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Nearly 900 years ago the Prior of this newly built church was Walcher from Lorraine.
He was just the second Prior of Malvern Priory, following Aldwyn.
And Walcher was Prior here from 1120 - 1135.
His tombstone can be seen in St Anne's Chapel.
Now Malvern at that time must have been rather a remote backwater.
Set in the middle of the extensive hunting forests of Malvern Chase, it was a watering point on the route to Wales.
But it was still pretty remote, in a world with few roads and no communications.
And you might expect therefore that the Prior here would be a bit out of touch with the rest of the world.
A bit of a recluse. A country bumpkin even.
But not a bit of it!
Walcher, who had come to Malvern from Lorraine, was a most remarkable man.
He was highly regarded as a spiritual leader - William of Malmesbury commented on Walcher's great piety.
But he was also highly regarded as an astronomer and mathematician.
While in Lorraine Walcher had made a study of the astrolabe - that ancient device by which the heights and movements of the planets and stars were measured.
Its use had been lost to Western culture, but had been retained by Islamic culture.
Walcher learned about it probably from the Islamic culture prevalent then in Spain.
He translated from Arabic to Latin writings about the use of the astrolabe, and he introduced it to the West.
He was able to predict to within 15 minutes the time of eclipses.
And he also introduced the lunar calendar to England; the use of Arabic mathematical figures, that we use now; and the use of degrees, minutes and seconds for the measurement of angles.
Walcher was, as I said, a most remarkable man. He brought together the spiritual and the scientific,
- trust and observation
- faith and fact
His faith in God did not stop him from investigating and exploring and trying to understand the complexities of the laws of nature - the stars and the planets and their courses.
I can imagine him on a clear night, here on the Malvern Hills, getting out his astrolabe to study the heavens.
I can also imagine him quoting Psalm 8 - our first reading tonight:
"When I consider Your heavens,
the work of Your fingers,
the moon and the stars which You have set in place,
what is man that You are mindful of him,
the son of man that You care for him?"
In Prior Walcher there was an effortless coming together of faith and science - no clash, no artificial divide.
And so how very appropriate, how inspired, of Matthew Galpin, to present us tonight with a beautiful and unique symbol of that fusion of faith and science - this prayer candle stand,
the form of which is inspired by the astrolabe.
I think this beautiful sculpture symbolises what the Priory stands for in a deep and unique way.
All those centuries ago, when the Priory building was pristine and new, Prior Walcher brought together in it profound spirituality and enthusiastic scientific study. Faith and science.
And today, 900 years later, in such a different world, a large number of our Priory members - not only have a deep Christian faith but they are also research scientists at Quinetic. This place is awash, in fact, with scientific brains!
I remember some years ago, when flying to Israel with a group from the Priory, there was a call on the plane for a doctor - someone had collapsed.
By the time I had made my way from the rear of the plane to the front, where the emergency was, at least 20 doctors of various nationalities had gathered round a rather large, flushed and sweaty lady.
And they were debating as to who might be the best one to examine her.
"I am a neurologist" said one.
"I am a cardiologist" said another.
"I am an internist" and so on
A plethora of doctors!
And I thought to myself "Well, I'm just a GP!" And I crept back to my seat.
The Priory can be a bit like that when the PA breaks down, or some technical fault arises.
I remember one occasion when the PA broke down, and a plethora of very brainy doctors of physics and others gathered round the offending article to offer an opinion - a scene reminiscent of that plane to Israel!
Our church is awash with scientists.
In Walcher's time faith and science went hand in hand in the Priory. Today, in the 21st Century, faith and science go hand in hand in the Priory. And that is so important - so rich and so welcome - in this age of scepticism.
We hear often of Christian fundamentalists who pooh-pooh the revelations and insights of science.
They are blinkered to all that science can teach us.
But then we also have scientific fundamentalists, like Richard Dawkins, who pooh-pooh and dismiss any idea of a mysterious, divine perspective to life.
They are blinkered to the spiritual, and to all that they don't understand and can't prove.
And we need to stand in the middle, drawing faith and science together - because they belong together.
And this candle stand symbolises that coming together.
It stands as a testimony to the mystery of God, and to the marvels of science.
This Priory building is so beautiful, an outstanding example of art and skill.
And the candle stand is appropriately beautiful, an example of art and skill.
And here, in the context of art and beauty, faith and science meet.
We have never had a votive candle stand in the Priory - at least, not in living memory.
It has not been in the tradition of the Priory in recent times.
Votive candle holders, and candles as an aid to prayer, have not personally been in my tradition or upbringing as a Christian.
And yet I, and we, have come to see over the years the value, and also the desire of many who come into the Priory, of lighting a candle, as an aid to prayer.
Someone once said: "When words fail, music begins."
And that is so true isn't it?
Sometimes in our devotions, in our crying need, we don't know what to say to God
- we don't know how to express our feelings, our brokenness
- our longings, our worship
And music takes over.
"When words fail, music begins."
But it could also be said: "When words fail, light begins."
Somehow a candle flame symbolises, and gathers up, all our unspoken words, our longings, and prayers,
and offers them silently to God.
A candle flame speaks silently words too deep to utter.
A candle flame stretches up to heaven.
A candle flame lightens the darkness, turning blackness to colour.
A candle flame casts flickering shadows, bringing life and movement.
A candle flame symbolises the warmth of God, a warmth that reflects off our faces.
A candle flame symbolises to us Jesus, the Light of the world
- Who transforms lives, Who turns darkness to light
- Jesus Who, as St John said, "is the true light that gives light to every man".
As we watch a candle flame it quietens us, and we can say with the psalmist:
"I have stilled and quietened my soul."
We owe huge thanks to Matthew Galpin for his inspired artistry.
We owe great thanks to the Friends for funding this unique sculpture, which will enrich our Priory church, and will speak to generations to come - of the magnificence of our universe - of stars and planets
- of the laws of nature which govern them
- of the scientific research that enables us to understand them.
And it will also speak to them and to us, as the candles glow and flicker in its holders,
- of the mystery of God
- of faith in the One Whose fingers flung stars into space
- Who holds the universe in the palm of His hand, and yet Who also holds you and me, and the small flickering flame which symbolises our needs, our cry, our pain, our longings, Who hold us in the orbit of His love.
"When I consider the heavens,
"Who am I, that You are mindful of me?"
There are 2 symbols at the very heart of our faith:
One is the cross - the cross which symbolises the love of God - Jesus the Saviour of the world - His arms outstretched in forgiveness and welco
- the cross beams embracing the world
- the upright linking earth to heaven.
And the other central symbol is the candle - symbolising the light of God
- Jesus the Light of the world, transforming situations and lives
- bringing comfort and hope into the darkest corners.
And so tonight the candles we have lit flicker in this beautiful stand.
I wonder what of our personal prayers,
our hopes and doubts,
our fears and aspirations,
what names of loved ones,
what expressions of worship and praise, are wrapped up in those candle flames.
God, Who set the stars and planets in their orbit,
the same God holds you and me in the palm of His hand,
He knows.
He sees.
He hears.
He cares.
Each candle, set in the context of a galaxy of candles, reminds us of that wonderful truth and mystery
- the Creator of the universe is here for you and me,
- and He hears our cry.
David Webster
Click to return to the Friends page.
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