Sometimes you get caught by surprise, taken unawares. A few days ago I had an afternoon meeting in London. I’d normally hurry away afterwards to catch the train home. Still, it was my last trip up to town before Christmas and it is Advent. So I hopped down the line to St Paul’s Cathedral.
Well…
Once through the bag checks and having paid the eye-wateringly high admission fee, (I chickened out of trying to establish my credentials as a bona fide praye (er))…
Well…
That first glimpse down the nave towards the high altar: the dizzying view up to the vaulted ceiling; light, space, that sheer and intricate profusion of golden warmth…
Just for a moment, seconds even, I felt held…paradoxically both in the moment and yet out of time.
Fair takes your breath away.
The moment passed. Then I wandered away, still not quite ‘with it.’ Happily so.
Then I noticed the words etched on the glass doors: This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.
Good old Jacob.
I enjoyed my visit, all the more so because it was on an impulse, but I know that this tiny snippet of time is the gift that I’ve taken away with me to store in my metaphorical treasure chest.