No wine – and no ‘wine-dark sea’

A grey morning at the harbour in Skerries on Ash Wednesday (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2012)

Patrick Comerford

It was a grey day in Skerries today. The skies were grey, the waters were grey and choppy, the tide was in, and a number of fishing boats and small trawlers were tied up in the harbour. And if the waters weren’t grey, they were what James Joyce, without delicacy or sensitivity calls “snot green.”

There was none of Homer’s “wine-dark sea” today. But then wine of any sort was going to be off the menu today for Ash Wednesday.

I was back in Skerries today for the Ash Wednesday retreat, which took place in Skerries Sailing Club, overlooking the two beaches, the Harbour, and Red Island.

A few weeks had passed since i was last in Skerries, so in the quiet times we had throughout the day it was good for the soul and the body to go for strolls along the beaches, along the harbour, and around Red Island.

Someone had a dehumidifier at work inside the Martello Tower on Red Island – hopefully a promise of something new in time for the summer, when it comes.

We ended the day with a celebration of the Eucharist in Holmpatrick Parish Church, with the Revd Anthony Kelly presiding.

Grey waters and grey skies on the South Beach in Skerries this morning (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2012)

The Ash Wednesday and Lenten Collect:

Almighty and everlasting God,
you hate nothing that you have made
and forgive the sins of all those who are penitent:
Create and make in us new and contrite hearts
that we, worthily lamenting our sins
and acknowledging our wretchedness,
may receive from you, the God of all mercy,
perfect remission and forgiveness;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Post Communion Prayer

Almighty God,
you have given your only Son to be for us
both a sacrifice for sin and also an example of godly life:
Give us grace
that we may always most thankfully receive
these his inestimable gifts,
and also daily endeavour ourselves
to follow the blessed steps of his most holy life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.