麻豆约拍

Good morning. This is the final weekend of the Winter Olympics in Sochi. The Games have been another example of both physical and mental fitness and ability. And yet one of the powerful images that has stayed with me from watching a few parts of it, has been that of Elise Christie,聽 the British speed skater, limping off the ice, distraught and in tears. It reminded me that whilst we celebrate with the winners, there are always a far greater number of those for whom an early exit or a disappointing final, will feel like failure.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

As I saw the photographs of the disqualified skater it reminded me of a prayer written many years ago and entitled 鈥渇or those who have missed the bus鈥�. It is an emotion with which we can all identify, that sense of frustration and disappointment, that sense of knowing we are going to have to wait or walk, be stranded or move on. We should all care for those among us who feel they are losers, for those who believe that they have missed the bus, in terms of life鈥檚 opportunities. And it鈥檚 how we deal with life鈥檚 disappointments and our own weaknesses that is the real measure of our character. But I also hope that we may all know that we are accepted just as we are. As Archbishop Desmond Tutu has said, 鈥淲e are good because we are loved, not loved because we are good鈥�.

Loving and accepting God,

you love us for who and what we are,

with our failings as well as our gifts.

Help us to see others as you see them,

so that when we fall short,

we may know that you love and accept us.

Amen.