Many people whose daily responsibilities leave little time for prayer and contemplation suspect their pursuit of holiness comes a poor second to that possible in a monastic community. This is not necessarily so

The CONFERENCE of the Catholic Theological Association in Durham last year went under the title “Formation in Holiness”. Alana Harris gave an excellent paper on Caryll Houselander’s spiritual mysticism, beginning with her formative experience of Christ in the face of fellow passengers on a Tube train, illustrated by a quite beautiful slide – depicting, yes, passengers on a Tube train. The beauty of God is revealed in the face of the other. A shared look is a moment of holiness.

Harris’ presentation ended with a picture of another train, this one packed to capacity with refugees and migrants, while desperate people on the platform, with no hope of boarding, surged forward. Harris thus made the indissoluble link between the profound experience of God and the profoundly practical challenge of the Gospel.