Hector

On Monday, a friend of mine put an urgent post on Facebook. A dog she was caring for had snuck out of her garden and headed to the clifftops for an adventure… without her permission! (Bloody dogs!)

She was naturally distraught about this little escapee and what might become of him. As soon as I saw this post I jumped on my bike to cycle along the cliffs and promenade to search for him.

Let’s be clear, I’m no saint, I’m no hero. I ignore plenty of cries for help on social media and I often pretend I can’t help people when I probably could have but I just don’t have the inclination! Hey, we are all human. But this was different… because I love dogs. And I have a dog. And if Roxy had escaped I would hope people would come to my rescue and help me look for her.

That’s the world I want to live in and so that’s the world I have to be a part of. Its not karma. Its recognising that we are part of the world and if we want the world to be a specific way then we need to operate in a specific way. We cannot want the world to be a kinder place and then choose not to be kind. That’s madness.

So how do you want your world to be, where do you place your faith in the goodness of others, what do you need to do today to contribute to the world you want?

Let us go to God in prayer.

Thank you Eternal God, for your ingenuity that you made each of us different, gave each of us different passions, gave each of us things we feel strongly about; hunger, the environment, animal welfare, equal pay, protection of the arts, ending homelessness… each is so valuable to creating a world that is loving and just and nurturing.

Rather than all of us focusing on one cause, one issue, one cry for help and in doing so abandoning everything else that needs care, you created us to respond individually, differently to things that occur around us. Each of us is called by You to tend in some way to our community, our world. You call us by our names and guide us down different paths to help and to heal. Guide us now, oh Lord.

Holy Spirit, may we always be attentive to our feelings and responses. Next time a status update, a news report, or something we see in the street causes a reaction in us, give us the wisdom to listen carefully to that reaction. Give us the sense of self to acknowledge our desire to help and the strength and courage to turn that desire in to action.

Jesus you walked on this earth and made a difference to everyone. We ask that you pour upon us grace and empathy, that we might make a difference to just one person. May we find half hour, an afternoon, a whole week to turn our time towards the causes that mean something to us. May we celebrate others who turn their attention, their time to different things in the world, may we be glad that they are doing so, that you have bestowed on them the gifts and inclinations to do so.

May we live in a world of love and kindness, a world that is just.

May we remember that such a world only has a chance of existing if we go out and be love, and be kind and be just, in Your name.

Amen