“Sleep!” cried Father Brown. “Sleep. We have come to the end of the ways. Do you know what sleep is? Do you know that every man who sleeps believes in God? It is a sacrament; for it is an act of faith and it is a food. And we need a sacrament, if only a natural one.”
Even if we were ten in the bed, each one of us would always sleep alone, except for the one who feeds our mind and soul all through the night.
Not everyone sleeps soundly, physical or mental pain, or others’ unthinking noise may prolong our wakefulness. Sleep, like all the sacraments, is a gift. Let us hope that all wil be able to receive it.
But it’s time for me to partake of that natural sacrament. Good Night to all, and we’ll see you tomorrow.
And as the Compline prayer says:
MAY THE LORD GRANT US A QUIET NIGHT AND A PERFECT END. AMEN.
from The Innocence of Father Brown by G. K. Chesterton.
available on Kindle.
More Chesterton to come in the next weeks.
Stiperstones, Shropshire. MMB
agnellusmirror 
A new perspective for me. Beautiful. Thank you.
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