Once I was a clever boy learning the arts of Oxford... is a quotation from the verses written by Bishop Richard Fleming (c.1385-1431) for his tomb in Lincoln Cathedral. Fleming, the founder of Lincoln College in Oxford, is the subject of my research for a D. Phil., and, like me, a son of the West Riding. I have remarked in the past that I have a deeply meaningful on-going relationship with a dead fifteenth century bishop... it was Fleming who, in effect, enabled me to come to Oxford and to learn its arts, and for that I am immensely grateful.


Saturday 24 December 2011

Reflecting on Advent


Now we have got to Christmas Eve I think I have managed to observe a rather better Advent than in some years. Not that I have not had far too many distractions and general end-of-year and pre-Christmas hassle, but I do think it has been a bit more spiritually profitable than some other years. That is not to say that its lessons will not have to be relearned next year all over again. Nonetheless the fact that Advent this year has been as long as it can possibly be has meant that there really has been a bit more time to reflect on the God who came in time, comes to us in time and will come at the end of time.

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