麻豆约拍

A reflection and prayer to start the day with the Archdeacon of Bangor, Mary Stallard.

Good morning.

A few days ago I received an unexpected thank-you note and I can鈥檛 tell you how much those words of appreciation lifted my spirits. 鈥淭o appreciate鈥� means both to grow in value and also to state the worth of things.

Some items like gold or land seem to appreciate or grow in value no matter how we treat them. Other things, like my car or mobile-phone, appear only to decline in worth. With growing awareness of the environmental crisis, we鈥檙e learning that we need to put a higher value on things we once discarded.

We humans need particular care in order to flourish. Appreciation is an important part of this. We feel this when someone thanks us, and we can become dispirited if we feel unappreciated.

During the pandemic many of us have had lots of people to thank for all that鈥檚 kept us going. We鈥檝e perhaps become more aware of our everyday needs and our dependence upon others. It鈥檚 never been more important to say thank you and to back up words with actions that demonstrate sincere gratitude.

As a child I never liked having to say grace before meals 鈥� but now the thought of appreciating where food has come from, and the care taken to put it on the table, seems helpful.
The beautiful old prayer called the General Thanksgiving praises God for everyday blessings and prays for an attitude of appreciation, starting within ourselves.

ALMIGHTY God, Father of all mercies, we give most humble and hearty thanks for all thy goodness and loving-kindness to us鈥�give us that due sense of all thy mercies, that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful, and that we shew forth thy praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives鈥�walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our days. Amen.