Today is September 11th 2014. A tragic reminder of what happened 13 years ago with the destruction of the World Trade Center. There are lots of people who still feel pain. There is a growing generation that were born after this tragedy. Born into a world of fear and anger. A generation who never experience the level of freedom and periodic peace that we had before 9/11: The Day the World changed forever. This reminds me of another day that the world changed forever. On 14 November 1940, Coventry Cathedral was bombed by the German forces. My Father-in-law, Eric Dickinson (Requiescat in Pace), was in the shelter under the Cathedral during the bombing. The Cathedral was utterly destroyed and the ruins stand today as a reminder. When the priest initially assessed the damage, he was filled with emotion. The words of Jesus, Father, forgive them for they know not what they do, resonated in his mind. For him, the them included not only the Nazis but all of humanity, so he felt that walking the road of blame would not bring healing. As a result, Provost Howard had the words Father Forgive inscribed on the wall behind the Altar of the ruined building next to two charred roof timbers that had fallen in the shape of a cross. These words are used as the response in the Coventry Litany of Reconciliation, which is prayed in the new Cathedral every weekday at noon (and in the Ruins on Fridays), and is used throughout the world by the Community of the Cross of Nails. The Litany: V. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. V. The hatred which divides nation from nation, race from race, class from class, R. Father Forgive. V. The covetous desires of people and nations to possess what is not their own, R. Father Forgive. V. The greed which exploits the work of human hands and lays waste the earth, R. Father Forgive. V. Our envy of the welfare and happiness of others, R. Father Forgive. V. Our indifference to the plight of the imprisoned, the homeless, the refugee, R. Father Forgive. V. The lust which dishonours the bodies of men, women and children, R. Father Forgive. V. The pride which leads us to trust in ourselves and not in God, R. Father Forgive. V. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you
Posted on: Thu, 11 Sep 2014 15:42:17 +0000
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