End of the Garden

Monday, September 10, 2007

Our Lady of Tintern


Yesterday Jeanne and I had the most wonderful and sacred time at Tintern Abbey, in the Wye Valley. For those who don't know, Tintern Abbey is the ruin of a Cistercian Monastery that was knocked about in the Reformation (Cromwell and all that), about 500 years or so ago. William Wordsworth wrote a poem, go to to read it http://www.blupete.com/Literature/Poetry/WordsworthTinternAbbey.htm : He composed this a few miles above Tintern Abbey, on revisiting the banks of The Wye during a tour. July 13, 1798.

We had read in a local paper that there was to be sung vespers in the ruins so off we trotted. Wonderful weather, with our folding chairs and warm clothes (not needed) and joined about 1000 others, turn-out amazing! Loads of monks, nuns and other ordained beings, looked like a Gilbert and Sullivan opera when they processed into the ruined Abbey together. No organ, so we all sung gustily a cappella the hymns and antiphones and psalms and all. What Jeanne and I hadn't known about was that a statue to our Lady of Tintern was being blessed. This statue, see http://www.ourladyoftintern.co.uk/ was recently carved by Philip Chatfield, who specializes in medieval techniques recreated (and created) this Lady of Tintern from being shown bits of a statue that was found in ruins, He had carved this over the past two years. So the vespers yesterday were dedicated to Our Lady of Tintern, and it was the most feminine of Christian services I have ever attended.

Whilst on Holy Island this August for the
Qigong & Meditation Retreat I was re-inspired (inspiration faded somewhat in years post retreat) to restart daily Green Tara practice. Marvelous, great stuff, imaging strong powerful deity and oodles of compassion from her each day. Making prayers for fearlessness as we start this new life here at Mill House Farm in Llanvihangel Ystern Llewern. And there we were, sitting in the magnificent ruins of the Abbey with swallows flying overhead, the view of the green Wye Valley through the huge empty window frames, the sky overhead, the pillars soaring up.... Watching a beautiful, alive statue being blessed with Holy Water and Incense whose pungent perfume spread throughout the ruined Abbey.

The homily was delivered by Rt Revd Br Stuart Burns OSB, Abbot of Burford, a very Scottish guy and very straightforward. He chose as his subject the time that Jesus as a child had gone missing and his parents spent three days looking for him and finally found him in the temple talking to the doctors: and Mary told the doctors to listen to his son. Br Burns made the point that there is a huge hunger for spirituality yet no-one thinks to look in a church, all sorts of other means are explored. And he added that he understood, as the Church is in a mess. His words. And he is right. he also spoke about how some think that the Church as we know it has to die in order for it to find again its strength. And more. I hope there will be a transcript on the web soon. Will look out for it.

Praising God outside in a ruined Abbey
with centuries of prayer and silence and reflection seeping into the land and ruined walls is good.
As we drove back to Mill House Farm, after joining people, bishops and monks and nuns in Tintern Village Hall for tea and cake, I felt and saw the power of the land around here. And feel truly blessed to be living in such a beautiful and sacred part of Britain, of Wales.

Pray for us as we start our journey here, a journey to offer people a place for healing, relaxation and inspiration. I feel the love of the wider community of our friends out there - and here too, helping where help is needed in all sorts of wonderful ways. helping this transformation of us, this building, our land, our lives - your lives?

May Our Lady of Tintern and Green Tara together bless our endeavours and bring blessings to all who touch us and whom we touch.