Last Sunday was interesting in many ways, it was the first time I had been in Church since having COVID 19 and then going off on holiday to Cornwall & Bicester.

It was so good to see Christian, our Vicar, taking part in the service as Deacon, still not one hundred per cent fit but moving forward. He is now on holiday and we will welcome him back on the last Sunday of August. There were wise words from Angela in her sermon and from Julie in the prayers. Christina presided bringing us together in the sight of God.

At the Communion I donned my mask and followed the people in my row into the centre aisle. Then came one of those interesting moments. I don’t get them very often but they are very powerful, as I joined the queue and slowly moved forward it was as if a very tall person was standing behind me and put there hands gently on my shoulders. I knew I must look around at the congregation and as I did so it was as if God was saying, “I love everyone of these.” As I received the bread from Christina it was as if the hands were removed, but as I walked back to my place people appeared to be different, there was a glow around all of us. As I sat down and consumed the wafer everything was back to normal!

I hadn’t learnt anything new or different, but it took the command to love one another to a new depth. Many would say it was nothing, that I just have a vivid imagination and that may be true. But I believe God was communicating with me and helping me to deepen my faith. As I said I don’t have these experiences very often but this one followed my call to Priesthood over fifty years ago and my call to the Religious life thirty years ago.

There is no point in me looking for these moments, they occur, I believe, when God wants them rather than when I want them. These God moments can take many different forms, but any and all of us may have them if we are willing to listen at this deeper level. What most of them have in common is that they tend to happen at times of quiet and/or peace.

All we have to believe is that God loves each and everyone of us.

Andrew SSL