In prayer we come...

Part of a wall near the burnt-out block

In a country and a capital city which have already seen more than enough tragedies, the devastation which is the Grenfell Tower fire scales a new level. In every news programme we see heart-rending, raw grief now turning to anger; strength and resilience alongside fragility and breakdown. We also see - again - the unimaginable, amazing bravery of our fire-fighters and other emergency services, and their understandable fatigue, and the solidarity, selflessness and compassion of thousands of ordinary people. But the fire has also laid bare the gaping inequalities in our country, exemplified by the inequalities in London's wealthiest borough, and so we also see tension and volatility: mingled with the communal cry of grief is an even stronger, angrier, desperate cry for justice and lasting change.

And as I sit emptily with all this in prayer I remember some words from our Constitutions:

In prayer we come to Him
with everything that touches our life,
with the sufferings and hopes of humanity.
We learn to remain in silence
and poverty of heart before Him...

That's where and how I am, and I imagine so many others too. But there's another sentence to that paragraph; one which situates me very firmly in God and reminds me of the need for faith, especially in darkness...

In the free gift of ourselves
we learn to adore and to abide in His love.

May the God of hope and tender care somehow bring healing to all who dwell in the deepest pain and trauma...