Jesus famously remarked, ‘Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.’ We sometimes say of someone, ‘I wish never to see them again,’ with reference to something in their behaviour that has offended us. All too often it is simply a projection of the ‘shadow’ in ourselves. None of us, not even the saints, is without some form of inner darkness – be it shortness of temper, impatience, laziness, bossiness or whatever. So always we need to look inside ourselves before we rush to criticise others. It is here that the practice of meditation can enable us to be more centred and less liable to stone-throwing.
Thanks James. Your post chimes with something I’ve been thinking about today; my need, since childhood,to make space for creativity; a time to transform, and still feel alive within trauma. The inner darkness, the projections, maybe, wounds we all live with, but are wrestled with by our human spirit that tells us who we really are; loving and wonderful creatures.
There is a great picture by Pieter Bruegel the Elder illustrating this scene. Jesus is seen kneeling writing something in the dust while the woman stands there before him and men with handfuls of stones turn away. Where was the guilty man of this story?
Dear James, What a timely and humbling truth there is in this.
Oh dear, yesterday I found myself almost boiling over with the political situation, and it has been your post that has helped me simply to recognise that the situation needs quiet trusting prayer, rather than any active anger on my part, after all, frustrating and devastating it may be but it would be unlikely to have a creative impact. Deep concern about our nations political chaos abounds but “In quietness and in confidence, shall be our help” comes to mind as a positive way to respond to it, it is far from inactive, to spend time acknowledging how one feels and being still. God Bless us all.
Thank you dear James,
With Love Diana
I have just heard of James’ death and feel bereft. Can anybody please get in touch.
I just wrote this on my Facebook page Diana and got some lovely responses. What a gap in all of our lives this will be.
RIP James Roose-Evans who has died aged 94. He’s been part of my life since I was 19; gave me my first job, married me and Dan (in his role as a non-stipendiary priest), and right to the end was incredibly supportive of my work – even buying four copies of my book to give away just last month! James wrote over 20 books himself, founded Hampstead Theatre and the Bleddfa Centre in Wales, and was a hugely respected theatre director who kept interested in everything around him right up until the very end, and despite the premature death of his beloved partner Hywel. Latterly he always used to describe himself as “older” (also the title of his recent book) rather than “old” – a distinction that summed up his determination to make the most of the life he had left. I’ll miss him ♥️
Dear Marina
What a lovely tribute. I will look you up on Facebook. Perhaps we can be friends, given we are both friends of dear James…
I will miss him so much too. Finding it quite hard to take in at the moment.
You are so right when you say that he kept so interested in everything around him right up until the very end..
With every good wish,
Elizabeth
Hello Diana, yes, I too have just heard and am feeling much the same. What a wonderful man and what a wonderful friend. Thinking of you and sending love, Elisabeth xx
Hello Diana and Elizabeth
I too have just heard the news of James’s death. What a wonderful man. I shall miss his bi- monthly messages so much.
May he indeed rest in peace and rise in glory after a life so well lived.
Celia King
I can not believe that he is gone, and yet, he is not. He lives on in our hearts and minds.
How comforting to read all your thoughts.