Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Reconciliation...

From rest immediately back to fervor.

On our way back to London, we stopped in the town of Coventry. Don't worry, I'd never heard of it either. We had a bit of an introduction by the profs as we wound our way into the town. It was bombed out during the Blitz in '41. And they took us specifically to the Coventry Cathedral. I wasn't expecting a ton (mostly because I hadn't been paying attention during the intro-lecture on the way in). We marched upon the Cathedral en masse, and I relized it might be a good place for pictures. Then we crossed the threshold, and I beheld something so much more.


Notice anything interesting about this photo? There's no roof on the church. It's been blown off for over 60 years. Here's a better look:


I passed through that threshold and was hit by an overwhelming force of reverence for this place and these people. This church was utterly destroyed. I mean dismantled. There was little left. Walls. Feet of pillars. Part of the alter. Window-frames. Some with glass still in them.


Sheesh.

Coventry is now called the City of Reconciliation. The citizens vowed to pursue reconciliation rather than revenge. They began their quest with the people of Dresden, Germany. Dresden was leveled by the British, mainly in revenge for Coventry. And then the people, the actual lifeblood of the city, they reached out their hands and helped pick their "enemies" off the ground.

I'm not sure how to express how I feel about this, but really, this is quite the example of God. This is how humanity should act.


Kinda gives you chills, eh?

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