If you’ve read David Swinstead’ s article in the Itchen Valley News, you will know that this work of art (known as ‘The White Comrade’ and painted by a member of his family in 1915) was a focus in our Service of Remembrance yesterday.
If you have a few spare moments this week, can I invite you to pause and reflect on this powerful image? For its portrait of the Risen Christ being present in the trenches may be of real help and encouragement whenever you or I find ourselves in dark or difficult places.
And, if you have a few more minutes to spare (!), you might like to listen to yesterday’s sermon (entitled ‘Christ is our Peace’)? Listen here or via the sound file below.
I do hope that either the painting and/or the sermon might help us all, in different ways, to grow in our knowledge of Jesus: for he alone can offer real peace—both to our troubled world and also to us as individuals:
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. … I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!” (John 14:27; 16:33).
with love and prayers
Revd Peter