Letter: Michelle O’Neill was attacked for reaching out the hand of friendship in her cenotaph gesture

During the last few days it has become apparent that there is a patient still on critical ward, needing their open wounds healed.

The patient on the ward is Northern Ireland.

As we approach Christmas there is always two significant celebrations before Christmas, Halloween and Remembrance Day.

The first celebration is about evil and scaring people, all that is against Christianity and the second is about remembering and also forgiving, in that ‘having fought the good fight’ (2 Timothy 4:6-18) against our enemies, we can then go forward in forgiveness building new friendships with those who were once our enemies.

However recent days has seen open wounds emerge that are frightening.

James McClean can't wear a poppy because he remembers what happened on Bloody Sunday, even though the UK government has apologised for what was a proper tragedy against humanity.

Michelle O'Neill is attacked and called a traitor, for trying to recognise the sacrifice by many young men and women from both communities (Roman Catholic and Protestant), and other cultures who sacrificed their lives, that all of us may enjoy the democracy we are part of, to be a nationalist or a unionist/loyalist, free of persecution and living in fear for one's beliefs.

I lived through the Troubles. I saw sorrow and what results came out of evil and hatred, leaving only empty places in family homes, were once there was a son or daughter, a mother or father, grandmother or grandfather, uncle or aunt etc.

The first celebration is about scaring and evil/darkness, the second celebration about Remembrance and Forgiveness, the last, Christmas about Good News and Love in the gifting of Baby Jesus to all humanity. ‘For unto us a child is born’ ( Isaiah 9:6)

There were many brave persons who because of their Christian convictions couldn't bring themselves to kill their fellow humans in war, so they volunteered to join the medical cores placing their lives at risk for all of their fellow humanity, which the White Poppy Honours, which James McClean could choose to wear, avoiding tensions and bitterness.

In laying a wreath at the Belfast Cenotaph remembrance service Michelle O'Neill First Minister of Northern Ireland was reaching out a hand of friendship as we approach Christmas time, even though she has also witnessed pain from her own family and community side.

Sometimes showing leadership that can cause more pain in rejection and suffering, can also help in sealing/sterilising an open infectious wound, or wounds on the patient called Northern Ireland.

It's time to reflect as we run into Christmas time and see if we want the celebration of evil and fear to fester the open wounds further, or remember and go forward into forgiveness and embracing ‘Peace and Good Will to all’ (Luke 2:14).

Rev Paul S Burns, BTh (Hons.) Dip Theo,King's Christian Fellowship Church, Sandy Row, Belfast BT12