Thought for the Week

HOW often we hear things like, ‘It will be a seven-day wonder’, or ‘Today’s news is tomorrow’s fish and chip paper’?

Sensational items of news soon lose their appeal as something new hits the headlines.

This is not the case with Jesus of Nazareth, and is one of the things that amazes me about his story.

Here was a man who lived more than 2,000 years ago, only ministered for three years, probably didn’t travel more than 30 miles from his home – and yet we are still talking about him.

There are probably more books written about Jesus than any other living person in history.

He lived in an age when there was no media communication, no internet, no emails, tweeting or texts.

He didn’t write down anything – unless you count his comments written in sand about not accusing people of wrongdoing unless you are flawless yourself.

He didn’t have influence in the politics of the time, but he surely was a thorn in the flesh of corrupt leaders and the smugly satisfied religious elite of his day.

He was a man of the people and he made his mark on everyone he met, and still does today.

At this time of Lent, those of us who are drawn to the Christian faith reflect on the last weeks of Jesus’s earthly life.

We walk alongside him and listen again to his teachings through the writings of his earthly companions.

His words, however, reach out to people of all faiths and none, because his teaching is simple and he gave one command only. To love one another.

Easy? Absolutely not, but how else will our hurting, troubled, warring, aching world survive?