Before the start of his ministry, Jesus became an outsider, a child of the wilderness, like John who baptised him. Maybe this is what he needed, maybe this is what many people need, in order to get a perspective. How was he going to serve the Father? What were to be the temptations of his life?
Meanwhile, I’ve come back from a nice walk in the grey, cloudy dawn. It started to rain, and the rain looked impressive, sheeting across the dam, driven by the strong wind up Longdendale. It’s dry again now.
It seems that downstairs Janet has got fed up with the smell of the teacake I overtoasted, and decided to overwhelm it with the smell of baking-with-chocolate. It smells delicious and it’s good to know that my smeller still works. That’s zero out of three COVID symptoms for me.
With sadness in my heart
for those who have no such luck,
no sense of smell;
I thank you God for the smells of the world,
for baking and chocolate,
for mouldering leaves,
for the smells of different airmasses,
for city and country.
I pray that every person on this planet
may get a chance to share in its glories.