Some thoughts for the Area June 2021

The final episode of BBC One's Line of Duty was watched by an average of 12.8 million viewers on that Sunday night, the most watched episode of any drama since modern records began in 2002.

Were you one of the viewers who tuned in to find out the identity of criminal mastermind, H? And did you agree with the critics that the series ended with an anti-climax with lots of loose ends and plenty of scope for further episodes.

One of Hastings most famous quotes is “Jesus, Mary, Joseph and the wee donkey” and it seems to be one that has been appreciated. Several lines of duty are incorporated into that phrase.

Jesus: the main character in a murder story, one series finished with his resurrection, not a disappointing end that time. The next series is underway, and God knows that the last episode will be triumphant.

Mary: a girl who chose to embrace with joy the challenges of her line of duty, no guns required for this strong but humble woman.

Joseph: a key character who takes a back seat after the first episode

The Wee Donkey: carrying Mary to Bethlehem and Jesus to Calvary, not a fast car with a siren, but still getting people to places at the right time.

Jesus needed Mary Joseph and the wee donkey, in order to complete his purposes. The complexity of their relationships with each other and the world haven’t been fully explained yet- but they will be one day.

And we are also characters in this epic drama, may not be in uniform, may only be a split second on screen but still specially selected by God and part of the big picture. What now for us? The fear may be genuine, there is a lot at stake, there are so many opportunities, and we don’t know where the story line is going. We may have been slow to grasp who H was but let’s grasp who HS is. We do have a Heavenly Director in charge of our reality, a Colleague who won’t let us down, and the Holy Spirit to guide us.

Whether you have watched Line of Duty on TV or not, we are in this amazing set and with colourful characters let’s play our part in the exciting adventure God has for Uttoxeter Area.

Lucy Toyn

Reader Uttoxeter Area