I was staying with my sister so I went to the Chilworth Friary, Surrey for Sunday Mass. Sadly the Friars are leaving at the end of the year because of a lack of vocations. This is a beautiful church where we held the funeral for my mother.

The homily of the priest stuck in my mind.

The Passion of the Lord, which of course was read out to us, emphasised the meekness, obedience and love of Jesus. Obedience because at the start of the Passion Jesus says in his anguish, Father, “if you willing, take this cup from me. Nevertheless, let your will be done, not mine.”

Meekness because when insults are being hurled at him and he is asked for an explanation as to his conduct he says simply, “It is you who say it.”

And love because despite his suffering, he says, “Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing.” Luke 22:14-56

I thought on these three qualities a lot – Obedience, Meekness, and Love and how much we fall short of them.