The coming of the Holy Spirit

 

The coming of the Holy Spirit

When the Spirit came down upon the disciples they were filled with a new power - the power to speak in tongues, the power to heal, the power of miracles even, was given to them. The fruits and gifts of the Spirit were made manifest among the people; Wisdom, Knowledge, Prophecy, Teaching, but  the greatest of all was Love.

What relevance does this out pouring of Spirit have for us today, especially for those who are house and bed bound? We may not be well enough to go out in person to spread the good news, but as Paul says, the greatest gift of the Spirit is the Power of Love. And we all can  and do love in abundance. Love knows no physical boundaries and is present in our contact with God and each other through prayer. Love supports, lifts, restores and heals.

Love comes to us through our friendships and unites us in our prayer. Friendship then, especially spiritual friendship, is a grace from God and how important it is for us to know that when we are too ill or distressed or in need, there is someone there, either on the phone, or via email or letter, or even without direct communication, to know and feel that someone out there is holding us in their heart and praying for us, even though we may never have met physically in the world. 

What greater gift can we give or receive then than this gift of  unconditional love

Visit us!

 

We are all connected then by the Power of the Spirit in a spiritual bond of love and through this connection, healing, hope, light, miracles even can be experienced and known. And through the wonder of  love we can ask  the Holy Spirit to bless us and our friends and families and the whole world.

So let us ask the Holy Spirit to visit us all this day and lift us into the heart of Love where we can freely experience all the fruits and gifts of the Spirit that God can give us. And let us use them, in Love, to serve God, however he asks us to and trust that God will hear our prayers and answer them powerfully and wonderfully. For the gift of Love the Holy Spirit brings is truly ‘wonder - ful’. 

May we be filled with the Joy that the Spirit brings and feel the Power on High flowing in to us and blessing our lives and our prayers now and always. Amen!

I am here- a poem

 

I am in the bitter lands 

Everything here bites me

The sound breaks me open

The light burns me

The movement destroys understanding

Leaving me disoriented and blank

Here I am washed out and emptied

There is no feeling here

Except pain and empty numb being

I am lost again in the twisted ground of paralysis

My body is totally sucked out into nothingness

My sense of myself is lost too

My emotions ride a tsunami

My mind has lost its direction

My body has lost its boundaries

As awareness floats away

And I feel like a swollen melon

Nothing works

Everything feels sick

And I am stuck on the outside

And dissipated on the inside

Waiting for something inexplicable to unpredictably shift

And restore some semblance of movement

And life

Once more.

How can love live in this space, I ask

And yet I hear love answer,

“ I am here with you.” 

Rest in the Spirit

We do not always know what to say, how to pray, what to ask for, whether it is us who is in pain or someone else. 

At these times, remember that the Holy Spirit can and will pray for you and can read your heart and your need. 

It is at these times that we place our trust in the Lord and hope that He will inspire us and bless us in some inconceivable way.

Sometimes there are no words at all. At these times, just rest in the Spirit and feel the Solace of Love comfort you and bathe you in a Peace not of the world, but of God.

When there are no words in my head,

No thoughts in my mind, no idea of what can help me now,

May I turn to you Lord, in loving confidence

Trusting that you will come to my aid

And know exactly what I need to get me through

Even the most challenging of moments. Amen

A prayer for Healing

Lord touch me now, 

With your healing power.

Lord, touch me now

With tender kindness.

Lord touch me now,

With your healing hand.

Touch all that is unhealed,

And broken in me.

Lord touch me now,

With your perfect love.

Touch my mind 

And restore me to fullness.

Lord touch me now,

With your abundant mercy.

Touch my limbs 

And restore my strength.

Lord touch me now,

With your deepest compassion.

Touch my heart 

And help me feel renewed.

Lord touch me now,

With your caring gaze.

Touch my soul 

And renew my life.

Lord touch me now,

With all Your heart.

In you do I trust to heal and save me.

Amen

Each Prayer

 

Each Prayer Is Precious

When everything feels impossible, yet still we somehow cope and survive and find moments of grace, we cannot know how each person’s loving thoughts or caring has touched our lives and lifted us.

Each prayer is so precious.

Each moment’s comfort may be because someone prayed and continued to pray, even in seemingly hopeless situations, where no way forward seemed possible.

Always believe in the power of prayer to bring comfort, change, hope, even miracles.

A prayer for those who struggle with sleep.

May you find the deepest blessings this night.  

May you be visited as you sleep

By the Father,

The Son,

And the Holy Spirit.

May they bring you gifts 

of healing, 

comfort, 

peace 

and strength.

May you waken feeling 

Blessed in some unexpected way

Touched by the Precious and Eternal, Heart of Love.

May your days ahead 

Be full of comfort,

Knowing how much you are loved.

Amen 

Article on Prayer

 

See the Article by Linda on Prayer.

http://www.holyway.co.uk/articles//prayer/index.html

‘The most powerful tool that God has given us, is the power of prayer. When a person prays ardently and sincerely, the Word of God shines out, deepening its meaning, transcending the present moment, linking all in the hope beyond time that emanates from the truth of the Heart of Love. Prayer is far more than a tool, it is a place of connection through oneness with the Trinity. There is no greater love than this. There is no greater power for healing, hope and blessings.’

Living the Mystery of Hope

See our new article Living the Mystery of Hope on our Writings section:

http://www.holyway.co.uk/articles//mysteryhope/index.html

‘ A new day is just beginning.  But what will it bring? Who could have imagined the Pandemic? Even now, how safe are you, if a neighbour pops in, a delivery has to be signed for, or you have to take the dog for a walk or go to hospital ? What about the potential impact of climate change and the exponential threat  of  even more deadly pandemics in the near future?

It  is surely no exaggeration to observe  that these are unprecedented times.   Catastrophe, literally threatens us on every level right now, in every moment.  Is this really what our hope in rationality, science, politics and progress has led to? If so it is shockingly unrealistic.

It is in this context that we must find hope to survive and grow. ‘

A theology of the Cross

 

We are delighted to share our articles in our Writings Section.

Please see http://www.holyway.co.uk/articles//theologyofcross/index.html

To read ‘A Theology of the Cross’.

Excerpt’

‘Later I was shown that ultimately the Prayer of the Heart of Love is actually the Our Father, for it is all that we will ever need. It is Love, Forgiveness, Mercy, Eucharist , Protection, Provision, Sacred, Path and Deliverance. Each word ever spoken lingers in the air, builds upon itself, goes out in Power to save the world. There can be no greater prayer than the one uttered by the most Holy, living, beloved, Son of God in a moment of intimate sharing with His Father, who is in Heaven, yet ultimately so close.’

A prayer of protection

When I feel I am being spiritually assaulted I pray this prayer.

 I banish all evil in Jesus name.

I live in hope and trust in him. Amen

I also pray the most holy of prayers, the Our Father, given to us directly by Jesus: a prayer of protection 

and safe passage through temptation and all that is evil. Amen.

Put Out Into The Deep

 

Our experience has surely taught us that there is a time to hope, to pray and to believe in miracles and healing and that there is also a time to let go and accept the path opening up ahead, trusting in God’s goodness always ultimately to prevail in some mysterious way.

Put Out into the Deep

 

Put out into the deep dear friend.

Put out deep and trust in the Lord

Immerse yourself in His Spirit

For you will then travel a new path,

You will find a new way,

Abundant with Love

Guided by Truth

Inspired by His Wisdom,

For, He says,

My Way is always Light.

My Way is always True.

My Way is always Love

And above all, My Way is filled with Mercy.

Therefore feel safe as you journey.

Be of good peace in your heart.

Trust in that which is yet to come.

Be filled with compassion for each other.

My Love knows no bounds.

Remember that I am always with you

And thus, you cannot fail to find me.

So put out into the depth of your own heart, dear friend

And Know that I am with you.

Amen

Waiting

Waiting is not always an easy thing to do , though it is something that those of us who suffer, in multiple different ways, come to know well. It can be agonising, irritating, frustrating, yet also exciting, peaceful and many other things besides. It is definitely something that we  can all experience differently. It does not always feel like a blessing, yet if we can hold on to the Peace of God while we wait and focus not so much on the waiting but on the beauty and goodness of the present moment, it can help.

So how do we wait with God?

We can  wait in contemplation and prayerfulness.  And in our contemplation we may discover that we are held in the silence of waiting. But if we listen carefully, perhaps we can hear the still small voice of Love, whispering to be patient, whispering that Love will Triumph and the Power of the Spirit will be released to Bless the world and all our lives in unseen, unknown, unexpected even unhoped for ways.

Let us wait then in Hope and anticipation. Let us listen for Love. Amen

How?

 

Getting through the impossible moments when you are faced with life-altering severe illness, demands a high degree of self-reflection, honesty and understanding.

For the last thirty years my wife and I have had to live within a context of unimaginable, endless physical torment and multiple hypersensitivities with no cure, no standard treatment pathway, no way to physically alleviate her intense, ongoing suffering.

Learning how to care and learning how to live, then, has had to be our focus. Much more than just seeking to survive or cope, we want to grow together and live our marriage to the fullest possible extent.

Individually different, the challenges we face are jointly the same.

How can we stay connected, loving, flowing in this agonising, intolerable situation that we find ourselves in, not just for a minute, not just for a day, week, month or even a year, but instead, for ever?

That is overwhelming unless you take it a moment at a time.

The challenges I face as a husband, go way beyond learning “how to care” for my wife, rather they are about how to live a whole "caring" life.

Within the shifting realities of an illness, which at the drop of a hat, literally rips away from her all and any ability and forces her into a tortured, paralysed existence, the challenge for my wife is how to be her self.

How do you maintain motivation, enthusiasm, direction, hope in this situation?

How do you stay skilled, up to date, endlessly creative in your approach and shared time together ?

How do you grow as a couple, not just as a carer and person needing care, how do you live your marriage?

Particularly, how, despite everything taken away, do yo

Jesus Christ Light of the World

 

 Jesus  Christ is the Light of the world . What a wonderful Truth . It is central  to knowing and being in relationship with Jesus: He is the Light. What does this  actually mean? It probably means different things to us all. What is important that Christ's Light is pure and leads us to Truth. It shows us the Way to Love and as Light is energy it is a very real medium for feeling and knowing and truly experiencing the presence of God. 

When we do not know what to do,  we can ask Christ to come closer - to shine His Light for us. We can ask that the Truth of a situation be illumined for us by His Presence. We can hold people  and situations, ourselves even , in this very real presence of Light and feel it make a difference to our lives and those of the people we pray for. We can ask to see Christ  more clearly in our daily life .

We may experience His Light differently, but we can be sure of His Presence and that His Light is real . We can know that we will be touched in some radiant way by asking Christ into our lives. The impact may be subtle, perhaps a lifting of feeling, a strengthening of spirit , a clarity of vision, a lighting of the way to go, or more dramatic - a radical answer to prayer , a miracle of healing and hope, a transformation of a situation beyond our wildest dreams.

Let us ask  that Christ will shine His light in our lives this day and always, bringing us the gifts of the Spirit to bless us and everyone we know and pray for. Let us ask that beauty , Love and Truth be illumined in the world and lead to hope and transformation, Let us ask to experience His Light and  feel the radiance of His healing  Light  touch our lives. Let us celebrate that Christ is the Light of the world and that Light is with us now and always.   Amen

Christ’s Light

 

Christ's Light brings the possibility of transformation and tenderness to is. He says to me : “Look to me, for I am here, I shine brightly for you and I hold you all. Come and be blessed. Come and feel safe, feel the love and the light gently touching your life. Feel renewed and strengthened.. Let your hearts be glad. Let your hearts be a shrine to my Light. Let that Light bring a blessing to all those who you love and those you meet on the way.

Amen.

Peace

 

My experience of God is not one that is found through the prism of life in all its business, interaction or out and about through fellowship in the community, for my life is one of isolation and separation, simply to survive. My experience, then, is one, rather, of silence, withdrawal, limitation, inability, pain, negation and indescribable agony, going on for decades. It is one of necessary silence and enforced stillness, brought about by continual, unpredictable, repeated brutalising paralysis and pain so vast that its intensity is unimaginable and its continuity over so many many years, flabbergasting.

  Into this life, my God has come, gentle, bright, warm, present, compassionate, encouraging, inspiring and uplifting. His peace, truly not of this world, is the gift He brings. A peace that flows around, between, within each painful moment and infills all my being with His Love. It is vast, ever flowing, gentle yet strong, here yet there and everywhere at once. 

  It becalms me. It strengthens my heart and keeps me safe. It blesses me in its tenderness. It encourages my faith and knowledge. It keeps me in the present moment, rather than in the loss of the past or the fear or longing of the future. 

  It stills me in my distress. It is golden and resonates with beauty. It is all that sustains me through every moments trial and bodily torment.

When I lose awareness of it, I am battered. When I find it, it is everything, for it lives in me and I become one with God in it and He is ever-present in me.

A blessing for Light

 I pray to the Lord

And hold all things to the Light of Christ

All fears

All doubts

All worries

All hurts

I hold them up for blessing and restoration

Trinity

 

In Truth we are held in the Love of the Trinity, the awesome Heart of Love and therefore we are one with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. How can that not bring new freedom from the tyranny of fear, the possibility of action from inaction and healing out of brokenness.  

Faith: a huge strength

 Caring can be a long term commitment. Friends, family, neighbours often walk away over time. This may be painful, sad, frustrating, annoying, but true. Being the best carer you can be, does not mean you have to pretend not to have feelings, to not look after yourself, to not be upset too at all the long term losses and necessary changes forced on you by the illness.

There is no magic wand to take way the terrible suffering and grief you may carry or witness. If you have any sort of faith or system of belief, this can be a huge strength to help get you through some of the most difficult, painful moments.

(From: "Caring For ME : A Pocketbook Course For Carers "https://stonebird.co.uk/CARE/) 

Caring: a sincere commitment of love and compassion

 It is intricately complicated, learning how to live and communicate with someone whose communication pathways are broken on every level.

The one who cannot think, move, remember, speak, write, tolerate sound or movement, easily or at all, is drawn into a potentially fraught and delicate relationship with the other: If the person has to wait in agony, so you too need to learn to wait, patiently and peacefully, hopefully, despite any personal frustration or need.

If the person cries out, you feel it deep in your guts. If the person is suddenly confused, you too experience the uncertainty of confusion, not knowing exactly what is required. If the person is cross or distressed, it breaks your heart.

A fragile relationship is born over time, one that wends a path between silence, stillness, movement and sound.That path is not easy to navigate, it can only be entered upon when guided by a true heart and the most sincere commitment of love and compassion.

(Adapted from "More Notes For Carers" https://stonebird.co.uk/morenotes/index.html)

Living the Mystery of Hope; a new article

 

We are delighted that the July/August Edition of the Faith Companion has an article by us called Living the mystery of Hope.

Here is a short extract from the article:

‘In order to find hope, particularly  in the most desperate of places Christ teaches us to see with new eyes,  to hear with new ears. It may feel as if things are dire and getting worse, yet in God we can always find Hope. We  may never be able to define hope but we can feel it and  live in its mystery.

When all roads seem empty, even when light is fading, may we hold on with all strength to hope, not the hope of achievement or the hope of gaining something specific, but much more than that; let us hold on to the hope that God brings to us,  to the inner peace, not of the world and  to the fundamental sense of our internal goodness, of life, of love, of beauty.’

For people unable to afford to purchase the Faith Companion it is possible to subscribe for a free  E-copy.

https://www.thefaithcompanion.co.uk/free-subscription

Healing prayer to the Holy Spirit

Come Holy Spirit, come.

May the Holy Spirit come upon you now

Heal and save you,

Restore you to full health,

Comfort, shield and protect you,

Remain with you

Inspiring you 

And guiding you 

Always

Amen

Our Father

 What I love more than anything about the prayer, of the Our Father, is that it is, first and foremost, Jesus own prayer to His Father, asking that His Father bring Him safe passage through the Path of the Passion that He is about to fully embrace with total intent and awareness, but it is more than this because it is also a prayer for all of us to pray, through any suffering in our lives, because Jesus intimately includes us, by saying ‘Our Father’……he is praying as human to the Divine, knowing that the road to the Cross is going to be brutal. The prayer brings light, comfort strength, truth to the situation and blesses it with love.