I was doing some forward planning for ‘Thought for the day’ yesterday, and did some research on when there are special days or weeks that try to focus our attention on particular issues. There are dozens and dozens of them, often on the same day! There are so many worthwhile issues to think about – though a few are a bit odd. With many of them it is possible to think ‘Oh, that affects so-and-so’ or ‘They’ve got that.’ Most people we know are contending with some health or other problem (and probably with the others, there are problems, but we just don’t know about them). We don’t need to go into ‘I’m doing good works’ mode, muscle in and ‘organise’ them. Often a bit of time and a listening ear is enough, or opens avenues for help that we can explore together
Lord, there are so many issues and problems in the world. It’s hard to know where to start thinking about them, and doing what we can to help. Help us to be sensitive to others, ready to help, but also respectful of their dignity and independence