成人快手

A spiritual comment and prayer to begin the day with Rabbi Warren Elf

Good morning.

Sunday is World Mental Health Day. For the last few years in Manchester, we have held an interfaith service for World Mental Health Day on the closest Thursday night in Manchester Cathedral. Tonight is this year鈥檚 interfaith service.

In the last few years, I think we have all become more aware of the importance of good mental health and how we can all struggle with mental health issues at times.
Even before the pandemic and lockdowns that exacerbated the loneliness, lack of interaction and support for so many, we were recognising that mental health was becoming a massive issue. And it has become more acute in the last couple of years.

So to be able to come together to share stories, to sing, to pray and to eat and drink with others of different faiths, cultures and identities has become very special and powerful.

We managed to keep this annual service going through the pandemic and tonight we are expecting large numbers of people coming together, to share, to support each other and to express our hope and intention that we can always help each other.

There are still many faiths, cultures and communities where mental health issues are not recognised or where people are not encouraged to talk about them. We must get the message out that it is vital to talk and to offer support. There are so many good initiatives and groups around to help.

We have been training faith leaders and others in mental health awareness and helping them to gain skills to help those with mental health issues to find ways that work for them to feel better and healthier. There is lots to do.

One prayer we will be reciting tonight is: Heal us, God, and we shall be healed; save us, and we shall be saved; for it is You we praise. Send relief and healing for all our diseases, our sufferings and our wounds; for You are a merciful and faithful healer.

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