It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Posted on 29 April, 2020 by Claire Murray

The song floating about in my head
today
is that Christmas classic –
It’s the Most Wonderful Time
of the Year.

But it’s only April!
Is this Coronavirus lock-down
sending my poor head
into a state of confusion?

No,
it’s simply that I feel
that today
I really must
count my blessings.

All of the people that I love
are healthy –
I’m blessed.

I’m able to continue to work
at a job that I enjoy
from the safety of my own home –
I’m blessed.

I’ve just returned from my daily walk
up around Malone Park
where the gardens
are absolutely ablaze with colour –
trees are laced with
white, pinks and yellow.
Shrubs are frilled
with orange, cerise and purple.
Leaves of fresh green, gold
and red
and a cherry tree
sprinkles pink blossom onto me
as I walk below.
I’m truly blessed.

Sunshine, blue skies,
sun cream and a choc ice
(as a special treat
on today’s walk!)
I’m blessed.

I’m in lock-down
but this summer weather
in April
has transformed Belfast
into a wonderland of colour
which I glimpse
every time I step outside
or look out the window –
I’m blessed.

It really does feel
like the most wonderful time
of the year
and I feel so blessed –
thank you, Lord!

Eternity and Enniscrone

Posted on 23 April, 2020 by Claire Murray

Today we walk along the beach
at Enniscrone –
a vast expanse of golden sand
that stretches for miles
as grey waves lap,
oh so gently,
onto the shore.

I find myself thinking
about Granny Fisher.
She was born
over a hundred years ago
and used to spend time
walking along the shores
of Fahan, Inis Eoghain
when she was growing up.

I wonder …

Were waves gently lapping
on the golden sands
of Enniscrone
a long, long time ago
when Granny Fisher, as a young girl,
nearly got cut off
by the tide at Fahan?

Were the same waves tumbling gently
onto the shore of Enniscrone
two thousand years ago
when you were preaching
on the shores Lake Tiberius?

These thoughts impress upon me
the timelessness of the sea
and the timelessness of My God
and I realise that even the greatest
of my worries today
is merely passing.

I feel that I have been given a glimpse
of eternity.

I feel a deep sense of peace
and, as I continue on my way,
I am convinced
that all will be well.

Danny’s Rose Bush

Posted on 15 April, 2020 by Claire Murray

It’s Holy Week
and our garden
is such an inspirational place
to spend time.
There is so much life here,
so much hope!

From the shade of a young oak,
Danny’s rose bush
reaches for the sky
producing gentle, yellow flowers
in summer-time –
flowers that were Danny and Dolores’s
pride and joy!

But in recent years
Danny’s rose bush
started to look
a wee bit straggly
so, just a few weeks ago,
Paul pruned it away back,
right down to knee-height again.
Then he carefully tidied away
the fallen, thorny branches
and left it,
all set for a spurt of growth
as spring unfolds.

A couple of weeks later
when Paul is tidying up
in the garden
he spies a tiny length
of rose branch –
a wee cutting
that got away!
When he bends down
to pick it up
he finds, to his amazement,
that it has taken root
and closer inspection reveals
tiny leaves of dark green and red
that are beginning to sprout!

In Holy Week,
this three inch cutting
of rose bush
is bursting with promise
of the Resurrection –
thank you, Lord!
(Danny and Dolores
would be so proud!)

When One Door Closes …

Posted on 15 April, 2020 by Claire Murray

All around the world
Coronavirus has meant
that church doors remained locked
during Lent.

But don’t they say
that when one door closes
another one opens?

This has certainly been the case
as I have explored a new way
of practising my faith –
on the Internet!

I’ve been able to attend
Sunday morning Mass
in a virtual sort of a way
here, in Belfast.
And, at the start of Holy Week,
daily Mass from Letterkenny
and Lisnaskea.

Then there were the Easter ceremonies –
wow – so much choice!

Last Supper Mass
from Newtowncunningham,
Tenebrae from Tallaght,
Stations of the Cross from Newry
then back to Newtowncunningham
for Taizé Prayer around the Cross –
an extra-special treat!
Finally,
Mass on Easter Sunday morning
from St Bernard’s in Newtownabbey –
a Mass specially for children
that was so simple
and joyful!

While I have really missed
attending the Holy Week ceremonies
in my own parish of St Agnes,
I have to admit that, this Lent,
I’ve been absolutely
spoilt for choice!

Thank you, Lord,
for opening this absolutely enormous
virtual door
when church doors
have had to close
to keep us all safe.

The Dead Apple Tree

Posted on 8 April, 2020 by Claire Murray

In our garden
is an apple tree grove
planted by Danny and Dolores.
Last year
the oldest apple tree
had its most fruitful harvest
ever –
dotted with tiny, green berries
that swelled and grew
into green and red apples
glinting in the sunlight.

Seeing the apples
reminded us of Dolores
who always watched their progress
like a hawk,
pointing them out to us
with pride
from her kitchen window.

A few feet away
stood the youngest apple tree.
Last year, for the first time,
it bore no fruit,
no leaves –
it looked dead to the world.

Seeing that tree
reminded us of Danny.
Danny had green fingers, you see,
and was frequently heard to utter
the same advice
on any ailing plant,
“Ach, give sure it a chance –
you never know!”

And so , when the apple tree
appeared to die,
we did just that.
When winter came
Paul pruned the tree hard
and left it …

Now, spring is here
and our youngest apple tree
is showing signs
of new life –
green leaves are unfurling
from tiny buds!

Thank you, Lord,
for the gift of spring –
for the new life
that it brought
to our apple tree
and for the hope
that it brings to us
at a time
when the world
is in dire need of it.

And thank you
for Danny and Dolores
whose beautiful garden
continues to bring joy
and happy memories
after they have gone.

Camelias!

Posted on 1 April, 2020 by Claire Murray

Camelias are in full bloom
in our garden –
beautiful pink, rose-like flowers
dotted on leaves
of After-Eight green.

Seeing the camellias
makes me smile.
They remind me of Dolores
who absolutely loved
these camellias
and took great pride
in the camellia grove i
that Danny had planted
in the garden
even though,
every year without fail
her neighbour’s camellia
would come into bloom
before hers!
(Dolores’s indignation
was really quite comical!)

Today I walk around
the camellia grove
in a garden
that used to belong
to Dolores and Danny
and has now passed down
to us.
Seeing the pink polkadot shrubs
makes me smile
as I remember Dolores.

Today is her birthday,
you see.

I suspect that
as Dolores looks down
from above,
she’s still incredibly proud
of her camellias
and I also suspect
that she’s equally proud
of our wee family.

And in my heart
I wish Dolores
a very happy birthday
as she rests in peace.

In Conversation With God

Spiritual Reflections by Claire Murray

Monthly Archives: April 2020