Note: If you’re a paying subscriber and before 3:30pm yesterday you downloaded the 100 day Bible reading plan I provided, what you downloaded was missing some books and had repetition towards the end. If you go back to that article now, you’ll get a fixed version, and there’s an explanation. I humbly apologise if you printed anything. I should have checked it a lot more closely.
Dear reader,
This week there are a number of things I want to share with you but none of them are worth an article on their own, so today is a minor smorgasbord. Hopefully there’s something worthwhile here for you.
Before I go further, if you’re a paying subscriber, a big thanks to you as I keep building this towards replacing my part-time church income when my tenure with my church comes to end in the middle of next year. I really do hope there’s been benefit for you in what I’ve been writing. This has been a good experience so far, away from the noise of much social media.
If you’re a free subscriber, thanks for reading the stuff I make available. I’m making this one available to all, but if you’re able, please do consider becoming a monthly subscriber for the price of one coffee per month at my favourite café. That will give you access to everything.
As I look at articles for the weeks to come are there any topics, questions, or issues you would like me to dive into? I can’t promise I’ll address them, but if I think there’s some value I can bring to the table I will. If so, leave a comment below or send me a message.
It’s the second week of Advent. The order of themes for Advent sometimes vary (though joy is almost always the theme on the third Sunday). This week many of us recognise and contemplate the theme of peace.
First up, my Spotify wrap for 2024.
My Most Listened to Song
A playlist I enjoy on Spotify is the songs of PAYG (Pray as You Go). It’s a list of songs that appear in the daily reflection from Pray as You Go, a daily prayer tool produced by the Jesuits in the UK. If you’re looking for a good 10-15 minute reflection each day that includes music, scripture, reflective questions, it’s a good app/site to use. I recommend it often.
In that playlist I discovered a song I really liked. O God Will You Restore us by Bifrost Arts. It comes from their 2016 album Lamentations: Simple Songs of Lament and Hope Vol 1. It fit for where I was early in the year. I used Spotify to create a ‘radio’ list based on that song. I go back to it time and time again. It turns out it is my most played song of the year. It says a lot about my pilgrimage through 2024.
An Evening Prayer During Advent
The other night I wasn’t able to be home to curate our church home group (we call them Eucharist groups) so I helped my wife find something to begin the group. We turned to Celtic Daily Prayer Book 1. This evening prayer for blessing during Advent caught my attention:
God of the watching ones,
give us your benediction.God of the waiting ones,
give us your word for our souls.God of the watching ones,
the waiting ones,
the slow and suffering ones,
give us Your benediction,
Your good word for our souls,
that we might rest.God of the watching ones,
the waiting ones,
the slow and suffering ones,and of the angels in heaven,
and of the child in the womb,
give us Your benediction,
Your good word for our souls,
that we might rest and rise
in the kindness of Your company.Amen.
Beautiful.
Formula One
On a less earnest note, congrats to McLaren for winning the Constructors Championship for 2024. Yes, I’m a Formula One fan. Red Bull is my favourite constructor, though I have a soft spot for McLaren as is fitting for any Kiwi who follows F1. Lewis Hamilton is my favourite driver, and I cheer on Liam Lawson since he’s a Kiwi.
The last race of the season in Abu Dhabi was a great watch on Monday morning.
Taylor Swift and the Eras Tour
If you follow Taylor Swift at all you’ll know that the Eras Tour came to a close on Monday with the last show in Vancouver. This was a significant deal in our house as my daughter is a big fan. She has found a way to watch almost every show of the tour. She has tracked costume changes, set lists, and varying announcements that have been made at the shows. She’s made bead bracelets along the whole journey.
Sadly for the Vancouver fans who attended the last concert, they didn’t get to see any new outfits or hear any new announcements. It was still a phenomenal show.
Over 10,000,000 attended the tour worldwide to the tune of over $2,000,000,000 (USD) in ticket sales.
I’m thankful for the distraction and joy that Taylor Swift has been for my girl during the difficulty of her health journey.
To mark the last show she had a friend around to watch it. There were snacks. I drank a can of Swifty, a Garage Project beer. For the die-hards, yes it’s spelt differently from Swiftie.
I like to think I’ve done my bit in my girl’s world of Tay-Tay, having taken her to the screening of the Eras Tour film when it hit cinemas here (when her health was really low last year). I got a Kansas City Chiefs NFL cap for that. If you know, you know. I’ve also listened to many a conversation about Taylor Swift… those will continue, no doubt. So it felt fitting that I drank an appropriately named ale as the tour came to a close.
Pieta
Back to being more earnest - as I contemplate Mary this Advent, I find myself coming back to Michelangelo’s Madonna della Pieta (Our Lady of Pity). It’s more of an Easter/Pascha image than a Christmas image, but Christmas and Easter kind of go hand in hand. They work together. I have no great reflection on it, but I find it very moving. If you’re in Auckland, head to Crave Cafe in Morningside and you’ll see a street artist’s rendition of Mary’s face in this above the counter….a big version. It’s wonderful. I don’t get there as much as I used to, but it remains my favourite Auckland café for many reasons. That image is one of those reasons.
A Prayer
The concluding prayer from Lauds (morning prayer) in Benedictine Daily Prayer today:
Grant, Lord, our God, that we may await with eager hearts the coming of Christ, your Son, so that when he knocks he will find us watching and praying and singing his praises. This we ask of you through the same Lord, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.
Peace be with you.
If prayer is a thing in your life, please pray for me.
Aroha nui,
Frank
Perhaps communion/the Eucharist as a topic?
That was a rollercoaster read! Loved it.