Well, an excellent collection of saints in Christian tradition this month, especially for those on Wild City Retreat, connecting city and natural world. Just for starters:
Saint Francis: “Praise to you my Lord, for all your creatures, especially Brother Sun, who brings us the day, and gives us light…”
Martin Luther: “God writes the gospel not in the Bible alone, but also in the flowers and clouds and stars.”
Thomas Traherne, seventeenth century poet: “Can you take too much joy in your Father’s works? He is himself in everything.”
Add to these, Ignatius, who showed us the use of imaginative contemplation, Teresa of Avila, opening up prayer to the people, Bishop George Bell, opponent of second world war bombing, among others, and that’s just October! I wonder what November will bring…
Who’s your favourite, and is it worth a second look at those who tradition have thought worthy of our attention each month?
It was a glorious autumn day when we met at Meanwood Urban farm for the start of a new kind of reflective retreat. We were looking for connections between the natural world, moods of the city and our myths and festivals, overlaid with resonances from our personal histories.
We sensed paradox between a gearing up, focussing and re-setting of priorities, with the natural world’s sense of things dying, pruning, turning inward toward comfort, warmth and hibernation. Do we live too much on the flat, losing sense of the variety of life lived with the extremes of the turning year? If so, how can we re-connect, and what will God communicate if we do?
The next Wild City Retreats are on November 8th and December 6th and can be booked through LCI.
See also our course resources and information page.
Wild October saints…who’s top of your list?
