At 8.00 pm on Thursday evening, we rang the church bell and lit the beautiful windows which light out across the traffic lights junction. It was our parish way of applauding the NHS and all who serve us in this difficult time by continuing at their work. It was good to know that around the country many others were sharing gratitude.
Shall we be a closer people when the crisis is over? Please God, yes. The signs are good. People are understanding and nations are co-operating in concern for each other.
We had the wonderful news of medical aid’s being flown into the United States from Russia and from China. Imagine! With enough nuclear weapons to destroy each other, and the world, they needed and helped each other for and with medicines and medical aid. That should be our world, helping one another.
It was humbling to think that all the military might of the United States is valueless against the pandemic. If only more attention had been paid to the general health of the population rather than its so-called “defence”, there would not have been such need. But there was, and the enemy, against whom the nuclear weapons would be used, became friends.
From the Holy Land, we hear of similar gestures of friendliness between Israelis and Palestinians, cooperation in medicines and in food supplies. It’s a dream – a glimpse of what the world might be, could be – will be?
During this Holy Week, our parish prayer in the quiet of Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and in the wonder of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter, will include prayer for the world.
This could be a wonderful opportunity to smile at each other, to want to help one another, to learn from the generous people who are exhausting themselves in serving us, putting themselves in danger that they may help us to heal – and daring to say it is a privilege to serve in this way. A privilege! That is the answer given by one of our care workers who was asked by her elderly patients “Why are you doing this for us?” and answered, “It is a privilege.”
God bless to share and appreciate privilege,
Fr John
(5th April 2020)
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