Chaplain's Corner

Walls that divide, that protect, that separate - peace walls? On a recent visit to Northern Ireland our group were confronted by the walls that were built during 'the Troubles', walls that still remain to divide, protect, to separate, and thus provide some sort of peace.

Then there were the murals, the writing that was quite literally on the walls, on gable ends in Derry/ Londonderry and in Belfast. Those murals were eye-catching, powerful, colourful, recording history, partisanship, but more significantly some murals were on the theme of peace.

One of the ways of understanding the death of Jesus on the cross is portrayed in Ephesians chapter two. The background is that of the divisions, the hostility between Jews and Gentiles. "But now in Christ Jesus you who were once far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is the hostility between us".

To whom do we feel hostile? What walls do we build around ourselves? Walls that divide, protect, separate, that provide what may be an uneasy peace. One challenge as we go through Lent towards Good Friday is to meditate on how Christ may become our peace, on our role as peacemakers.

The Chaplain