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A spiritual comment and prayer to begin the day with Rev Dr Alfred Banya, Head of Chaplaincy at King's College Hospital in London

Thank God it's Friday

Good morning.

Today is Friday and many of us probably look forward to it more than other days of the week as it brings us to the weekend. We often hear the saying, 鈥渢hank God it鈥檚 Friday鈥� even from those you may not necessarily believe in God. Our diversity as a society comes across in the way that many of us choose to mark Friday. Some of us may wish to wind down with a drink with friends in the pub. Those who follow the Jewish tradition begin the Jewish Day of rest at sunset on Friday. Our Muslim brothers and sisters may take time around the middle of the day to gather for Friday Prayers. Some Christians may be abstaining today from meat and devoting the day to remembering the suffering of Jesus Christ.

While there remains issues that set various faiths and beliefs apart, what we must celebrate are the things that bring us together for the common good.

I am privileged to witness progress in this direction in hospital chaplaincy. In the 1950s one would have probably seen mainly Christian priests as chaplains in hospitals. Now, you can see an Imam, a Sikh, a Humanist or non-religious chaplain. What brings us together is kindness and compassion for patients, relatives and staff who may be in need of spiritual support. We meet each person at their point of need, and support them according to what is appropriate to their faith religion or belief, whether they are religious or not.

O Kind Lord! Unite us all. Let our faiths and beliefs agree and make us all one so that we may all be one family and the whole earth as one home. May we all live together in perfect harmony.

Amen