My dear friends
So we go into another lockdown at the time of year when the days are getting shorter. We must again be ready to help those unable to get out, as were so many during the last lockdown.
Because of the situation we will have a tendency to turn in on ourselves but we can use this in a positive way by following the advice given to us from wise men and women from the past. Jean-Pierre de Caussade was a French priest who evolved the concept of the sacrament of the present moment. There is a good translation by Kitty Muggeridge, wife of Malcolm. The idea it puts forward is that every moment can be lived for the greater glory of God. It ties in with the ideas of S Therese of Lisieux and her concept of littleness, so that every little thing can be dedicated to God.
As we know, prayer can be made in any situation, although praying in the car can be as dangerous as using a phone! We need to make sure that every moment of every day is lived to the greater glory of God seeking to make ourselves constantly in touch with God. It was said that S Jane-Frances de Chantal made things so much easier for her domestic staff when she started to pray all the time, as opposed to praying at set times. Please just keep praying for our country in these difficult times.
With my love, Fr David