Reflection:

‘A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise’ Ps.51:17 (ESV)

‘We are afraid of showing weakness. We are afraid of not succeeding. Deep inside we are afraid of not being recognized. So we pretend we are the best. We hide behind power. We hide behind all sorts of things. However, when we meet people with disabilities and reveal to them through our eyes and ears and words that they are precious, they are changed. But we too are changed. We are led to God…when we listen to stories of terrible pain and know we can’t do anything about it, we touch our own vulnerability…We cannot really enter into relationship with people who are broken unless somehow we deal with our own brokenness…we have a call to make history, not just accept history’

(Vanier, J 2008 Living gently in a violent world, p.63)

Response:

Father, Son and Spirit.That you see fit to stand for us everyday…thank you. That your work is unseen, often hidden and sometimes beyond my acknowledgement…thank you. That you run to us and embrace us, when we appear before you desolate…thank you. That you saved a sinner such as me?….I am forever grateful…thank you!