No man is an island,
Entire of itself.
Each is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less…..
Each man’s death diminishes me,
For I am involved in mankind.
Therefore, send not to know
For whom the bell tolls,
It tolls for thee.
So wrote John Donne in the 16th Century. If the illustration is shifted to Ireland and Michaela McAreavey’s death the symbol becomes a piece of Ireland being washed away and the Island becoming diminished.
Because we are related to every other member of the human race every death diminishes us. Donne’s poem says it in general terms. In this case we can be particular and apply it to a Bride strangled on her honeymoon in an idyllic island in the Indian Ocean.
Whatever secrets were hidden in hotel room 1025 most of them were washed away by the bath water by the time forensic examinations were carried out.
There was CCTV in the hotel but this only created confusion when another couple were mistakenly identified as the McAreaveys’.
There was no CCTV in the police interrogation room and the truth of the confession which the police obtained did not stand up to examination in court.
The case for the prosecution collapsed this week with a not guilty verdict by the jury. This has caused ripples across the land with the Taoiseach adding his profound sympathy.
It would appear that the murderer will go free.
What does the Bible have to say to the matter?
One place where “Man IS an Island” is Judgement Day. All are guilty and there will be no miscarriage of justice. There will be 100% attendance in court!
As the Hebrew writer puts it, “Just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him (Chapter 9 verses 27/8).
Make Christ your advocate. He has never lost a case. Trust Him – he is God’s love gift to humanity. Then instead of the funeral bell watch out for the trumpet blast!