Holy Saturday within 2km

St Anne’s Park, Dollymount, is within 2km of where I live. I have been walking it at quiet times and finding pathways I never knew existed. Imagine my surprise when I found the corner pictured here on Holy Saturday morning:

After the Sabbath, and towards dawn on the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala and the other Mary went to visit the sepulchre (Matthew: 28) …very early in the morning on the first day of the week they went to the tomb, just as the sun was rising (Mark: 16) …they found that the stone had been rolled away from the tomb... (Luke: 24).

Maybe, the quiet time over the next few weeks is a time to find places near us we never fully appreciated. In particular, how about looking out for places and spaces in these days, within 2 kilometres, that speak to us of God’s closeness to us:

• The grandeur of nature with its spring clothes on can speak volumes. The sea, the park, birdsong, freshly opened flowers, the back garden, the plant in your kitchen, can all speak to us.
• The encouraging word of a neighbour or a random act of kindness certainly has the power to open us up to greater things.
• Our local church, a special place for prayer, a holy well, the palm branch or cross we have focused on home this Easter - perhaps now that we are quiet there is something bigger calling us?
• And back home again, grandchildren who cannot visit waving on WhatsApp, family far away but chatting on Zoom, photos of birthday cakes, and cuddly toys, and people we love. So many gifts to take in and celebrate.

In these quiet days we may have the opportunity to rediscover the most important things in life.