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19/03/2021
A reflection and prayer to start the day with Rev David Campton
Last on
Fri 19 Mar 2021
05:43
蜜芽传媒 Radio 4
PRAYER FOR THE DAY - Script - 19th March 2021
Good morning,
I live in part of an island that knows a thing or two about the power of a flag being raised or lowered. Northern Ireland. I was at school there on this day in 1982 when a flag was run up a flagpole on a much smaller and more remote island, setting in train a range of deadly consequences. A group of Argentinians had landed on South Georgia, a fairly inhospitable rock about 800 miles east of the nearest land mass鈥� The Falkland Islands, which Britain had controversially claimed since 1833, but which most Britons had probably never heard of at that stage. The Argentinians hoisted their flag, witnessed by members of the British Antarctic survey team who were based on South Georgia. But these events were not actually reported in Britain until two days later, when the Foreign Office released a statement, downplaying it all鈥� However, a couple of weeks later Argentine forces invaded the Falklands themselves, or los Malvinas as they are known in Argentina鈥� Many didn鈥檛 expect Britain to do anything but that did not account for the mindset of the then Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher. Within days a naval task force was on its way and after the death of 655 Argentinians聽 and 255 British servicemen the ensuing war ended on 14th June with the surrender of the聽 Argentine garrison at Port Stanley. The islands remain British, but sadly they are still a point of diplomatic tension between the UK and Argentina.
Wherever we live and whatever flag we honour, we need to find ways to live together with respect, resolving differences without conflict and death.聽
God of all nations and all time, help us to hold the balance between pride in our own country and love of all people, remembering the past, but building a better future. AMEN
I live in part of an island that knows a thing or two about the power of a flag being raised or lowered. Northern Ireland. I was at school there on this day in 1982 when a flag was run up a flagpole on a much smaller and more remote island, setting in train a range of deadly consequences. A group of Argentinians had landed on South Georgia, a fairly inhospitable rock about 800 miles east of the nearest land mass鈥� The Falkland Islands, which Britain had controversially claimed since 1833, but which most Britons had probably never heard of at that stage. The Argentinians hoisted their flag, witnessed by members of the British Antarctic survey team who were based on South Georgia. But these events were not actually reported in Britain until two days later, when the Foreign Office released a statement, downplaying it all鈥� However, a couple of weeks later Argentine forces invaded the Falklands themselves, or los Malvinas as they are known in Argentina鈥� Many didn鈥檛 expect Britain to do anything but that did not account for the mindset of the then Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher. Within days a naval task force was on its way and after the death of 655 Argentinians聽 and 255 British servicemen the ensuing war ended on 14th June with the surrender of the聽 Argentine garrison at Port Stanley. The islands remain British, but sadly they are still a point of diplomatic tension between the UK and Argentina.
Wherever we live and whatever flag we honour, we need to find ways to live together with respect, resolving differences without conflict and death.聽
God of all nations and all time, help us to hold the balance between pride in our own country and love of all people, remembering the past, but building a better future. AMEN
Broadcast
- Fri 19 Mar 2021 05:43蜜芽传媒 Radio 4
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