Daily Worship

Loss of mind

Norah Summers September 08, 2016 0 0

Psalm 148

A Call for the Universe to Praise God

148 Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord from heaven,
    you that live in the heights above.
2 Praise him, all his angels,
    all his heavenly armies.

3 Praise him, sun and moon;
    praise him, shining stars.
4 Praise him, highest heavens,
    and the waters above the sky.

5 Let them all praise the name of the Lord!
He commanded, and they were created;
6     by his command they were fixed in their places forever,
    and they cannot disobey.

7 Praise the Lord from the earth,
    sea monsters and all ocean depths;
8 lightning and hail, snow and clouds,
    strong winds that obey his command.

9 Praise him, hills and mountains,
    fruit trees and forests;
10 all animals, tame and wild,
    reptiles and birds.

11 Praise him, kings and all peoples,
    princes and all other rulers;
12 young women and young men,
    old people and children too.

13 Let them all praise the name of the Lord!
His name is greater than all others;
    his glory is above earth and heaven.
14 He made his nation strong,
    so that all his people praise him—
    the people of Israel, so dear to him.

Praise the Lord!

Loving God,

today I would bring to you 

the many people who experience loss of their minds.

 

Dementia in its many forms 

will touch most of us at some time,

affecting us

or someone we must care for.

 

Physical illness may rob us of mobility or dexterity, 

but the loss of personality is peculiarly distressing.

 

Thank you for research and experiment 

that give hope of mitigating the effects of the disease

and of some day preventing it.

 

Thank you for the powerful effects of music –

I remember the wee lady, incapable of any kind of conversation,

still singing lustily half an hour after the end of a service in her care home -

“Jesus loves me, this I know!” 

 

Thank you for the inspiration of pet therapy – 

I remember the smile of the blind man 

enjoying the warmth of a dog leaning on his knee.

 

Thank you that understanding is growing

of these and other simple non-medical comforts.

 

Thank you for those who give their time to care in these ways,

family, friends or professional care-workers.

 

Give us grace, Lord,

to accept the surprising ways 

in which you bless the mourners.