Vicar's View

Love Wins



We’re all searching for something true.
Surrounded by fake news,
extreme views, everyone’s confused,
But I’ve seen that love is stronger 
than fear, haven’t you?

These are the opening lines of the poem “ _Stronger_” by Gideon Heugh, who is one of my favourite contemporary poets. He has a way of touching the heart of the matter with his words. For those of us in the communication business, whether in the commercial or artistic world, the challenge is to break through the information overload to bring attention to the core message we want to convey. What would you preach about at Easter? What is the Gospel “Good News”? Can we trust this Easter Story of the Resurrection or is it just 2000-year-old fake news, and extreme views that leave everyone confused? 

Sometimes it feels like there’s nothing we can do,
We don’t know who to trust, systems are being abused-
It can be lonely when you’re searching for something true.
We long for hope, we long for something new,
We long for that bitter mountain to be moved,
Yet I’ve seen that love is stronger than despair, haven’t you?

I received a piece of advice about preaching and how to keep it relevant – preach about what people are talking about. There seems to be a sense of despair hanging around in these post-pandemic times. The News is filled with wars and rumours of wars, the NHS under strain, the integrity of the Post Office leaders, police officers, politicians and priests found failing. Yet, look around and see the dedicated acts of loving service that happen – peacemakers who persist, people who deliver as promised, pursuers of justice who don’t pack in and give up. 

Society seems to be in crisis, and perhaps our hearts are too,

But there’s a different perspective you can choose

When you’re searching for something true:

If you peer behind a veil that’s been torn in two

You’ll see the promise of a world renewed-

I’ve seen that love is stronger than hate, haven’t you?

The reference to the veil being torn in two at the moment of the death of Jesus is found in Matthew’s Gospel. It partitioned off the Holy of Holies in the Temple in Jerusalem and only the High Priest was allowed behind it to offer sacrifice. Was it torn to let anyone in or to let God out? It was a visible sign that God had, in the ultimate act of dedicated loving service, provided the way back from the consequences of evil -fear, despair, and hate. My experience of life has taught me that every act of love would be resisted by the forces of evil. No surprise that this would mean that the Son of God wouldn’t be allowed to just die of old age.

Maybe that’s not enough. Maybe we need another clue.

Maybe there are some things that will never be proved.

Yet we’re all searching for something true,

And I’ve seen that love is stronger than death, haven’t you? 

God touches the heart of the matter with His Word. Despite all appearances, the worst consequence of any evil reign – death - is in the end, not the end. That is the good news revealed in the resurrection of Jesus on that first Easter morning. World shattering news – Love wins. Yes the battle is still ongoing, suffering persists and the consequences of the existence evil thrashes around but we have a new perspective as we live in the here and now – Love is stronger and love wins. 

Grace and peace and Happy Resurrection Day! 



Ian