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Friday, February 12, 2010
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Thoughts on Travels to France and England
There is so much more I learned that I can't put in one blog. The inside of Notre Dame cathedral doesn't "feel right." It was used for wine storage during revolution when French people repudiated the church, God, and all religion. It's been reconsecrated, but it didnt' feel like other old, or for that matter modern, churches I've been in. It was so strange but it didn't feel holy, like there was a residue of the bad things that had happend there. The outside was gorgeous, but the inside felt empty.
That was disppointing. Westminster Cathedral has had unbroken church services since it was finished in 1065, never missed a day, and it feels like it.
VERY different.
The French people seemed much more weighed down by their history than the Brits, but then two German invasions, too much war, has left them tired. They are very secular and I have to say at Versailles, seeing this huge gold icon on the altar to the Sun King, Louis XIV, was a shock. That was in the 17th century and apparently he thought he ws more important than God.
The feeling in England was much more of liveliness in general than in France. So many, many sweet old churches and holy places in England. With long unbroken histories.
But still you feel the beauty of the ancient city in Paris much more than in London which feels very upbeat and stimulating.
Paris is 2500 years old which is hard for our modern minds to get around. London is 2000 year old.
In Paris I found out what it's like to be lilliterate. Didn't know the langauage, couldn't read the signs, tho you figure it out fast. But still, it's weird to not know what people are saying.
It's so hard to capture the feeling in words of what it's like to stand on a cliff overlooking the Irish sea by a stone hermit's hut that was built in 600 something with a stone cross carved into the rock where the "hermits" lived and hoped to bring Christianity to England. That place was called Heysham and Ruth and I had a hard time tearing ourselves away. I did write about it, but just couldn't really capture the intense feeling of God's presence in that desolate windswept spot,.
That was England of course. There are so many legends in England that Jesus walked there as a boy with his Uncle Simon of Cyrene who gave his tomb for Jesus to be buried in, and it's in their national songs and widely believed. Simon had tin mines in England, they say,and traveled there and took the young Jesus with him. It's really an unbroken tradition and could be true. Most Brits believe it. Simon planted a staff and it flowered and the trees are still in England and only grow in the Holy Land other than England. Can't remember what the tree is but still growing in England.
Also believe that Mary travelled to England with Simon who took care of her and brought the Holy Grail which many people believe is under the spring at Glastonbury where there has been a church since Christianity came to England around 600, brought by Irish priests.
I woud say Paris ws more like Colleen Moore's dollhouse at the museum in Chicago, kind of magic. They worship beauty and it's hard not to be impressed.
I really would like to travel more. Want to go to Israel and see places holy to Judaism and Christianity. Ultimately all this travel has strengthened my faith, helped me get rid of a lot of fears, put myself in God's hands and has shown me what a difference it is to be in a place where faith was repudiated and one where it is still revered.
That was disppointing. Westminster Cathedral has had unbroken church services since it was finished in 1065, never missed a day, and it feels like it.
VERY different.
The French people seemed much more weighed down by their history than the Brits, but then two German invasions, too much war, has left them tired. They are very secular and I have to say at Versailles, seeing this huge gold icon on the altar to the Sun King, Louis XIV, was a shock. That was in the 17th century and apparently he thought he ws more important than God.
The feeling in England was much more of liveliness in general than in France. So many, many sweet old churches and holy places in England. With long unbroken histories.
But still you feel the beauty of the ancient city in Paris much more than in London which feels very upbeat and stimulating.
Paris is 2500 years old which is hard for our modern minds to get around. London is 2000 year old.
In Paris I found out what it's like to be lilliterate. Didn't know the langauage, couldn't read the signs, tho you figure it out fast. But still, it's weird to not know what people are saying.
It's so hard to capture the feeling in words of what it's like to stand on a cliff overlooking the Irish sea by a stone hermit's hut that was built in 600 something with a stone cross carved into the rock where the "hermits" lived and hoped to bring Christianity to England. That place was called Heysham and Ruth and I had a hard time tearing ourselves away. I did write about it, but just couldn't really capture the intense feeling of God's presence in that desolate windswept spot,.
That was England of course. There are so many legends in England that Jesus walked there as a boy with his Uncle Simon of Cyrene who gave his tomb for Jesus to be buried in, and it's in their national songs and widely believed. Simon had tin mines in England, they say,and traveled there and took the young Jesus with him. It's really an unbroken tradition and could be true. Most Brits believe it. Simon planted a staff and it flowered and the trees are still in England and only grow in the Holy Land other than England. Can't remember what the tree is but still growing in England.
Also believe that Mary travelled to England with Simon who took care of her and brought the Holy Grail which many people believe is under the spring at Glastonbury where there has been a church since Christianity came to England around 600, brought by Irish priests.
I woud say Paris ws more like Colleen Moore's dollhouse at the museum in Chicago, kind of magic. They worship beauty and it's hard not to be impressed.
I really would like to travel more. Want to go to Israel and see places holy to Judaism and Christianity. Ultimately all this travel has strengthened my faith, helped me get rid of a lot of fears, put myself in God's hands and has shown me what a difference it is to be in a place where faith was repudiated and one where it is still revered.
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