Matilda leads both Morning and Evening Prayer this week, in the season of Lent (marking the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert). Morning Prayer – Matilda’s mother reads a passage from Romans, Chapter 5, verses 15 to 21, because Matilda is still asleep. This scripture explores sin, expiation and redemption – this passage also examines the effect of law-making and how it governs our attitude towards sin. God’s forgiveness is ever-present – through Jesus’ crucifixion our sins are redeemed – through his suffering and our own sufferings we gain perspective, learn endurance, acceptance and appreciate joy all the more; “Therefore just as one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man’s act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all. For just as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. But law came in, with the result that the trespass multiplied; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, just as sin exercised dominion in death, so grace might also exercise dominion through justification leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

We pray for the people of Ukraine and Russia and for world peace. We pray for wise decision-making and for the moral integrity of all world leaders in the face of evil – most especially this morning.