Richard Littledale's
Views on the News: November 2003

Remember, remember

It is a curious juxtaposition in the calendar that in the same week we shall be remembering those who rebelled against the state on Wednesday and those who uphold the will of the state by force on Sunday. Hardly will the ashes of bonfire parties held on Wednesday ...or Saturday... have grown cold, than many will be remembering the fallen on Sunday.

It seems an anomaly that the same people who remember Guy Fawkes' attempt to blow up the British Parliament, will also remember those who have been blown up defending the fledgling government in Iraq. Perhaps over time a rebel becomes a hero…or a terrorist a statesman

Standing in the open on a cold winter's night with the fire roaring and a cup of soup in hand it is easy to see the gunpowder plotters as admirable rogues bucking the system. Standing in the dark on the perimeter of a protected building in Iraq, it is hard to see bomb plotters as anything but a vicious threat.

Violence as a means to an end, whether it be by a suicide bomber, a selfish spouse or a despotic general, is an ugly facet of the human condition. Surprisingly, Jesus made little comment on it. When challenged about headline news stories on a violent rebellion and a construction project disaster, he urged people to remember that human life was short (Luke 13:1 - 5). Such events, he said, should make us reflect on what we are doing with our lives.

Whether you are remembering a seventeenth century rebel or a 21st century hero this November, remember to reflect on your own life.