On its first outing we (Robin a friend of mine who is a priest in Manchester and myself) said a prayer, blessed the boat and named it St. Augustine. Then as soon as we got in the boat we said the prayer we always say as we take the first step on a mountain climb: Lord be with us on our journey.

Last year we canoed across Scotland and back along the Caledonian Canal (which includes Loch Ness) and at the beginning of each of the eight days we began with the prayer: Lord be with us on our journey. This year again we took to the canoe and some mountain climbing and each day began with the same prayer. Sometimes there was the opportunity to pray when paddling but other times we had to concentrate on the job in hand.

This reminded me of a nautical story involving a group of teenagers. As they were getting ready to sail the captain of the ship knelt down and began to say his prayers. They laughed and pointed at him but he concentrated on his prayers and then the journey began. After some time a storm began to brew and the young people became very frightened. They pleaded with the captain to say his prayers with them but he pointed out that he had done that before the journey began and now he had a job to do.

As the holiday season comes to an end there is a sense of new journeys and new adventures. That is certainly how I feel as I begin my third year here at Holy Saviour and on Friday I celebrated Mass at home with my parents, said my prayers, filled up the car and said 'Lord be with me on my journey.' As soon as I switched the ignition on the passenger window started to play up and so the first challenge began because it wouldn't go back up again! There was something comforting in knowing that before I had set off anywhere or done anything I had placed it all in God's hands. This is something we should try and do each day because we do not know what the day may bring. So perhaps this week whatever you have to do in the day you could begin it with 'Lord be with me on my journey!'