We walked along the cliffs to Padstow. Once in Daymar Bay, the wind died down and it became calmer. On the way back, the sunset was glorious, the sea inky blue, the sky shades of orange, yellow and the lightest blue. This 4th of August is the feast day of one of my favourite characters – St. John Vianney (1786–1859). Favourite because he did nothing in his whole life. He was just the parish priest from an obsucure parish.

He was remarkable for his sheer holiness; by the time of his death he was attracting thousands to confession. In a sense, he just was. He did not write anything or do anything of great importance.

In a sense, I see a sunset on the ocean as inspiring a life like this. They don’t do anything; they are utterly simple. They just are and in contemplating them, one can just be and pause in the moment.

Reading from today’s gospel:

And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.

Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.”

Matthew 9:35-10:1