holiness

i went on a pilgrimage to st luke's hillmarton road to hear the catholic priest and theologian james allison. i have heard him several times at greenbelt and found him to be an interesting and challenging speaker.

he said that struck a chord with me about holiness. he said holy people are always first and foremost humble people. they know they haven't got it sorted and so they embrace grace and mercy.

a 'holy' church must be a forgiven and forgiving people.

i like that.

pedro arrupe

here is a quote from pedro arrupe, who was superior general of the jesuits from 65-83:

'nothing is more practical than finding god - that is, falling in love in a quite absolute, final way. what you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything. it will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning, what you will do with your evenings, how you will spend your weekends, what you read, who you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude. fall in love. stay in love. and it will decide everything.

girls

i spent yesterday with some of my very favourite girls.

my favourite little girl of all - sofia. i could eat her up.
and a new entry on the list of favourite little ones - kelly and darren's little girl, eva may.

beautiful boo

"smiling" for the camera

boo with annabel

gorgeous huh?

eva and daddy

eva and mummy

moral maze

my dear friend roger dawson was on the radio 4 programme the moral maze last night.

listen again here

diving bell and the butterfly

jane and i went to see this film yesterday. you've probably heard about it, but in summary it is the memoirs of the former editor of french elle, jean-dominique bauby, who suffers a massive stroke and is left with "locked-in syndrome" - which basically means he is completely paralysed, but his brain function is unaffected. it is a fantastic film - hugely uncomfortable to watch but in turns inspirational, tender, terrifying, lonely, hopeful, agonising - no doubt accurately reflecting bauby's moods in the final months of his life.

dream boy

alex p and i went to the bfi to see the film 'the killers' - burt lancaster's screen debut, and the big screen adaptation of an ernest hemingway novel. it is (as the incredibly pretentious film notes told us) an exemplary film noir...nested with weird resonances...and glamorous with obvious pleasures (eh?). ava gardner is stunning beautiful as the gangster's moll. there are some fabulous lines, including "there's nothing worse than a double-crossing dame" and the main character's secretary's chirpy moneypenny-esque greeting "hello dream boy"

now and now and now

paul l and i (having turned down several valentine's day invites from potential lovers) went to the bfi to see the wim wenders film "wings of desire". i first saw it with paul about 12 years ago, and i noticed it was part of their valentine's day programme. it seemed a fitting way to spend the evening.

don't know how many of you have seen the film. it would be easy to dismiss it as a pile of pretentious cr*p (it's filmed in black&white, in german, it consists almost entirely of random fragments of monologue), but i find it incredibly moving. in essence it is about guardian angels, who watch over the lives of people in berlin. they can hear the thoughts and inner lives of the people around them, but what they cannot do is live 'in the moment'. in effect the angels are trapped in eternity. the film reminds me of the intimate, protective and gentle love of god (personified by the angels) as well as the intense joy of living. when one of the angels chooses to join the world of humans (he has fallen in love), he savours every new experience - a cup of coffee, the colour of his own blood, a simple handshake.

joy and joy and joy