The report by Richard Dimbleby painted a terrible picture of the suffering of those who had survived, as well as the appalling conditions which led to 70,000 deaths. The British soldiers who reached the camp were themselves traumatised by their experiences. These soldiers were seen as liberators, by those who had endured such terrible experiences.
It made a stark contrast with assorted politicians announcing their manifestos, in the run up to the General Election next month.
I am reminded of the time when Jesus spoke at the synagogue in Nazareth, when he announced his manifesto for his ministry.'When Jesus came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures. The scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where this was written:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released,
that the blind will see,
that the oppressed will be set free,
and that the time of the Lord’s favour has come.”
He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue looked at him intently. Then he began to speak to them. “The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!” (Luke 4.16-21)
Jesus clearly saw himself as The Liberator, whose role in life and death was to set prisoners free from the destruction that stalks us relentlessly. We are all in a battle that we cannot win, unless we are rescued from an outside agent.
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released,
that the blind will see,
that the oppressed will be set free,
and that the time of the Lord’s favour has come.”
He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue looked at him intently. Then he began to speak to them. “The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!” (Luke 4.16-21)
Jesus clearly saw himself as The Liberator, whose role in life and death was to set prisoners free from the destruction that stalks us relentlessly. We are all in a battle that we cannot win, unless we are rescued from an outside agent.
In God's mercy, we have begun to experience that liberation in wonderful, though incomplete, ways.
And having been liberated by Jesus, we now find ourselves enlisted in the Liberator's army, whose role is to go to the people around us, and point the way to freedom and liberation. That gives meaning and purpose to our lives, which in itself is profoundly amazing.
Today, I pray that we will again realise that we have a great role to play in helping others to enjoy the benefits of being friends with Jesus.
Best wishes,
Richard
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