Wednesday 11th April 2007
Back to work today after a stimulating and inspiring Holy Week and Easter. It's my favourite season and the busiest period liturgically - but it is a tremendous opportunity to play and grow through creative spiritual activities.
We were joined this year for Holy Week and Easter by a family I've known since my late teens. As the week progressed we experienced an amazing synthesis of our gifts, skills, outlook and sharing. Most memorable for me was Holy Saturday, when I had just finished with our guest's daughter, cleaning the windows of the chapel. I was caught by the fact that all around the site different members of our Holy Week and Easter Community were actively engaged in preparing for Easter. One person was writing intercessions for the Dawn Eucharist; another two were laying the fire to welcome the sunrise; another finishing craft activities having worked on a most marvellous Easter Garden that still graces the chapel; another completing a paschal candle stand he had carved that week; another cleaning with me. We were working with a common vision and purpose. In our different ways we were all prayerfully preparing to welcome the Resurrection. It was breath-taking.
I remain in awe. The sense of commonality was palpable.
For years I have wanted to set up some kind of community and the week we have all just enjoyed has brought this back to the fore.
Back to work today but a relatively gentle day catching up with the pile of paperwork on my desk. I managed to pull a muscle after lunch when I took a break and began to fill two new half barrels with compost and plant up the remaining plants that were kindly left by our guests after they had completed the Easter Garden. I have completed one barrel. I then had a terrible spasm in my back. Heaven only knows what I have pulled - but I feel its better for a rest. It just aches.
Tomorrow back to finishing the novel... I really shouldn't call this work - it's playing - wonderful, life-giving play.
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