There are times when our awareness of his Presence grows faint or leaves us altogether, and our Communions bring us no joy.  Not that that is surprising, for when we come to Our Blessed Lord we must learn to do so for himself alone and not for our own consolation.

But there are also times when he allows us to catch a glimpse of the unseen splendour that is his: when our worship becomes transfigured, and the earthly is seen to be heavenly: when the inner glory shines through the outward forms, and the consciousness of his Presence in our midst and within ourselves is overwhelming, and we can truly echo the words of Jacob of old, “How awesome is this place!  This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven” (NRSV, Genesis 28:17, our emphasis).

And then the inward vision passes, yet it remains more than a memory: for when we are given a foretaste of the beauty of that heavenly country towards which we journey, it becomes a strength and stay as we continue our pilgrimage here on earth.