Today was sunny and mild, good weather for Palm Sunday processions which won't take place due to the ban on all religious processions and public worship across Europe and many other parts of the world. At breakfast time I listened to the BBC Radio 4 act of worship, a service of the Word from Farm Street Jesuit Church in London's West End. Our friend Gail's opera singing daughter Lisa used to be one of the regular professional choristers there in one of her younger days. Although the music for worship was recorded, it was well chosen and beautifully sung.
Both officiant and preacher spoke about St Ignatius encouraging people meditating on the Passion to put themselves in the place of Jesus suffering on the Cross rather than looking at him suffering. They linked this to consideration of everyone suffering from covid-19, to remind us of the Lord's solidarity with us in all that we endure in this mortal life.
After finishing Morning Prayer and Ante-Communion (as we used to call it way back), I watched the Facebook recording of Mother Frances celebrating the Eucharist at home in Victoria Park with her partner making the responses. She started by walking into the house in full vestments with a palm branch over her shoulder, a nice touch I thought.
As ever, I talked with Clare, Owain and Kath on WhatsApp, and did my 10k around the garden, then joined the Chaplaincy Prayer group again on Zoom this evening, before saying the evening office. Then I worked on preparing and recording the Holy Week address for tomorrow. Sarah is recording the readings for me again, and the files will be edited and sent to Dave for uploading tomorrow. He's told me that the chaplaincy have agreed that they'll pay my weekly stipend for as long as I have to remain here.
The continuing impact of the pandemic means that the State of Alarm is going to be extended until the time I was expecting to leave. It'll be a good while after that before normal means of transport and reduced infection levels make it possible to travel. I just hope there will be some time when I can meet again with the congregation for public worship, and maybe get out and see some more of the island. Solveig says she has some interesting walks in mind for then!
Not really having anything specific to look forward to makes each day somewhat tougher going than it might be. All last year I spent far more time waiting for the next operation than I did recovering from any of them. I am far more used to waiting now than at any other time in my life. One good thing about having to slow right down and accept confinement is that I notice each small change in the environment, in the weather, the wildlife day by day, even more so than all the months I spent walking different routes around Llandaff and Pontcanna Fields, and up to Taff Trail. This afternoon I saw a beetle the size of a tablespoon sitting on a boundary wall where some of the growing number of lizards congregate in the sun. No idea what it is, but it had an exotic looking carapace.
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