EASTER FAITH – A RED CROSS (by Kim Thoday)

Many young Australians lost their lives at Anzac Cove in World War 1. Like many young Australian men, Jack Simpson went to Gallipoli to fight for the cause of freedom. He was an ordinary man from the bush. In the confusion of Gallipoli, Simpson became separated from his unit. Using his own initiative he found a donkey and under the banner of the Red Cross, he began a most unlikely enterprise at one part of the battlefield, in no man’s land, known as Shrapnel Valley. Incredibly, Simpson began to take Murhpy, his adopted donkey, out into the line of fire to rescue wounded and dying comrades. One by one he would lift them on to Murphy and escort them from Shrapnel Valley back to the beach of Anzac Cove. Each day Simpson and his donkey could be seen walking out amidst the intense sniper fire and the thundering shells. Many lives were saved through Simpson’s selfless action and others were at least able to die with dignity back amongst friends. Three long weeks went by and then on that fateful day while Simpson paused momentarily, an enemy machine gun found its mark and Jack was killed where he stood.

An ordinary man, Jack, has come to symbolise an important Australian quality of selflessness, laconic heroism and unconditional mateship. It is a quality that has often been under-estimated, sentimentalised or misunderstood. It is a quality, I believe, that represents the distinctive presence of Christ within the Australian spirit. It is a quality that we are fast losing in this corporatised, privatised, trans-nationalised world. As Christians, in the light of Easter, let us resist the greed and self-interest of this world and return to our roots in Jesus Christ. For Jesus came to us also under a Red Cross, the Cross of Calvary, stained with his blood and pieces of his battered body. He came to save us from constructing a world of inequality and self-interest; to rescue us from sin. He came, as God’s ambassador, laying down his life for his comrades: all the people of the world, past, present and future. He came to call us to likewise lay down our lives for the sake of others in order to construct a world of justice, compassion and mercy. May we, like Jack, walk out into no man’s land to continue Jesus’ mission of reconciliation and salvation. This is the Easter faith we have!

May God continue to disturb you,

KIM THODAY

HEWETT COMMUNITY CHURCH OF CHRIST, SOUTH AUSTRALIA

http://www.hewett.org.au