They
shall never again defile themselves with their idols and their detestable
things, or with any of their transgressions. I will save them from all the
apostasies into which they have fallen, and will cleanse them. Then they shall
be my people, and I will be their God. Ezekiel 37:23
He
it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and
purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds. Titus
2:14
Visitors to the Multi Faith Centre at the
Manchester Royal Infirmary will find ablution rooms for people of the Islamic
faith to use before they pray.
They wash carefully – hands, feet, head and mouth,
and as they do so they reflect on any wrong they have done : in words,
thoughts, and actions. So the act of washing must be done with care and thought
– almost an act of praying in itself – before they can focus on the prayer
ritual.
Maybe physical and spiritual cleansing is an
attempt towards purification. I’ve not met many people who could be described
as pure; if we describe pure as being sinless, then newborn babies are the
nearest.
I’ve met lots of people though who try their very
hardest, and some who don’t try at all, but show us the way just the same. A
young boy called James springs to my mind. His mum was in hospital, very
scared, very anxious. At the age of just ten, James had wisdom beyond his
years. He held his mum’s hand, told her not to be frightened, and how much he
loved her. He gave me a big hug too, and asked if I was going to stay all night
and look after his mum, because that was when she was most frightened. I
explained that I couldn’t do that, but that we would say a prayer together and
give his mum a blessing. James prayed with moving and poignant sincerity and
then gave me a blessing.
I reckon we got pretty close to purity that
evening.
Sarah
Brewerton
Chorlton
Central
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