Last week I celebrated my birthday with a few days of greetings via cards, WhatsApp, social media - and yes, in-person too! In the midst of all these expressions of love and goodwill came the first tentative news, filled with fragile hope, of a potential negotiated ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. And interspersed with this, and a redoubling of prayer, Facebook's memories reminded me of my 50th birthday party, back in 2013 at 11NG. This was a hostel community in Oxford, home to some truly lovely postgraduate students from a variety of countries, cultures and faiths, where I had the joy and privilege of being warden for a few years.
One of the memories was of being beautifully serenaded by Tihi, a Serbian theologian with an amazing tenor voice, and his friend Miriam. With spellbinding sincerity and simplicity, and into a hushed, evocative atmosphere, they began with the Bocelli/Dion classic The Prayer. One of my sisters managed to capture this moment, and last week I shared the memory on FB - sharing, with this, the anguish and hope of our world, and its longing for peace.
There are plenty of videos of Bocelli and Dion, and other professionals singing this song, but today I'm re-sharing Miriam and Tihi, and the grace, promise and connection of our international, inter-cultural life lived with love and intention at 11NG. The lyrics to the song, which speak of wisdom and grace, and of a world without violence, and filled with justice and hope, are here.
And as we begin a new week, filled with uncertainty and change, fear and that fragile hope, let this be our prayer, for ourselves and all our world...
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