Month: April 2023

The Lord Reigns                    Word on the Week                         29^th April 2023.

We live in a world inhabited by Lilliputians!   Little people who live to make a mess of God’s world and create a chaotic replica of their own.  Today let us affirm the great declaration first made by Moses in Miriam’s song, “The Lord shall reign for ever and ever” (Exodus 15 verse 18).

At present he reigns unseen to the human eye but is very present to the eye of faith.  His purposes to redeem a people for himself will be accomplished in his time and by his way.     And the way is through Jesus who himself is the way (John 14 Verse 6).   Then the end shall come (1 Corinthians 15 verse 24).

Earthly Kings were never God’s intention in fact he warns against the monarchy foreseeing its abuses (1 Samuel 8 verses 5 to 9).   Never-the-less we are asked to pray for Kings and those in Authority (1 Timothy 2 verse 1).

Perhaps the most comprehensive of all Biblical prayers is that of Solomon on the occasion of his coronation (1 Kings 8 verses 20 to 61).   It was uttered in the newly consecrated temple with the ark of the Lord’s covenant in its Holy Place in the inner sanctuary.  

As the priests withdrew from the Holy Place they could not perform their service as the cloud of the Lord’s glory filled the temple (1 Kings 8 verses 6 to 11).  A pale reflection of this scene will be enacted in Westminster Abbey this coming Saturday when Charles 111 will be crowned king in place of his late mother Queen Elizabeth.

The monarchy reaches back to the legendary King Arthur of the fifth or sixth centuries.   The tradition itself goes back to the time of Solomon and Zadok the priest. It has been drawn upon by G F Handel in his coronation anthem “God save the King”.   It was first played at the coronation of the German ruler from Hanover who became King George11 of Great Britain in 1727.

As an extra layer of ‘spiritual authority’ to the proceedings Charles will be anointed with ‘holy oil’.   This oil has been consecrated at a ceremony in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.   The act of anointing Charles will be conducted by Archbishop Welby in private before the crowning takes place.

It is easy to get carried away by the pomp and pageantry of the occasion.   One could even forget that, wonderful though the ceremonies are, over and above it all it is the Lord who reigns.  

What we do on earth is but a shadow of that great multitude of the little people who in Christ have overcome the evil of this world and gather at the throne of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.   They are his chosen and faithful followers from every tongue and tribe and nation (Revelation 17 verse 14 and 7 verse 9).

Let us wish Charles as fruitful a reign as his Mother had and sing with a depth of meaning the line “God save the King”.

Abortion Law Review            Word on the Week                         22^nd April 2023.

It came as a bit of a jolt to learn that on average 23 Irish babies are aborted every week.   That is a lot of funerals except that they are mostly dispensed with.    The child may not even get a name in this life although he or she may well have a place of honour in the next (St Matthew 19 verse 14).

What is our Minister of Health, Stephen Donnelly, doing to bring this figure down?   What assistance will he offer to the stressed Mother to retain her child?   Will he unveil a range of measures to assist the Mother to do her job – that is to give birth and support the child?

It seems like he has other ideas.   Armed with the promised 3-year review; a production which seems to be highly biased towards the ‘Pro Choice’ Movement.   He plans to bring it before cabinet this coming week.  

A major change suggested in the review is the removal of the 3-day reflection period before getting access to abortion medication.  This was to enable the Mother to weigh up her options without being under time pressure.  Back in the campaigning days it seemed more humane enabling waverers to vote for the introduction of abortion 3 years ago.  It’s to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s credit that he does not want this removed in the present review.

On the side of the Medics there are a number who have conscientious objections.   This is not surprising as they are in the business of preserving life not to take it.   Apparently a team from TCD is researching this matter!

There is money in abortion of course and it is no doubt that is why the pro-choice have no shortage of funding.   In fact, with euthanasia down the road the death business has never looked better!    We don’t need to look to the US to see how things could go.   The Netherlands and Belgium are examples of both abortion and euthanasia business on our doorstep.

In an attempt to alert Government to the strength of ‘Pro-Life’ feeling that exists, please plan to attend the Rally on Monday 1^st May at 2.00 pm.  It is on the May Bank Holiday (a week on Monday) marching from St Stephen’s Green to Leinster House.

Jesus came across many cases of people who would have been aborted in today’s climate because of their physical challenges.   Take the case of the paraplegic.   His remedy was not extermination but healing (St Luke 5 Verse 24).   In this Jesus showed he was – the Messiah, and gave a foretaste of forgiveness and the life to come.

Life is precious.   The vulnerable need our care.

Potus                      Word on the Week          15^th April 2023.

It’s not every week that we learn a new word but then it’s not every week the President Of The United States spends four days in Ireland!   It takes a moment or two for the penny to drop and then someone mentions the word ‘acronym’ and the problem is solved!

It’s probably the most expensive Irish interlude ever.   The ‘Presidents Men’ were legion and their transport awesome.   They paid the not inconsiderable policing bill and took over the Conrad Hilton Hotel. What’s more they probably filled it!

The reason for the visit was to celebrate 25 years of peace following the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.   Ongoing difficulties made the celebration less wholehearted but Joe Biden gladly made use of the space afforded to extol the merits of having Irish ancestry!

In the numerous speeches that punctuated the visit we got many quotations from Mother Biden and her predecessors.   These focussed around the shared values we have with the US.   Those values were named as being Hope in the heart, Dignity or Respect for Immigrants and Manual Workers, and Possibilities which were defined as having Courage in Faith.

Biden’s faith was evident in his speeches and exhortations but never more evident than when he learned the Priest who administered the last rites to his son was in the area.   “I must meet him” was his immediate response and the subsequent meeting brought him comfort.   He called the incident a sign.  

The proclamation of his faith in God, his upholding of family values, his pride in his ancestry, his belief in the hereafter are all delightfully Biblical and counter-cultural in today’s world.  You have to be a cynical journalist to read into them some sort of vote collecting exercise.   The man was enjoying himself doing things he considered to be important in the land of his forebears. In a broken world the Potus is not perfect.  The surprise is that he is not what we have come to expect from leaders – power hungry and bent on control.   Here is part of a Prayer of Moses the Man of God.  Psalm 90.

Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.

Before the mountains were brought forth,

or ever you had formed the earth and the world,

from everlasting to everlasting you are God. 

You return man to dust

and say, “Return, O children of man!”

For a thousand years in your sight

are but as yesterday when it is past,

or as a watch in the night.

You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream,

like grass that is renewed in the morning: 

in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;

in the evening it fades and withers.

… So teach us to number our days

that we may get a heart of wisdom.

Christ Crucified and Risen        Word on the Week                    8^th April 2023.

Easter confronts us with a view of life that has at its centre a dead man’s cross and a living man’s empty tomb.  The death Jesus died was for our sins.   The life He now lives He lives to God (Romans 6 verse10).

That view of life becomes personal when, by God’s grace, we can say ‘He died for me’ and mean it.   The personal pronouns ‘for me’ are dynamite!  Me the sinner, Christ the Saviour and nothing in between.

The Apostle Paul puts it more elegantly, ‘I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me’ (Galatians 2 verse 20b).

What is the nature of this love?    The Apostle answers for us.   It is not a love that is mean but generous.   Writing to the church at Corinth Paul proclaims that this love is for all believers.   For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again (1 Corinthians 5:14 – 15).

Something of the awesomeness of this love is captured in Bryn and Sally Haworth’s hymn: – What kind of love is this that gave itself for me? I am the guilty one, yet I go free. What kind of love is this, a love I’ve never known; I didn’t even know his name – what kind of love is this?

What kind of man is this, that died in agony? He who had done no wrong was crucified for me. What kind of man is this, who laid aside his throne that I may know the love of God – what kind of man is this?

By grace I have been saved; it is the gift of God. He destined me to be his own such is his love. No eye has ever seen, no ear has ever heard, nor has the human heart conceived what kind of love is this?

But there is more.  ‘Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.  For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.   For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive’ (1 Corinthians 15 verses 20 – 22).

The damage caused by the fall restored and the saving work of Christ vindicated by “living man’s empty tomb”.   He is alive forevermore.   

The Turn of the Tide                  Word on the Week               1^st April 2023.

The tide turns sooner or later, it always happens.    There is a rhythm to it which is entirely predictable.   It is governed by the moon. The full moon exercises the strongest gravitational pull on the water.   This in turn produces the highest tides of the monthly cycle.

My teenage years were spent watching the tide and the effect it had on the activities in the Aberdeenshire village of Collieston.   The harbour was tidal meaning there was no water in it at low tide.   Boats were grounded and you were not going anywhere unless you had had the forethought to moor the boat near the point of the pier where there was always water.

High tides became progressively lower until they reached their lowest point mid-way between when the moon stopped waxing (increasing) and started to wane (decrease) The build-up to the next full moon began and the cycle continued.  The times of the tides and the height of high water were published in the daily paper but we soon learned to work them out for ourselves.

The equinoxes produced the highest rise and fall in water level.   At low tide the sea withdrew revealing rocks which were normally submerged.  This was the time to go fishing for Partans (edible crab).    They were to be found in small crevices in the rocks and extracted with a wire hook and nimble fingers. Very seldom a lobster would be stranded by the exceptionally low tide but they were usually found to be ‘berried’ i.e. pregnant and had to be returned to the sea.  

The tide not only rose and fell in height, (at Collieston it varied from 8 to 13 feet rising to the highest at the equinoxes) but also the current flowed from flowing North (tide coming in) to flowing South (tide going out).   The speed of the current could reach 4 knots at the equinoxes reducing to about half that at its lowest point between them.

We always rowed against the current when going out to sea to fish so we could come back with the flow of water assisting our tired limbs!   The ‘ebbing stone’ as the name suggests submerged and emerged with the tides.   It lay near the entrance to the harbour and was just one of a number of things you had to avoid.

The anchor was dropped to secure the boat in its position on the sea.  It was important that it fastened securely to the sea floor to stop the vessel from drifting.   PJ Owens hymn visualises our anchor in the Holy place with Christ.                 

We have an anchor that keeps the soul 
Steadfast and sure while the billows roll, 
Fastened to the Rock which cannot move, 
Grounded firm and deep in the Saviour’s love.           (Hebrews 6 verses 19/20).