopes of Mount Slemish, there was not a thought or action that was not first funneled through God. Thus the Saint's line of action ran as straight as an arrow, undeviating, unwavering. It was impossible for him to act other than in concert with his God, who had called him to serve. He had the word of that God and that Christ, spoken through the Scriptures and the Gospels; he lived by them to the utmost of his ability and he asked of those about him and those whom he preached and converted to try to do likewise. And you will see, glittering from some of his paragraphs. like jewels, his joy when he succeeded."

(p. 124-125) 

Christ Enthroned
the Book of Kells
via Wikipedia

Patrick's faith in God and his obedience to His call to preach to the heathen Irish when nobody else thought it possible, changed the destiny and faith of a whole nation and influenced the development of Christian Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire. The monasteries that dotted the Irish landscape became a bastion of learning during the troubled times of the barbarian invasions in Europe. The beautiful calligraphic manuscripts created and preserved in those monasteries awe us all, the Book of Kells being a chief example. 

There is so much more to learn about Patrick, his faith and his work for the Lord, maybe I'll leave that for another post for now. Until then, however, I highly recommend watching the docu-drama Patrick (narrated by Liam Neeson with the voice of Patrick by Gabriel Byrne), which tells Patrick's story really well and it's very encouraging and inspiring (see Trailer below).

I'll close here with this special prayer... 

The Prayer of St. Patrick

Ireland
via favim.com

I arise today through a mighty strength, 

The invocation of the Trinity 

Through belief in the Threeness, 

Through Confessions of the Oneness, 

Towards the Creator.

I arise today through the strength of Christ with His Baptism,

Through the strength of His crucifixion with His Burial, 

Through the strength of His Resurrection with His Ascension,

Through the strength of His descent for the Judgement of Doom.

I arise today 

Through God's Strength to guide me,

God's might to uphold me, 

God's Wisdom to lead me, 

God's eye to look before me, 

God's ear to hear me, 

God's word to speak for me, 

God's hand to guard me, 

God's way to lie before me, 

God's host to defend me

against snares of devils,

against temptations of vices, 

against the lusts of nature, 

against all who wish me harm

from far or near,

with few or the many.

Christ protect me today

Against poison, against burning,

against drowning, against wounding

That I may receive abundant reward.

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, 

Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,

Christ on my right, Christ on my left,

Christ where I lie, Christ where I sit, Christ where I arise, 

Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,

Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks to me,

Christ in every eye that sees me, 

Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,

Through belief in the Threeness, 

Through Confession of the Oneness

Towards the Creator.

Salvation is of the Lord,

Salvation is of the Lord,

Salvation is of Christ. 

May Thy salvation, O Lord, be ever with us.'

Amen.

From:

Paul Gallico. The Steadfast Man: A Life of St Patrick. London: Michael Joseph, 1958. pp. 126-127

__________________
References and Further Reading (Click on the images to find on Amazon.com): 
- St. Patrick, Confession (available  online at http://www.ancienttexts.org/library/celtic/ctexts/p01.html )

- Patrick Docu-Drama DVD


- Paul Gallico, The Steadfast Man: A Life of St. Patrick, London: Michael Joseph, 1958.


- Mary Wilson, Builders and Destroyers, God's Hand in History A.D. 300-700, Book IV, London: Blandford Press, 1968, pp. 60-8 

Feeling Down or Discouraged?

Mount Beauty, Vic., Australia!
via Google Images

Feeling down or discouraged today? Speak these words to yourself, like the Psalmist did: 

"Why are you cast down, o my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God." Psalm 43:5 (NKJV)

Things do look different from His mountain-top!

Discouraged?

But when from mountain top, 

My Lord, I look with Thee, 

My cares and burdens drop

Like pebbles in the sea. 

The air is clear; 

I fear no fear; 

In this far view, 

All things are new.

by 

Amy Carmichael

from Mountain Breezes: The Collected Poems of Amy Carmichael

'I will lift up mine eyes to the hills, from whence cometh my help? My help cometh from the LORD which made heaven and earth.' (Psalm 121:1-2)

'Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto Thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I.' (Psalm 61:1-2)

Tom, William, and Bert...Bilbo's Trolls

Biblo's Trolls: Tom, William, and Bert!
via Google Images.

'Tolkien fever' is in air and the second Hobbit movie, The Desolation of Smug, is almost here...Yay!! Though, we have to wait till the 26th before we can see it here in Australia. We're trying our very best to be patient, but it's hard!!! We're passing the time well, however, enjoying watching the extended edition of first Hobbit movie, An Unexpected Journey, and watching and re-watching all the trailers we can find!! This second one looks really good and very epic, too! 

Here is a sneak peak! 

I hope you enjoy this fun poem, too. In The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring book, Samwise Gamgee composes this song about Bilbo's Trolls. 

The Stone Troll

Troll sat alone on his seat of stone, 

and munched and mumbled a bare old bone; 

For many a year he had gnawed it near, 

For meat was hard to come by. 

Done by! Gum by!

In a cave in the hills he dwelt alone, 

And meat was hard to come by.

Up came Tom with his big boots on. 

Said he to Troll: 'Pray, what is yon?

For it looks like the shin o' my nuncle Tim,

As should be a-lyin' in graveyard.

Caveyard! Paveyard!

This many a year has Tim been gone, 

And I thought he were lyin' in graveyard.' 

'My lad,' said Troll, 'this bone I stole.

But what be bones that lie in a hole?

The uncle was dead as a lump o' head, 

Afore I found his shinbone. 

Tinbone! Thinbone!

He can spare a share for a poor old troll; 

For he don't need his shinbone.'

Said Tom: 'I don't see why the like o' thee

Without axin' leave should go makin' free

With the shank or the shin o' my father's kin;

So hand the old bone over!

Rover! Trover!

Though dead he be, it belongs to he; 

So hand the old bone over!'

'For a couple o' pins,' says Troll, and grins, 

'I'll eat thee too, and gnaw thy  shins.

A bit o' fresh meat will go down sweet!

I'll try my teeth on thee now. 

Hee now! See now!

I'm tired o' gnawing old bones and skins; 

I've a mind to dine on thee now.'

But just as he thought his dinner was caught, 

He found his hands had hold of naught.

Before he could mind, Tom slipped behind 

And gave him the boot to larn him. 

Warn him! Darn him!

A bump o' the boot on the seat, Tom thought, 

Would be the way to larn him.

But harder than stone is the flesh and bone

Of a troll that sits in the hills alone.

As well set your boot to the mountain's root, 

For the seat of a troll don't feel it. 

Peel it! Heal it!

Old Troll laugh, when he heard Tom groan, 

And he knew his toes could feel it. 

Tom's leg is game, since home he came, 

And his bootless foot is lasting lame; 

But Troll don't care, and he's still there

With the bone he boned from its owner. 

Doner! Boner!

Troll's old seat is still the same,

 And the bone he boned from its owner!

by 

J.R.R. Tolkien

from 'The Adventures of Tom Bombadil,' in Tales From the Perilous Realm

This song is sung by Samwise Gamgee in 'The Ford,' in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Tolkien's Cat?? ...or Simon's Cat? ;)

Simon's Cat!
via Google Images 

I thought it might be good to have a bit of a light-hearted post today. I really enjoy watching 'Simon's Cat' little video clips. I never owned a pet myself, but both sets of my grandparents had very fun and interesting pets. My maternal grandparents had two fun pomeranian dogs, King and Queen. King was my favourite and I enjoyed playing with him very much. My other grandparents had a Siamese cat, Meenoosh. He was the most beautiful, blue-eyed, proud, clever cat I ever saw! Unfortunately, they all died of old age when I was still little, but I've still got many fond memories.  I found this fun poem by Tolkien recently. I hope you enjoy!

Cat

The fat cat on the mat 

may seem to dream 

of nice mice that suffice

for him, or cream; 

but he free, maybe, 

walks in thought

unbowed, proud, where load

roared and fought

his kin, lean and slim, 

or deep in den

in the East feasted on beasts

and tender men.

The giant lion with iron

claw in paw, 

and huge ruthless tooth 

in gory jaw; 

the pard dark-starred, 

fleet upon feet, 

that oft soft from aloft

leaps on his meat

where woods loom in gloom - 

far now they be, 

fierce and fee, 

and tamed is he; 

but fat cat on the mat

kept as a pet, 

he does not forget.

by 

J.R.R. Tolkien

from 'The Adventures of Tom Bombadil,' in Tales From the Perilous Realm