Wonderfully present

For God is wonderfully present in all things, working in all things, giving himself to us in all things... ~ extract from a reflection shared by one of my sisters a few days ago

Just over two weeks ago I was driving to my retreat. As I left London and its buildings behind me the sky widened perceptibly; it remained wide - beautifully, gloriously so - throughout my week in the country. I went for long walks, delighting as much in tiny wildflowers as in panoramic views, but - especially as it grew hotter - spent a lot of time just sitting; praying, reflecting, reading and - throughout - gazing at the view before me. Mountains in the far distance, their grey contours blushing rose at sunset; a field immediately before me, its susurrating grasses pale gold in the sunlight. And all around me, a stillness filled with rustling leaves, the contented buzz of bees, birdsong and darting swallows, and - oh joy - ecstatically pirouetting butterflies. 

So, so easy to feel God wonderfully present, working in all things, giving himself to us - to me - in all this...

And then back to London, to noise and heat and narrower skies. Back to a controversial "Freedom Day" and high levels of infections; back too, to cruel, dispiriting politics and Catholic controversies, work and whatever normality my daily life contains. But back, too, to the huge lavender bush just outside my window, alive with a dozen and more bees, and some burgeoning Glad Silvanas in our garden; and to generosity and goodwill and some lovely people, including a delightful, vibrant Zoom call with several of my social media religious friends. And somewhere in all this, a reflection shared on God's ubiquitous, self-giving presence...

And though concrete and cruelty can make the belief harder, I know that God is wonderfully present here too, working in all people and places and things, giving himself to us - to me - in all this...