Thought of the Day, 4^th of September, 2020

Praise the Lord, all you nations;     extol him, all you peoples. ² For great is his love toward us,     and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.

Praise the Lord.^[a]

(Psalm 117)

September is the beginning of the season of Autumn, a time when the holiday seasons finishes and a new working year begins. I always consider September as the beginning of a New Year because nearly everybody begins anew during this time. Young people are anxious because they are either going to school for the first time or restarting another academic year. Parents may be anxious on behalf of their children starting or restarting school or some parents may be starting a new jobs or going back to their old jobs after the holiday period.  There may be nervousness among grandparents as well, as they may be called away from their quiet times to look after the young ones (babysit) as they return from school while their parents are at work. In a way the September blues affect all of us.

This year because of the Corona Virus Pandemic many schools in this country and across the world, will be re-opening again after the long period of lockdown with people even more nervous and anxious than normal. The key questions on everybody’s mind is: how are parents, teachers, children going to cope in the face of this pandemic which has led to the loss of nearly a million lives, brought sickness, loss of jobs, economic and social problems etc? Is there any hope of joy at all at this time? Paul in Romans 12: 12 gives us an assurance that, we should “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer”. If we are joyful in hope and faithful in prayer, I am sure the Lord will help us overcome all this nervousness and anxieties that faces us. If we cannot say our prayers in words, then at least we can sing a hymn of prayer.  Psalm 117 above, gives us an example of a such hymn, a hymn of prayer of God’s faithfulness. So, friends let us not give up or live as people without hope, because the Lord himself will keep us at this time and always. Amen

Today, we remember as well St. Gregory – a Pope remembered for describing his office as “a servant of the servants of God”. In thinking about this great servant of God, let us remember Jesus’ words that: “whoever wants to be great must be the servant of all” and also “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Let us Pray:

We thank God for he is good and loving kindness endures forever (Psalm 136: 1). Let us give thanks for the good things in our lives, for people who give us love and friendship, encouragement and support, for our own talents and theirs, for our health and theirs and for any opportunities that may come to us. Let us thank God for his love endures forever. Amen

Collect

Merciful father, who chose your Bishop Gregory to be a servant of the servants of God: grant that, like him, we may ever long to serve you by proclaiming your gospel to the nations and may ever rejoice to sing your praises, through Jesus Christ your son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.