My Thoughts on 13/01/2021

Some of us feel overwhelmed by the information that we receive on the present state of the Covid-19 pandemic. We watch or listen to a daily briefing from the government. We read the headlines and opinion pieces from our favourite newspaper. If we wish, we can listen to the news all day or watch 24 hour coverage on the television.

Yet what are we encouraged to do as we wake in the morning? Offer our day to God. The first sentence in the Prayer of the Church is “O Lord open our lips and we shall praise your name.” No matter what is happening in our own lives or in the world around us we are encouraged to praise Gods name. We begin our day by submitting ourselves to praise. Lord, you are great and worthy of all praise. Here is an example of a psalm of praise

“I will extol you, my God and king, and bless your name for ever and ever. I will bless you day after day, and praise your name forever and ever. The Lord is great and highly to be praised; his greatness cannot be measured. Age to age shall proclaim your works and declare your mighty deeds.”
(Psalm 145:1–4).

These are the words we are encouraged to utter before we say, “Lord, how awful things are. Where are you? Help me! I am worried. What am I to do? I am not sure I can face another day.” By praise, we are acknowledging that God is all powerful and that we put are trust in him no matter what. Once we have acknowledged and expressed our trust in God then we can seek his help and understanding. This is what we are doing this morning at the prayer for today’s Mass and also the prayer in the Office of Readings.

In your love, Lord,
answer our humble prayer:
give us the grace to see what we have to do
and the strength to do it.

Canon Father Anthony Charlton
Canon Father Anthony CharltonParish Priest