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This is me

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On 12th October we are showing “The Greatest Showman” at St Brigid’s (see inside). In the film Keala Settle, as a bearded lady, leads the ensemble of so-called circus “freaks” in the multi-award winning song “This is Me”. Here are the lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul to this uplifting song.

I am not a stranger to the dark,
“Hide away”, they say “cause we don’t want your broken parts”. I’ve learned to be ashamed of all my scars
“Run away”, they say, “no one will love you as you are”.
But I won’t let them break me down to dust
I know that there’s a place for us for we are glorious
When the sharpest words wanna cut me down
I’m gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out
I am brave, I am bruised I am who I’m meant to be, this is me Look out ‘cause here I come
And I’m marching on to the beat I drum
I’m not scared to be seen, I make no apologies, this is me

Another round of bullets hits my skin
Well, fire away ‘cause today, I won’t let the shame sink in.
We are bursting through the barricades and reaching for the sun. Yea, that’s what we’ve become.
I won’t let them break me down to dust,
I know that there’s a place for us for we are glorious
When the sharpest words wanna cut me down…

And I know that I deserve your love,
‘cause there’s nothing I’m not worthy of
When the sharpest words wanna cut me down…

Search “This is Me Lyric Video” on Youtube

Mrs Sue Miles and Fr Matthew

The man with the golden mouth

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St John, named Chrysostom (golden-mouthed) on account of his elegance was born of good Christian parents, about the year 344, in the then great city of Antioch. He studied rhetoric under Libanius, a pagan, the most famous orator of the age. In 374, he began to lead the life of a hermit in the mountains near Antioch, but in 386 the poor state of his health forced him to return to the city, where he was ordained a priest.

In 398, he was made Archbishop of Constantinople (Byzantium / Istanbul) and became one of the greatest lights of the Church. However, he had enemies in high places and some were ecclesiastics, not the least being Theophilus, Patriarch of Alexandria, who repented of this before he died. His most powerful enemy, however, was the empress Eudoxia, who was offended by the apostolic freedom of his sermons and talks. Several accusations were brought against him in a pseudo-council, and he was sent into exile.

In the midst of his sufferings, like the apostle, St Paul, whom he greatly admired, he found great peace and happiness. He had the consolation of knowing that the Pope remained his friend, and did for him what lay in his power. His enemies were not satisfied with the sufferings he had already endured, and they banished him still further, to Pythius, at the very extremity of the Empire. He died on his way there on 14 September 407.

Fr Matthew