Sarum College logo
  • Learning
    • Short Courses
    • Exploring Theology
    • Prospective Students
    • Postgraduate Study & Research
      • Postgraduate study in Theology, Imagination & Culture
      • Postgraduate Study in Christian Spirituality
      • Postgraduate study in Theology, Ministry and Mission
    • Theology, Imagination & Culture
    • Christian Spirituality
    • Bible & Sacred Texts
    • Human Flourishing
    • Leadership Learning
    • Spiritual Direction
    • Private Stays, Retreats, Study Breaks and Sabbaticals
    • Library
      • Guide to Library Services
    • Learning Resources
  • Ministry
    • Ordination
      • Undergraduate Award
      • Postgraduate Award
      • Rural ministry
      • Parish-based pioneer ministry
    • Licensed Lay Ministry / Readers
    • Independent Study
  • Hospitality
  • Courses & Events Diary
  • Join the mailing list
Sarum College logo
  • About Us
    • Our People
    • Governance
    • Work with us
  • Safeguarding
  • News
  • Donate
  • Contact
  • Learning
    • Short Courses
    • Exploring Theology
    • Prospective Students
    • Postgraduate Study & Research
      • Postgraduate study in Theology, Imagination & Culture
      • Postgraduate Study in Christian Spirituality
      • Postgraduate study in Theology, Ministry and Mission
    • Theology, Imagination & Culture
    • Christian Spirituality
    • Bible & Sacred Texts
    • Human Flourishing
    • Leadership Learning
    • Spiritual Direction
    • Private Stays, Retreats, Study Breaks and Sabbaticals
    • Library
      • Guide to Library Services
    • Learning Resources
  • Ministry
    • Ordination
      • Undergraduate Award
      • Postgraduate Award
      • Rural ministry
      • Parish-based pioneer ministry
    • Licensed Lay Ministry / Readers
    • Independent Study
  • Hospitality
  • Courses & Events Diary
  • Join the mailing list

Sarum Pause for Reflection: First Fisher on Station

Home News Sarum Pause for Reflection: First Fisher on Station

Reflection

‘Where are all the anglers?’ I had wondered earlier in the year.

|

Angling was one of the first sports to have restrictions lifted after the great Cov19 shut-down, but the banks of the Thames remained bare.  What had I not realised?  It was still closed season for coarse fishing!

There was no doubting when Day #1 of the season arrived.  The first fisherman back on station was there at first light.  Then there were two of them, soon a dozen, finally a whole school of anglers.  (If that’s the right collective noun for them.)

In Julian’s parable, which works on two levels, the servant is both

  • Jesus, running to meet us
  • and: humankind eager to do right then, later in the tale, slipping up

|

When the prodigal son came home,
his father saw him coming a long way off,
and ran to meet him. 
Luke 15:20

A servant standing respectfully before his lord, ready to do his bidding – the lord looks at him most kindly, with high regard. and quietly sends him on mission to a particular location.  The servant doesn’t just go, he runs full tilt in eagerness to get things done his lord’s way.
(Julian of Norwich, ‘A Revelation of Love’ Chapter 51)

|

Prayer

God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray. You always give us far more than we ask for.
You give more than we deserve – yet always you leave your door open to us through Jesus. You give us all we need, and charge it all to His account!  
Pour down on us the abundance of your healing love.

Amen

|

Action

How quickly do we normally walk? Fast pace > warmer muscles, more blood flow to the brain, mood lifted. Plus getting to wherever you were going, sooner. OTOH, if it doesn’t matter much when you arrive, a leisurely pace may aid observation and reflection. Sometimes it is good to speed up, if we can, and get just slightly out of breath. Other times, it can be good to slow right down.

A reflection from Jennifer Brooker ObJN, who has been a frequent visitor of Sarum College. She has a degree in Modern Languages from the University of Oxford and master’s degree in theology awarded by Durham University.


Previous postNext post

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sarum College logo

Get in touch

  • info@sarum.ac.uk
  • 01722 424800

Find us on maps

  • Sarum College, 19 The Close, Salisbury, SP1 2EE, UK

Stay in the know

Sign up to our newsletter

Learning

  • Prospective Students
  • Theology, Imagination & Culture
  • Christian Spirituality
  • Bible & Sacred Texts
  • Exploring Theology
  • Human Flourishing
  • Leadership Learning
  • Spiritual Direction
  • Learning Resources

Postgraduate study & research

  • Postgraduate Study in Christian Spirituality
  • Postgraduate study in Theology, Imagination & Culture
  • Postgraduate study in Theology, Ministry and Mission
  • Library

Ministry

  • Ordination
  • Licensed Lay Ministry / Readers
  • Independent Study
  • Parish-based pioneer ministry
  • Postgraduate Award
  • Rural ministry
  • Undergraduate Award

The College

  • About Us
  • Travel to Sarum College
  • Our People
  • Governance
  • Hospitality
  • Private Stays, Retreats, Study Breaks and Sabbaticals
  • Work with us

Terms & Conditions|Privacy Policy|Accessibility

© 2023 Sarum College|Registered Charity No. 1161253|Company No. 9510356|Sarum College's trading subsidiary is Sarum College Services Ltd, Company No. 1931038|Website by blue bee

Sign up to our newsletter

Fill in and submit the form below and we'll add you to our mailing list for news about Sarum College.

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.