We both reflected upon our day at Mount Grace Priory on our way home and without a doubt we both focussed in on how special it was to share midday prayer together in such a beautiful, peaceful and prayerful place. However, a ‘place’ is just that – it is a point of meeting; a location and a space designated for the use of one or more persons. Therefore, we had to go deeper than just pinpointing that spot, no matter how beautiful or peaceful it was and focus more on what made it ‘prayerful’.

Sitting in the remains of the Priory Church could have felt like a rest having walked around the grounds in wonderful sunshine or it could have felt like a good time to catch up with our fellow Oblates on current events or news or indeed have a good gossip. However, as soon as we entered the ruins as a group something changed and almost immediately a sense of reverence and prayerful stillness materialised, without making any effort to do so.

We shared midday prayer together with a sense of friendship, even though some of us had only just met each other for the first time, and there was an awareness of God’ presence in the midst of our prayers and intercessions. In some ways it was a fitting end to what had started out as a gathering together for coffee and our shared pilgrimage, however, it was almost a shame to leave and re-enter the normal world of bustle and noise.

The challenge is therefore to bring that prayerful peacefulness and sense of friendship into each and every one of our own communities and we will all endeavour to do so. However, a pilgrimage such as the one we shared together at Mount Grace Priory, reminds us all that as much as we go out into the world, we also need to retreat back for a moment or two and gather the strength and inspiration we need in the presence of God as a community together.

Trisha and Peter Tindall

Trisha and Peter live in Northumberland and are discerning
the oblate path.
Photo credit: Josephine Stowe