Where and Why are people dying?

The news should faithfully reflect what is happening in the world. Understandably, it is vital that the public is kept informed of issues facing humanity so that appropriate decisions and actions can be taken. In the recent film “Look up” the storyline involves physicists who are horrified to discover that an astronaut will hit the Earth in five months causing an extinction-level event. However, their attempt to get this vital news out to the general public, when political leaders did not respond, was met by the media with a mixture of ridicule, distraction and mockery. The preferred news feature covered was the on/off romance of a famous young female music star. The movie felt tongue in cheek at times but its statement on political power and the role of media highlighted a growing disconnect between what news we consume and the actual important issues facing us as individuals, communities, or as a global community. 

This disengagement has very real consequences to us all.  Especially when facing global pandemics or global warming or water shortages, pollution, economic collapse, famines or wars.  A report from the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) concluded that there was overwhelming evidence that the “health of ecosystems on which we and all other species depend is deteriorating more rapidly than ever. We are eroding the very foundations of our economies, livelihoods, food security, health and quality of life worldwide.” 

In fact, it is clear that we are not just putting the security of our own lives in jeopardy as already 1 million animal and plant species are threatened with extinction.  It is not too late to act but there is little evidence that the seriousness of the situation has got through either to the general public or our leaders.  The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has released repeated reports that are also frankly frightening from scientists but these have resulted in a minimal response from a distracted, disunited world community.  Why when information is available on the problems facing humanity does the media somehow fail to get across what is important?  Over a century and a half ago the importance of news and the requirements of those who convey the news was spelled out succinctly,

“In this day the mysteries of this earth are unfolded and visible before the eyes, and the pages of swiftly appearing newspapers are indeed the mirror of the world; they display the doings and actions of the different nations; they both illustrate them and cause them to be heard. Newspapers are as a mirror which is endowed with hearing, sight and speech; they are a wonderful phenomenon and a great matter. But it behoveth the writers thereof to be sanctified from the prejudice of egotism and desire and to be adorned with the ornament of equity and justice; they must inquire into matters as much as possible, in order that they may be informed of the real facts, and commit the same to writing.”

Bahá’u’lláh, Bahá’í World Faith, p. 171

It seems clear that invested interests, egos and other agendas have meant that real facts often remain hidden and prevent equity and justice being implemented.  A population that is distracted is also easily manipulated. Take a look at the front page of almost any newspaper, media outlet and be amazed how much of the news is of no worth at all.  Celebrities, scandals, character assassination have become our daily diet alongside tales of murderers, criminals and thieves.  It is not just that real news is so rarely reported it is more that our tastes have become so skewed to the perverse we are not really that interested in anything else.  

So what is real news, worthy of attention?  Well, if people are dying somewhere in the world then surely, we need to hear about that in case something can be done to stop it.  My first investigation turned to available data online for the year 2021 showing how many people died in each country.  However, this is not an accurate comparison as if you have a huge population then it is be expected you would have a larger death toll.  In order to make a proper investigation, you need to calculate the number of deaths per one thousand people per year.  Thankfully someone has already done it.  Here is the link.

https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/death-rate-by-country

I have to confess the top ten countries surprised me, here they are for 2021

1. Bulgaria (15.433)

2. Ukraine (15.192)

3. Latvia (14.669)

4. Lesotho (14.144)

5. Lithuania (13.737)

6. Serbia (13.194)

7. Croatia (13.17)

8. Romania (13.099)

9. Georgia (12.816)

10. Russia (12.785)

If you read further down the reasons for such high death rates in each country is outlined and makes for depressing reading. It consists of low vaccination rates, poor health systems, alcohol abuse, HIV/AIDS, smoking (e.g. 25% of the population of Croatia smoke), cardiovascular disease, cancer, suicide, road accidents, homicide etc. It also surprised me that Lesotho is the only African country in the top ten countries with high death rates.  Stunning to find out that life expectancy at birth in Lesotho is 56 years for females and 52 years for males.  In Hongkong, the life expectancy is 84.7 for females and 81.8 years for males. This means males in Hongkong will live on average almost 30 years longer than a male in Lesotho! 

What do these facts tell us? Well, it certainly reminds us that equity and justice are not being experienced by a lot of nations.  Another useful resource to look at to see where we are globally is the link below.  Check out how many cigarettes are being smoked worldwide and how much money is being earned from illegal drugs the figures blow one’s mind devastating that there are at present over 785 million of us without access to safe drinking water.

https://www.worldometers.info/

Finally, genocide is often what jumps to mind when you think of deaths worldwide and there is a useful link that monitors genocide worldwide putting areas into either genocide watch, genocide warning or genocide emergency categories depending on how serious the situation is.

https://www.genocidewatch.com/countries-at-risk

This is important because sometimes there are signals of approaching trouble.  In Rwanda in 1994 between 500,000 to 800,000 people were slaughtered in over less than four months (7th April – 5th July) and half a million women were raped. In hindsight it was discovered that from January 1993 to March 1994, a total of 500,000 machetes were imported into Rwanda, statistically one for every three adult Hutus in the country. 

There are studies that allow us to monitor violence worldwide and see where mass killing is happening https://earlywarningproject.ushmm.org/map for 2020/2021.  The early signs seem to have consistent features and these include among other elements,

• Instability: One of the strongest signs of the potential for genocide is large-scale instability (armed conflict, a coup, revolution, or uprising). In these environments, leaders and citizens may be more willing to consider violence to protect themselves and what they value.  

• Ideology: Genocide often happens when leaders believe that some people in the country are inferior or dangerous because of their race, religion, or national or ethnic origin. 

• Discrimination and violence against groups: Where genocide occurs, there usually have been earlier acts of discrimination, persecution, and violence against people who belong to a certain group. 

Make no mistake the people living in the areas highlighted on this map are experiencing very real danger.  If we were experiencing this we would probably try to flee for safety. It is not surprising then that 26.4 million people around the world live as refugees.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, has just given a New Year’s Address and in light of all that has been mentioned above, I wanted to start this year with his words not least because the world’s media will probably not be sharing it widely.

“The world welcomes 2022 with our hopes for the future being tested.

By deepening poverty and worsening inequality.

By an unequal distribution of COVID vaccines.

By climate commitments that fall short. 

And by ongoing conflict, division, and misinformation.

These are not just policy tests.

These are moral and real-life tests.

And they are tests that humanity can pass — if we commit to making 2022 a year of recovery for everyone.

Recovery from the pandemic — with a bold plan to vaccinate every person, everywhere.   

Recovery for our economies — with wealthier countries supporting the developing world with financing, investment and debt relief.

Recovery from mistrust and division — with a new emphasis on science, facts and reason.

Recovery from conflicts — with a renewed spirit of dialogue, compromise and reconciliation.

And recovery for our planet — with climate commitments that match the scale and urgency of the crisis.

Moments of great difficulty are also moments of great opportunity.

To come together in solidarity.

To unite behind solutions that can benefit all people.”

Inspiring Words to lift the heart

 

A potpourri of pieces

I ran a writer’s group in Ireland many years ago and would use a blue notebook during these sessions.  Often I would suggest writing tasks/triggers and everyone would have a go.  In the silent moments of concentration I too, would scribble ideas.  This same notebook I found in my mother's garage this week and decided to use some of the half-thought-out ideas in this blog posting. They are far from complete and diverse and I’d forgotten their existence but somehow it feels right to resurrect and share them now. These are the first two pieces.  One meditative in quality and the other a science fiction fantasy tale.

1. The calm of the morning

I find if I start the day off right it all flows better. By starting right I mean I find a quiet spot on a chair near a window in my home. There, I begin by looking out and drinking in the view. My thoughts race here and there. On the birds, in the hedges, the clouds closing in, and the pain in my back. Then, the thoughts begin to settle like a flock of birds landing on the lawn. I remember all the people past and present I love and pray for their protection and happiness. Going a bit deeper and I look inward thinking about who I am and what I need to change. If I sit long enough even these thoughts disappear. Stillness comes, a tiny moment of calm. There is suddenly a sense of well-being, of being mindful in this world. I find myself grateful for another day, another chance to do things better, to be a better person.  

As Saint Jerome (342–347 AD), an early translator of the Bible,  so eloquently put it,

“Good, better, best. Never let it rest. 'Til your good is better and your better is best.

2. Unity, not science saves the day (Sci-Fi)

It has been an incredible unlikely breakthrough, discovering that by placing large mirrors in space it was possible to reverse global warming. The Max Planck Institute in Hamburg Germany had come up with this amazing piece of geoengineering. The physics was simple enough, the mirrors reflected the sun's rays away from the Earth and by selectively reducing the incoming rays were able to precisely compensate for the extra trapped heat. Global temperatures were brought down to preindustrial levels in a surprisingly short period of time.  The headlines screamed ‘Scientists to the Rescue’ and the world population heaved a communal sigh of relief.  Several Pacific islands under threat from flooding of their low-level land were saved.  Glacier coverage at the poles went from a frightening reduction rate to a more stable state. 

What was really clever about the system called (Geo Electromagnetic Management System - GEMS) was that when temperatures plummeted due to a severe winter in the northern hemisphere careful adjustment of the radio-controlled mirrors were able to direct extra sunlight to an entire snowbound eastern coastal region of the US and helped clear transport lines, reduce freezing temperatures and yet prevent urban flooding. It seemed these mirrors could not only combat global warming but could also be used to moderate any severe weather fluctuations. It was felt that GEMS was a super version of the massive dams which had controlled water supply in the previous centuries. It was just that now, these enormous mirrors could enable an equally sensitive control of the sunlight hitting our earth. The Max Planck Institute made millions and won the Nobel prize in physics for their startlingly clever invention. Then, things began to go wrong.

It two decades to discover that just as the massive dams across rivers in the US had in fact damaged huge swaths of ecosystems these mirrors had been having unknown impacts on ocean temperatures.  As one eminent scientist explained it, 

“It is a bit like controlling one simple part of a complex global interrelated process for your own ends.  As a result of GEMS, other vital features of the planet’s wellbeing are thrown out of sync.  Unfortunately, the damage done is irreparable and irreversible.  The end result is that we will just have to live with the consequences of what has been done.”  

This was dismissed as nonsense by the management team at GEMS who pointed out that such naysayers always underestimated what science could achieve. Adjustments could be made and errors reduced. Popular opinion was behind the scientists and it took a decade before the GEMS mirrors were dismantled.  Arguments raged across the world as to the correct course of action with toxic polarisation of the pro-GEMS population and the anti-GEMS.  Any attempt at a reasonable discourse appeared impossible in such a rancid climate of debate. By that stage, ocean warming had passed the tipping point and runaway climate change triggered huge loss of life across the globe. Disunity bred dissension and disease and it took another century for unity to come.  When a world community eventually began to act as one, positive change was remarkable.  As one comedian said, “It was as if the whole earth’s system was waiting for us to get our act together before it would play ball!”  

“It is the light of the intellect which gives us knowledge and understanding …”

'Abdu'l‑Bahá

Alone and a bit lost?

Prayer is such a personal affair.  Perhaps the most personal of all communication. So speaking of it is tricky. After all, if the condition of prayer is communing with God should we even attempt to discuss such a private thing with others?  A good definition is perhaps the best place to start.

"The state of prayer is the best of conditions, for man is then associating with God."

ʻAbdu'l-Bahá

Knowing what we can endure, accept or change is a fundamental part of that critical conversation.

"God, grant me the serenity

to accept the things I cannot change,

the courage to change the things I can,

and the wisdom to know the difference. "

Reinhold Niebuhr

Prayer has always been much more than asking for things. It has always been even more than just words, it is an act that should have real consequences.  If we pray without subsequently arising to carry out deeds worthy of that divine connection then of what worth are we or our words?

"This is worship: to serve mankind and to minister to the needs of the people. Service is prayer." 

ʻAbdu'l-Bahá

Often prayers are a call of affirmation, or a call for assistance from God and can bring comfort to a soul in trouble and have done so for thousands of years.  We cannot use the following words without thinking of all those before us who have whispered such a heartfelt plea at moments when all seemed hopeless.

Even though I walk through the valley

of the shadow of death,

I fear no evil;

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff–they comfort me.

Psalms 23: 1-6

In this prayer David speaks to God in terms that any shepherd would have found familiar.  Three thousand years ago a shepherd like David carried a rod and a staff to protect his sheep. The rod was a cudgel: a short, thick, heavy stick worn in his shepherd's belt. The staff was usually a long, lightweight pole with a curved end, a crook, that controlled the sheep and kept them safe within the flock.  Both could be used by the shepherd to protect his animals from any predator.  This prayer is a reminder that God’s presence, like the shepherd, is always there to protect and guide us in very real and tangible ways.  The recital of such powerful prayers influences our spirit in ways akin to a cleansing process.  It has been compared to bathing quite beautifully in the following quote.

"Prayer is the inner bath of love into which the soul plunges itself."

St. John Vianney

Those who fill their life with prayer and real service to others recognise that prayer is not a one-sided communication. On the contrary, the most important part of prayer is invariably the silence and listening that follows or even begins communion with God. 

"God speaks in the silence of the heart. Listening is the beginning of prayer."

Mother Teresa

There are often too many words in our prayers and a reluctance to really listen. Just as when talking to family and friends it is not the quantity of the conversation that matters but its quality. 

"The most acceptable prayer is the one offered with the utmost spirituality and radiance; its prolongation hath not been and is not beloved by God."

The Báb

A reluctance to pray can be from overconfidence in our own abilities.  Admitting one needs help is not a sign of weakness. Many outstanding individuals have used prayer when they found the challenges facing them beyond endurance.

"I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had no where else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for that day."

Abraham Lincoln

The prayers of saints can be that potent mixture of communion with God and setting noble goals.

"Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love,

Where there is injury, pardon

Where there is doubt, faith,

Where there is despair, hope,

Where there is darkness, light,

Where there is sadness, joy."

St. Francis of Assisi

Our parents devote much time, energy, and love to us and an expression of gratitude is often the only worthwhile response to that devotion.

"It is seemly that the servant should, after each prayer, supplicate God to bestow mercy and forgiveness upon his parents. Thereupon God’s call will be raised: “Thousand upon thousand of what thou hast asked for thy parents shall be thy recompense!”

The Báb

There can be times when we feel there is no answer to our prayers and God seems very far away.  That can mean that the answer is simply no. Regarding the huge distance, we find ourselves from God the question it prompts is, “Who has moved”? Even the act of turning in the right direction, whatever the response or distance, can bring unexpected blessings.

"A generous prayer is never presented in vain; the petition may be refused, but the petitioner is always, I believe, rewarded by some gracious visitation."

Robert Louis Stevenson

Indeed, sometimes we focus so entirely on the dialogue that we forget the spirit behind such communion is more important than the words.

"It is better in prayer to have a heart without words than words without heart."

Mahatma Gandhi

The saying “Trust in God, but tie your camel” is a useful practical suggestion. Our actions and spiritual growth can require different motivations.

"Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you."

St. Augustine

Sometimes we just need the simplest and shortest of prayers and this is one that works for me.

"Is there any Remover of difficulties save God?  Say: Praised be God!  He is God!  All are His servants, and all abide by His bidding!"

The Báb

Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.

Ursula

She kept a home that embraced you with its orderliness and warmth of welcome.  The first day we awoke in a strange country, in her home the table was set with crisp white napkins and silver rings with each of us given a place with bread, cheese, jam tea and coffee.  Her kindness to our entire family from that first day continued over the decades and never stopped or wained.    Still now, a year after she has passed away I pick up a book and find an inscription from her to one of my sons on the flyleaf.  The traits that she exhibited were a methodical and mindful kindness that soothed those around her.

Andrew

He was a huge man who had worked in the cement factory his entire life and lived with the emphysema that resulted from the fine dust that he had breathed in all those years.   When his parents were ill he nursed them until they died.  It was only after this duty was done that he found himself a wife and although both were in their forties by then they were blessed with one son.  My youngest son, when four, made his first-ever friend in Andrew and that was how the rest of us got to meet him.  By then, Andrew was in his retirement and our neighbour in the small clump of houses in the countryside.   Andrew adopted youngsters and became a kind mentor.  It was only at his funeral that we got to meet all these young people who spoke of Andrew’s influence on their lives.  He taught my son how to ride a bicycle, he made us the most wonderful tomato and chilli chutney and cut our grass when we didn’t.  He built a huge greenhouse in their backyard out of scrap windows and designed a Heath Robinson heating system consisting of a huge metal pipe that ran around its perimeter.  He and his wife would be found in this warm womb-like zone with an enormous jigsaw puzzle on a big table.  The place felt serene and calm with a huge tray of tea and biscuits served by kind hands.  Andrew’s traits were many but a mighty concern for all who crossed his path dominated them.

Bemen 

He was characterised by a bubbling sense of humour.  So many times he would start to tell a joke and then he would start to laugh before he could get the punchline out.  All of us loved his laughter so much that somehow you didn’t mind not getting the whole point of the joke.  Instead, you would start to join in with his infectious laughter.  However, the trait that I appreciated so much was not his lovely laughter but the way talking to Bemen about any issue was like being put back on the right railway lines after being lost for days in unknown territory.  He seemed to have an instinct for the justice and injustice of any situation.  He didn’t mind telling you if you happened to be on the wrong side of an issue but his good nature made that feel like gently being nudged back on track again.  

Granda

I loved both my grandparents so I could write about either but here I’ll mention just Granda Jimmy.  He left primary school after spending a disproportionate amount of time chewing little bits of paper in his mouth before flicking them up to stick on the schoolroom ceiling.  He said the result was a spectacular collection of these little mounds all above their heads.  He could sing and play fiddle and make up songs that were funny and insightful.  Before TV came along he would go around family homes in the countryside and provide entertainment.  As a child, I remember his wonderful greeting.  When you came through the back door of the farmhouse he would get to his feet arms upraised shouting in delight “Boyza, Boyza, Boyza” with a huge smile while eyebrows danced high in his forehead.  He had strange habits.  If you sat next to him at the table having tea he would stir his cup with a spoon and then touch the spoon to the back of your hand to watch you scream from the heat.  Somehow you never resented such treatment from his hand because it felt like a wake-up call.  As if, he knew at times, we all needed to be prodded to come alive and he was the man to do it.  But the best trait he had was his ability to tell a story.  Somehow his tales were fascinating, insightful and yet left you a different person from the one you were before.  They led you on a journey and you knew how far you had come from where you started.  The narrative would be about a simple event like a market or a meeting but it always taught you something about the important things of life.  When cancer stalked him in later years he went into the butcher’s in the local village and the butcher was surprised to see him and said “I heard a rumour you were dead, Jimmy!”  My grandfather retorted, “I heard it too, but I didn’t believe it!”  Shortly before he died in hospital I visited him, surrounded by those who loved him.  I said, I thought he was like one of the old Eskimos that have decided to end their lives by going out to sit on the ice flow.  He answered, “well, don’t follow me out on the ice!”  The horrid clinical hospital room was suddenly cleansed with laughter and love.  I think granda’s trait was difficult to identify. But when he passed away a void was felt, as if something of vital importance had been lost.  How often is it that we recognise the breadth and height of a mighty tree only after it has been felled?  

I am infinitely grateful for all these souls and many others.  For what they either taught me or helped me learn by example.  They ever act as gentle nudges that influence my thoughts, words, actions, habits, character and perhaps even destination.

It has been worse and it can get better!

In 2019 a book was published entitled Epidemics and Society from the Black Death to the present. It was written by Frank M Snowden.  It is fascinating to learn that only half a century ago two infectious disease departments of renowned US universities were closed under the misguided belief that their job was done.  The fact that we are now in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, rates of measles and mumps are rising and even newer infectious diseases are appearing should shake us from that previous complacency.

Snowdon’s book suggests that infectious diseases, over history, have shaped society in ways that are as critical as other crises such as wars, revolution, famine, shortage of water, or economic collapse.  Given that, perhaps we need to give this topic a great deal more attention.  A table can help to put it in historical context (see below).  It certainly indicates that pandemics have been around a long time and highlights how deadly the Justinian plague, the Black Death, and the Spanish Flu were compared to all the rest.  It is salutary to realise that those who survived the killing fields of World War I also endured the deadly Spanish flu that followed it.  In case we thought our present generation was particularly blighted by disease it is worth remembering humanity has seen much worse days.      

A quick look at the WHO disease outbreak page today,  provides an urgent wake-up call. The war-torn Democratic Republic of the Congo is suffering from more than Ebola (fatality rates of 90%). There is also a measles outbreak, and a circulating strain of polio that mutated from the live, weakened one in the oral vaccine. It is worrying to discover that the old enemy of humanity, plague broke out in Madagascar in the last five years. It is endemic in that country, but has been successfully brought under control by the concentrated efforts of International bodies and local government.  It is worth understanding the vocabulary used in discussing diseases.  I have to confess I only recently understood the difference between endemic, outbreak, epidemic, and pandemic.  For something that has impacted us all on so many levels, it is worth understanding these words precisely.

Between March and July of 2021 there has been an outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus in Saudi Arabia.  Although only 810 deaths have occurred, this disease has an eye-watering fatality rate of 35% (Covid 19 is around roughly 2.5%).  In reading the information about this outbreak the WHO declares (WHO)

“Food hygiene practices should be observed. People should avoid drinking raw camel milk or camel urine, or eating meat that has not been properly cooked.”

You are no doubt relieved to hear that your personal risk of catching this disease from eating camels or drinking camel urine is low!  Camels can be easily avoided by most of us, but don’t feel too relaxed this MERS-CoV has demonstrated the ability to transmit between humans too. Indeed other species of animals and creatures are also perfectly capable of spreading diseases to humans.  Monkeys are responsible for the Monkey B virus with a horrendous fatality rate of 42%. Well, I say responsible but if we didn’t hunt, keep, kill and eat such animals we might be fine.  Bats are responsible for horrid diseases with huge fatality rates ranging from Marburg virus at 50% to the Nipah virus with a 75% rate.  Worryingly even the tiny simple Tsetsy fly can cause the African Sleeping disease which has a 42.5% fatality rate.  The cute sounding Dear mouse can cause Hantavisus pulmonary syndrome with a fatality of 36%.  Not to mention bird flu whose fatality rate is also in the region of 20-40%.  Then finally, to freak everyone out there is the Brain-eating amoeba which lives in warm fresh water and enters our body through our noses and results in a 95% fatality rate.  I suspect your feeling of relief at the start of this paragraph has just about dissolved by now.  

There is of course good news on many fronts and I’ll just mention three. 

• When the world collaborates and works together to fight a deadly virus, as in the case of Smallpox, it is incredible what the world can achieve. This virus caused 500 million deaths in its last 100 years of existence but a united humanity managed to eradicate it in 1980.  However, it did take 200 years from the discovery of a successful vaccine for this to happen.  The signs are that the world has been able to speed up this process considerably as shown by the recent Covid 19 pandemic.  However, without a unified approach communities left unprotected from any disease are not only more vulnerable to this disease but also provide a perfect breeding ground for new variants/viruses which can undo all that has been achieved. 

• The other good news is the range of treatments now available for so many of these contagious diseases and this has helped reduce the fatality statistics mentioned earlier.  Providing good timely medical treatment is such a no-brainer we should be supplying it to every human being in need. We should certainly not be allowing immune systems to be weakened through lack of food or access to safe water.  Prevention is not only extremely cost-effective it helps us use our medical interventions in a more targeted way.

• It is excellent to know that our own bodies have a system of defence that is truly breathtaking.  Our immune system has huge groups of cells designed specifically to defend the body from illness and infection. These are crack troops designed to fight pathogens, viruses, bacteria, and mutated cells that seek to do us harm.  We actually have two separate armies to defend us one innate and the other acquired through previous exposure. One army is excellent at attacking quickly, the second is battle-hardened troops who have successfully fought this enemy before.
  
  
  

        

Keeping your immune system functioning normally, via the right nutrition, is a simple preventative step that makes so much sense (mayo clinic advice).  Researchers have also found considerable evidence that positive emotions boost the immune system, while negative emotions act to suppress it. 

        The more you think about the human body and how all the major organs work to keep it healthy perhaps a similar pattern is necessary in a world community working to address the important problems we face.  Diseases can shape societies as history has shown but they also force us to think globally as one people on one planet. 

“The bedrock of a strategy that can engage the world’s population in assuming responsibility for its collective destiny must be the consciousness of the oneness of humankind.” 

Bahá’í International Community

The Lord's Prayer

 

What is prayer?

At the lowest level, prayer can be a mere shopping list of requests to God. A conversation with God dominated by desires for all the things we don’t have and yet desperately think we need. A bit like a child at the window of the toy shop; no longer aware of the huge collection of toys at home he can only stare in dire longing for those toys he does not have.  

When work challenges, testing relationships, or daily difficulties arise our shopping list becomes pruned.  It becomes focused on these priorities of life without which we feel our happiness is threatened.

When disaster strikes, loss of health, or loved ones, our agony makes our prayers into cries from the heart to God. Urgent calls for aid against impossible odds. When we can find no way forward or no hope, then our prayer becomes a desperate plea for assistance.

Of course, it can be hard to know to whom we pray when our understanding of God is so very limited.  Sometimes we have only vague thoughts of one greater than anything that we can mentally encompass.  That is why using prayers from those who have gained true closeness to God or His chosen Ones can be so helpful. Not only do their words and aspirations tend to remind us of what is worth asking for but they also have a greater understanding of God.

For example, the Lord’s prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; 

begins by reminding us that God resides in the spiritual world, heaven, that He is our father and that we should revere His name.

thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 

This is followed by the promise that His kingdom will be established on earth in the same way it is in the spiritual realms.  The words indicate that this present civilisation will become more divine in nature. Humanity will acquire spiritual qualities and virtues and civilisation will be transformed from this present turbulent adolescent stage into a more spiritually enlightened state.

After reminding us of who we are talking to, reassuring us of the future direction or vision of mankind there follows three pleas. 

Give us this day our daily bread; 

The first is that we be provided with the basic material necessities of life to survive.

and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; 

The second asks God to pardon our sins or transgressions. Those deeds, words, and thoughts which deprive us of our spiritual progress.  Interestingly, the prayer links our forgiveness from God with the degree to which we forgive those who have done us wrong or sinned against us.

and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. 

The third plea, following on from repenting from all that we have done wrong in the past and present, asks for protection from future failings, sins, or transgressions.  It ends with a cry that we will be freed from evil and all that takes us further from God’s will.

Amen.

So many spiritual writings and devotionals end with Amen, like the Lord’s Prayer, so it is worth remembering its meaning.  

The basic meaning of the Semitic root from which it is derived is “firm,” “fixed,” or “sure,” and the related Hebrew verb also means “to be reliable” and “to be trusted.” The Greek Old Testament usually translates amen as “so be it”; in the English Bible it has frequently been rendered as “verily,” or “truly.”

Prayer, we learn is both an inner reflection; to be grateful for the blessings each day brings, awareness of what wrongs we have committed, how important it is to forgive others and brings to mind a concern for our future actions and failings, as well as an external call; a recognition of the station of the Divine, obedience to His Will and recognition that obedience to God’s will befits us all both in this world and the next.  It reminds us of a higher standard to which we are all called to attain and its vision of the future helps fuel our endeavours to build a better world.