30 Mar March 2026 Digest

Welcome back to Mucknell Abbey, and to our monthly round up of news and goings-on. For those who have been following the trials and tribulations of our boiler issues, I’m glad to report that it has been mended, and is working well. Much to everyone’s relief.

As I write, we are at the beginning of Holy Week, looking ahead to walking with Christ through the days of his Passion, culminating of course in the glory of his Resurrection. For those who may wish to join us in person this week, you can find details of our Holy Week services here: Holy Week 2026 at Mucknell Abbey.

Signs of Spring

Spring is most definitely springing, and there are signs of new life all around us. The geese who have for the past couple of years done their best to nest and then raise their goslings near to our hermitage have been seen once again, and there is more evidence of bird activity, including a couple of sightings of the rare Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. The garden and wider estate are beginning to bloom, much to the delight of all.

A Weekend in Highworth

I had the great pleasure of spending a weekend with Br. Ian in his circuit posting in Highworth and Shrivenham, near to Swindon, at the start of the month. On Saturday 7th I gave a talk at Highworth Methodist Church about the Benedictine Life, answering the perennial question, “What do you do all day?”. The talk was well attended and enjoyed, both by the speaker and the hearers, and included some time for Lectio Divina, as well as sharing together in the Office of None to close the afternoon. On Sunday, I was with Ian at Shrivenham Methodist Church for their service of Holy Communion. It was great to spend some time with Ian, and see where he is and what he’s up to, and it was lovely too to meet some of the people with whom and to whom he ministers.

Rocky’s Ramblings

As you may recall, Rocky had his annual vet’s visit this month. Fortunately it was far less of a performance than last year! I went to collect him from Br. Stuart’s room, where he tends to hang out during the day, and although Rocky attempted to hide under the bed, he was soon hauled out and inserted into his carrier. He was not entirely happy about this turn of events, and made sure to tell me about his very great suffering all the way to the vets, as this little clip demonstrates:

Yes, that is his usual meow, and yes, it is pathetic. Once at the vets, he quietened down a bit, but didn’t look any happier:

His check up was all fine; once the vet gently removed him from his hiding place in an open cupboard, he was very well behaved and got a more or less clean bill of health. Surprisingly, he is still speaking to me, and has resumed his usual routine of being out at night and in by day. He also took the clocks changing on Sunday in his stride, presenting himself outside Br. Stuart’s window at 5:15am as normal.

And finally…

The signs of Spring we see all around are a beautiful reminder of the new life that God is constantly holding out to us and seeking to draw us in to. Holy Week sits as a reminder that God’s glory is found in walking the way of the cross, in being willing to suffer and to die with Christ, that we might also live with him in his risen glory. Beauty and suffering, death and new life, sit alongside one another. As Malcolm Guite said in a reflection for Holy Saturday some years ago, “ours is the body he took by grace, laid down in love and will raise in glory.”

In seeking to draw close to Christ in these days, I pray that we may find it an experience of drawing close to love, to the source of all love, that is fierce as fire and gentle as a spring breeze, to that love which has found us and which will not let us go. Amen.