We’ve been in Yorkshire this weekend and took ourselves to Vespers at Ampleforth. Part of the magic of it – if that isn’t inappropriate – is that they spend no time on most of the things to which we give great importance. No concern for relevance or variety or immediacy or particularity or communication or explanation or strategic planning .. They process in out of the middle ages. They do what they have always done and they process out again. It’s very refreshing. I couldn’t help looking into their faces and wondering. With some, you just wouldn’t know. Others had those faces which mature but don’t age in that sort of ‘lived in’ way that the rest of us have – difficult to tell what age they were. And some of the older ones had that aura which means that they had given themselves totally to it. It makes you think …
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Liked your piece about Ampleforth. The Abbott and a monk came separately to preach at weddings in Hannington here a few years ago. Quite the best adresses I’ve heard- simple and profound – from single men too! As they focus on worship it’s their being rather than their doing that seems to be highlighted and it gives them an undeniable and attractive peace. They have space to think differently to a secular world – and a church which seems to be increasingly about performance reviews and business methods. Are we on the wrong track?
Kind regards – hope one more reply isn’t an onslaught!
Andrew
good to see you took my advice and put up a comment book. wait for the onslought of abuse and disagreement