Meeting of the Parliament
Meeting date: Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Official Report
716KB pdf
Time for Reflection
Good afternoon. Our time for reflection leader today is the Rev Helen Cook, from Kingussie parish church.
The Rev Helen Cook (Kingussie Parish Church): Presiding Officer, thank you for the invitation. It is a privilege to share thought for the day.
Good afternoon. In my work as a chaplain at the local hospital, I have come across a rather astonishing book. It is called “Reflections of Life: Words of Comfort and Encouragement”. It is beautifully illustrated by a Lewis girl—a beautiful artist—and was produced by NHS Education for Scotland. It is the result of a collaboration between 13 different belief groups, some who have faith in God and others whose belief is in humanity or nature.
Why do I call this an astonishing book and consider it worthy of your attention? There are two reasons. First, it is based on the belief that we are all spiritual and that when we face times of stress and difficulty for reasons of illness, loss and bereavement, we need spiritual care. The book will be held in hospitals and other places to comfort and encourage people who are in difficult times—not replacing but adding to the work of their own belief communities. The book is based on the premise that we are all spiritual beings.
Secondly, the book is the result of a unique collaboration between 13 belief groups, which was facilitated by a former surgeon from the Belford hospital. Everything that is written in the book was agreed to by all 13 belief groups before it went in, which is an amazing achievement.
Like those for whom the book was written, we all have times of stress and anxiety when we are very vulnerable and need words of comfort and encouragement. So I will share with you three brief excerpts from the book. Maybe one of them will speak to you. I will not tell you which group donated the words.
On anxiety:
“We become very weak and unsettled when something unexpected happens, but we must be strong and accept God’s way.”
On peace:
“May quietness descend upon my limbs,
my speech, my breath, my eyes, my ears;
may all my senses wax clear and strong
as I hear your voice
within that void
of your loving presence and peace.”
Finally, on hope:
“What is true of the individual will be tomorrow true of the whole nation if individuals will but refuse to lose heart and hope.”
May we all find comfort and encouragement for our spirits. [Applause.]