Thursday 7 July 2022

Pistis ponders sleepless nights (weekending July 9th 2022)

 

‽istis ponders sleepless nights (weekending July 9th 2022)

‽istis woke this morning (Thursday 7.7.2022) pondering sleepless nights and with snatches of two prayers from the Christian tradition swirling around:

Watch thou, dear Lord, with those who wake, or watch, or weep tonight, and give thine angels charge over those who sleep. Tend thy sick ones, Lord Christ. Rest thy weary ones. Bless thy dying ones. Soothe thy suffering ones. Pity thine afflicted ones. Shield thy joyous ones. And all, for thy love's sake. Amen. [i]

- and -

LIGHTEN our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord; and by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of thy only Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen. [ii]

…and, this time (for a change) not wondering so much about the existence of angels or God/gods of one or many faiths[iii], but wondering:

·        whether the UK’s Prime Minister had any sleep last night

·        whether the Ministers who had resigned were sleeping better than those who were still weighing up their next move

·        how many civil and public servants stayed up all night, struggling to keep a seemingly rudderless ship of state from floundering as chaos appeared to engulf the bridge, threatening to flood the departments of government

·        about those who have not slept because they watch and weep; because they are sick and weary; because they are suffering, afflicted or dying; because they fear the perils and dangers of this night and tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow…

o   in Ukraine, Yemen, Afghanistan, and on and on in the out-of-the-headlines, hidden or apparently forgotten places of conflict

o   in homes with children and adults terrified because of domestic abuse or its threat - and in places of trauma because sexual assault seems to have been wafted away with a: ‘Some people simply can’t take their drink.’[iv]

o   in homes where parents wonder how they are going to pay the bills and provide meals – with c. 11.1m people (including 3.3m children) in the UK in a state of ‘absolute low income’ [v]

o   in hearts where grief is complicated by anger at loved ones lost without the chance to hug or hold a hand, while others were found to have partied…

So, perhaps for some there are more sleepless nights ahead in the current UK political crisis – not least for the broadcasters, commentators and media producers, etc…  

 Possibly there could be rest for the resigned (including maybe for one who aspired to be ‘king of the world’[vi] but has found to be so wanting within the boundaries of a relatively small, post-imperial, not-so-united island kingdom)…

 And, maybe, just maybe, whether you pray or not, could we imagine and then strive a bit harder to bring into being a world where on earth (as it may or may not be in heaven) more are shielded and joyful‽

 

© Pistis                                                                                                                    

NB: further reflections and comments linked to this week’s theme and past blog entries to be found on Twitter: replies, retweets (which don’t necessarily indicate approval, sometimes the very opposite!) and ‘likes’: @Pistis_wonders. ‘Follows’ and respectful comment and dialogue welcome...  


[ii] https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/worship-texts-and-resources/book-common-prayer/order-evening-prayer The Third Collect, for Aid against all Perils.  From ‘The Order for Evening Prayer Daily throughout the year’

[iii] Though some direct evidence of an omniscient, omnipotent, omnibenevolent, omnipresent Deity would perhaps, possibly, maybe welcome now as is in so many times past‽  


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