Stopping at a service station off the A1(M) last week, I noticed three soldiers in uniform were also pausing mid-journey. This was the same day that the Government announced it is going to spend considerably more on our Armed Forces because the world we live in is much less safe than we imagined.

For those who, like me, came of age in the 1990s, it felt like everything was getting more peaceful, happier, and more prosperous. Was it just an illusion, that sense of peace and optimism between the collapse of the Soviet Union and the return of war between two nations on our European continent, between the Fall of the Berlin Wall and the invasion of Ukraine, between 9th November 1989 and 24th February 2022?

Readers will have different views, of course, about whether war can ever be justified; about whether we should prioritise Defence spending and, if so, what should be less of a priority; and about the rights and wrongs of specific conflicts. Sadly, whatever our views, as a society we are going to have to have some tough conversations about all that, and about how much we are prepared to pay for our security.

But to go back to my chance sighting: I’ve had the chance to meet quite a few military personnel during my time as a priest. Without exception I have found them to be dedicated, professional, and deeply thoughtful about their work and its consequences. They make huge sacrifices to serve us, including being willing to risk their lives for our safety. Whatever we feel about war in general or specific policies or conflicts in particular, it would be a good time to think about whether we can do something to thank or support them.