Pilgrim Soldier

So today is the 90th anniversary of the start of the Battle of the Somme, probably the best known battle in the 1st World War. Over 20,000 British Soldiers were killed and by its end 5 months later 1.2 million were killed or wounded on both sides. This doesn’t even begin to touch the other lives that were destroyed through the loss of a husband, father, son etc!

As far as I know my family wasn’t touched by this particular battle but my great, grandfather was killed earlier in WWI leaving a pregnant wife and 4 other children.

That war was supposed to be the war to end all wars, but I’m guessing that the 20th Century was probably the bloodiest of all time, and the 21st Century isn’t sahping up to be much better. Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel/Palestine, East Timor, Ethiopia/Eritrea and the Sudan are just some of the places where war is waging in the world today!

Then you take into account all the other smaller conflicts between individuals that end up destroying lives and communities as well!

The Church has a message and it is one of Grace and Reconciliation. How can we find ways of spreading it so that fewer and fewer lives are destroyed but instead more and more are liberated into the true freedom that is given through Christ’s death and resurrection?