Good Friday

Good Friday, Friday 2nd April, 2021

Some restrictions have been lifted in Scotland. More are to be lifted on Monday. A radio programme informed its audience that the infection rate in Scotland is the highest in the United Kingdom. A BBC site I looked at just now refuted that saying it was in Northern Ireland. The commentator went on to say that undoubtedly Ms Sturgeon's timetable of loosening would not be altered as she is in the middle of an Election Campaign and does not want to lose face or generate irritation and bile in the electorate. Cynicism, false news, gossip and much else. Somehow that fits in so well with the history we are recalling of the Crucifixion of Jesus.

I heard the reading of St John's Gospel the Passion Story. Political shenanigans, gossip, crowd manipulation, political threats to Pilate about Caesar and so on....does anything change? The service I streamed from South Africa was as it should be...somber, electrifying, terrifying and of horrendous proportions. I had streamed the Last Supper Mass from there as well. Together the sermons made the salient points which all Christians understand. Evil is real, Love is real, we are called to the latter but the former intervenes yet the Incarnation, death and Resurrection of Jesus makes the simple point Our God reigns, Our creator loves us absolutely and all shall be well in Him.

I walked a long walk. Over the hill and down in to Tayport with the usual stunning views across miles of Fife and the seas and rivers around and through this lovely land.

I discovered I am a contrary bloke and rather selfish for I enjoyed the silence, the absence of people and noise and the feeling of aloneness with nature. Yet as I descended in to the village so I saw and heard people and cars and activity. Yes, I want to return to sociability for people, for families, for those living alone or in Care Homes but I also want the silence and space. So I want my cake and I want to eat it...ever the case.

On reaching Tayport I bumped in to two friends form the Charity shop where I work. We had a goodly chat. Their daughter is suffering mental stress as she completes a Doctoral Course via online computers, tutorials etc and is missing people. They themselves have been missing church services and socialising and indeed their daughter and their work in music, choirs and orchestras. They long for the loosening.

I caught a bus back to Newport and descending the steps I was accosted by a man I often meet on my walks. He is ever kind about my litter picking and pointed to the bulging bag I had. He spoke about being lonely, he is a widow, about mental stress and how he is near the end of his tether. So I listened and he went on about the Election, about the injustices across the world, highlighted he felt by the pandemic.

He ended by saying he copes because he has a faith. His faith, he told me, makes him realise that he has to do what he can to love but in the end to hand over to the God who sent His only Son and the Son who died " today, in an hour or so, for us, for you and for me. No greater love is possible. Happy Easter".

It was a lovely walk and the sun reluctantly came out in the end but the real blessing was no wind! In an hour or so I am off to stream The Stations of the Cross from Rome with the Pope. There I shall feel the hell of life with the utter joy of it also. We are all in this together and faith and hope are our foundation.

I have tried also to fast...but....