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We learned that God's presence was experienced long ago amidst thunder and fire, on Sinai. People today who live in serious sin and are afraid of God, feel as though He is a God of terror and fire. All who have been purified in Baptism - or, later, in Reconciliation - can realise that God is love: a tender love, in which He enfolds those who trust in Him and strive to do His Will. Their souls are at peace.

Whoever wants to be at peace with Christ need only take a few simple steps to emerge from misery and isolation. We need only make a gentle confession, regretting our sins, but determined to stop sinning, and wanting to be freed by the graces of the sacrament. Then we can go to Mass and Holy Communion, knowing we have been made worthy to take part!

All of those Catholics who cannot be bothered to go to Mass once a week are like people marching across an icy landscape towards the Abyss. The snow represents the deadness of the souls of all who, by refusing to attend Mass, are as if saying to Christ: 'I don't need your prayers, at the Holy Sacrifice' - 'I'm not bothered about my salvation'; 'I'm not going to confess my sins, to be reconciled with You'.

There are some people earnestly in need of the intercessions of the faithful. Those needing help are not just the people who do not yet know Christ, but also those Christians who ignore their spiritual obligations. In Christ's sight, it's as though these choose to live in the gutter, since they rarely, if ever, confess their sins, or offer sincere prayers.

Many priests should preach more than at present about Confession. Just as an ordinary housewife can tell if her neighbours are alive and active, if she sees their washing pegged out on the line each day, so a priest knows that many of his parishioners are fervent about Christ and Salvation if they provide evidence by going to regular Confession, as well as doing good for others. What should a priest think if almost no-one goes to the Sacrament of Penance, but everyone goes to Holy Communion?

Just as sailors at sea know how to 'batten down the hatches' and survive in a storm, because of some basic duties and basic wisdom, so must we hold fast to some Catholic 'basics' that will help us to remain faithful in all the storms of life. We need to know and love Christ, to turn to Him in prayer and in the Sacraments, especially the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and Confession. If we study the Scriptures, and ask for the prayers of the Saints and Angels, and show love to our families and to the poor, we do well.

It can be tempting, to go from parish to parish, looking for a priest who will really 'understand' our soul, and free us from our scruples. But if we picture the Catholic Church as being like one vast tent, in which we have priests to help us, it can seem rather foolish to go from priest to priest, disbelieving the assurances of one, then turning round to seek opinions from another. Better to trust in Christ, who guides us through His faithful priests and who certainly forgives our sins in each good confession.

There is something sad about the problem of scruples. Isn't it strange that a person can see it as odd, to go to a Doctor for a proven remedy, but then to believe that she, the patient, will be the only person whom it will not help, but cannot see that it is equally odd to confess to a priest, sincerely, believing in the power of the Sacrament, but then believing that she, the penitent, is the only person who remains unforgiven, and probably estranged from God! This is to have a serious spiritual ailment, and lack of trust in Divine Love.

Life is sometimes like a building-site, or derelict area: one where the ground has been cleared from sin by confession and penance. Any priest who has been out of active ministry and is about to return has some preparation to do just as any priest who has had severe spiritual problems has work of another sort to do: perhaps a work of reparation: hence the stony ground pictured here, and the willingness of this priest to set to work.