The answer, the only possible antidote to hate is not revenge but love.  For only as we love those who hate us and God do we show that we have allowed the love of God to pierce our hearts and conquer our selfishness.

In the glow of the glory of God we can bask and find ourselves blessed not because of any achievement of our own but because God smiles on all things.

However we meet or name God’s Love or wherever we have been we remain loved and welcome.

We persevere whatever our failings or falling during Lent because

‘It’s time for us to live the songs we sing
And turn our good intentions into action.’

One day, whether we like plainsong or hymns, choruses or Latin chant, we will all sing together forever. Perhaps, especially if the worship where we find ourselves is not familiar or to our taste, we need to learn to ‘Join the song’. 

Our Beloved, though we are unworthy, is, ‘captivated by us’(!) and our only response must be to allow our hearts to be stolen and spend the next 40 Days at least being ’Captivated by Him’.

Lent starts tomorrow and we have the gift os Shrove Tuesday to clear the shelves of our spiritual pantry to make way for all the blessings of the next 40 days.