The quality of God's mercy is not strained;
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath.
(cf William Shakespeare, "The Merchant of Venice")
but we put up our umbrellas,
of pride - hurt or otherwise,
stubbornness, arrogance
and the rest of them!!
They are not the pretty colours of all the 'umbrellas of Cherbourg';
no, our umbrellas are stone coloured, dirty browns and greens.
Help us, dear God, to take down our umbrellas
and turn our faces towards your gentle rain
and see the glory and splendour
of the rainbow of your love
which overarches the world
and bathes us all in its warmth.
