SUNDAY

I left Downside early after Lauds and drove to Gosport for a day’s sail. Unfortunately the engine broke down three times – once while we drifted in front of a Britanny ferry. Otherwise glorious weather.

Today’s reading from Luke:

“When the Lord saw her, he felt sorry for her. Do not cry, he said. Then he went up and put his hand on the bier and the bearers stood still and he said, ‘Young man, I tell you to get up!’ And the dead man sat up and began to talk.

MONDAY – St Norbert

I ask the Home Secretary again whether peoples cars are searched at Calais and whether they are checked for criminal records. I get no answer.

The readings of the Mass are the Beatitudes. If only we attempted to live them.

“How happy are the poor in spirit: theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Happy the gentle, they shall have the earth for their heritage. Happy those who mourn, they shall be comforted. Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right, they shall be satisfied.” (Matthew 5:1-12)

TUESDAY

A five-hour meeting in the morning.

Psalm 4 is always reassuring: “When I call, answer me, O God of Justice; from anguish you have released me, have mercy and hear me.”

WEDNESDAY

We have a House of Commons sailing match in the Thames on a windless day. We just drift with the tide. Maybe politics is like that for much of the time.

A strange reading from 1 Kings 18:

“How long, said Elijah, do you mean to hobble first on one leg then on the other?”

This is in the context of the worship of the Lord of Baal, but how often do we hobble on one leg then the other?

THURSDAY – St Columba

We drive up to Lincolnshire.

“So then if you are bringing your offering to the altar and then remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, go and be reconciled with your brother first, and then come back and present your offering.” (Matthew 5:20-26)

I sometimes think of this passage as I go up to take communion. Difficult to manage.

FRIDAY

We are quietly in Lincolnshire. I read a psalm in our village church.

“It is your face, O Lord, that I seek. O Lord, hear my voice when I call, have mercy and answer me.”

SATURDAY – St Barnabas

We drive down to London for a do for an African charity and hear moving stories of their work.

How little we now know of St Barnabas except that he was an early convert in Jerusalem and accompanied Paul on his first missionary journey. But he lives on in some kind of residual memory. When he was martyred, perhaps at Salamis, no one much would have cared, a small time religious zealot done to death in a small town. Little interest, end of story.

I do a debate with Adam Duguid on leave or remain in Market Rasen Methodist Church Hall. At the beginning of the debate we have 6 for Remain, 36 for Leave, and 6 undecided. At the end of the debate the result is exactly the same. But a pleasant debate – everyone good-humoured as always in Lincolnshire.