How disappointing to wake up to overcast skies and rain after such a lovely day yesterday. Farmers may welcome the rain, but how demoralising the cold and damp is! Ah well, plenty to busy myself with, getting this Sunday's service completed and ready to send to Dave for uploading.
Clare sent me a link to a video of Max Boyce reciting a 'lock-down' poem he's recently written in keeping with many other poets in Britain and doubtless across the world at this time. 'When only the tide went out' is moving and reflectively serious, yet not without a dash of humour in the best Welsh bardic tradition. It moved me to tears 'hiraeth'. You'll find it here on YouTube. Thanks Max.
Talking of YouTube, I found a wonderful rendering of the Taize canticle 'In resurrectionem tuam'
played by a virtual choir of fifty singers and musicians all over the world, appearing on screen in vignettes saying who they are and where they are. The video is beautifully crafted, and the sound editing precise, demonstrating a true digital native's mastery of the technology, whether Zoom or something else, I have no idea. Seeing so many joyful young faces from all around the world is a truly Gospel message in its own right. It's great to listen to but really must be seen here for this to have its inspirational impact.
I spent some time after my walk listening to a couple of thoughtful pastoral Bible studies by Simon Ponsonby for the ICS annual conference conducted for the first time ever this year using Zoom and then posted on YouTube. Co-incidentally on the page running the live stream I spotted a live video stream about to start of Vespers and Mass broadcast from the Church of St Gervais in Paris. As I'd finished Simon's talk, I then listened to Vespers while I cooked supper. A French Catholic internet channel has been showing services from there for at least a decade as I recall, and occasionally in times past I have dipped into them.
The singing sisters at St Gervais are part of the Communaute de Jerusalem. Many of those under vows, men and women work in the area, and worship together twice a day. Are they flouting lock-down law, I wondered? It was clear from the conduct of the liturgy that social distancing is part of the everyday norm for the sisters. They don't bunch up in choir stalls, but use the generous expanse of floor space offered by the Gothic choir of the church with its exquisite acoustic. It allows them to flatten themselves on the ground in adoration without getting in each other's way, and may help their excellent varied choral singing not to be positioned so closely together. Kath rang for a chat while I was watching and cooking, so we agreed I'd ring back when I'd eaten. We then had a lovely conversation on WhatsApp while she was making supper.
Late this evening, Spanish Prime Minister Sanchez is speaking of the prospect off people being allowed out their confinement for exercise on May 2nd, if there is no negative impact on rates of infection from letting under fourteens out with their parents from tomorrow. No doubt this will be hedged in by an assortment of limitations by the time that day arrives, but it will be better than how it has been now for the past forty days.
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