The other day I went on a long walk along the beach near Crosby. It was a “walking Prayer” walk I was walking, talking to, maybe sometimes shouting to, God. At one point I found myself complaining about social distancing, that I found it hard to see how “2 metres apart with a face mask” would help to bring unity in the world. I then looked out to sea, to the 100 statues that make up “Another Place” by Anthony Gormley, all socially distanced but looking to the same horizon. It was as if God was saying to me that the important thing is that we are all looking in the same direction, not that we are holding hands. I felt a great sense of peace, realising that, mad as it may seem, God has everything in hand.

Tomorrow Sunday 31 May at 9am the Church of England is leading an Ecumenical Service to celebrate Pentecost as one.

What is impossible if we are isolated becomes possible if we make reciprocal love and unity the driving force of our lives. Living the Word makes us step outside ourselves and meet others with love, beginning with those nearest to us: in our families, in our cities and in every area of life.