Evening Prayer Friday, 12 February 2021

As I’ve listened to the news this week,
it has prompted me to think
about the difference it makes to any community
whether people choose to keep what they have to themselves
or to share it with others.
The differences can be stark
whether we are thinking about sharing our time,
sharing what we own or earn or our money;
whether we think about this as individuals or as communities.
It can also challenge us.
You may have seen this item on the BBC News website
(I don’t remember hearing it on the broadcast news,
but it may have been there too):

Africa will have to wait “weeks if not months” before receiving Covid-19 vaccines approved by the World Health Organization, according to various officials working towards getting doses for the continent.

Close to 900 million doses have been secured so far through various initiatives, enough to inoculate about 30% of the continent’s 1.3 billion people this year.

Hoarding by wealthy nations, funding shortfalls, regulations and cold chain requirements have slowed the process of rolling out the vaccines. “The world is on the brink of a catastrophic moral failure and the price will be paid with lives and livelihoods in the poorest countries,” warned WHO head Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus.

Calls for equity have been growing. Close to 40 million doses have been administered in at least 49 higher-income countries, compared to just 25 doses given in just one of the lowest-income countries, according to Dr Tedros. “Not 25 million, not 25,000, just 25,” he said, without saying which country.

So far, none of the main, Western vaccines has yet been administered in Africa, almost two months after the first doses were rolled out in Europe.

I didn’t read this before I had my first dose of vaccine,
and I know that, for a variety of reasons,
it would not have stopped me having it if I had.
But I do think it highlights the disparity between wealthy and poorer countries.
Alongside the cuts in British overseas aid
which were made towards the end of last year,
it leaves me wondering whether we really see ourselves as part of one world.

Let’s look at what Jesus had to say about sharing.
In St John’s Gospel we read:

¹ Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), ² and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. …

⁵ When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, ‘Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?’ ⁶ He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

⁷ Philip answered him, ‘It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!’

⁸ Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, ⁹ ‘Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?’

¹⁰ Jesus said, ‘Have the people sit down.’ There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). ¹¹ Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.

¹² When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, ‘Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” ¹³ So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

John 6: 1–2, 5–13 NIV®

So, let us pray:

Loving God, we know that you love us.
The evidence is around us in all that you have provided for us –
our homes, families, our surroundings and the food we eat daily.
You have provided generously to us,
but we are not always willing to share that bounty.

Even in our own country and this city, there are families who go hungry.
There have been people sleeping in damp and cold conditions this week,
in some cases without a permanent roof over their heads.
We thank you for all those who strive to support them
by working for, giving time to, or donating money
to charities which work to relieve poverty and homelessness.

Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for national charities such as Shelter and Crisis,
which work tirelessly to find appropriate housing for those in need.
We ask, too, that the need of those families still living in homes
with unsafe cladding will be addressed without further delay.
Here in Milton Keynes, we pray for the YMCA
providing homes for young people who are no longer supported
by their family and who cannot yet support themselves.

Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for the Milton Keynes Food Bank,
which has adapted its ways of working
to continue to support families throughout the pandemic.
Teach us to be generous in sharing our time,
our money and our concern for all those
who lack the warmth and security
which many of us take for granted.

Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

But just as we don’t want to be selfish individuals,
we don’t want to be selfish as a nation either.

Loving God, we thank you for the skill and dedication
of scientists and doctors who have worked tirelessly
to produce the vaccines from which some of us are already benefitting.

We thank you that, this week, the World Health Organisation
has approved the much cheaper vaccine
which was developed in Oxford for use across the world.
We pray that richer countries will not hoard vaccine for their sole use,
but be generous in sharing it with those countries where the need is greatest.

Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Lastly, we pray that we may be generous
in sharing your love with all those we meet,
whether that be in person, on the telephone or internet.

As we spend most of our time remote from one another,
help us to remember those who are isolated and those who are sick.
At this time we bring to you all those from our fellowship
at Christ the Cornerstone who need your support and our prayers tonight.
Surround them with your love and support them in their struggles,
whatever they may be.

We ask this and all our prayers in the name of Jesus Christ,
our Lord and Saviour.

Amen

Let us close by saying the Grace together:

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the love of God
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
be with us all, evermore.

Amen