As we survey the scene from the vantage point of the year end and look into the abyss of 2018 we have the feeling that history repeats itself. Someone has said that history needs to repeat itself because no-one is listening and there is some truth in that!
Whether we like it or not the battle has moved from matters of faith to the outworking of our faith. Yesterday it was the false description of “equality” given to the Same Sex Marriage debate. Tomorrow it is the ditching of “equality” as it appears in our Constitution giving equal rights to the mother and the unborn child, and the adoption of the phrase “right to choose”.
The choice however is a little one-sided! The unborn baby has no voice – no right to choose. Of course if the child had the right to choose, he or she would choose to live!
The Psalmist knew where life started, “For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139 verses 13/14).
There has been a large drop in numbers of those travelling to the UK for abortion. Has there been an improvement in morals? More likely the availability on line of the abortion pill. Commercial forces are at work and the abortion industry is focusing on Ireland where there is money to be made out of unwanted pregnancies.

It would be good if the church could choose the topics for debate. It would be more familiar ground to be defending theological points but with a Referendum promised for May, planning to introduce abortion into Ireland, we have no option but to meet the challenge.
We can learn from history. We have seen the slaughter of the unborn babies in other countries where laws permitting abortion were soon extended to abortion on demand.
God places an inestimable value on human life. Listen to His pleading through the voice of the prophet Isaiah; “Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been borne by me from before your birth, carried from the womb; even to your old age I am he, and to grey hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save” (Chapter 46 verses 3 and 4).
We have been created in God’s image, although that image is now fallen, are by his redeeming love members of his household on earth. This love is shown in Jesus by whose death for sinners gave us access to God. We who have placed our trust in Christ, are no longer outsiders but family to protect the weak and vulnerable and see that the voiceless are heard (Ephesians Chapter 2 verse19).

The Incarnate Christ. Word on the Week 16th December 2017.

It all seems so contemporary. The unexpected pregnancy; the homelessness;
the government census prior to imposing taxes; the poor transport system!

But there was love at the heart of it. Mary’s love for her child. Joseph’s love for his betrothed and God’s particular love for his chosen ones.

Todays’ attitudes are so different. Joseph would have departed from the scene. Mary would have gone for an abortion. This would have been granted on mental grounds (whoever heard of a conception by the Holy Spirit!). Mary would have signed on, not to pay taxes but to draw down the benefits!

It’s been a bad week for unborn babies! The results of the Citizens’ Assembly and the Oireachtas Committee on the 8th Amendment have strongly influenced a section of public opinion towards removing the Amendment. The amendment was placed in the Constitution some 34 years ago with the aim of granting equal rights to life to the mother and her unborn baby. Since it was signed into law it has saved countless lives. There are many walking the streets of Ireland that owe their existence to the amendment!

The biased performances of these two groups towards removing the Amendment has made it difficult for those wishing to retain it to have a voice. There does not appear to be any regard for the sanctity of human life. There is plenty of discussion as to when human life begins in the womb but little regard for the unborn of any age.
I am reminded of G. A. Studdert-Kennedy’s poem reflecting the difficulty of bringing Jesus into the debate in his day. Here are two of the three verses.

When Jesus came to Birmingham, they simply passed Him by.
They would not hurt a hair of Him, they only let Him die;
For men had grown more tender, and they would not give Him pain,
They only just passed down the street, and left Him in the rain.

Still Jesus cried, ‘Forgive them, for they know not what they do, ‘
And still it rained the winter rain that drenched Him through and through;
The crowds went home and left the streets without a soul to see,
And Jesus crouched against a wall, and cried for Calvary

But the Christ incarnate was not aborted. He lived to portray the image of the invisible God (Colossians Chapter 1 verse 15). And he lives today to ensure that none of the redeemed are lost (St John Chapter 10 Verses 28/9). Will the aborted babies be there? The old timers certainly believed it. That is how they understood the “Heavenly multitude no man could number” (Revelation Chapter 7 verse 9). That will be a glorious day!

Of all the games people play, politics must be the craziest! It has been described as ‘the art of the possible’. What is possible may change during the game so the rules are changed and the game goes on as happened with the Brexit negotiations this week.
Perhaps it was thanks to the Irish intervention which insisted on a ‘Soft’ Border i.e. no customs between the North and the South nor, barriers to East- West trade between N. Ireland and Britain. This gained agreement and so the talks can move on to the next stage.
This deal which has just been signed contains the following:
1. The continuation of the common travel area between the UK and Ireland.
2. The citizen rights of the 1998 agreement (new name for the Good Friday agreement) will be maintained.
3. A commitment that there will be no ‘Hard’ Border between The North and the South of Ireland.
With such commitments there would appear to be little room for negotiating new trade deals with the EU that depart from what is currently in place. It would seem that the UK might as well remain in the customs union and the single market if it is to fulfil these obligations!

However, we need to remind ourselves that the UK wishes to escape from the EC laws, control its own immigration and have trade deals with other countries. Achieving these goals while retaining access to the existing arrangements is a bit like having your cake and eating it!

In this situation creative ambiguity can make impossible situations, such as the present, develop into something possible. It depends on how willing those negotiating are to reach a conclusion. Usually words are redefined and terms restated so as to make agreements work. In Alice in Wonderland Humpty Dumpy gives us a good example when he asserted, “words mean what I choose it to mean, no more and no less”!

Jesus taught his followers to avoid oaths which are usually made to bolster a weak case. He was more interested in the truth being spoken and said that our ‘Yes’ should mean ‘Yes’ and our ‘No’ mean ‘No’ (St Matthew Chapter 5 verse 37). An example of this truth occurs in St Paul’s letter to the church at Ephesus. The difficulty then as indeed even today was to reconcile Jew and Gentile. This was not to be done by any creative ambiguity but simply by stating the truth in love. Reconciliation has been made by the blood of Christ. The Gentiles have been brought near – that is they have access to God by the one Spirit (Ephesians Chapter 2 verses 13/18).
‘Truthing’ in love can inhabit our speech as well as the politicians’ through faith in Jesus.

There was a decidedly fishy flavour to this year’s TV Toy Show. Mine host Ryan Tubridy introduced the event in a red lobster costume accompanied by two kid squids! They were surrounded by singing sharks who jumped in and out of the boats ‘floating’ on the stage.
The Late Late Show has had a major influence in Irish broadcasting since it commenced one Friday in 1962 and has continued without a break since then. Audience ratings have been consistent around the half million mark but for the annual Toy Show they have shot up to 1.57 million viewers.
As in former years the kids not only stole the show but they are the show! They are drawn from families spread throughout the country and from every walk of life. This year there has been much concern over homelessness and kids from a homeless family had a star part on the show.
Kyle Carty (7) replete in a suit was introduced to us as a young farmer. He had a model farm on stage which he showed Ryan around focussing on the tractors. Kyle was then led to a full size model Frisian Dairy Cow and entered into a milking competition with Ryan which he won by having more milk in his bucket!
Ryan is good at introducing surprise items. After demonstrating a Hurling practice net with a Galway hurling fan, Daniel Brogan age 9, he delighted the lad by producing the Galway team captain and four team members. In addition to gifts they displayed the Sam Maguire cup which Daniel held above his head in true GAA style.
After numerous musical items with some great soloists, who we may expect to have a good singing future, we had the dancers. They were excellent and their costumes indicated the enormous amount of work that makes the Toy Show the success that it is.
Those helping Ryan by ‘testing’ the toys were around ages 4 to 7. The Burke brother and sister explained how their Dad would not be around for Christmas as he was in the Army and taught troops out in Mali. They said how much they missed him. Ryan took them to a large box. He tore off the paper covering to reveal the kid’s father. There was a marvellous spontaneous moment of hugs of sheer delight which turned to pure joy when their Mother and younger sister joined them on stage. TV has seldom shown family love and unity in a better light.
It’s moments like that which enable you to forget the commercialism of the advertisers, the generation of greed in the slogan ‘one for everyone in the audience’ and the ridiculously simple raffle question which produced a winning family from Mayo. The prize was a week’s stay in a four-star hotel in New York for the whole family, all expenses paid and $20,000 spending money.
Jesus said, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (St Luke Chapter 12 verse 15).
Of course the covetousness, which is so rampant today, is idolatry (Colossians Chapter 3 verse 5). And idols can never satisfy. What does satisfy is a solid relationship through Christ with the living God then you will have “godliness with contentment which is great gain” (1 Titus Chapter 6 verses 6 to 10).