Chair's March Blog: More Than Just Our Eyes - Inspiration from CPW's Icon
Inspiration from CPW’s 75th Anniversary Icon
Strength from Hilda, Courage from Oscar, Faith from Clare, Compassion from Francis and Hope from Julian
When we commissioned Sr Stella from Hyning Monastery to write the CPW 75th Anniversary Icon the intention was that it would travel to each event in 2020 (and possibly to some members homes or parishes), as a symbol of the Spirit of CPW whenever and wherever we gathered.
When this became impossible, the icon was unpacked and placed in a place of prayer. Each evening the candle is lighted and prayers are offered for all members of our CPW family. The thoughts which follow were inspired by these prayer times.
Many have called icons windows for the soul. The word “icon” comes from the Greek for image or likeness. And … God’s image and likeness can be found everywhere. Icons—and other forms of art—are invitations to look beyond the brushstrokes, colours, and shapes to the deeper mystery and meaning. As we pause, look, and listen with our hearts, we are changed.
Richard Rohr OFM - Icons and images of God, reflection for Sunday May 13th 2018
What strange times we are living through. What are we to make of it? The period of Lent can sometimes seem long, especially when we are practising some form of self-denial, or a new discipline, but this year, Ash Wednesday has never seemed further away. It is as though it belongs to another era, another time, when things were, well, just more familiar. The churches were open, plans were being made for the Easter Holidays, and if your fridge looked a little empty you could stroll down the street to your nearest shop. What freedom we enjoyed and we didn’t even realise.
In February, we were congratulating our first 2020 team in dodging storms Chiara and Desmond and continuing with the Dora Turbin Lecture at Hinsley Hall in Leeds. As we packed away the CPW icon and drove home we agreed that the 75th year of CPW was off to a good start.
But nothing was to go as planned. Before the end of the second week of Lent, we were postponing our next event amid fears of a virus which appeared to be targeting the age group attending our Prophesy weekend in Penmaenmawr. Within a week, the celebration of public masses had been forbidden, followed by a lockdown on all activities other than localised exercise and the movement of key workers. The icon remained firmly packed away.
The speed of change was breathtaking. Many of us will still be adjusting to the ‘new normal’ of closed schools, home working and online deliveries. How do we make sense of where we are now?
We must learn to look with more than just our eyes and listen with more than just our ears. . . . We must be aware, at all times and in all places, because windows are everywhere, and at any time we may find one. . . .
Richard Rohr OFM - Icons and images of God, reflection for Sunday May 13th 2018
At first I saw only the five individual saints. I wondered about their own relationship with sickness. What would their response to a pandemic be?
St Hilda, a strong female leader, is depicted with Whitby Abbey, a foundation she strengthened through her prayer and leadership even though she suffered a terrible illness for the last seven years of her life.
St Oscar Romero, an inspirational Church leader who paid the price of martyrdom for his solidarity with the poor. How would he have condemned the heedless self-preservation of the well-to-do in times of hardship? This week saw the fortieth anniversary of his assassination.
St Clare, who dedicated her life to serve her beloved poor, often in sickness, including her friend and mentor Francis. I was delighted to discover that since 1958 she has been the Patron Saint of television due to the story that during her final illness, when she was unable to attend Chapel, her faith was so strong that she miraculously saw and heard Mass being celebrated as if projected upon her cell wall - no live streaming necessary!
St Francis, who discarded the trappings of wealth and privilege to live among the poor and showed such compassion to those with the most feared sickness of all, leprosy.
And St Julian of Norwich, who lived through the Black Death and whose vocation as anchorite and theologian caused her to stay within her cell close to Norwich Cathedral, a divine command to Stay at Home which she willingly accepted. Jesus’ words of comfort, revealed to her and recorded in her ‘Revelations of Divine Love’ are often quoted in challenging times like these.
“All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.“
I discovered that our small ‘communion’ of icon saints were surprisingly relevant companions for our current challenges. Each Saint had their quality to bring, Strength from Hilda, Courage from Oscar, Faith from Claire, Compassion from Francis and Hope from Julian. Each saint, though distinct and separated geographically or temporally, was connected through their response to God’s call. I was reminded of each one of us, separated by circumstances yet connected by our shared faith. The faces of Hilda, Julian and Oscar gazed out as if asking, “ How will you respond?”
Then I began to see the context in which the saints were held. At the centre of the top edge a dark edged blue semicircle opens into unknown depths. The heavens perhaps? And the sun of righteousness shines down lightly touching the head of each figure, enlightening, empowering and encouraging them. A sixth ray extends to the CPW emblem, inviting us to respond to our own calling.
Finally, the central two figures of Francis and Claire are the only ones to be granted a physical context. They stand on a bed of flat river stones and between them, framed by their active hands is the Wild Goose, the Celtic symbol of the Holy Spirit, with us, here, now.
The significance of this was well described by Richard Rohr when contemplating another depiction of St Francis:
Located in the upper basilica where Francis of Assisi is buried… is a wonderful bronze statue of St. Francis inviting the Holy Spirit. Instead of looking upward as is usual, he gazes reverently and longingly downward—into the earth—where the Spirit is enmeshed with the earth. Francis understood that the Holy Spirit had in fact descended; she is forever and first of all here!
These are strange times. We are unable to gather as before, but it doesn’t mean we are isolated or alone. The last few weeks have seen a new flowering of Strength, Courage, Faith, Compassion and Hope, sometimes from the most unexpected sources.
New callings for technological connectivity, scientific modelling, creativity in response and even financial flexibility are drawing us into new understandings of what really matters. We may need to stay indoors but we can open our windows and shout, sing and clap to let the world know we are alive and the Wild Goose is with us.
What do we see in those windows? What do we see of who we are, or once were, or one day might become? What do we see of our neighbour living down the street or our neighbour living on the street? What do we see about God?
Richard Rohr OFM - Icons and images of God, reflection for Sunday May 13th 2018
Anne Dixon, CPW Chair