​Prayer for Good Humour by Saint Thomas More
Grant me, O Lord, good digestion, and also something to digest. Grant me a healthy body, and the necessary good humour to maintain it. Grant me a simple soul that knows to treasure all that is good and that doesn’t frighten easily at the sight of evil, but rather finds the means to put things back in their place. Give me a soul that knows not boredom, grumblings, sighs and laments, nor excess of stress, because of that obstructing thing called ‘I’. Grant me, O Lord, a sense of good humour. Allow me the grace to be able to take a joke, to discover in life a bit of joy, and to be able to share it with others. Amen.

​One
One SONG can spark a moment
One FLOWER can wake the dream
One TREE can start a forest
One BIRD can herald spring
One SMILE begins a friendship
One HANDCLASP lifts a soul
One STAR can guide a ship at sea
One WORD can frame the goal
One VOTE can change a nation
One SUNBEAM lights a room
One CANDLE wipes out darkness
One LAUGH will conquer gloom
One STEP must start each journey
One WORD must start a prayer
One HOPE will raise our spirits
One TOUCH can show you care
One VOICE can speak with wisdom
One HEART can know what is true
One LIFE can make a difference. 

​Today’s Parable
In the parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins, the bridegroom represents Jesus, and the virgins symbolize his followers or believers. The lamps are the outward signs of their faith, and the oil is often interpreted as a symbol of spiritual preparedness and the Holy Spirit.
The main lesson of this parable is the importance of being spiritually prepared and watchful for the return of Christ. The wise virgins represent those who are spiritually prepared, with an adequate supply of oil, and are ready to meet the bridegroom when he arrives. The foolish virgins, on the other hand, represent those who are not prepared, and they miss the opportunity to join in the wedding banquet, which is often seen as a symbol of eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven.
The parable emphasizes the need for vigilance, readiness, and a constant state of spiritual preparedness because the return of Christ is unknown and can happen at any time. It encourages believers to keep their faith strong, live according to their beliefs, and be watchful for the coming of the Lord.
Father Alex