I just have been sitting out in front of the church as people were entering for the Saturday Vigil Mass as the parish begins its celebration of the Ascension. (I will not follow the button that irritates the accountant in me: how we now ignore the forty days. Some things are not useful dwelling on.) It was lovely sitting in the brilliant sunshine as I welcomed people as they came to pray together.

I returned late Wednesday from my annual retreat. I come back gently refreshed in the Lord to continue my joyful work here. So I started processing the mail and email that had built up from the ten days away. Not that I was brought to the contemplative heights beyond this world, but the mail brought me back to the practical and mundane aspects of being PP.

Parking was the issue on Wednesday that reminded me of this balance of the profound mystical world of our faith and very physical, practical matters. As anyone who has been around Edge Hill for a while knows that the issue of parking is an issue that is unsolvable. I received a letter from a local community representative expressing their repeated frustration with parishioners violating the various parking restrictions. I can understand their frustrations, as any reasonable person would. However, there was a curious perspective of the complaint; the church was used too much. Well I took that not as a complaint but a compliment.

I warn parishioners that because of complaints more traffic wardens may be around during our services.

I find this mingling of the mundane and transcendent as indicative of our faith. We are commissioned by the Lord as he ascended back to His father, to go throughout the world to bring the Good News. This message of eternal redemption, bringing each soul in union with his God and through God reconciling one to his fellow man, can only be practically engaged on a day to day basis, though our interactions with each other. The vast majority of these interactions pertain to practical, mundane acts such a problems of parking.

That dynamic of the mystical/spiritual immersed in the practical and mundane is also at work in our capital campaign. Nothing is more mundane than what we trample upon. Yet a level floor and more efficient heating system will enable this faith community to continue share our spiritual journey in the decades to come. The way for our community to continue to respond to God’s call is in small part our united effort to maintain and preserve the physical integrity of our magnificent church.

Well you can see what eight days left alone with the Lord has produced: verbosity.

So I will end it here and go out and greet people after the vigil mass. May all of you have a grace-filled Ascension Day and continue to enjoy this bank holiday.