Christ All Around Me

I was listening recently to Kristen Getty reciting the words of St Patricks’ prayer  ** when I was walking by the river. It was a quiet morning. The sun had just risen, and the blue of sky stretched along the horizon and merged with the water. Ducks and water fowl splashed around the shallows. So the words merged in my mind with the sense of union with the God who filled this place. Such a great declaration of faith and dependance.

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 when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of 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
of the Creator of creation.

You can almost sense the old man, leaning on his staff and looking out over the hills of County Meath, and thinking of all the struggles, the spiritual battles he had had to face throughout his life. The power of the druids, the political intrigues of the pagan kings of Tara, and the ignorance of the common people. And it was this strength of the Trinity which kept him through it all. The knowledge of a Sovereign God who hovered over him, Christ as his advocate who had stood in his place and paid the price for his sins, and the peace of God’s Holy Spirit dwelling within him. These were his, and these are mine. Christ in me and Christ before me, and Christ behind him.

** “Holy Spirit, Living Breath of God” from the album “Hymns for the Christian Life”

Some More Linguistics

Another wonderful linguistic enrichment that comes through learning Portuguese, is how the words “criar” “criação” “criador” are used. This family of words has to do with the English words “create”, “creation” “Creator”. But, most interestingly, this same family of words are the ones that are used when you talk about bringing up a family. So a child is not reared, it is “criado” - created. The business of bringing up children is termed “criação” - creation. And the word for child - “criança” is itself derived from the same family of words - the thing created - this wonderful work of art we call a child.

Which all puts into a whole new perspective this business of bringing up a family. It’s a wonderful moment of creativity - and not just a moment - but a lifelong work of art. God’s creative art reflected in us through human fertility and growth. The child forms in the womb, comes to birth as a uniquely formed individual. The parent has this wonderful opportunity of shaping the young life into a thing of beauty. Something the Portuguese, with a culturally highly developed focus on the importance of family, are good at, as they invest lots of time and energy into bringing up their kids.

And something we also often mess up on and need to know a lot of Gods grace in our parenting. But thank God that he specialises in taking what has been messed up and making something new.

For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.

Lua Crescente

Language does funny things from time to time, and understanding a foreign language can open up new and unexpected vistas within your own.

I was sitting outside in the car and I noticed a minivan publicising a local pre-school prpgramme called “Lua Crescente” or “Crescent Moon” with a logo in the shape of a crescent, obviously. Now, the word "crescent" in English defines that particular shape. What it doesn’t indicate is that the word crescent comes directly from the Latin (and also, incidentally, the Portuguese) verb “to grow” - “crescer” (hence of course our words “increase”, “crescendo” etc).

So, now, it’s no longer just about the shape. It’s about how the moon got to be that way. It grew. It increased in size and radiance. And it would continue to grow until it became a full moon and filled the heavens with its glow. Later that same night, I sat outside on our balcony under that very full moon, amazed at how much light it radiated over the Parque

But of course, in fact, it is not the moon that's actually growing. The moon stays the same. It’s just that the portion of the moons surface that reflects the suns light on to our planet grows as it follows its orbit. Just plain physics. Not even rocket science!

But here’s a nice little metaphor for my life and my walk with God. How much am I growing? How much of the fulness of Jesus is reflected in me to others on a day to day basis. I reckon need to be more of a crescent moon.