April 15, 2011

Part 2: What is it like to come close to the presence of God ? - Renowned preacher and poet, Father Paul Murray belongs to the Irish Province of the Order of Preachers. In the course of his life he’s addressed many an audience but in November his words reached an unusual group of listeners, the members of the House of Lords. To them he spoke not of politics but of contemplation as an essential ingredient in Christian tradition. The event organized by the Royal Fine Art Commission Trust, in conjunction with Sky Television that filmed it, marked an historic moment: never before had a Dominican friar delivered a talk in the House of Lords. We bring you the second in our three part radio adaptation of this talk. One which begins with these words : “What is it like, in practice, to come close to the presence of God ? While last week the presence of God in prayer - the wonder of divine love - was described by Father Paul as burning fire and living water , this week the journey to God is described in terms of a humble descent, a way not so much of rising but of falling, a "downward path".
O Sacred head sore wounded - Monsignor Philip Whitmore brings us a musical comment in preparation for Holy Week ..

Listen :