Too deep for words

On an ironic level one could point out that to a British tabloid, the importance of one famous British woman is about the same as 90 Norwegians (especially when there's a "nutter"), which is about the same as unknown thousands of Somalis (especially when they come from a pariah state, and they're all Moslems). One could also add that in one sense artists dying young and Africans starving aren't "news" - we've been taught that this is what they do - whereas the shock comes where Scandinavians start killing each other. This doesn't fit our model of the world.

But you can't add up human beings like counters. You can't estimate the relative value of numbers of people. The worth of one human being is infinite. And you can't add infinity to itself to see which is more infinite. Amy Winehouse was precious - the centre of her own life, and close to many. Let her stand for a week of the shocking, senseless loss of life. Not because she was more or less deserving of death but because for us in Britain she was known. And though she made the papers and occasionally made a fool of herself, she too is loved.

Shocked by long-term suffering, sudden loss and senseless waste we stand aghast - unable to comprehend. We could give up on making sense of this maddening world. Or we could make sure aid agencies have the tools to do their job. We could ensure that cheap hate is not on our lips. And we can ensure that we cherish the brittle, talented ones among us knowing that they are gifts, but they are also so, so fragile.

And if praying is also our response, but our prayers are struck to silence, then remember:

"And as well as this, the Spirit too comes to help us in our weakness, for, when we do not know how to pray properly, then the Spirit personally makes our petitions for us in groans that cannot be put into words." (Rom 8:26)

A good day to remember this verse.