成人快手

Good morning.

I remember exactly what was I doing on this day 18 years ago. I remember because, of course, it was the day of the terrible events we now call nine eleven.聽

I remember too where I was when the bombs went off in London聽a few years later.聽 I was based in our Dominican Parish, which is just a few tube stops north of King鈥檚 Cross聽Railway Station.聽 One week later,聽people gathered in聽nearby聽Russell Square to remember those who had been killed.聽 I knew a number of people in the crowd. But we had no words to say to each other; we simply stood in silence.聽

I have experienced this same silence recently, here in Edinburgh, at Vigils we held at the University for聽the victims of the bombings, first for those in聽Christchurch and聽then聽for those in聽Sri Lanka.

For me, at least, this is聽the聽silence聽of聽being enfolded in聽God鈥檚聽silence.聽 Our words may fail,聽but聽this is the moment when His Word speaks into the silence of our hearts. This is the silence of the cross speaking to the silence of unspeakable loss.聽 The Old Masters have given us so many paintings in which the dead Christ still hangs on the cross, with Mary and the Beloved Disciple standing below overwhelmed by their loss. 聽I used to think I understood these works, because I do have some experience of loss, but now I think I understand them more because in them I hear his Word silently speaking from our human position.聽聽

Lord,聽on this day console those who have suffered unspeakable loss and may those whom we have lost聽be enfolded in your love.聽 Amen