ONCE again our country is holding its breath… no longer for the outcome of the World Cup.
Now it’s to see how far our new government can succeed in its mission to tackle all the problems causing anxiety among many in our society.
I don’t want to involve myself in the party politics of how we came to be where we are, or who might best meet the present challenges.
I simply want to suggest some guiding principles, if we wish to see divisions healed and come to share a common purpose.
We in church are praying that the leaders of the nations may receive the gifts of wisdom and compassion.
Wisdom includes thinking through the implications of proposed measures, so as to avoid having to change course when they don’t work out.
But this must never prevent our seeing that the best of plans have to allow for fine tuning when the unexpected demands it.
The Latin root of the word compassion means ‘suffering with’.
This implies developing a sensitivity to the pain or hardship of others, and especially of the least powerful among us.
We should be grateful for the opportunities life offers us to stand in solidarity with them.
In church we often use the words ‘Let us pursue all that makes for peace and builds up our common life.’
One doesn’t have to belong to a religious body to realise how greatly our whole community would benefit if we could all embrace this purpose.
Colin James is Honorary Priest at All Saints Church, which meets on Sundays at 9.30am.
For information, visit: allsaintswokingham.org.uk
