Cuthbert

‘40 Days for Life’ prayer campaign begins today

February 22, 2012

An Orthodox Christian monk praying at sunset.

Remember, O Lord, the wretched, the abandoned, the wronged, families enduring trials, and give them thy rich mercies.
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Thou madest men live by thy Passion

February 22, 2012

Detail from a mosaic of the Triumph of the Cross, a 12th century apsis mosaic in the Basilica San Clemente in Rome. © User:jastrow (Wikimedia Commons), licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence..

When thou hadst spread wide thy hands upon thy Cross, in thy deadness thou didst deaden the curse, thou madest men live by thy Passion.
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Sergei Prokofiev, Piano Concertos (Ashkenazy/Kissin; Vinnitskaya)

February 22, 2012

Generous extracts from Sergei Prokofiev's Piano Concertos 2 and 3, played by Evgeny Kissin, and comments from conductor Vladimir Ashkenazy.
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Not in our meats alone, but also in our deeds

February 21, 2012

Elder Joseph, Abbot of the Vatopaidi monastery, making bread.

Thus is it needful to fast: not in enmity and fighting, not in envy and strife, not in vainglory and secret guile, but as Christ, in lowliness of mind.
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William Wordsworth: Blest the Babe, Nursed in his Mother’s arms

February 19, 2012

Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919), La Jeune Mère (1898), detail. From Wikimedia Commons.

Emphatically such a Being lives, / Frail creature as he is, helpless as frail, / An inmate of this active universe.
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Anselm of Canterbury: Breathe again, poor sinner, breathe again

February 19, 2012

Detail from a stained glass window in St Mary's Church, Fairford, Gloucs, showing the Last Judgment. Photo by user mattana (Wikimedia Commons), released into the public domain.

Jesus, Jesus, forget the proud sinner that provoked Thy wrath, and look upon me the unhappy one that calleth upon Thy sweet name, Thy pleasant name, Thy name that comforteth the sinner and openeth to him the hope of blessing.
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Saturday of Souls: They shall dwell among the blessings of thy house

February 18, 2012

Candles surrounding an Orthodox cross with the Virgin Mary and St John

Blessed is he whom thou hast chosen and received unto thee; he shall dwell in thy courts; we shall be filled with the blessings of thy house.
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‘My child, let me not have the grief of seeing you unable to respect your partner in life’

February 17, 2012

The actor David Garrick and his wife, by William Hogarth (1757). From Wikimedia Commons.

“I know that you could be neither happy nor respectable, unless you truly esteemed your husband; your lively talents would place you in the greatest danger in an unequal marriage.”
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St Finan of Lindisfarne, a godly-minded watchman

February 17, 2012

A rainbow appears to set Church Island aglow, in Lough Currane, County Kerry, Ireland. © Flickr user michele_p, licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons licence.

I have thee as succourer of my life, and helper of my salvation, and godly-minded watchman, who giveth assurance to them that cry out in faith: O God of our fathers, blessed art thou.
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