大象传媒

November 5th 鈥� bonfire night 鈥� what boyhood memories I have of this date! Once the summer was over and we were back at school, we began collecting anything that would burn. Cast off furniture, bits of railway sleeper, worn out clothing, old tyres, were all added to what became a tiny mountain behind the terraced houses most of us lived in. Whilst all that was going on, we created a stuffed figure that was supposed to resemble a human being and carried it around the streets begging passers-by for money. 鈥淎 penny for the guy,鈥� we鈥檇 shout and, amazingly, people obliged. Our little fortune allowed us to buy fireworks, pretty ones and noisy ones, which then garnished our incendiary evening. Our entire neighbourhood gathered round that fire and they gave a huge cheer when we hoisted our guy onto it and watched him go up in flames. None of us in the Welsh village where I grew up knew the history behind this annual event. Only later would I discover that 鈥� the attempt to blow up parliament, the deep enmity between Catholics and Protestants, or the fact that the word 鈥済uy鈥� referred to a real man, Guy Fawkes, whose effigy we had so merrily consigned to the flames.

Thank God, those days are over. Catholics and Protestants live in harmony nowadays. But we still live in a world where religion divides communities and drives people to violence. 鈥淩emember, remember, the fifth of November鈥�; so runs the old rhyme. And remember it we must 鈥� not to keep old sores open but to stir us to work for a world where ancient hatreds are overcome and evil is ousted by good.

Dear Lord, make us ambassadors for peace; may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.