In my Bonfim neighbourhood, I am blessed with a neighbour who is a stone mason. He crafts statues and plaques to honour the dead. I walk past his workshop each day, and stop to pray at the statue of our Lady of Fatima.

I ask for the people of my street to be protected. I ask for Porto to be protected. I ask for Portugal to be protected. Praying is our inner power. Our daily opportunity to be present with our creator, before tasks, jobs and habits fill up our time. A period of silence and contemplation each day, sets the tone for what unfolds.

I am reminded of the prayer of Michel Quoist. I cite it here. Make time for prayer while you have time.

𝙎𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮: 𝙇𝙤𝙧𝙙, 𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙏𝙞𝙢𝙚
𝘣𝘺 𝘔𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘦𝘭 𝘘𝘶𝘰𝘪𝘴𝘵

I went out, Lord.
Men were coming and going, walking and running.
Everything was rushing: cars, trucks, the street, and the whole town.
Men were rushing not to waste time.
They were rushing after time, to gain time.

Good-bye, Sir, excuse me, I haven’t time.
I’ll come back. I can’t wait, I haven’t time.
I must end this letter – I haven’t time.
I’d love to help you, but I haven’t time.
I can’t accept, having not time.
I can’t think, I can’t read, I’m swamped, I haven’t time.
I’d like to pray, but I haven’t time.

You understand, Lord, they simply haven’t time.
The child is playing, he hasn’t time right now…later on…
The schoolboy has his homework to do, he hasn’t time…later on…
The student has his course, and so much work…later on…
The young man is at his sports, he hasn’t time…later on…
The young married man has his new house, he hasn’t time…later on…
The grandparents have their grandchildren, they haven’t time…later on…
The are ill, they have their treatments, they haven’t time…later on…
They are dying, they have no….too late…they have no more time.

Lord, You must have made a mistake in your calculations.
There is a big mistake somewhere,
The hours are too short,
The days are too short,
Our lives are too short.

You who are beyond time, Lord, You smile to see us fighting it.
And You know what You are doing.
You made no mistakes in Your distribution of time to men.
You give each one time to do what You want him to do.
But we must not lose time,
Waste time,
Kill time,
For time is a gift You give us,
But a perishable gift,
A gift that does not keep.

I am not asking You Lord, for time to do this and then that,
But Your grace to do conscientiously, in the time that You give me, what You want me to do.