Tintern Abbey:
A building ruined for a King, by his men,
because he wanted
more money, riches
and simply took it.
Monks displaced
Locals without access to alms.
These days such ruins remind us
of past skills, past dedication
and past error.
We wander through the ruins reflectively,
prayerfully,
remembering the good deeds and the less good.
Two entrances, one open
the other unimaginably locked,
this is a ruin, after all!
Yet I look at the pictures and ponder,
how open are we, honestly, to the gift
of Easter?
Do we lock it away, for ourselves,
striving to keep it pure, undefiled?
Do we dare to speak our belief,
to unlock our hearts,
our voices,
our passion
and stand as open to the elements
as is the open doorway?
We pray for wisdom to keep hearts
and minds
open to the movement of your Spirit.
When you have gently knocked
and we have opened like a spring flower
in warm sunshine,
move us to remove the door
and be open to receive and
to come and go in your most precious Name.
Remove the padlock
unnecessarily shutting out,
pretending to keep safe
and free us with the beauty and the wonder
of eternity.
Amen
Reading: Acts 12:1-19
StF 450 Open, Lord, my inward ear
Prayers for April by Hazel Parsons
