Jacob’s adventures continue but at the end of today’s Mass in the Cathedral, the choir sang Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring by Bach. It was so beautiful that tears rolled down my cheeks.

I love today’s reading from Genesis. It is of Jacob’s ladder.

He had a dream: a ladder was there, standing on the ground with its top reaching to Heaven and there were angels of God going up it and coming down and the Lord was there standing over him, saying ‘I am the Lord the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. I will give to you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. (Genesis 28:10-22)

I don’t know why I love it so much. It’s just a wonderful poetic image of angels climbing the ladder.

In another year, this is the feast day of Thomas. Doubting Thomas the Apostle I feel closest to. I dedicate this week to him.

I went to Mass at Westminster Cathedral and stumbled by chance across a two-hour ordination Mass. Expecting to be in and out in half an hour, I was a bit miffed. I had never been to one before. It is quite awe-inspiring seeing four young men sacrificing everything. I just know I could never do it but when they announced the places these four young men were saying their first masses the following day, I just knew that on Sunday I would not be able to match their joy.

Again a day juggling things, but I noticed that I was quite happy to dish Mass when everything else was in. Perhaps the dream was already fading.