Signs of hope

On 8 May 1945 the streets of London were packed as crowds celebrated the end of the war in Europe. Peace had yet to break out in the Far East. Wartime restrictions would continue for some time. VE Day 1945 was a sign of hope but it would be some time before things would really change for the better.

Friday 8 May 2020 will be a quieter affair. Plans to commemorate the seventy-fifth anniversary of VE Day have been modified. The event will be marked online or at home. London's streets will lie deserted as the country awaits signs of hope that sometime soon things might really change for the better.

Four weeks ago Christians marked Easter. With churches closed millions of people found different ways to worship and celebrate at home or online. The events of the first Easter Sunday offer the greatest sign of hope the world has ever known. As we contemplate the resurrection and encounter the reality of the the risen Christ we know that, by the grace of God, things can always change for the better.