The way i see it

divided us has so little meaning in the vocabulary of today’s world.

Has it all more to do with power and control and the scars of history than anything to do with Grace, Scripture, Sacraments, God? I’m inclined to think so and say yes.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the daughter of a Lutheran pastor, attended a commemoration service in Wittenberg on October 31 to mark the 500th anniversary.

She said: ‘Whoever values diversity has to practise tolerance, that is the historical experience of our continent,’ she said. ‘Tolerance is the soul of Europe.’

Some weeks ago in a Dublin parish there was a prayer service to mark issues concerning the environment. It was great to see people from different Christian communities and the Jewish faith worshipping together. Uplifting and prayerful too. We need more of that.

Every time I saw those German trains heading for Lutherstadt Wittenberg I wondered why in heaven’s name are we so divided. I can’t get that line of the Gospel out of my head: ‘Do to others as you would have them do to you.’ It’s interesting that Wittenberg is not far from Torgau on the great river Elbe, where a Soviet soldier and an American GI shook hands on April 25, 1945. It was in Torgau where the two armies met.

Some days later Nazi Germany collapsed. And it happened by people working together, working in communion with one another.