WHAT' GOING ON IN IRELAND?

Has Paisley Finally Lost The Plot?

by Adam Harbinson

In the summer of 1992 when I was doing some work for Derry City Council I lived with an old couple in the Waterside district. They’re both dead now, but they were very hospitable and it was a lovely time. The old fellow was as deaf as a post and showing early signs of Dementia, but each Thursday he and his elderly wife would hobble off to a prayer meeting where they would pray for the city and for peace in Ireland. I went along a couple of times and I was amazed that these gentle folk had been meeting in the same house, faithfully praying, every week for twenty-six years.

Like them, I have either been praying for peace in our land or observing as along procession of people did the same. I was thinking about this the other evening as I watched the spectacular scenes of Paisley and McGuinness in the Oval Office. I thought it was sad that Mo Molam, David Ervine, Gordon Wilson, Gerry Fitt and many others never lived to see the peace they dreamed about and worked so hard to achieve. And I wondered, what on earth has happened? Has someone sprinkled fairy dust on the big man? Will it last? Or has he finally lost the plot? Then it dawned on me, could it have something to do with all those prayer meetings?

There’s a story in the New Testament about Peter in prison. He was due to be executed, probably the next day, but there was a prayer meeting in Mary’s house, exclusively for Peter’s benefit. You can imagine them crying out; ‘O God, don’t let him die. Please Lord, intervene. You are the great God of the ages. Nothing is impossible for you…’ and the doorbell rang, and little Rhoda ran out, peeped through the slit in the big wooden door, and there was Peter. She was so excited she ran back in again shouting, ‘It’s Peter! It’s Peter!’

‘My, isn’t our God faithful,’ they all sighed in unison. No they didn’t. They rounded on the child, said she was out of her mind. ‘Sure you know he’s in prison. Maybe it’s his angel. He’s must be dead already.’

But what had they just been doing? Were they fervently praying for their friend, or were they observing a religious ritual. Now I’ve never been a great fan of Mr Paisley, but he put his finger on something when an interviewer asked him if the violence in the north would ever start again. ‘No,’ he said, ‘because a work had been wrought in the hearts of men and women.’

Including his, no doubt, maybe even mine too in spite of our addiction to empty rituals.