In previous blogs we have looked at the connections Dublin has with St Valentine but now as we anticipate the anonymous Valentine card with its ‘guess who’ in disguised handwriting let’s have a closer look at this thing called love.

Some call it chemistry that attracts one to another and certainly that could account for the occasional explosion! My own preference would be to call it magnetism where you get like poles repelling and unlike poles attracting each other. It would explain the glorious absurdity of the attraction of opposites, so that we don’t end up loving a carbon copy of ourselves.

Many things in life trigger a response but none are more life-changing than this thing called love. It has been said with a great deal of truth that ‘love begets love’. It is the completing of the circuit so that current may flow and light up two lives. It was there at the creation of the world, ‘And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness’. We might say this created light was earthed in Jesus as St John wrote in the prologue to his Gospel, ‘The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world’ (Chapter 1 verse 9).

Love arrived in the tangible form of the Son of God. St Paul writing to the church at Corinth explains how the Lord has opened the eyes of believers to make the connection with Christ, ‘For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness, made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ’ (2 Corinthians Chapter 4 verse 6).

So if the light of God is the conduit through which we see the love of God we could expect St John to mention it and this he does in his 1st letter. “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin’ (Chapter 1 verses 5 to 7).

It only remains for St John to spell out his definition of love and illustrate it which he does in Chapter 4 verse 10 – ‘This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins’. The hymn-writer puts it well –
Inscribed upon that cross we see
In shining letters “God is Love.”
He bears our sins upon the tree,
He brings us mercy from above.
And that is the measure of the love with which He loves us and from which we may find the strength to love one another.

The 2nd of February, traditionally called Candlemas Day, is located mid way between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. It has long been associated with forecasting the weather as the Old Folk’s poem relates: –
If Candlemas Day be dry and fair
The half o’ the Winter’s to come and mair
If Candlemas Day be wet and foul
The half o’ the Winter’s gone at yule.
Today as we bask in winter sunshine it looks ominous! We have more than half of the Winter to come! Not that such considerations will impact on the crowds gathering at the Aviva Stadium to witness the gargantuan struggle on the rugby field between England and Ireland.
What takes place on the pitch in the combat between two nations comes at a time when the Brexit battle is reaching a climax. The conditions the UK have agreed with Brussels for leaving the EC have just one piece missing – that of the Irish backstop.

No I am not referring to the Irish full-back Robbie Henshaw, although he may well earn that title today! It is the earlier agreement to have no border checks between North and South of Ireland. This part of the withdrawl agreement the UK have reneged upon this week providing Ireland with yet more incentive to put their Rugby Team to the sword on the fields of Aviva!

Both teams have their anthems which are sung by their fans to provide encouragement during the game. The English side gain inspiration from a song about death! “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” is a spiritual – a type of song created by African people enslaved in the US. It has a haunting melody as it depicts a chariot swing down and collecting the singers to take them home. I expect some if not all of the team may wish to be taken home if today’s game goes the way it is expected!

The Irish anthem is even more haunting as the heart wrenching strains of “The Fields of Athenry” a song full of anti-English sentiment, floats over the field. It depicts a young man, having stolen corn during the famine to keep his family alive, being deported to Botany Bay in Australia. He leaves behind the girl he loves and their child to fend for themselves.
Interestingly both songs were written in the recent past. Both deal with the human struggle. We need to take St Paul’s advice when he says we need Christ.
“Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Ephesians Chapter 6 verses 10 to 12). As the old hymn tells it; “The arm of flesh will fail you, ye dare not trust your own”.

Recently the UK medical journal The Lancet recommended a 90% reduction in our intake of red meat in our diet. Indeed, their recommendation looked something like this; porridge for breakfast, rice for lunch, a dinner of lentils and vegetables, and a single hamburger every few weeks, as a treat!
Such is the latest effort to save our planet although someone asked humorously which planet the authors of the report were on!
So beefeaters beware – the vegans are the flavour of the month.
Ever since it was discovered that the cow was a polluter she has had a bad press. She pays her way by producing large quantities of milk, butter and cheese, foods which, for various reasons, we should reduce our consumption. When it comes to bullocks there seems to be no redeeming features in the eyes of the scientists. Their manners are appalling and whilst what they leave behind may be good for the land they do nothing for the atmosphere!

Who is going to advocate on the cows’ behalf? We have the Irish Farmer’s Association who maintain we are the most carbon-efficient dairy producer in Europe and among the top five in beef. We have Members of Government making plans for the annual St Patrick’s week junkets. Will they put in a good word for our dairy and beef products in the countries where they promote Ireland or will they also turn green like the buildings and bridges all over the world?

Before we succumb to the scientist’s fruit and nut policy let us take a look at what the Bible says. “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food” (Genesis Chapter 1 verse 29). Our stewardship of the earth includes animal husbandry.
The sacrificial system of worship which culminated in Christ’s sacrifice of himself on the cross made provision for Priests to receive portions of the meat (Leviticus Chapter 7 verse 15).
Feasting also played a part. On this occasion the Bible had been found by the returnees from exile and read to the people. “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength” (Nehemiah Chapter 8 verse 10).
Jesus reassures us and reminds us of our primary task – “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (St Matthew Chapter 6 verses 31/33).

The Teresa May sponsored plan to extract the UK from the EU, despite all warnings that it would not pass a Parliamentary vote, was voted on, producing the largest Government defeat for over a century. The resulting chaos permitted each of the smaller parties and factions to get their moment in the limelight this week as they stated their demands.
It started 3 years ago with Prime Minister Cameron asking the people to decide by referendum on an issue so complex that its implications are not fully understood even today. The people voted to leave – and Cameron resigned. May got the job but made the mistake of calling an election (she wanted among other things to be properly elected) and lost a number of MP’s ending up with a minority Government. To get a working majority she has to be assisted by the DUP (Northern Ireland party) who want to be part of the UK but geographically are attached to us in the South of Ireland (who are content to remain in the EU).
It would be hard to conceive a more difficult situation especially when you add in the fact that the deadline for the UK leaving the EU is 29th March.
What does the Bible have to say on the subject?
“Has any god ever tried to take for himself one nation out of another?” The answer is, of course, it has never happened with one exception “like all the things the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your very eyes” (Deuteronomy chapter 4 verse 34). Even then there was a harking back for the fleshpots of Egypt (Exodus Chapter 16 verse 3). But the sovereign state that was being formed then has withstood all the ravages of time and today exists in Israel – proof positive that the nation has been successfully extracted from another i.e. Egypt.
Is it possible today for the UK to come out from the EU? There are many more complexities in their relationship. After around 40 years of membership the economy and trade laws have been ‘harmonised’. Treaties concerning fishing rights, among other things, have been agreed in Brussels which has become increasingly influential as the UK progressively lost its sovereignty.

The question is can a Nation State, once having given away its sovereignty, get it back? The children of Israel succeeded because they had God on their side. The UK in its present state of apostasy needs to repent of its disregard of God’s laws and to turn from ignoring God to look for Him – this He encourages: –
“The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us” (Acts Chapter 17 verses 24 – 27).
Will it end in catastrophe? Only the Lord knows. Turn to Him.

Climate change – ho hum boring; that is until the reservoirs dry up and we are faced with drought. “That’s not going to happen” according to President Trump and our Government. The latter pay lip service to the problem but for various reasons (all well founded you understand) find it inconvenient to do anything about it at the present time.
One or two things have happened. There was the decision to bring back the termination date for burning peat fuel in the generation of electricity from 2030 to 2025. And cars don’t emit as much dangerous gasses as they once did – a welcome measure enforced on us by the EC. However, as a country, we are nowhere near our target for the reduction of co2 gasses.
This week President Higgins, speaking at the 55th BT Young Scientists and Technology Exhibition in the RDS, reckoned our future was safe in the hands of the students who entered such enterprising projects. The event covered a wide variety of subjects in its 550 entries. Climate Change was well represented forming the subject of 88 of them.
The Environmental Protection Agency has reported a speeding up of the Global Warming process. Six of the ten warmest years in Ireland have occurred since 1990. This has happened alongside a reduction of frost and an increase in rainfall. The most likely outcomes of all this are flooding of rivers and increase in sea levels. Simultaneously there will be water shortages caused by excessive periods of heat.
Ever since Adam was a gardener who chose to rebel against his Maker and incurred, among other things, the penalty of banishment from paradise and a cursed earth (Genesis Chapter 3 verses 17/19) man’s responsibility has been one of stewardship “the earth he has given to man” (Psalm 115 verse 16).
As often happens in scripture whenever there is judgement pronounced there is a promise of a way of escape also given. “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease (Genesis Chapter 8 verse 22). This means day will follow night. One season will follow another. The world will continue to function predictably according to God’s design. This is the grace of God upon all His creation.
But not forever! “As long as the earth endures” looks to the climax of earth’s redemption, achieved by Jesus on the cross and being worked out in time for both the earth and humankind (Romans Chapter 8 verses 20/25).
Isaiah was given a glimpse of this redemption and recorded it in Chapter 65 verses 17 to 25.
Until God’s new creation comes (Revelation Chapter 21 verses 1 to 4) we face the challenges presented by climate change etc. in the confident certainty for every believer in Jesus that a glorious future awaits them. So remember these texts Believer when you are coping with flood or famine – the best is yet to come!

It is a question that is not often asked! Someone is bound to answer, “The date for a start”! The German saying “Kommt Zeit Kommt Rat” translated as “Come Time Come Wisdom” does not always live up to its expectations! Nor do the resolutions, made on New Year’s Eve, have much chance of a life beyond January!

With the end of the holiday period and the Christmas decorations coming down there is a sense of déjà vu about the place. Its back to the future as we repeat the events of last year. The routine, the weather, the customs and the family traditions all play a part in the narrative of our lives. Repetition creates a kind of security.

As the writer to Ecclesiastes puts it:
“What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end” (Chapter 3 verses 9 to 11).
There is in the repetitiveness a beauty, a time of flourishing, and a sense of continuity to life way beyond our present existence. We have a heartfelt desire to know it all yet God has put limitations to our finding out what the future holds.

This desire was evident recently in the exploration of space. It commenced with the US successfully sending a camera into space to photograph a lump of material which may show us what the planets were made of.
Then came the Chinese space probe which touched down on the far side of the moon this week. The Chang’e-4 lunar probe, launched in December, made the “soft landing” on Friday and transmitted the first close range image of the far side of the moon.
And so we continue the pursuit of knowledge while the fighting, famines, genocides, separations and wall-building continue in chaotic fashion around the globe.

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations chapter 3 verses 22 to 24).
What’s new about the New Year? It’s the same mercies that are new every day.

Jesus prayed for his people: After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent (St John Chapter 17 verses 1 to 3).
Now to see the fulfilment of Jesus’s prayer in your life would make it a new New Year

Millennials and their offspring, the Generation Z, are largely unaware of the meaning of ‘Advent’ and even our Calendar is under threat as the flight from all things Christian continues to gather pace in the West. They have ‘Thrown out the Baby with the bathwater’ and part of the bathwater was the Advent Calendar.
The Calendar was usually produced on two A2 piece of cardboard with 24 small ‘flaps’ cut in the front of the card. These flaps are numbered 1 to 24 and referred to the first 24 days of December.
Popular versions of the calendar would have gifts behind the flaps. Some of these would be religious such as the gifts of the wise men – the Magi (St Matthew Chapter 2 verses 1 to 12) but in the main they would be children’s toys. The one thing they had in common was they culminated on Christmas eve with the Babe in the manger. This was usually the largest flap which, when opened, revealed the stable filled with animals, shepherds, angels and Joseph and Mary all gazing upon the infant Jesus lying in a hay filled manger.
The popularity of these Calendars, which were usually opened at breakfast, lay in the suspense of the unknown which was revealed one day at a time. It was exciting gifts that lay behind the flaps and there was an even more exciting conclusion that couldn’t come soon enough.
That conclusion was the birth of Jesus heralding Christmas Day which, for children (and adults), meant gifts seen in the calendar and in our imaginations became a reality! The giving and receiving of gifts was intended to remind us of God’s great love gift to us of Jesus.

At some point early in our family history we obtained an Advent Calendar which was based on the Bible. It traced the promises of Jesus coming to earth from the beginning in Genesis Chapter 3 verse 15 when, immediately after the Fall, we are introduced to the “serpent crusher”. He was to be uniquely born from the seed of a woman and would deal satan (for that is who the serpent is) a mortal wound (1 John Chapter 3 verse 8). In the process he would be wounded Isaiah Chapter 53 verse 5).

There are a number of arcs in scripture where they start with a promise and end with its fulfillment. Everything between these events is moving, sometimes in a winding way, towards the promise’s fulfillment. Here in the beginning we are promised a serpent crusher and the fulfillment comes with Jesus – The angel said…he is to be named Jesus because he shall save his people from their sins (St Matthew Chapter 1 verse 21).

In this way was the serpent crusher is ushered into the world. The wonderful two-fold declaration was given to Mary stating that there would be salvation for his people and their sins would be forgiven. All this and much more was accomplished by the cross and resurrection (Hebrews chapter 2 verses 14/15).

Our Advent Calendar is long gone. The reality it portrayed remains. Let the joy of the once crucified now risen Jesus reign in your hearts as we look to the conclusion of the next arc; “And if I go … I will come again and take you to be with me” (St John Chapter 14 verse 3).

It was this Thursday’s edition of RTE’s programme “Ear to the Ground” which introduced us to Dr Rory Harrington’s work of encouraging local farmers to recreate wetlands. Retired to a farm in a Co Waterford valley he was able to study the problem of waste water first hand and see a solution implemented.

With improvements in farming methods, farms have expanded and many have doubled the amount of livestock they carry. This has produced an increase in waste water. The remedy has been to contain it in large tanks and spread on the land at certain times of the year to improve its fertility.
Dairy farms with their need for additional hygiene have a major problem of disposing of this dirty water. Severe storms and other factors can cause the system to overflow causing seepage into the watercourses.

The solution arrived at in Co Waterford has been for farmers to surrender some acres of marginal land in low lying areas and create a network of ponds producing a shallow wetland. Water passing through it is interrupted by clamps upon which grow bacteria which extracts nutrients. These in turn create growth in the vegetation which sustains an increasing amount of wildlife.
In addition, the wetland captures carbon improving our footprint in accordance with EC requirements.

Whilst the topography may not lend itself to a wetland on every farm there are many locations where this could be successfully introduced assisting to reclaim areas where wildlife has been deprived of its habitat.

Many species are under threat. It is a rare thing to hear the curlew’s call. The bird, once common, is now almost extinct in Ireland. Flocks of Lapwing were seen to winter near ponds in an old sand and gravel quarry but they are gone. Most ground nesting birds are under threat. It is years since we have heard the skylark.

Environmental schemes are not the full story. It requires those who live in the country to take an interest in their surroundings. It is not an easy task as we live in a fallen world where God’s rule has been rejected. Any gardener will tell you that weeds, the emblems of sin, do not have to be planted! Our farming methods so easily pollute and destroy fertility as many barren places testify.

In the end the dust eating serpent of Genesis chapter 3 will meet its fate Isaiah chapter 65 verse 25 when the restoration of all things is complete: – The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,” says the Lord.

It was slightly embarrassing to be describing to former colleagues this week the location of our new church premises as the name GRACE has not yet been fixed to the front of the building! It blends in well with the street-scape and whilst we might not wish for prominence some distinguishing marks would be useful.
It did lead however to some consideration of the word ‘grace’. The dictionary quotes 11 different meanings but the one that applies to the church is ‘God’s unmerited favour’.

There is an incident in Victor Hugo’s play Les Miserables which illustrates it well. At the start of the play we meet Jean Valjean who is an embittered convict who cannot seem to relinquish his life as a thief. He is on the run and is given shelter in a cathedral. In the morning he has gone and so has the silver! The police catch him and bring him and the silver back to the Bishop. The latter rebukes Jean for leaving so soon and for leaving behind the two majestic candlesticks which the Bishop puts into the bag containing the silver.
He bids Jean farewell in front of the bewildered police and Jean gladly takes his leave!

This act of grace when the recipient deserved the reverse illustrated the Biblical use of the word. In addition, you cannot come to a place where God says “No more grace for you”. This is shown by the Bishop’s generosity in handing over the remaining articles of value, the two candlesticks. God’s grace is far deeper than the depth we may sink to.
The fact is that all God’s blessings come to us by His grace. There are none of us that merit any of them. As the Psalmist says in chapter 14 Verses 2 and 3 –
The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man,
to see if there are any who understand,
who seek after God.
They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt;
there is none who does good,
not even one.
Our best acts come from mixed motives. Sin is endemic in the human race from its beginning. The universality of sin is an empirical fact and which is easy to demonstrate! (G K Chesterton).
The question is “Has God grace to match the situation?” St Paul gives the answer (2 Timothy Chapter 1 verses 8 to 10) …God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Saviour Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel”
The only part we can contribute towards our salvation is our sins. When we turn from them and look to Jesus who took them on his body on the cross paying the price we should have paid, “the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (St Mark Chapter 10 verse 45).
Those who trust in the work of Jesus on the cross on their behalf experience the forgiveness
which deals with guilt and brings freedom to live a new life (Romans Chapter 6 verse 4).
Hugo has the grace shown to Valjean change him completely till at the end he makes restitution returning the candlesticks to the now dying Bishop. The reality for the sinner who comes to Jesus is much better!

Followers of this blog will realise that this has been a pretty special week for all associated with Grace Church in Pearse Street, Dublin. It’s not every week that so many good things come together. To recap they were our Jubilee – 50 years in existence, the 20th year of our leader, Patrick Mullen’s ministry and the taking over of new church premises, at no cost to ourselves, funded from the sale of airspace above the old building.
As was fit and proper there was plenty of joy and gratitude to God last Sunday to mark the occasion. The Psalmist captures it well in the opening verses of Psalm 103
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name!
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits,
There was also the sense that we were only bystanders watching God at work. His grace (god giving us what we do not deserve) was appreciated and responded to with music and singing. It was an exceptional time and we thank God for it.

There is a danger, of course, that our love for God becomes conditional on our receiving his benefits! So much of our daily interaction with others falls into that category. But loving those who love you is not the whole story. Jesus said; “‘You have heard that it was said you shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies” (St Matthew Chapter verse 43).

That set the bar very high prompting one enquirer to ask Jesus a question. Here is the dialogue; “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbour as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have answered correctly” (St Luke Chapter 10 verses 26/28).

This fourfold love of God, “all your heart, soul, strength and mind” is not dependent on getting a new hall or any of the many other benefits! It is a love for God Himself.
This command (the Shema) was given to the people of Israel before they entered the Promised Land. It was part of their article of faith (Deuteronomy Chapter 6 verse 5).
It requires the total devotion of one’s whole being. This love is not to be divided between other gods or idols (Exodus Chapter 20 verses 3 and 4).
The old doxology puts it well –
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.