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Good morning

I grew up in relative poverty; our household had just enough to get by. And yet our mother - who brought us up almost single-handedly - instilled in us high ideals and values. She insisted on the cleanliness and neatness of the modest clothes my siblings and I wore. She emphasised the importance of good manners; to everyone. We might have been materially poor, but we were being taught that poverty, wealth and the issues of life were not just material and external matters, they were spiritual and internal too.

‘Dignity’ is the word I have come to understand that best describes what mother taught us. Whatever may have been happening around us, however little or much we had, however those around us may have viewed us, we needed to possess and exemplify a deep sense of self-respect and carry ourselves with a dignified pose.

Nelson Mandela, when serving a life sentence in prison on Robben Island, reflected upon the resolve needed to protect and preserve one’s human dignity whilst incarcerated. He said, 'Any man or institution that tries to rob me of my dignity will lose; I will not part with it at any price, or under any pressure'.

Oh God, we learn from the scriptures that our lives do not consist solely of the things we possess. In the teachings of Jesus, time and again we read of your love for the poor, the sick, the prisoner, and the outcast from society. We see that our value and dignity is not to be surrendered under difficult circumstances.

Oh Lord, at times when our personal challenges may cause us to lose sight of the inherent dignity with which you have made each of us; strengthen our inner resolve to remain composed under all conditions. Amen.