Calm, courage and compassion needed in face of new lockdown
The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have invited the nation to join them in prayer, in a message encouraging ‘calm, courageous and compassionate’ responses to the difficulties of the second national lockdown in England.
Original photo by James Atkinson
In an open letter, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell assure the nation of their prayers, and highlight the love of God for us all in the midst of ‘deeply challenging and difficult’ times, saying:
“We are writing to share our belief that whoever you are, and whatever you happen to believe, you are loved by God. Beyond measure. We also want you to know that we are praying for you, particularly asking that Christ’s love will comfort us, calm our fears, and lead our nation and our world through this terrible pandemic”.
In the letter, the Archbishops encourage everyone to adopt ‘calm, courageous and compassionate’ responses in the face of the difficulties posed by the lockdown.
“So many of us are holding so much pain - our own and the pain of those we love. We will need to be gentle, kind and patient with each other,” they write.
“In the first wave we showed we are a nation of compassion and kindness. Let’s dig deep and keep that love for our neighbours strong in this second time of struggle.”
Anyone who wishes to do so is invited by the Archbishops to join them in daily prayer at 6pm during lockdown, using resources on the Church of England’s website and social media channels.
The whole letter can be found here.
Document Actions