Today’s blog is a reflection written from the point of view of the disciple who was walking with Cleopas on the road to Emmaus. I pray it helps you to enter into the story.

Have you ever gone long distance walking? Most people have at some stage in their lives, and it was something I enjoyed doing, even though it was the primary means of travel anyway. Somehow it helped to clear my head, so I would go when I was worried, stressed, confused, sad. I would walk to all kinds of places, along clearly defined paths and through scrubland, through desert like places where the dust would coat my feet, and along the shore where the gentle waves would cool me after a long day, over rocks, up mountains, through tall grass, – you name it, and it is likely to be territory that I have traversed.

A beautiful resurrection story worth reflecting on during Eastertide is that of Mary Magdalene (John 20:11-18). In this reflection, Mel shares what the experience of Jesus calling her by name could have been like. Have a read, and ponder with Jesus how he calls you to respond.

If I told you there in Japan, they grow square watermelons because they will stack better in the shops, would you believe me, or would you be filled with doubt? Leave that one in the back of your mind for a moment, and come with me on a journey with Thomas, commonly referred to as the doubter.

Do you remember what it was like to learn to share? That grudging allowing of someone else to have or use a toy that you wanted? Do you remember how excruciating it felt? Like it was killing you on the inside?

When I was sixteen, I participated in the local cathedral passion play. As there are never enough boys wanting to be part of such things, I was given the role of St Peter. At the second-last rehearsal, we were given our costumes, and I was somewhat disappointed to find that mine was a purple sheet folded in half with a slit for my head and two seams up the sides to create arm-holes. Surely St Peter deserved something better!

I’ve stopped counting the number of engaged couples who have moaned to me about the all-consuming nature of planning a wedding. Their desire is to commit their lives to one another, not to host a huge event! But for almost the entirety of their engagement, the relationship is subsumed by details that seem far away from the heart of what they are doing: invitations, menus, clothes, decorations…

The musical adaptation of Roald Dahl’s Matilda begins with a Tim Minchin song: “My mummy says I’m a miracle.  My daddy says, I'm his special little guy.  I am a princess, I am a prince.  Mum says I'm an angel sent down from the sky.” The song lyrics form an ironic contrast with the story of Matilda, an unwanted child whose remarkable intelligence is not just ignored, but sneered upon by her parents.

I don’t know about you, but at about this time every Lent, forty days seems like a long, bleak stretch of time. It’s probably mostly to do with the thought of going without whatever of life’s pleasant things that I have chosen to give up this Lent!

It took me a while before I realised we can find happiness in the way we love and value ourselves. It is a great gift we can give ourselves and it is richly expressed in our psalm response today as we say, “my soul rejoices in my God!”

Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him.

In my own ordinary little way, I want to share how much I appreciate, love and continue to be inspired by the extraordinary example of St Therese of Lisieux, also known as the Little Flower. She is the saint for all missionaries and one of my mini personal missions in life is to spread God’s love through her.

The other evening was surprisingly balmy for Melbourne, so Mel, Ayanthi and I made our way into the city to see the Christmas lights and displays, including those in the famous Myer windows in the downtown CBD. This year it is Peter Rabbit themed and we joined the large crowds that were still out at 10pm, lining up with small children in order to make our way past the multiple display windows, exclaiming at the cute way mechanical mice ran in and out of fake vegetable plots while Peter Rabbit peered over upturned buckets and an angry farmer brandished spades and pitchforks.

This Lent, the MGL Sisters have had a unique opportunity to prayerfully contemplate the crucified Jesus, which was something that we began exploring in our recent Chapter. The Cross is the pivotal point of our faith in Jesus.

The other day, I made my 50th donation to the blood bank. To my surprise, the staff gave me a gold pin and a certificate and took my photo for the “heroes” board and made a big fuss of me.