Principles Day 18 – Attend, Attune, Atone

Day Eighteen — The Second Way of Service (continued) 

As well as the devotional study of Scripture, we all recognise our Christian responsibility to pursue other branches of study, both sacred and secular. In particular some of us accept the duty of contributing, through research and writing, to a better understanding of the church’s mission in the world: the application of Christian principles to the use and distribution of wealth; questions concerning justice and peace; and of all other questions concerning the life of faith.

A wise man said, ‘Attend, attune, atone.’
The world and humankind – attend to all:
the rustling breeze, the strong wind’s howl or moan;
the tetchy argument, the angry brawl;
the trills, the cheeps, the cawing of the birds;
the angry rants, the cries of love or spite:
Attend! For then it may be that our words
will be more more wise, more merciful; less trite.
Our study is to listen and attune
to ecstasy and pain, to grief and love;
not by the force of will do we atone,
but by attending to the Holy Dove.
Where we would be, She is already there:
to see as God sees is atoning prayer.