THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK - From Alan Johnston (LLM)

Remembrance, Sacrifice and Freedom

There are probably two periods of the year which truly make you think. The first is Easter and probably the second is the week which has just ended. A week that involves both Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day. Both periods possibly contain many of the same thoughts and help us to reflect on understanding what has been done for us. Remembrance Sunday is a time for collective reflection on all those individuals who gave their lives to provide us with the freedoms we have. It was fantastic to see so many, young and less young, stood around the war memorial last Sunday.

It is difficult for many of us to really appreciate the horror of war, even though in my lifetime I can remember the Falklands, the two Iraq wars and Afghanistan. At the same time we are also fully aware through TV and the media of the wars around the world, we only need to think at this time about Gaza and Ukraine, but we can also think of previous conflicts in Syria and the Balkans to name just a couple. In all these wars there is often a sense of injustice at the heart and the desire for freedom is crucial for many. Thankfully these wars never came close to our shores. It remains important, however, to reflect on those individuals who sacrificed their lives so that we may be free.

That same message is true in the Easter story. Jesus, sacrificing his life that we too may also be free. Not so much free from tyranny and oppression, but free from death. Of course it is easy to also point out that Jesus’ death and resurrection freed us from the tyranny and oppression, that is imposed on us by sin, but it is that victory over death which truly resonates with Remembrance Sunday.

So as that period of remembrance and reflection has passed, we now move swiftly towards Advent (which starts on 30th November) as we see the Christian story unfold in a matter of months. Advent is when we prepare for the coming of the Lord, we celebrate that coming at Christmas, this is followed a few months later by Holy Week culminating in Good Friday and Jesus’ sacrifice. But sorrow is quickly turned to joy as we celebrate Easter, followed by Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit and our new lives in Jesus, and that fulfilment of freedom. Amen