Thoughts from the Rectory March 2025
Thoughts from the Rectory – March 2025
It seems as if the news is increasingly full of tragedy- tragedy on an enormous scale.
We have just passed the 3rd anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. At the beginning of February one source estimated the total death toll of soldiers on both sides, as well as Ukrainian civilians to be 147,459, with many more wounded and traumatised.
And although as I write this, a fragile cease-fire is in place in Gaza, in early January it was reported that over 47,000 people – 45,936 Palestinian and 1,706 Israeli– have been killed in that conflict. It is estimated that 80% of Palestinians killed were civilians, and 70% of those were women and children. The level of devastation of the built environment, and the structures that provide essential services is breathtaking. Tragedy on an enormous scale.
We live in an age when we can end up suffering with what is now termed ‘Compassion fatigue’, and what we mustn't do is allow ourselves to be neutralised into inaction and indifference in the face of tragedy of such enormous proportions, but activated to support in any way we realistically can.
However, for some there is an equal risk that we just become overwhelmed and feel helpless.
I don’t know if you pray or have even thought about praying when you are overwhelmed - either on your own behalf or on behalf of others, but what Jesus did when he was overwhelmed was to retreat to a quiet place to reset and recenter himself before acting. For Jesus it was in prayer that he brought his challenges, his burdens and the burdens he felt for others to his Heavenly Father. When Jesus then acted, it came from a place of compassion, having begun with prayer, to respond and help those in need. When his followers, the disciples, asked him how they might pray too, so that they could respond in the same way, he gave them the words we now call ‘The Lord’s Prayer’.
When what we see on our TV screens and social media news feeds leaves us feeling overwhelmed and helpless, or neutralized into inaction, then perhaps prayer might be helpful for us too. And when we have no words, what could be better than the words Jesus gave us to pray, so that we too can respond from a place of compassion.
Sometimes all we can do is pray – but prayer is also the best we can give.
Let’s pray this month in hope for lasting peace to come across our world.
Every Blessing for March
Ruth