TOMORROW’S SUNDAY

Earlier in the week, along with hundreds of others, I walked across the new Northern Spire bridge over the river Wear when it opened. And a very, very impressive structure it is, too: proud, solid and graceful, I couldn’t help feeling that it made a fitting statement about Sunderland itself, and its people. Bridges connect people. They make it so much easier to be in touch with others. From an economic point of view, it makes perfect sense, of course, which is why the bridge was built. However, I found myself reflecting on the statement made by Pope Francis last year, that Christians should “Build bridges, not walls”. He was speaking in the context of the American administration’s attitude to migration, and in particular President Trump’s promise to build a wall along the border with Mexico. Nevertheless, the concept which Pope Francis was highlighting is important – we should not try to set up barriers to others, but find ways of living together and working together. Barriers can occur in all sorts of situations – between communities, churches and between family members. Barriers can occur for all sorts of reasons, too – suspicion, misunderstanding, hostility, and hurts can all cause them. And it may feel, at the time, that there are good reasons for them, but the truth is that ultimately we are all hurt unless we live in harmony and in relationships with others, particularly our brothers and sisters, those in our families and those in our church communities. In relationships, misunderstandings are probably the most futile and pointless reasons for us to live our lives apart from others, in isolation. Bridges are two-way. They help us to reach out to others, but also make it easier for them to get closer to us. Of course it can be costly, and involve effort, time and commitment. Even so, the effort and cost is always worthwhile. And like the “Spire”, they are really beautiful when they are completed.