‘I’d like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony’ sang The New Seekers in the 1970’s

‘I'd like to see the world for once
All standing hand in hand
And hear them echo through the hills
For peace throughout the land
(That's the song I hear)...’

...the vision of the Old Testament prophet Isaiah (11:6-11) of a world where ‘the wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them...They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea...’ a vision at odds with the world as it is ...

a vision that demands we change...

that we let go of our anger, hate and unwillingness to forgive...

our pride, our need to be right, our need to be on top...

our selfishness and self-sufficiency,

loving our neighbour (everyone!) as ourselves...

To change the world we must be good to those who cannot repay us’. (Pope Francis)