Reflections for the Month of May

How are you coping with lockdown? It will affect each of us differently. With so much time on our hands we might become the classic couch-potato. The constant ‘News updates’ repeated continually all day is depressing enough, pointless speculation on when it will end; who’s right or wrong; passing the buck and looking for a scape-goat is how the world responds to disaster.

But we are not of this world, this is not the end, we are redeemed and look to be in a better place. So, death is not something to be feared; if we die today, next year or aged 100, it is in the Lord’s hands and we have His promise of something better to look toward. We are His and are protected by Him. We all have doubts and fears: He says ‘Do not be afraid’; turn to Him in prayer, seek His company and know the calm He brings us if we just ask for it.

This is a season for miracles to happen and we are seeing one before our eyes. Cures like a vaccine are not invented, the Lord has provided them in the miracle of our natural world which we can harvest for good or evil. At the moment the good side of humankind is being displayed by the kindness and care so many are giving and we thank them all. Pray that is not lost when things return to some normality. We want to learn from the lessons we see during this time and not return to old habits and routines that destroy rather than build.

Calendar for May   Easter Yr A

1st      St Joseph the Worker

2nd    St Athanasius

4th     The English Martyrs

14th   St Matthias Feast  Apostle

16th   St Simon Stock Diocesan  Memorial

17th   St John I  Martyr & Pope

18th   St Dunstan  Diocesan Memorial

21st    The Ascension of the Lord  Holy Day of Obligation

25th   St Bede the Venerable  National Memorial

27th   St Augustine of Canterbury  Diocesan Feast

Rev Michael Baldry