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A spiritual comment and prayer to begin the day with Haydon Spenceley, Christian musician and worship leader.

Thursday

Good morning. Leading a funeral service is one of the greatest privileges I have ever known. The gift of being with a family during what can be some of the most difficult moments of their lives is not something to take lightly. There’s a prayer I pray in each service I where I ask God to ‘heal any memories of hurt and failure’ and I’ve noticed that at least one person looks up each time. I’ve pondered over why that is over the last few years and I’ve come to a simple conclusion: it’s because we all have them, these memories of hurt and failure. Funerals are times when it can seem, or sometimes actually be, too late to make things up. We that are left may get the chance to grow old even as those who we mourn have finished their earthly race, As I say those words, ‘heal any memories of hurt and failure’ I’m committing myself to live differently, positively, to make amends if they can be made and to set a better course for the future come what may. It never fails to pull me up short.

I have plenty of memories that I’d like to be healed. I also have an indeterminate number of memories, simply because I don’t know how many, that I have caused to be left in the memory banks of others which I would like to be healed too, not to make myself feel better, but so that their lives might be improved. I’m never sure what impact I’ve had on other people but whether I wish it were so or not, it is undeniably true that each interaction leaves one.

Father, may the imprint of your life and love rest on us today. We need your help to live well with each other. Thank you that you give it to each one of us if we ask it of you.

Amen.