12th July

Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear. Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me. Psalm 27, 3 & 10.

Living Christianity

Recently several books and films have told the story of Chambon-sur-Lignon. In this village of the department Haute-Loire, France, between 1940 and 1945 about 5000 Jews principally children were received and sheltered from persecutions. Discretely they were put into surrounding farms which often were poor. In these farms they were fed and loved.

During years after these acts of bravery and humanity stayed hidden. Actually, those who opened their houses and hearts considered it to be normal. When reporters came for inquiry an elderly lady answered by opening the Bible. She read the words of Christ: "I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed my, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me" (Matthew 25, 35 & 36). She simply explained with conviction that God asks us to love our neighbours as ourselves. This is what the people had done.