Distracted

The first verse of Second Peter spoke to me in church today. Unfortunaltely, Pastor Matt's text was from Matthew. (Nope, just checked – the Gospel of John). Our church secretary killed my concentration by placing an illustration from the Malmesbury Bible on the bulletin cover. I should blame the weakness of my own flesh, not her.

A painting copy and pasted onto the bulletin may temporarily steal my attention as I glance over the composition and check to make sure its source has been cited. But I normally return as I assess whether it fits the program of readings and the sermon. If it's cheesy or superficial, I put it away quickly to avoid a critical spirit and aggravation. If it does fit, there's a devotional aspect that leads me naturally and pleasantly back into the sermon. While I may miss a sentence or two of exposition, I feel guiltless and satisfied with the tangent.

But a fragment of a medieval manuscript? She might as well have hired a naked woman to stand next Pastor Matt. Pornography has never interested me, but palaeography – eesh.

Immediately I could see from the lateral compression and the sharply broken bows of the Latin letters that the text is written in a Gothic script. The colors and flourishes in the initial illustration say Northern France or Southern English. I look closer at the ductus: hairline strokes, blunted cross-stroke on 'per', and the fluent execution suggest late fourteenth century; the diamond feet at the bottom of the letters show care and deliberation – Textualis Formata – an altar Bible.

Then I got completely lost in the details and in solving the contractions and ligatures. There was also the Mediterranean, almost Arabic influence in Peter's face. I tried twice to turn the bulletin over. As soon as I did, I would mentally answer a question that I needed to verify or ask one that I needed to examine further. Lord, help!