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A reflection and prayer to start the day with the Rev Dr Craig Gardiner.

Good morning.

On the penultimate day of Wales’ National Eisteddfod, comes a highlight of the week: the chairing of the Bard.

Every year a bardic chair is specially crafted for the winning poet who has mastered the notorious challenges of the ‘awdl’ poetry competition. In a moment of drama, the winner is proclaimed using their nom de plume, and so, for a second, with the lights out in the pavilion, only the successful poet knows who has won. Then, they stand and are revealed in the glare of spotlight.

But there is another act before the winner is confirmed as a partially unsheathed sword is raised above their head and the crowd are asked a question: ‘truth against the world, is there peace?’ Then another, ‘heart to heart, is there peace? And finally, ‘shout above responding shout, is there peace?’

This is not an enquiry into conflict in the world, much less a sifting of potential animosity in our souls. It is simply seeking to confirm the decision for the bard.

But perhaps there is a moment when the words of the ancient prophet Jeremiah echo through the ages and hang like that sword above us all. Back in his day, the leaders of Israel proclaimed ‘peace, peace,’ but their lives were riddled with duplicity and deceit and Jeremiah knew things had to change.

Sometimes it takes the searching questions of a good friend or a therapist, a pastor or a priest to get us to admit that our peace is broken, the peace between us and others, between us and nature and indeed within ourselves is gone. Wherever we are today, maybe in the spotlight of this morning, we know we need to be healed, restored or forgiven.

Dear God if that is us
Crying ‘peace’ despite our conflicts,
Crying ‘health’ despite our brokenness,
Crying ‘love’ in our abandonment,
Come now and restore to us the joy of life,
Bring healing, bring loving, bring peace
Amen

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