Reflection for the week ahead: Sunday 25th February:

Lent II: Prayer after Communion:
‘Almighty God, you see that we have no power of ourselves to help ourselves: keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord.’

Reflection:
Have we really no power to help ourselves? Bookshops have whole sections devoted to self help. An increasing number of self-help books are published each year. Some make statements which are so obvious that we wonder why they bother. Some contain one simple idea spun out over fifty or more pages. Some directly contradict others.

In spite of our best efforts we can never have total control of our lives. As human beings we are vulnerable to accidents, natural disasters, illness, terrorism, random attacks; and also to our own weaknesses and ‘evil thoughts’. No books on self help can afford us protection against these.

Jesus was as exposed as any of us to both physical and spiritual dangers. We pray in humility and faith for his protection against things that we in our own strength are unable to change or prevent.

Revd Rosemary