Sunday 8 March 2020 — The Transfiguration

Our priest tells us that is how we shall see Christ when we get to Heaven. In the next sentence he tells us we’re all going to spend a long time in Purgatory.

So there we are.

Monday 9 March 2020

I go to the 10:30 Mass. We have no kiss of peace.

The psalm is number 78:

“Do not hold the guilt of our fathers against us.
Let your compassion hasten to meet us.”

Tuesday 10 March 2020

Apparently they have found such a huge explosion in the universe it is half the size of the Milky Way, half our galaxy, a space that could contain millions of stars, civilisations without count. Once again I think how could a wandering faith preacher, walking the dusty roads of Palestine, create such things. I think back on the concept that every needle must have a point. He can be that point.

Psalm 9: “I will recount all your wonders, I will rejoice in you and be glad.”

That is all we can do. One will never find answers in physical concepts but only in feelings. God isn’t perhaps something — that explosion the size of the Milky Way — He is nowhere and everywhere. He is love that is nowhere but can be everywhere.

Wednesday 11 March 2020

Psalm 30:

“Save me in your love, O Lord.”

Thursday 12 March 2020

We are driving up to Lincolnshire and as we pass by I pop in for a moment for the 6:00 pm Mass at the Oratory.

An image which abides: the church darkened and atmospheric in twilight. At the far end, the priest facing away, intoning the Agnus Dei in Latin. The congregation quiet, beautiful and inspiring.

Friday 13 March 2020

I open the Book of Common Prayer at random in our village church and come across Psalm 40:

“I waited patiently for the Lord,
and He inclined unto me,
and heard my calling.”

As I sat there quietly in the silence looking at the dappling light I thought maybe these words are for me of not enough faith. One just has to wait patiently and belief will come and it did in that moment.

Saturday 14 March 2020

Again I open the Book of Common Prayer at random. This time I find Psalm 74:

“O God wherefore art thou absent from us so long…”

It was a kind of bookend to yesterday’s psalm.