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24/04/2013

A spiritual comment and prayer to begin the day with Dr David Stone, Canon Precentor of Coventry Cathedral.

2 minutes

Last on

Wed 24 Apr 2013 05:43

Canon Dr David Stone

Good morning. Today鈥檚 twentieth anniversary of the Bishopsgate bombing which brought death and destruction to the heart of the City of London, reminds us that recent events in Boston, shocking though they are, are nothing new. Back then One person was killed and more than forty were injured in the massive blast, which did an enormous amount of damage to the area. Among the buildings destroyed was the tiny medieval church of St Ethelburga鈥檚 in Bishopsgate. Situated just seven metres away from the bomb, it collapsed due to the force of the explosion. But St Ethelburga鈥檚 was rebuilt and stands today as a centre for helping build relationships across divisions of conflict, culture and religion.

Like Coventry Cathedral, where I work, the decision was taken, not to let violence and hatred have the last word but to build something new out of the ruins of the old, something filled with hope for the future. Not that we can ever forget the past, a truth which was reflected in Sir Basil Spence鈥檚 design of the modern Coventry Cathedral. The ruins of the old bombed Cathedral were carefully linked with the new and are clearly visible through the glass of the great West Screen.

Such an ever-present reminder of the consequences of war underlines the cost and the power of forgiveness. We have to travel from where we are, not from where we would like to be. Forgiveness is about refusing to allow the conflicts of the past to dictate how we handle the future.

O God, the Father of all, whose Son commanded us to love our enemies: lead them and us from prejudice to truth; deliver them and us from hatred, cruelty, and revenge; and in your good time enable us all to stand reconciled before you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.聽

Broadcast

  • Wed 24 Apr 2013 05:43

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