Our family photograph album
contains a black and white photo
taken before I was even born
when my two brothers,
Dermot and Peter,
were small.

In the photo
my uncle Colm is sitting on a couch
with one arm around
my brother Dermot
and the other arm around
my brother Peter.

Colm is grinning from ear to ear.

As I kneel beside Paul
at Exposition at Hannahstown
I find myself wondering
where Jesus would be
and what he would be like
if he were present in human form
this evening.

Into my head flashes that photo
of my uncle Colm
and my two brothers,
reminding me
that Jesus is physically present this evening
in the Blessed Sacrament
on the altar
and that he is enjoying the company
of Paul and me
in just the same way
that my uncle Colm
enjoyed the company
of Dermot and Peter
in that family photo
taken before I was even born
when they were small.

© Claire Murray, 7th February 2014

Lord,
today I’m deeply conscious
of suffering experienced
by people about whom I care:
one suffers
because of illness;
another suffers
at the death of his mother;
others suffer
because of circumstances at work.

As I consider the extent of their pain
I find myself steeped in sadness.
An image forms in my mind
of each of these people,
wandering in pain
in his or her own personal maze.

None of these people
can see a way out
and I can’t see a way out
but I’m aware
that you have a totally different view,
better even than a bird’s eye view;
you’ve got a God’s eye view
and you can see hope
even when it eludes us.

Lord,
bless those whom I care about.
Walk by the side of each person,
offering consolation,
reassurance
and gentle guidance
so that each of them may find
their way out of
their own personal maze of human suffering.

© Claire Murray