by Archdeacon Claire Phelps
Dear Family of St John’s
Over the last weeks we have been called, from many different avenues, to pray for our country. In particular, Bishop Grant shared a video message this past Sunday asking us to pray for peace around the anticipated unrest on the 30th June 2026.
In moments like these the song Kyrie by Jodi Page comes to my mind, with the words of the chorus playing loudly in my head. “Kyrie eleison. Christe eleison. Kyrie eleison.”
These ancient words – “Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy” – have been prayed by Christians for centuries. They are simple words, but they carry a profound truth: we live in a world that desperately needs God’s mercy.
Look at the words from the song:
Look around you, can you see?
Times are troubled, people grieve.
See the violence, feel the hardness;
all my people, weep with me.
Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, Kyrie eleison.
Walk among them, I’ll go with you.
Reach out to them with my hands.
Suffer with me, and together
we will serve them, help them stand.
Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, Kyrie eleison.
Forgive us, Father; hear our prayer.
We would walk with You anywhere,
through Your suff’ring, with forgiveness;
take Your life into the world.
Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, Kyrie eleison.
(Jodi Page)
The words of the song invite us to do something very simple: look around you, see. Pay attention to the world as it really is.
When we look around, we can’t help but notice the many needs that surround us. We see conflicts and suffering in different parts of the world. We see communities affected by poverty, hunger, displacement, and uncertainty. Closer to home, we see people struggling with unemployment, financial pressure, loneliness, illness, anxiety, and grief. We are faced with systems and infrastructures that don’t work, and a seeming lack of concern from those with the authority to make changes.
The challenge isn’t that we lack information. In fact, we are constantly exposed to news and stories of hardship. The challenge is allowing ourselves to truly see and care.
Do you remember Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan? Several people saw the injured man lying beside the road, but only one stopped. The difference wasn’t what they saw; it was how they responded. The Samaritan allowed what he saw to move his heart and shape his actions.
As followers of Christ, we are called to do the same.
It is very easy, and probably a coping mechanism, to stop ‘seeing’ and become affected by what we see. Because, if we’re honest, the needs of the world can sometimes feel overwhelming. There’s so much suffering, so many problems, and so many people in need. It’s easy to wonder whether anything we do can really make a difference.
This is where the prayer “Kyrie eleison” becomes so important.
“Lord, have mercy” isn’t a prayer of despair. It’s a prayer of faith. It acknowledges that while we can’t carry the weight of the world, God can.
It reminds us that we’re not alone in facing the brokenness around us. We bring before God the needs of our world, our country, our city, our community, our families, and our own hearts, trusting in His mercy and grace.
But prayer is never meant to be the end of the story.
In the song, we see these words as a challenge and a promise from Jesus: “Walk among them, I’ll go with you. Reach out to them with my hands.”
What a wonderful image. Jesus chooses to make His compassion visible through His people. Our hands become His hands. Our words become instruments of His encouragement. Our acts of kindness become signs of His love.
The Good Samaritan didn’t solve every problem in the world. He simply responded to the need that was placed before him. He bandaged wounds, offered practical help, and ensured that someone in distress was cared for.
That remains our calling today.
Most of us can’t change global events, but all of us can do something. We can pray faithfully. We can support those who are struggling. We can visit someone who is lonely. We can encourage a neighbour. We can offer practical assistance to a family facing hardship. We can volunteer our time, share our resources, and participate in the ministries that seek to bring hope and care to others.
Sometimes the most significant acts of mercy are also the simplest.
A listening ear. A phone call. A meal. A lift. A prayer. A visit.
These small acts may seem insignificant, but they often become the means through which God’s love is experienced by another person.
The final verse of the song includes a commitment: “We would walk with you anywhere.”
That’s the heart of Christian discipleship. We follow Jesus not only in worship and prayer, but also into the places where people are hurting and in need of hope. We do this knowing that He walks with us and works through us.
As a parish community, may we continue to ask God to open our eyes to the needs around us. May we resist the temptation to become indifferent or overwhelmed. May we learn to pray more deeply for our city, our country, and our world. And may we be willing to respond whenever God places an opportunity for service before us.
So perhaps this week, the ancient prayer can become our own:
Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, Kyrie eleison.
When the world feels troubled, pray it.
When someone you love is struggling, pray it.
When you see needs that seem greater than your ability to meet them, pray it.
And having prayed it, ask God to show you one practical way to become an answer to that prayer for someone else.
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
With love
Your friend and rector,
Claire