SUNDAY 24 APRIL 2016 – Tenth Sunday of the Year

Mass at Market Rasen. I make my plea for some Latin and feel better for it.

“Paul and Barnabas went back through Lystria and Iconium to Antioch. They put fresh heart into the disciples, encouraging them to persevere in the faith.” (Acts 14:21-27)

That’s what we all need.

MONDAY – St Mark

The long drive back to London, then I intervene in the immigration debate. Is it really humanitarian to take children from Europe? Surely take them from Syria – an unsafe country. That is the true Kindertransport.

“All wrap yourselves in humility to be servants of each other, because God refuses the proud.” (1 Peter 15:5-14)

THURSDAY – Russian Maundy Thursday

There is a row about whether the Government made concessions on its immigration bill just to get trade union support for the Remain campaign. I make a Commons point that concessions should only relate to the Bill. In the evening we go to the Russian church for the service of twelve gospels. This time I do a search on my iPhone and follow them. Unlike our passion reading there are many repetitions as the four gospels repeat incidents so the message is driven home.

All this over two hours whilst standing. I take refuge in the small bench at the back reserved for old ladies and maybe gentlemen.

FRIDAY – Russian Good Friday

I go to the evening service, this in addition to Mass in the morning, so I feel I have done my bit. In the evening service, the shroud has been taken down from the cross and we all walk forward to kiss it.

SATURDAY

We go late to Russian midnight service. Huge crowds outside the church. I am sure we will never get in as we process three times around it, but we do. Inside for an hour between midnight and 1:00 am, singing in Russian “Christ is Risen”. I have no idea how to spell it, I have just been listening to it for thirty years of married life. Then we drop into the Russian church in Ennismore Gardens, huge and also packed, with a superb choir. One is overcome with incense, scent, and sound.