麻豆约拍

A spiritual comment and prayer to begin the day with Chine McDonald

Good morning.

What a relief it has been to hear of my parents both receiving the first dose of their coronavirus vaccines. Despite daily video calls with them, my three-year-old misses them dreadfully. As do I. 鈥淚 want to go to grandma and granddad鈥檚 house,鈥� he often says, and we have to find ways to distract him or simply say: 鈥淲e鈥檒l see them soon.鈥�

I love the sense of hope that is rising as we hear about the number of people becoming more protected against Covid-19 with every passing day. Every jab in someone鈥檚 arm means we are all one step closer to this all being over. In a few weeks we鈥檒l be celebrating easter Sunday 鈥� marking the event that lies at the centre of the Christian faith. In thinking about the significance of Lent this year, I鈥檓 seeing it as a period of waiting in hope for what is to come. Every day of Lent brings us one step closer to the hope represented through Christ鈥檚 death and resurrection on Easter Sunday.

There will be moments during Lent and that painful period of doubt in between Good Friday and resurrection day, when that hope feels too far away. Like the times during the pandemic in which I鈥檝e wondered whether I could keep on going when it all felt a bit of a struggle. It鈥檚 at exactly those times when hope is most needed. And it鈥檚 at those times in which I choose to cling to hope, even when it doesn鈥檛 feel near enough. Dear Lord, thank you for the provision of vaccines that help protect people from Covid-19. We pray for all those in countries who do not have access to them yet; provide for them and help us to be people of radical generosity and hope, even in the waiting.

Amen.