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Good Morning –  yes it is morning - even though the sun won’t rise in the UK for another hour.  As the winter draws in, many of us are now waking up before the sunrise, but spare a thought for those in Iceland who will be lucky to get 5 hours of sunlight at the moment.   As the nights get longer, the trees shed their leaves, many things begin hibernating.  At my home north of Liverpool it is a sight to behold the flocks of geese passing overhead – fleeing the northern winter. For those of us who can’t afford the time or the money to flee our winter,   it is not surprising that our minds turn to remembering, especially remembering those who have left us.   Today is all Souls Day – traditionally the church remembers the faithful departed – those who are not yet Saints but whose souls are being purified before they attain the Beatific Vision.

As the nights draw in – our minds are drawn naturally to remembering those who have gone before us. Those thoughts can be seasoned with sadness and regret, but we can also be inspired by the memories of those who have gone before us.  What we see know, and what we take for granted is because we stand on the shoulders of giants….. a sense of gratitude to those who have gone before us, whose achievements and inventions we take for granted now, as we listen to the radio, or drive to work, or turn the kettle on…..  As the darkness of winter grows around us, and we enter the season of remembering, we pray for the freedom to remember with gratitude, and for the patience to wait for the slow touch of healing. Amen.