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Good Morning. Ìý30-odd years ago, a trend to live more slowly started to emerge – it largely began with a call to ‘slow food’, as a counter to the growing fast food culture.

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It asked us to ponder what we consume, and be intentionally aware of enjoying food to the full.

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This approach of deliberately paying attention, and not rushing things, has since spread to everything from parenting to travel.

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Here at St Davids Cathedral in West Wales, we’ve gradually been reopening over the past few weeks – first for private individual prayer, then for public worship, and now for general visiting.

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I’ve been noticing a lot of slow church happening: a more gentle pace around the building, lengthier pauses when lighting candles, more people taking time to sit and ponder.

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The pandemic has been confronting us with the weightiest of challenges – the continuing threat of serious illness, even the loss of family, friends or acquaintances; heavy economic consequences; and the unrelenting burden of so many uncertainties, for who knows how long ahead. It’s exhausting.

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The call to slow down isn’t new. Even the Psalms say: ‘Be still, and know that I am God’.

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And while we may feel particular encouragement to be still in a Cathedral, we can know God’s presence everywhere, if only we pause, and pay attention.

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Jesus put the same invitation in other words, ‘Come to me all who are burdened and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’

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Lord God, whatever this day brings, help us to slow down, be still, and let you be God in our lives. Amen.