Glorious day in Whitby

A series of observations and reflections made today in Whitby.

Glory to you, dear God today,
As I look out at Whitby bay.
Glory, with Hild and Mary pray,
As we walk ever in the Way.

Overheard in Whitby

Is it donkey ride time?
Jesus, it's always donkey ride time with you!

Messy church was in full flood at St Hilda's.

Here's a verse about it to add to some others (the tune is Rhosymedre)

The love of God comes close
Where stands the messy table
And folks of every age
Join in as they are able,
Where children lead the way
Just listen to what they say.
The fun of God is here to stay
Embracing those who go this Way,
The fun if God is here to stay.

There were more women represented in St Hilda's church:

The women doing the messy church;
In the windows, Mary, Hilda and Priscilla;
On the war memorial for WW1 dedicated to 27 men and women: R L Bulmer, E M Harrison and F E Smales all VAD nurses, some likely to have been women.

Conversations in Whitby

A mother and daughter asked me 'Which way do we go?'
Good question.

How to get a dangerous reputation:

Hilda is said to have petrified snakes.

Later in the day I found one in the garden of the YHA.

Community of the Holy Paraclete at Whitby Priory

The signs are here,
The staff, the table, the cross.
The light is here
The silence is here
The stones keep vigil even when we do not,
Remembering, murmuring, echoing,
This is the place,
And we will serve God in it.

An RB Magnificat 

Did Mary say?
God makes everything bigger,
Even me.

I'm so happy to shout that out!
God remembers everyone,
Even me,

The most puny of all.
It's amazing that this is still remembered:
I really am blessed

By everything God is doing
In and through us all.
You may think the mighty are big and strong,
You may envy the rich or even the proud

But God has different priorities.
God lifts up the humble, 

Makes leaders of the lowly
And those others overlook,
And fills empty ones full again.
This has been known for ages:

Take time to celebrate it now
And, like me, say yes to God.

Margaret Clitheroe was one of the Catholic 40 martyrs of England, and is remembered in the Catholic St Hilda's Church. She was executed in York.

Margaret remembered:

Doors are for opening, remembered Margaret,
Under the weight of one used for the wrong purpose,
As the doors of heaven opened to welcome her home.

A stone to remember 'an important woman, possibly Abbess Aelfled who died here in around 714' is on display at the Abbey. She was the third Prioress and became a nun to fulfill a view made by her father. I was unable to find out what she thought about it.

Conversations round a labyrinth in Whitby Abbey

 
'I've been doing this since 10 o'clock'
Well it is quite a big one; something of a feat for the feet.
'Shall we go on? I think I'm nearly there'.

The attraction of the labyrinth,
Reeling us in, casting us out.

In our life and our believing
The love of God