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A spiritual comment and prayer to begin the day with Fr Dermot Preston

Good morning.

The road from the Caribbean, through the northern Amazon, to the border with Brazil is unpredictable; it is a glorified track - hard and gravelled in the dry season; treacherous and slow in days of rain, when the mud can swallow a tractor.

I made the journey a number of times from Georgetown, the capital of Guyana, to the Brazilian border in the usual overloaded minibus. You go at night to avoid the heat; if you sleep, you do so compressed into place by your fellow passengers.

It was just on the cusp of dawn that our mini-bus stopped for a stretch break. We were deep into the forest. The trees stood quietly, the first light of day filtering through the canopy above our heads.

Most people stayed asleep. I unfolded myself from the cramped bus and stepped out taking deep breaths of the fresh, forest air.

The first beams of direct sunlight began to touch a small jungle clearing in front of me. The light-beams caught the morning dew and unexpectedly lit-up a 200-foot tree in my eyeline; I was startled to see the tree was covered in a thick weaving of huge spider’s webs; they curved-out in a train, giving the impression of the tree being wrapped in an immense, macabre wedding dress.

The sight was both frightening and magnificent. It was like suddenly glimpsing the Bride of Frankenstein in your garden. It was literally ‘awe-some.’

Then, just as swiftly, the angle of light changed and shadow returned. I don’t think anyone else saw the scene.

Lord, sometimes when a day starts my eyes are open but I fail to see. Give me the awareness and sensitivity to catch glimpses of the gifts and glories you offer on this day.

Amen.

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