Sometimes you should be careful what you wish for. The theme of Lent this year was 'Into the Desert', when I came up with the idea I did not realise that I would find myself, half-way through Lent, in self-isolation, my horizons limited to the walls of my house. I would like to report that it is has been a deeply enriching spiritual experience, that my cell has taught me everything I need to know as the desert fathers would have it - but they did not have a Netflix subscription. I did learn something, however. Certain TV dramas left me feeling with an enlarged humanity, a deeper sense of sympathy for the characters; while others, however enjoyable at the time, left me feeling dry and listless. This is something of what St Ignatius discovered on his own sick bed after being hit by a cannon ball at Pamplona - he felt more alive after reading the Bible and the lives of saints, and much less so after engaging in mental fantasies of courtly romance. Some things bring us closer to God, and others take us away from God, and asking ourselves the question 'what makes me feel really alive?' can be a good way of starting to distinguish between the two. If we are to see God in all things, that includes reflecting on the books we read, the programmes we watch, and what effect they have on us. In the reduced circumstances of isolation, the question takes on a deeper significance - without the distractions of work, and the things I normally have to do, what really gives me life?
However, the torpor of such reflection was not to last. As I got over my own cough, our excellent local councillors began to set up mutual aid groups across the Hornsey council ward. These groups are posting leaflets through people's doors offering help with shopping and provide a listening ear. The response from people has been amazing and shown me how much love and good will there is - there is love in the time of Covid 19. Soon we will begin a fundraising effort so that there is money available for people who cannot afford their essential supplies. As soon as I have it I'll post the link so if you would like (especially if you live in Hornsey) you can give. In the mean time I've been kept busy writing risk assessments and attending online safeguarding training from the safety of my isolation. If you would like to join a group - to be available to help your neighbours with shopping or a friendly phone call - and you live in Hornsey, please click here. If you live in Haringey, please click here. It would be great if people from the church could support these groups.
With all this going on I have begun to reflect on what we can offer as a church. This is a particular challenge when public worship has been suspended - especially this week in my self isolation. From Sunday the sacraments will resume, I will offer a private mass for you all. I'll send out a liturgy for to say at home, so we can pray and be together in spirit. The church will also be open on Sunday at 10, for anybody who wishes to gather in prayer. From Monday, there will be a mass every day at church at 9.30am. If you come to these masses you will not be turned away (up to a maximum of 10 people) but social distancing must be rigorously observed. At 12.00 noon each day from Sunday, the angelus bell will ring out. The angelus is a prayer we can offer for the world. See below for instructions about how to pray it with us.
Part of the love we offer the world at this time has to be our prayer, and praying for the world is never doing nothing. Each day next week I will offer the mass and I invite you to join me in prayer as I do. As you pray for one another, I also encourage you to think of one another - is there somebody in the church I could call to see how they are? Is there a neighbour who might need some help shopping? And remember, when you feel worried or anxious, take those anxieties up to God in prayer. For he is with us through all of this, and it is his love that is made manifest in the love we show one another through the help and the prayer we offer. I leave you with the comforting words of psalm 121:
I lift up my eyes to the hills—
from where will my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot be moved;
he who keeps you will not slumber.
He who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord is your keeper;
the Lord is your shade at your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all evil;
he will keep your life.
The Lord will keep
your going out and your coming in
from this time on and for evermore.
With love and prayers,
Fr Ben
The Angelus Prayer
From Sunday I will be ringing the Angelus every day at noon so those who can hear the church bells can join the prayer of the church from home. Here's how to pray:
Three tolls of the bell:
We say:
The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary:
And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of
our death. Amen.
Three tolls of the bell
We say:
Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word.
Hail Mary...
Three tolls of the bell
We say:
And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us.
Hail Mary...
9 tolls of the bell
We say:
Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray:
Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord.
Amen.
Services at Holy Innocents
Sundays
There will be no public services on Sunday, but the church will be open from 10 -12.30, with prayer resources if you wish to come and pray.
Please maintain social distancing.
I will send out an email with a liturgy for people to pray at home.
Earlier in the morning I will say a private mass on behalf of everybody. I will look into streaming this if possible.
Weekdays
There will be a mass every day at 9.30am. This will be held in the main body of the church. We will not turn people away if they attend (up to 10 people) but ask everybody to maintain social distancing..
At 12.00 we will ring the angelus to enable people at home to join in the prayer of the church.
Sunday 22nd March: Laetare Sunday
10.00am Church open for private prayer
Monday 23rd March
9.30am Mass
Tuesday 24th March
9.30am Mass
Wednesday 25th March: The Annunciation of the Lord
9.30am Mass
Thursday 26th March
9.30 am Mass
Friday 27th March
9.30am Mass
Saturday 28th March
9.30am Mass
Sunday 29th March: Lent 5
10.00am Church open for private prayer
