Weakness

Lord,
it’s Easter Sunday today,
a day to celebrate
but as I sit here at morning prayer
listening to the birdsong
all I can think of
is that I’ve wasted this Lent …
again!

In Lent you asked me
if I would like the opportunity
to draw closer to you
and I said, “Yes!”
but then, using a myriad of excuses,
I did very little.
This morning
I feel like the unhelpful son
from the Parable of the Two Sons
who promised his father
that he would go off and work in the vineyard …
but then didn’t bother to go.

And yet, Lord,
you reached out to me
so many times during Lent
in those sacred moments
when you filled my heart
with a sense of awe and wonder
or simply laid your hand on my shoulder
to reassure me.

Lord,
you forgave your closest friends
who fled in fear
in your hour of need –
can you forgive me
for my weakness?

Lord,
on this Easter morning
I don’t ask for the joy of the Resurrection –
instead I ask for your forgiveness
and for the chance
to walk with you again
today.

© Claire Murray, 21st April 2019

Matthew 21:28-32

Sending Much Love

It’s Holy Thursday
and we’re in Valencia.
We trudge
through a heavy shower of rain
to the Last Supper Mass
where we understand
very few of the words
cos we don’t speak Spanish!

But one word in particular
manages to filter through
the language barrier –
amor (love).

No matter what language is used
to say the Mass
and no matter what the occasion is
Mass is always
a celebration of God’s love
for us
and at Communion I sense God whisper
that He is sending much love
in this Mass.

You see,
I have been keeping
two people in particular
in my prayers
throughout this Mass –
Paul and Michelle.

I sense
that God is sending much love
to Paul
and to Michelle
and I sense
that God will give to Paul
and to Michelle
all of the strength
that they need.

Mass ends
and as we walk out the chapel door
into the pouring rain
I step lightly
feeling reassured
that God is sending us much love
as well as much rain!

© Claire Murray, 18th April 2019