Slieve Foy

Posted on 21 December, 2022 by Claire Murray

It’s been raining
for days
and I’ve got soaked
many times –
leaving out the rubbish,
getting spuds from the garage
and putting out a massive spider
that’s been trying
to take up residence
under our sofa!

Finally,
the skies clear,
the rain stops
and we all head off
to Slieve Foy
in the Cooley Mountains.

A tiny stream flows along
right beside our path
carrying autumn leaves
in its clear waters.
A sheet of water
slides gently down
along a sheer rock face,
pitter … pitter … pitter …
as it drips
onto the stone below.

On our way
we find countless waterfalls!
Waters tumble and race,
jostle and pour,
splashing and churning
before disappearing
underground,
murbling and gurgling
somewhere
beneath our feet.

To my surprise
I find myself thanking God
for this week’s rain,
without which
we couldn’t possibly
have been blessed
with the wonder of waterfalls
tumbling playfully
in joyful exuberance
along the paths
of Slieve Foy.

Salmon

Posted on 14 December, 2022 by Claire Murray

In today’s Gospel
Jesus explains His purpose in life
to Herod –
“ … for this I came into the world –
to bear testimony to the truth.”
I find myself asking God,
“What about me, Lord?
What’s my purpose?”

I sense an answer from My God
that is instant, surprising
and delightful.
“Claire,
you are like the salmon.
You came from Me
and your purpose is
to find your way back to Me
during your time
on Earth.”

Immediately,
I think about the salmon
who return to the source
of the River Roe,
high up in the Sperrins
in springtime.

From wild Atlantic to Lough Foyle,
upstream to Limavady and Dungiven,
further upstream to Dungiven,
and yet further upsteam
to the shallow, gravelly river beds
of the small stream
near the Mass Rock
at Glenshane.

Salmon who journey
thousands of miles,
drawn inexplicably
to the exact, remote spot
in the Sperrins
where life for them began.

I give thanks to My God
for that still, quiet,
irresistible voice
deep within me
that draws me
closer to Him.
and I pray that, like the salmon,
I too may fulfil my purpose
and find my way
back my origin
during my time here
on Earth.

Apple Cakes

Posted on 7 December, 2022 by Claire Murray

I’ve just finished baking
and apple cake
for my Aunt Anna
using windfall apples
from our garden.
The kitchen’s in a floury mess
and I’ve a stack of dishes
to wash.

Standing at our sink
I look out at our garden …
and I stand still.

Wow!
Our garden is ablaze
with colour!

Autumn leaves of
yellow and orange
brown and pink
are almost aglow
as they reflect
the autumn sunset.

Leaving the dishes
I call Paul out to the garden
and there we stand
watching our garden
radiant with colour –
transformed
in the most gentle of ways.

And isn’t that just like
the transforming power of God
when we invite Him
into our lives?
While our circumstances,
may remain unchanged
God blesses us
with the gift
of being able to view our situation
in a new light –
with hope.

The power of Almighty God
to gently transform
the most mundane events
of our lives …
even washing floury dishes
after baking apple cakes!

I Believe but I don’t Understand

Posted on 24 November, 2022 by Claire Murray

It’s time for the Consecration
at Latin Mass.
The bell has rung,
and the organ has stopped playing.
The priest stands at the altar,
bowed low
as he prays over the host.
The servers and the congregation
all kneel.

Silence all around
as everyone waits.

The bell rings again
and the priest raises his hands
as he holds the body of Christ
on high
for all to see.

I glance up at the body of Christ
before bowing my head
in the very real presence of Jesus,
my God.

In my mind
I say a silent prayer
of welcome
before explaining to Jesus,
“I believe, Lord,
but I don’t understand.”

I’m acutely aware
that I don’t need to understand –
I simply need
to believe.

And I do, indeed, believe
that a miracle takes place
on the altar
during every single Mass
as Jesus becomes truly present
before us.

Whether I’m in a beautiful church
or in a basement
I say a silent prayer of welcome
as I explain to Jesus
that I believe,
even though I don’t understand.

The Assumption

Posted on 17 November, 2022 by Claire Murray

I’m offering up the Rosary
for our daughter’s hands.
It’s the Glorious Mysteries today
and we all begin to pray
the Assumption of Our Lady
into Heaven.

As I ponder the Assumption
I find myself thinking
about the sheer impossibility
of bringing the physical body
of Our Lady
to a spiritual place – heaven.

Then I think about
how special Our Lady was to God –
so special
that He didn’t wish
her body to decay
here, on Earth.

The love of Almighty God
for Our Lady,
like a tsunami,
beyond all our comprehension.
Our All-Powerful God
for whom nothing is impossible.

In that instant
I’m convinced
that Our Lady was assumed
body and soul
into Heaven.

And, in that instant,
I’m also convinced
that right now
Our Lady is already at work
healing the hands
of our daughter.

As I gaze at the statue of Our Lady
on the altar,
I know in my heart
that our daughter’s hands
will be fine.

God Ran Out of Blue Paint

Posted on 10 November, 2022 by Claire Murray

We have many visitors
to our back garden –
grey squirrels, garden birds
and even, once in a blue moon,
a hedgehog!

But recently
we have had a new
and surprising visitor –
a blue tit …
who isn’t blue!
It looks for all the worlds as if,
when God was making him,
He ran out of blue paint!

So this wee blue tit
is not at all blue
and is instead
pale, dusty yellow, grey …
and beautiful!

Aren’t there so many times
in life
that things just don’t go
according to plan?
I can’t help feeling that,
when this happens,
we need to take a step back
and invite God in
to see what He can do.

Then maybe,
between us and God,
we will come up with something
every bit as innovative, surprising
and beautiful
as our wee blue tit
who isn’t blue.

You Don’t Go Before Your Time

Posted on 3 November, 2022 by Claire Murray