Vicars Letter

Dear friends,

I write this with a couple of days left before I embark on the Santiago de Compestella – in Spain. I go a little naively knowing that a big walk awaits, 15-20 miles a day, probably a lot of blisters to be encountered on the way and nights spent in pilgrim hostels. I’m not sure really why I’m doing it…except that ‘I like walking’ and the enthusiasm of the person leading us, Revd Ian Holdsworth- with excitement in his eyes has been enough to galvanise five of us to set off from Heathrow on Sunday!

When walking- the legs keep going (hopefully!) leaving the mind free to reflect, and dream. I will be leaving behind the phone, the diary, but will carry a lot of the people of Braunston in my thoughts. There will also be plenty of European people to talk to and listen to along the way. Fellow pilgrims following the way of St James the Apostle. I am very lucky to have the means to pay for this trip, and as my sister (a nurse) reminds me- two arms and two legs to be able to do it!

During the season of Pentecost we are reminded of the words of Christ;

‘Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ When he said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them, if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.’
John 20:21-23

The Spirit has life-giving qualities- it breathed over the waters at the beginning of Creation and was breathed into Adam- as the breath of life. The Spirit inspires, comforts, and strengthens. This week I have been very aware of the Spirit of life in community. In community the spirit of God is evident in laughter, the motivation to ‘get things done’ and in the willingness to care. With God’s help enabling us on earth to reflect heaven just that bit more.

Yesterday I visited a young woman in hospital. She is terminally ill and just wanted to see a priest. Bravely facing the next part of her journey she just wanted the opportunity to say sorry to God and to receive reassurance of His forgiveness and his care and love for her. What a tremendous humbling privilege to join with her in prayer and to go to the source of life himself, for comfort and peace.

We are all on a journey and as I go (by the time you read this I will probably be back!) bear a thought for the Spirit of God who brings each one of us life- life in all it’s fullness: in creation, in our preservation and in the fullness of eternal life.

God bless,

Revd Claire