#chiurch

February 16th - At last, a long ride and a day that felt like spring! This is what my heart has been hoping for.

I sneaked out of work at lunchtime on a sunny, reasonably warm day with not too much wind, called home, then left on a mission: To visit the cake stop at Abbots Bromley for the first time in 2018. And boy, was that pistachio and honey sponge worth the effort!

I delivberately pushed myself as hard as I could - I rode up through Hammerwich, Chorley, Longdon, Handsacre and Blithbury, managing a healthy average of 13.1mph over 16 miles. Not too shabby considering my recent illness. Following cake, I rote up through Abbots Bromley to Hoar Cross, and back through Hadley End, Kings Bromley, Lichfield and Wall. 48 miles in total at 12.5mph.

The day finished quite overcast, but Hoar Cross in the grey evening light with it’s huge clump of snowdrops was still a joy to the heart, as was the endless Trent at Kings Bromley.

O Jesus! meek and humble of heart. Hear me.

Deliver me, Jesus,

From the desire of being esteemed, From the desire of being loved,  From the desire of being extolled, From the desire of being honored, From the desire of being praised,  From the desire of being preferred to others, From the desire of being consulted, From the desire of being approved, From the fear of being despised, From the fear of suffering rebukes, From the fear of being calumniated, From the fear of being forgotten, From the fear of being ridiculed, From the fear of being wronged, From the fear of being suspected.

Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it,

That others may be loved more than I, That in the opinion of the world, others may increase, and I may decrease, That others may be chosen and I set aside, That others may be praised and I unnoticed, That others may e preferred to me in everything, That others may be preferred o me in everything, That others should become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should.