Thought for the Day – Saturday 16th May
‘For where two or three are
gathered in my name, I am there among them.” (Matthew 18: 20)
Well today should have been the Spring Fayre at Holytown which was
moved from April to May to try and get better weather – looking out the window
this morning it doesn’t look like that ruse worked! Anyway, the manse garden is
all neat and tidy, the hall and grounds are all looking dapper but rather than
the hubbub and the fellowship and the laughter involved in setting up together
and awaiting the crowds arrival it is deathly silent up here – for once hardly
even a car or lorry passing by! There is no good-humoured squabbling over
tables, no smell of the burgers cooking, no fellowship to share, no cakes and
tea, no ‘king in his counting house’ – no fun and games at all!
Strange times!
Last night should have been the Boy’s Brigade Annual Review when the
Battalion all get together and share the achievements of the boys, with
President’s Badges and Queen’s Badges being presented for their accomplishments
and where there is always fellowship, laughter and a great hubbub among those
attending particularly over the anticipation of which company will be awarded
the trophies and, of course, the Championship Flag for the year. Well the
Review did go ahead – it was a ‘Virtual’ Review for not a boy was physically
present, no badges were physically awarded and for the first time ever no
Championship Flag was awarded as the competitions had not been completed due to
the Lockdown. However, with the technology, we did see each boy who had
received an award and each company who had won a trophy – we even saw three of
the Holytown Boys from their Lockdown telling us the three words they loved
about being part of the Boy’s Brigade!
Strange times!
I often say to families following the death of their loved one that the
year that follows will be a difficult one for them because it will be a year of
‘firsts’ – the first birthday, first anniversary, first Christmas, first
holiday and so on, without their loved one. All these ‘firsts’ may add to their
grief initially but they also become part of their grieving journey as they
learn to adapt to their loss and life without their loved one.
I think in our time of Lockdown we are in a way experiencing loss –
loss of all these ‘firsts’ and so as a result we can feel we are on a kind of
grief journey of our own. There are so many moments we will never get back
because of the Lockdown – truly missed moments – but, as on any grief journey,
we must not resent that we have missed those moments for that will only end up
eating away at us. Rather we have to try and truly accept in our hearts and
minds that we will never get those missed moments back, and then with that
spirit of acceptance in our hearts and with faith and trust in God we can try to
adapt to our losses and move on into our ‘new normal’.
By the way, no one is saying this process is easy – it is always hard
not to be resentful for those missed moments in our lives - but we have to try
and accept that we will never regain them – but we can still go on and make
many more memorable moments together once Lockdown is over!
‘For where two or three are
gathered in my name, I am there among them.”
A Prayer for the Church from Christian Aid
Loving God,
May your love that never fails strengthen the weak, encourage the
fearful, calm the anxious, heal the sick through your church – your washed
hands and feet on earth – distant but still present virtual but still connected
apart but still helping. God in your mercy, hear our prayer. Amen
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