麻豆社

Good Morning

The shock has perceptibly and tangibly and understandably turned to anger in the past couple of days.

No one hearing the stories of loved ones trapped in the Grenfell Tower can possibly imagine the depth of suffering currently experienced by family and friends and loved ones. As we heard in one of Matthew Price鈥檚 reports yesterday 鈥� 鈥渆very moment there is a new story鈥�.

Twice, I鈥檝e served in parishes in Kensington. And I can tell you, from the heart, that what makes it intrinsically a wonderfully unique place to live and work is its cosmopolitan identity and socially diverse peoples. Every corner of the earth is represented. Cultures joyfully collide in the streets, markets, schools. Many community groups thrive.

And the very real way in which the community has pulled together since the fire is a tribute to its dynamism. The one abiding blessing of these past few days is to see people of every faith, ethnicity and background supporting one another. It has been astonishing and uplifting to witness.

A memorial wall on the fa莽ade of the Latymer Community Church bears testimony to the community spirit. Many of the prayers written there, representing many faiths are heart-breaking. They are raw; from the heart. They are a modern lament rooted in anger and confusion.

鈥淥ur loss is heaven鈥檚 gain,鈥� says one - whilst another writes: 鈥減ray for our community鈥�, another -鈥測ou have all been so brave鈥� and most simply and poignantly of all, perhaps 鈥� 鈥渨e are one鈥�.

And as I鈥檝e wrestled myself with the extent of the human misery affecting so many people, there is one bit of the bible which has constantly kept coming back to me as I鈥檝e prayed for the victims myself.

The graphic book of Lamentations, in the Old Testament, deals explicitly with the personal consequences of loss and mourning brought about by communal suffering 鈥� in this case the destruction of Jerusalem- : 鈥淭he thought of my affliction and homelessness weighs me down,鈥� writes the author.. 鈥淚 cannot get it out of my mind; I am bowed down by it.鈥� And, just like many of us are perhaps feeling when we see again images of the burnt out tower block he adds: 鈥渕y soul is bereft of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is.鈥�

It is only after he has truly expressed his anger and pain that the writer of lamentations can eventually move on to affirm, in hope and - despite everything - that: 鈥淭he steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end.鈥�

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