The Fellowship of St. Columbanus

For the Feast of the Holy Cross we're posting two short pieces. The first is Evan's poetic meditation on the Holy Cross, and the second is simply Matthew's description of a hypothetical icon of Christ Pantocrator. The cross itself unfolds In the undulations of time. Warp-wood, weft-woe, Flowering. Adoracion de la Santa Cruz por Santa Helena y el emperador Heraclio Miguel Ximenez circ 1487. The Heart is a rosebud planted with ploughshares-to-be undying in, out-pouring bleeding. Lift high, lift high! Stretch out the very sky Torn-robe, shred-cover Freeing. In Heaven, Christ is seated on His cruciform throne, the Cross that bore him since he first bore it. The wooden throne, with tracery in crimson, spreads out its wings in which his subjects take refuge. In the king's outstretched hand, scarred gloriously with the name of his beloved, a scepter benevolently lowered: a golden reed worked with green. He is crowned above with gold and silver acaccia bl...

Epistle: Galatians 5:25-6:10 Gospel: St Matthew 6:24-34 “ God is not mocked ” proclaims St Paul in today’s epistle. Because of the exalted nature of his creed, because of the truth of his profession, and because of the purity to which his religion ever calls him, the Christian’s life is constantly beset by the dangers of temptations, falls, and corruption. The effulgent calling of those who have been washed in the saving blood of the Lamb is bounded by darkness visible and invisible. The devil, knowing full how man’s free will is swayed this way or the other, ever intends to make a mockery of this calling by putting all sorts of dangers in our way, by facilitating the occasions of sin. Very often, the devil does not have to do much, for, we, of our own depraved and vitiated wills, will fall into that which makes a mockery of God’s word. This is warfare, within and without. Life’s cares and worries sometime overtake us, the pursuit of wealth and honour blind us, and we slacke...