I was marvelling this morning about God’s provision for Humankind in every situation over the ages, provision for past, present and the future.

In the present situation, isolated from the usual physical presence of others and feeling uncertain about the future, I give thanks that God has given us the gift of technology, enabling us to keep in touch with families and friends and making it possible to maintain networks remotely, via the communication systems available to us, postal and delivery services, telephone and the internet.

 It may feel as though we are living in a fantasy world, even a mainly virtual one, but we are living and each day is a gift to be treasured.

 We know that all things can be used for good or ill, but presently we are seeing much that is good.

 God’s Creation all around us shows God’s glory and the promise of new life. There have been crocuses on The Green and daffodils everywhere. My special tree, that I focused on in my ‘time off’ from St. Mark’s after my retirement, is in bud, beginning its annual cycle once again.

A wonderful encouragement.

 Encouraging and comforting too, the support of Tim, Jonathan and others in so many ways. Thank you.

 The time at home in isolation has blessings too; there’s the opportunity to read books we had not got round to reading; the time to rediscover our favourite poetry - and to discover new poems. Time to to spend quality time with any children or other members of the family isolating together.

 Above all there is the feeling of unhurried time to be spent with God in prayer.

And we have Holy Week and Easter, always a very special time, and never more so than this year, bringing us fresh realisation of Christ’s Passion, Death and Resurrection, through the love of God for Creation, breaking the bonds of our sin and bringing us the hope of salvation and new life.

 There are so many poems suitable for Holy Week and Easter that it is difficult to choose just one, so I have restricted myself to the last verse on George Herbert’s, ‘Easter.’

Can there be any day but this,

Though many suns to shine endeavour?

We count three hundred but we miss:

There is but one, and that one ever.

I hope and pray that after Easter we shall find hope too in God’s provision for our future, in the simple fact that, as the year progresses, that provision in seen in the seasons, as ‘March winds and April showers bring forth May flowers.’

May that same blossoming be shown by all people so that these troubled times may bring forth a more integrated, compassionate and caring world for the future, as has been presaged by so much sharing of love and care during these past months.

 Love, Prayers and Blessings,

 Joy