Thought for the Week

‘Let’s make love great again’. These were the words of Aretha Franklin and these words encapsulated who she was. Barack Obama said this of her: ‘In the example she set both as an artist and a citizen, Aretha embodied those most revered virtues of forgiveness and reconciliation, while the music she made captured some of our deepest human desires, namely affection and respect. ‘And through her voice, her own voice, Aretha lifted those of millions, empowering and inspiring the vulnerable, the downtrodden, and everyone who may have just needed a little love’. Similarly in Washington thousands came to pay respect to Senator John McCain. Among the many tributes, Barack Obama, despite their political differences, said this: ‘John understood that our security and our influence was won not just by our military might, not just by our wealth, not just by our ability to bend others to our will, but from our capacity to inspire others with our adherence to a set of universal values – like rule of law and human rights – and an insistence on the God-given dignity of every human being.’ Two very high profile funerals which were beamed to thousands world wide, touched many. However the bigger the funeral, no greater the love or the respect or the grief. I am immensely touched by the quiet dignity of our own country funerals as people gather in the wee church they call home. People have been there many times before and will come again, as long as folk shall live – and die. They come because of love. Let’s make love great again – for love is stronger than death. This is the promise from God to us all.