Covid, Church, Restrictions

Thursday 15th October, 2020

Today is the feast day of St Teresa of Avila. A reforming Carmelite nun she had a deep faith and believed absolutely in the simple life, stripping herself of all except her faith and hope and love. I attended Mass at my local Church and the priest spoke of her. He did say that she was quite a stern Superior and reformer and must have 'startled a few of her fellow religious'! I think that was an understatement!

My favourite story of her is the best known. Travelling much to instigate her reforms St Teresa was tireless in her pursuit of God and an apposite Church. Crossing a river on a horse she fell off in to the stream. Looking to heaven she muttered ' if that is the way you treat your friends, no wonder you have so few'. Only a lover could say that. Only an intimate could say that. St Teresa wanted us all to be on such terms.

After Church I went off for a picnic breakfast with an old friend. We sat and talked and ate sausages and bacon butties as we try to do once a week. It is a ritual which keeps me sane.

I am self isolating within my house. I went to Edinburgh and this made my house mate very anxious. I have no doubt that I am without risk of the virus but she fears for herself, saying Edinburgh has had a huge spike in cases and is dangerous. Whatever, I am self isolating within the house but still am legally and personally not restricted. So I shall live as normally as the regulations allow. Thus I attended Church.

To that end also I went to the library to pick up books in case lockdown is brought in. I then went to pick up my month's supply of blood pressure pills. As ever distancing, masks and hand cleansing were in place.

Later I reflected on my experiences of yesterday and the huge delay in trains because of a person being hit by one. One train worker at Edinburgh Station was outstandingly helpful he even persuaded the operators to stop at an extra station on the way to Dundee to allow a stranded passenger off. On top of that I thought back to the people volunteering to be part of the Oxford Vaccine research group. People will risk for the sake of the good of others.

There is ever a balance to sought between the better and the worse. Often, indeed mostly, it is not a clear cut decision. Each of us has to weigh up that which we believe to be the right course of action. I am certain St Teresa had exactly the same sorts of decisions to make. How to reform a religious order without breaking the law of Love. We are never alone when we make such decisions because many have had the courage to make difficult choices before. We gain strength from them.

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