The Thatch’ restaurant overlooks the sea. Eating outside is lovely, but it attracts the seagulls. A seagull stealing your lunch can be scary!
On Wednesday we were informed:Due to ongoing cost pressures and the recent April wage increase, we’ve had to make some operational changes… From today, all outside tables will now be cleared exclusively by our new team of highly trained seagulls… Our seagull team are fast, efficient, and extremely motivated.
It was an April Fool. Sometimes bad things can become a joke.
Julie, our ‘niece-in-law’, runs ‘Cup & Cakes Salon de thé’ – a British-influenced French café, in Pontault-Combault, just outside Paris.
Julie’s menu includes ‘Hot Cross Buns’: ‘Les Hot Cross Buns sont de petites brioches épicées… consommées à Pâques sur lesquelles on dessine une croix en symbole de la crucifixion.’
Translated: ‘Hot Cross Buns are small spicy buns… eaten at Easter on which a cross is drawn as a symbol of the crucifixion.’
Today, Good Friday, Christians remember Jesus’ crucifixion. Sometimes bad things need to be remembered.
Last night was a Tenebrae Service at church. Tenebrae is the Latin for darkness. We sat around a table on which were bread, wine and nine lit candles. The story was told… the Last Supper, Jesus’ arrest, trial, crucifixion…
We reflected on Jesus… the darkness of betrayal, anguish, treachery, denial, hypocrisy, humiliation, forsakenness, death… As each part of the story was told a candle was extinguished. We left the church in darkness and silence.
The worst things, the worst times, are exceedingly dark.
We recalled Jesus on the cross: ‘Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ … ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’.’
In our worst times we can feel forsaken, alone.
I remember: ‘Even though I walk through the darkest valley, (the valley of the shadow of death) I will fear no evil, for you are with me…’
In the worst times, the darkest times, we need a friend, a Good Shepherd, who will travel with us.
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