Benedict’s Raven

Dear Benedict,

I hear that you knew a friendly raven. Various saints are linked to animals: there’s St Cuthbert and his otters and St Oswald is also linked with a raven. In Wales, St Melangell is the patron saint of hares. I’m sure there are many others though I’m not familiar with which saint is linked to the Lesser Stag Beetle, the Gannet or the slow worm. I did once know a child who was very fond of slow worms so perhaps it’s him.

Benny’s raven at Stanbrook Abbey, Wass

It’s interesting that we link holy people to animals in the wild and then promptly forget about them ourselves until it’s time to print another Countryfile Calendar or we see another bit of road kill. Some of us feed birds or count butterflies but it is our general disengagement with the natural world that contributes to our climate crisis. We have forgotten, in our rush to make as much money out of it as possible, that we share the planet.

You never mention the raven in your Rule. Probably it was one of those tales that got expanded later. The faithful raven and the humble monk make a good story, although I can imagine that you had much wild company when you were hermiting. I saw a young jackdaw in the valley recently, but I’m not very good at identifying corvids, except for the raucous magpie in the blue-black and white suit. There are quite a few of those.

Geese in Longdendale

My favourite avian companions are the geese that make their calls in the morning and evening, on the way out or on the way home, commuting up and down the valley. Unfortunately, the avian ‘flu virus has been seen in the valley again this year, especially amongst gulls.

Sea bird cliffs in North Yorkshire

If I was going to add a chapter to your Rule it might be one about recognising the holy space all around us. About how the creatures that also occupy it are holy too as is every species of plant, fungus and bacterium. Some people point to parasitic wasps as proof against God but there’s no need to do so. They all have their own beauty and honouring the place of each one doesn’t mean we have to behave like parasites. It’s only 40,000 years since the earliest painter of Indonesia drew a pig on a cave wall. How long before there are no pigs to draw.

We have forgotten our first vocation, to name and care for our companion earth-dwellers. We need to remember before we all fall asleep on the job and there are no ravens left to guard us.

Lesser stag beetle on the Meridian Way at Greenwich

From the remembered gospel: God does not even forget the sparrows.

May the Creator of slow worms bless you;

May Christ, the counter of sparrows accompany you;

May the Spirit of the wholly connected mycelium bring you together,

That together we may grow in wisdom and understanding and know that all things count.

A Friend of Scholastica in Longdendale, 20.08.2023

Christ behind me

We do not invite Christ to follow us‘ is a somewhat free translation of some words by Bonhoeffer. My response to which is, ‘No, but he does it anyway’.
Christ is behind me. He has my back. Which is just as well. Of course, I do often forget this and feel got at and become defensive, until I remember, Christ is behind me.

Christ is beside me. Not just following but accompanying. My best companion. ‘Who is that next to you?’ Christ of course.

Christ is above me and below me. Such ancient ideas (from St Patrick’s breastplate) might now mean something different in our hierarchical world in which social standing is held up as everyone’s aspiration. Only it’s not. Christ already has those positions covered. Above us and below us, it’s Christ.

Christ in hearts of all who love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger. Whatever we think folks are talking about, they are speaking Christ is we listen enough. They are loving us in Christ.

Christ is within me. At this moment my abdominal cavity is abominal as it tries to deal with an influx of unwanted bacteria. But Christ is there within me.

Most of all Christ is before me. Bonhoeffer was probably aiming at this with his opening remarks: ‘We do not invite Christ to follow us’. We follow Christ. There’s always following to do. Not sure what to do today? Then follow Christ, whether you look at his back or his face. Yesterday in the queue at the bank they had provided some helpful footprints on the floor to show you what direction to take. Christ does this everyday.

Following Christ is much more than a direction which is why, according to this ancient Irish Prayer, Christ is there in every direction.

In our life and our believing

The love of God

JAL 24.01.2019

Reflection on St Patrick’s Breastplate

Living water

The water is alive!
See how it flows,
Hear how it whispers and roars!
After a summer of dwindling,
Seeping away, slowly sinking,
Now rain raises it up,
Brown and white, foaming and vigorous.
This valley is marked by it
As it both stills and flows,
Moving on to give life to other places.

May we be like the living water.
As you raise us up, enliven us,
By your Spirit, to share life and renew
Our communities with hope and love.

JAL 05.01.2019