Day five of the End to End had me wandering through Cornish countryside encountering saints and enjoying the scenery. I was still less than a week into the walk and I loved it: the regular rhythm of my feet, the changing landscape, the adventures, not to mention the ice cream and fish and chips.
One year on and it’s Monday of Holy Week (note to Michael Gove: that’s because the date of Easter is not fixed), and there’s a national debate about how far is far enough when it comes to walking in a lock down. A walk on the adjacent Trans-Pennine Trail yesterday meant few encounters accept with a small flock of escaped sheep.
Further afield, yesterday’s Palm Sunday was mostly sedentary. It was the view from inside the house as the owner saw the disciples come and collect the donkey. ‘The master needs it’ they shouted as they waved energetically. ‘Yes, fine’ the owner shouted back as they took it away, and later the far off echoes of a shouting crowd filtered back to the closed houses.
Today it’s inside the houses that the action is happening. I have loads of candles given to me over the years. Love them but what to do with them? I’ve been lighting one in the window in the evening. Eventually Bob noticed the smell permeating the room. Just like that night when Mary of Bethany bought out the perfume and tipped it on Jesus’ feet.
‘The poor will always be with you’ Jesus said, when the others in the room criticised her. And they still are, such is our disappointing response to the call of the kindom.
I carried a small wooden cross with me last Holy Week, as a reminder that I was walking through the week of weeks. Places I visited, like St Kea’s church had their own crosses of course, and their own stories. St Kea may have come down from the North of England and travelled across the Levels to Cornwall and onto Brittany and back. Missing out the crossing to Brittany, the route was much like the reverse of the one I would walk.
These days there’s a lot of talk of crossing; of seas, at borders, on roads and paths. Some Christians make the sign of the cross to remember Jesus. It’s not something I do often, but I do look out for the cross wherever I see it, on buildings, in the landscape. It’s a constant reminder of the Cross-wise One and this Cross week, as I keep travelling.
Remembering the gospel
Jesus said; Whenever this story is told in the future it will be done in memory of Her
The Cross-wide one, validates our kindom actions by this short affirmation.
Look there he goes, up the road or path ahead of you.
Keep travelling.
JAL: 05.04.2020 in Longdendale.