From the fourth Servant Song of Isaiah, read in the Liturgy today: ‘Behold, my servant shall prosper, he shall be exalted and lifted up, and shall be very high. As many were astonished at him — his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the sons of men … Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all’.

There almost seems nothing else to say, give the gravity of our situation in the world today. We pray for you who read this, wherever you may be, that the Lord will bring you consolation and strength. May He bless you specially on this day.