Bishop of Dudley speaks about being good neighbours with each other as part of Remembrance message
The Bishop of Dudley has spoken of remembering who your neighbour might be and whether people can still be good neighbours in his message for Remembrance.
Rt. Rev. Martin Gorick has written a message about being a good Samaritan and being thankful for receiving kindness from whoever was offering it.
In his message, The Bishop of Dudley also spoke about the public perception of asylum seekers and how people from other lands laid down their lives in conflict alongside soldiers from the United Kingdom.
He said: "Jesus told a famous story in response to the question, ‘Who is my neighbour?’ which you might know: A good Samaritan stops and helps a complete stranger who had been beaten up and robbed.
"In Jesus’ day, Samaritans were looked down on and often despised. That Samaritan who stopped and helped is the true neighbour, Jesus says.
"Think for a moment. If you had been robbed and beaten up, would you mind who cared for you? Would you worry what colour they were, or how they’d arrived in this country? I know I would be happy to receive kindness and help from whoever was offering it.
"At Remembrance time, we remember all who have served this country in time of war.
"In the recent war in Afghanistan many British soldiers were killed and wounded, and we remember them year by year. Many Afghans also served alongside our soldiers.
"They and their families faced death once the Taliban took over and some have been so grateful to be able to find safety in the UK.
"One such family were happily settled in our area until they found themselves with a mob surrounding their house, simply because people had said (wrongly) that they were asylum seekers.
"In the end, they had to be removed for their own safety.
"After giving up everything to serve alongside our troops, was this the best our country could offer them in return? Were we being the good neighbours Jesus called us to be?
"I love my country, and I am proud to be British. I know we can be better than this.
"As I remember our fallen British soldiers with pride, who died trying to bring a better world, I also remember those from other lands who fought alongside our troops.
"Can we be good neighbours once again?"
