Lent Inspirations 3 - Prayer and Peace

Textile design I created using an interactive display at the V and A museum in February 

How different it all was only a few weeks ago, when Covid-19 was still Corona virus and still 'over there'!

Now it's all over here, and we're all having to make decisions and ponder next actions. For me it's the indecisiveness that uses up the most energy and causes the most anxiety.

I'm following the Lent reflections created by Rev Andrew Dotchin, which you can find at his blog on www.suffolkvicar.wordpress.com. He is using the Society of Friends 'Notes and Advice' book as his starting point this year (other years have been the Narnia books, the TV series 'Call the Midwife' and all kinds of surprising sources!).

For Monday 9th March, this was the prayer;

To Pray:  

Circle me, Lord.
Keep protection near 
And danger afar.

Circle me, Lord.
Keep hope within. 
Keep doubt without.

Circle me, Lord.
Keep light near 
And darkness afar.

Circle me, Lord. 
Keep peace within.
Keep evil out.

(Irish Blessing)

Family outing a couple of years ago

and this was the 'task' for the day;

 Set an alarm, perhaps even on your mobile phone, and spend five extra minutes in attentive silent prayer today using today’s prayer to lead you into the silence and to end it.

So I spent five minutes (more, actually - time flies when you are usefully occupied), using this prayer, changing 'me' to reflect concerns for family, freinds, the govenrment, neighbours, the country, Europe, the decision-makers... where ever my thoughts took me.

Then I felt a lot better about everything.

I still don't know the answers, or what to do for the best, but I'm less 'twizzled up' about the whole situation, and in a better frame of mind to work out what to do next.

This kind of meditative prayer will prove a mainstay for me in the weeks to come.

Angela Almond is hosting 'Lent Insirations' on her blog at
www.angalmond@blogspot.com
You will find the other contributers there.