Fill us with your peace

Fill us with your peace

This past week has been truly wonderful. My trip to Walsingham was very special. I’ve always enjoyed being there, always got something from the place. This week hasn’t changed that; in fact, I think it was the best ever for me. The weather was glorious, and apart from one day that wasn’t so good with my health, it held up pretty well.

There are a couple of things that made the trip so special for me. The first was being invited to join with a small group of pilgrims from the Church of Saint Stephen, in Newport. And the second was my last evening there, which takes on more meaning for me the more I think about it.

Fr Edward was there with a small group from his parish. When they saw that I was there on my own, they invited me to join them for as much, or as little, as I wanted. They gave me a copy of their itinerary, so that I would always know where they were going to be. I’m someone who is quite happy with his own company; but to have been included in their pilgrimage, in the way that they did, was very, very special. I felt as though they’d really taken me into their hearts, and a real bond was formed. I will never forget them, and I’m so very grateful for what they did.

But my last evening there is what I really want to talk about in this post; and in particular, the sense of God’s peace filling me. I wanted to take a few photographs in the Shrine Church, so I went down to the Church quite late, thinking that there wouldn’t be too many people around. When I got there, though, one of the larger pilgrimage groups was holding a service in there. I waited around a little while, and they started to come out after a few minutes. I went in after they’d come out, and all of the lights were still on. Expecting that to change very soon, I quickly started to take some pictures of areas that are normally quite difficult because it’s too dark. But no one came to turn them off, or put the furniture back (I’m sure it was an oversight). And, gradually, I took less and less pictures, and started to soak up the atmosphere.

One of the reasons Churches look the way they do, is to point to the majesty of God. Thursday evening, Walsingham Shrine Church was certainly doing that in a powerful and moving way — the picture above doesn’t quite capture it. I stopped trying to take pictures altogether, and sat still for an hour or so. While I was there, I think one other person came in, and just sat for a while too. The sense of peace that came over me was almost tangible. I didn’t try to pray or anything. I just sat there for an hour or so, soaking up the majesty of Walsingham, that points us towards God’s majesty, and being filled to overflowing with his peace. It was a truly wonderful experience.

Risen Christ,
you filled your disciples with boldness and fresh hope:
strengthen us to proclaim your risen life
and fill us with your peace,
to the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Additional Collect for The Third Sunday of Easter
is Copyright © The Archbishops Council