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A spiritual comment and prayer to begin the day with Rev Grace Thomas

Good morning.

Today, the 1st of April, is traditionally known as April Fool’s Day – a day given to playing hoaxes and trying to trick people. I remember, as a child, hearing about the spaghetti tree hoax – where, in the late 50’s, ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ’s Panorama programme conducted an elaborate April Fool by running a feature on how spaghetti was harvested from trees. Despite the hoax happening two decades before I was born, it had such an impact that it was still talked about as I was growing up. This, I think, was because the hoax came from a source that was thought of as wholly reliable and factual.

Having days for fools is a helpful reminder that the truth doesn’t always lie in the places I might expect. It is often said that April Fools day is the one day in the year when people look at news headlines, texts or emails with a critical eye as they try to discern whether what they are reading is actually true. The search for truth has been a human endeavour since life began. We all need to have a sense of truth, and, as Jesus reminds us in the Gospel of John, truth – real truth – sets us free.

Discerning what is true, though, is very difficult – even when it isn’t April 1st - so these words of Jesus, are a reminder that, for me, the search for truth begins in a relationship with God. And that relationship is nurtured through prayer – through asking questions and holding my confusion and doubts to God.

Eternal One, in a world of fake news and clickbait, you provide the way of the truth. When I am confused and unsure, help me to see the right path to take.

Amen.