is home the place to seek refuge in/from; where loss/lack becomes framed within the space of desire
and the act of return is constantly perpetuated?
PRAYERS FOR THE HOMES AND HOUSEHOLDS OF THE UK
1.
Out of the depths I cry to you,
O Lord hear my prayer.
Long have we left our homes and households
in search of the new, the fast, the time-saver
and for what?
Where have the tables gone that held the family together?
Where have the conversations gone that shared the day’s burdens?
Where have the rituals gone that passed from one generation to the next?
Holding hands across the ages
with stories that shaped the past
for the future.
We have lost the hearth,
we have lost the heart
of what it means to be fed in body and soul.
And now we must find a different way to nourish our spirit and our belly.
Will it be in the kitchen?
Will it be in the lounge?
Will we turn off the TV, mobile, iPod and PC -
to listen to a new sound?
The sound of family and friends
breaking bread together,
and drinking the wine
of love and shared grace.
Amen
2.
As I lay down my knife and fork
and eat from a cardboard meal,
I remember my mother’s cooking,
hours in the preparation...
but seconds on the tongue
and I was in heaven.
From shrink-wrap to cling film,
plastic tub and foil tray,
packaging has reduced our world
to a life of sell-by-dates.
As I lay down my knife and fork
and eat from a cardboard meal,
I remember my mother’s cooking,
hours in the preparation...
but seconds on the tongue
and I was in heaven.
From additives to allergies,
preservatives and sweeteners,
e-numbers and saturates
are replacing our meals.
As I lay down my knife and fork
and eat from a cardboard meal,
I remember my mother’s cooking,
hours in the preparation...
but seconds on the tongue
and I was in heaven.
How can I recapture my memories
of childhood suppers?
The smells, the tastes,
the peace of mind and stomach.
From recycling to renewing,
we have changed the world,
so let’s take the food of the past
and make the present worth eating.
If I lay down my cardboard meal
and eat with my knife and fork,
I will remember my mother’s cooking,
hours in the preparation...
and well worth the wait.
Fleur Dorrell
Head of Faith & Policy
Mothers Union
