This subject is of universal interest. For none of us does time stand still!

Of course when we were very young time did appear to stand still. Adult conversations seemed so long and boring.

During schooldays time seemed to shorten or lengthen depending on whether we liked or disliked the subject we were supposed to be learning.

As young adults we entered a “timeless” zone where it could be stretched by “burning the midnight oil”. On these occasions sleep seemed to be an optional extra.

Adults seldom have enough hours in the day. Competing demands are juggled and compromises made as our priorities are revised again and again. Questions arise like, “how does he manage to all that he does?” And, “I don’t know how she manages to keep going with her workload” as we look at the lives of others?

Then we come to these years when calculating pension income or how to get by in its absence replace the time spent planning holidays.

We are now entering the world of Pensioners Outings when, guess what, your age becomes a major taking point! This time however it is coupled with health whereas before it was all to do with physique or beauty!

Moses, who lived for a fair old age himself, wrote in Psalm 90 that we are allotted 70 years but if health (and now pills) permits may hit 80.

However there is no cause for gloom as Caleb was 85 when he did some of his most famous exploits (Joshua Chapters 14 & 15).

The crucial thing which troubles our latter years is not how long we are here but where we are going. We may ask the doctor “how long have I got?” But the real answer is an eternity – it’s where we are to spend it that is the real issue.

When Jesus’ time had come to leave he had this to say, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me” (St John Chapter 14 verse 1). He’s not simply talking about faith in a Jesus of the history books but faith in a real person who loves you enough to die in your place bearing your sins, including the monumental one of not believing his word.

We need to repent of our unbelief as well as the other stuff. My Mother used to say it was too big an ask to make of God but it’s not. This is why he died. He is the way. There is no other.

Our accomplishments in this world St Paul says are as rubbish by comparison with knowing Christ as our Saviour (Philippians Chapter 3 verses 7-10). Don’t rely on anything you have done but trust completely on what Jesus has accomplished for sinners such as us.

The name was first attributed to Pele the Brazilian football star of yesteryear but made popular by Stuart Hall in his commenting on soccer matches. When played by two evenly matched professional teams it can certainly live up to that description.

This week marks the commencement of the World Cup a tournament which brings the best sides in the world together every four years. The host country for the competition is keenly contested as enormous prestige comes with holding the event.

This time around it is the turn of Brazil. The country has been preparing the stadiums and infrastructure for a long time. This has incurred costs which have created tension as available resources have been directed away from welfare projects into sporting facilities. However Brazilians are passionate about their football (they have won the World Cup five times) and it is reckoned that the hardships endured will be forgotten as soon as their team takes to the pitch.

A global audience is ensured as over 200 national teams commence the elimination stages of the competition three years ago. This fires interest in the event till it peaks at the final when it is reckoned that one ninth of the world’s population tune in to the match.

The final 32 teams have travelled to Brazil and have been grouped into eight groups of four teams each. All teams play 3 games in this preliminary stage the winners and runners up then drawn against each other in the knockout stage to produce a winner in approximately four weeks time.

There will be plenty of football widows over the next month!

What has the Bible to say to all this?

Athletic prowess featured in Scripture and in particular in the writings of St Paul. In his advice to young Timothy he contrasted physical training which he reckoned to be of some value with training in “godliness which is of value in every way, as it holds promise for this present life and also for the life to come” (Chapter 4 verse 8).

He expanded on this by describing the Christian who has been cleansed and indwelt by the Holy Spirit as someone who knows contentment (chapter 6 verse 6). All of this stems from faith in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, writes St Paul, enabling us to have peace with God (Romans Chapter 5 verse 1).

The danger is, as it was then, that we train for the physical but neglect the spiritual. Getting the balance right will not just get you through the next month but will serve you well for this life and the next.

This week we were treated by the media to bodies on the beach and they weren’t the sunbathing variety either! This was newsreels of men of the Allied Forces landing on the beaches of Normandy under sustained enemy gunfire which left half of the 6,000 soldiers dead on the sand.

It was the 60^th anniversary of “The Longest Day”. A few survivors of the onslaught survived to join the participating nation’s current leaders to remember the lessons of war. Hopefully some will have learned their lessons.

At the other side of the world another commemoration was not happening!

It was the 25^th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre in Beijing. The authorities studiously avoided any hint of remembrance by locking up all the artistic types and free thinkers! By contrast on the island of Hong Kong they have a freer regime. There very large crowds filled the public spaces as they remembered the un-numbered masses who were crushed to death when they brought in the tanks and had their bodies ground into the surface of the square in 1989.

Back home the naming of the 796 dead babies found in the grounds of the Bon Secours Home drew attention to the high mortality rate and unmarked graves which featured in children’s homes in the earlier part of last century.

This story went round the world when the journalists learned that some remains had been found in sceptic tank

We will now no doubt learn of a number of other such homes where, due to similar crowded conditions and the presence of infectious diseases, there would have been higher than average mortality rates. In those days we were still looking for a treatment for infections which today we see as commonplace or have been eradicated completely.

In each of the three news items those who died did not die naturally. In most cases their death would have been violent and in other cases it would have been disease.

When an infant dies the adult has the consolation of the scriptures, 1 Samuel Chapter 12 verses 22-23 where David recognises he cannot bring his son back from the dead but he can go to him.

For those killed in conflict each one had lived out his allotted life-span. No ones death took God by surprise. St Paul put it simply when preaching to the pagan worshipping Athenians. “From one man he made every nation of men that they should inhabit the whole earth, and he determined the times set for them” Acts Chapter 17 verse 26.

In the violence many would have died helping others. Some may have taken the bullet to save a comrade and in that way shown something of the sacrificial love that Jesus showed for sinners on the cross. And it’s there at the cross that forgiveness and peace are found and the battle worn and all who are weary of this world find their strength.

The closure of “All Hallows” College in Dublin last week has brought to light the plight of colleges offering courses in theology, ethics and social justice in a society which no longer rates these subjects highly.

In conjunction with many other such colleges they lack the money to continue despite the fact that they are asset rich. The discovery of the “Kennedy letters” (correspondence between Jacqueline Kennedy and a Priest) in the College were put up for sale then withdrawn at the request of the Kennedy family. Had they been sold the money raised would have been barely adequate to keep the College open for another year.

Apparently a recent inventory of the contents of the library revealed many valuable items some of which are now missing. It seems the fate of these College libraries is to be plundered.

Hopefully the library in Maynooth will be better protected. It contains 800 year old Bibles, presumably the Latin Septuagint, along with, what a Journalist called, the first printed Bible dated 1482. The latter may have been the English translation in the common tongue carried out by John Wycliffe. This was not to the liking of his fellow academics who said, “The jewel of the clergy has become the toy of the laity.”

In the same vein William Tyndale 100 years later translated the Bible into English using the Hebrew and Greek texts. He also took advantage of the recently invented printing press producing Bibles which could be read by the common man breaking the monopoly of the literate elite.

However there is a danger that these old copies of Scripture can be treated as a talisman. There is a tendency towards superstition where we revere the bones of the person rather than work of the person, or the antiquity of the book rather than its content. The Bible, commenting on its uses writes, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” 2 Timothy Chapter 3 verses 16/17.

The “Man of God” could read the Scriptures all his life and it would do him little good. Studying them does not get you to heaven. Jesus said it! “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.” St John Chapter 5 verses 39/40. First turn to the lifegiver and trust this same Jesus who speaks today from His Word the Bible.

There cannot be many softer targets for well armed soldiers to engage than the kidnapping of teenage schoolgirls. These heavily armed men of the Muslin Boko Haram tribe in the name of Allah raided the dormitory of a girl’s school. The raid was carried out in the middle of the night, darkness permitting some to escape but the majority, well over 100, were taken captive. This was on 14^th April and apart from videos produced by their captors no trace of the girls has been found.

One Muslin media outlet commenting on the international attention being given to the disgraceful nature of the schoolchildren’s kidnapping said it was giving the Mujahid (guerrilla soldiers) a bad name!

Boko Haram stands against all things Western of which Christian people, in their eyes, represent living symbols whose destruction or conversion pleases Allah. It should be added that they have not much time for any Muslim non-fundamentalist and non-jihadist institutions either. More recently they have shown a dislike for western education hence the burning of many schools and churches in North Eastern Nigeria.

In a video these militants say that they are following Allah’s instructions, to sell the girls, as they are his property. They are shown to be dressed as Muslins and are alleged to have converted to Islam. To prove it they are heard to be reciting the creed. A few of the girls have been forcibly married to their kidnappers so this matter is far from reaching a satisfactory conclusion.

In the Bible we have a somewhat similar situation with Joseph. He was taken prisoner by his brothers and sold into slavery. Later he was married to an Egyptian (Genesis Chapter 41 verse 45) and, in the will of God, saved many lives (Chapter 50 verse 20).

Because of his ability to bear failure and success with equal equanimity allowing neither to distract him from his sense of Devine calling Joseph resembles Jesus of whom it was said that “He set his face to go to Jerusalem” (St Luke Chapter 9 verse 51) ignoring all distractions. He did this in order to fulfill his destiny which he summed up in answer to Pilot, “For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth.  Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice” (St John Chapter 18 verse 37).

Whilst a dreadful injustice has been perpetuated on these girls those who have truly heard and responded in faith to Jesus’s voice belong to him and no amount of reciting of Islamic creeds can pluck them out of their heavenly Father’s hand (St John Chapter 10 verse 28).

When we left Ireland at the end of April, Charities were under scrutiny for concealing the truth about their money and when we came back this week we find the Garda have been in the dock over allegations of malpractice and incompetence. The news in America is very staid by comparison!

With the history of hatred hanging out of the “Informer” the modern version, the “Whistleblower”, has a psychological mountain to climb before he gives his first toot on his whistle! It must require great tenacity for truth to report misconduct which, in the case of the Garda if found guilty, could lead to criminal prosecution and discharge from the force. There is also loyalty to colleagues to be considered. You may be in circumstances where your life literally is in their hands so mutual trust must rank highly in your relationships.

Whistleblowers are to be commended especially when they know that they are unlikely to be believed and their careers will probably suffer as a result of their accusations.

This was the fate of the former executive of the Japanese Olympus Corporation who was speaking in Dublin this week at the European Insurance Forum. He had raised questions of the propriety of a $1.7billion deal which had nothing to do with the Corporations business. What disturbed him most was not so much his dismissal but the withdrawl of support by his colleagues in the aftermath of his sacking.

To the Bible reader it all sounds familiar. Even Jesus’s most loyal disciple was no better than the rest. ”Then all the disciples deserted him and fled” St Matthew Chapter 26 verse 56. To make a stand for truth always has implications both for the one standing for it and those who, if they are not for it, are against it. There is no middle ground. Truth knows of no compromise.

Pilot preferred compromise! He claimed to be ignorant of truth when the truth incarnate in the form of Jesus Christ was standing in front of him St John Chapter 18 verse 38.

To live for Jesus is to tell the truth. But this will not happen unless we are first embraced by the Truth. Turn to Him, the Way, the Truth and the Life

St John Chapter 14 verse 6.

Easter has come and gone and perhaps we should reflect on what an impact religion has made on the world we live in and also on ourselves.

In a popular move in Rome Pope Francis will canonise two of his predecessors. They meet their Church’s requirements and so Pope John Paul 11 and Pope John XX111 will become Saints of Rome. All this is planned for tomorrow in front of a large crowd including our Taoiseach.

On the other side of the world in Japan the Yasukuni Shrine is again in the news. It is the place where the historical imperial Japan lives on. In addition to being a war memorial it is the last resting place of 14 leaders of the Japanese war effort who were tried and executed by the War Crimes Tribunal. Their bodies were secretly enshrined there by the Shinto Priests who also continue to believe their Emperor is a deity. It’s one place where Barak Obama will not be visiting this coming week although he may not be able to prevent the Prime Minister from stirring up nationalism by going there again.

Turning from the outward trappings of religion to the inward and personal place where God meets with us as individuals. Please forgive a personal illustration as, in this area; no one can speak for another.

I was around the age of 26 when I professed faith in Jesus acknowledging him to be my Saviour from my sins. It took me by surprise as I certainly had not planned it! “He died for me” became a reality (Galatians chapter 2 verse 20).

A deeper inward joy came with the realisation that the whole ceremonial law, with its multiple offerings enabling the repentant to get right with God, exploded in majestic fulfilment at the cross.

Sinless blood had been shed for me, the sinner. God’s lamb was the offering. The law, in all its forms, had been kept by Christ removing the curse of its perpetual guilt (Galatians chapter 3 verse 13). “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free…and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery” (Galatians chapter 5 verse 1).

Easter stands as a reminder that the Christian enjoys a freedom, under Christ’s governance, that truly liberates and allows for joyful service.

Two were found to be guilty and the other released! The first of the trails into the affairs of Irish Banking during those fateful years -2007/2008, when boom turned to bust, was played out this week.

We learned that when the Bank is about to go bust the best job is to have is the non-executive chairman and the best place to be is on holiday in the South of France. So Sean Fitzpatrick goes free, that is till the autumn when he returns to the courts to answer more questions.

The interesting thing about the case was the absence of the boss David Drumm. He was enjoying his freedom in the US from where be cannot be extradited as what he was charged with is not an offence there. So for the ex-CEO of Anglo the best job to have is to be is operating as a consultant in the US far removed from the 47 day trial which has just ended.

The supporting cast of Lawyers, Advisors and the Regulator provided the defence with plenty of material till on day 19 the Judge decreed that there could be no further mention of legal advice leaving the two accused with only the Regulator to help them. He was of little use as he couldn’t remember a thing and sadly had not taken any notes of the key meetings.

The deal itself was a last ditch effort to save the bank by involving 10 of their wealthy customers to purchase shares in the bank using the bank’s money (loaned to them on unbelievably favourable terms) to prop up the share value. Sean Quinn, whose dabbling in the bank’s shares had created the mess, had his family involved in the scheme but, without the favourable terms making their loans legitimate.

The trial ending as it did in Holy Week bore some resemblance to the trial of Jesus. There Barabbas, although guilty as sin, was allowed to go free. The crowd got their way but here in Ireland things are slower and it may be some time yet before the population see justice for the €64 billion bale-out which they will be re-paying for the rest of their lives.

The glory of Jesus’s mis-trial was that in it we can see clearly the plan of God. As St Paul put it, in the death of Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

This message is that Christ died for our sins (as if he had committed them), that he was buried and that he rose again on the third day. Reconciliation with Bankers may not be possible in this life but reconciliation with God certainly is.

(2Corinthians chapter 5 verses 17/21)

Many of our prejudices against ‘all things British’ were dissolved this week by the smiles and friendliness of the Queen and our President. The four day State visit to the UK, with multiple speeches creating multiple opportunities to blunder, was navigated with aplomb on both sides. Pride replaced prejudice and filtered through the four classical definitions of the word in a healthy way.

Pride of Race. This is something which has bedevilled many nations and could easily have reared its ugly head to put one over on the other side. Thankfully there was no such point-scoring. Instead there was genuine appreciation for the qualities each race brought to the others wellbeing.

Pride of Face. Perhaps it was the age of those involved that precluded any display of physical attributes. The attire of all involved was appropriate for the occasion whether it was at Windsor Castle or the Albert Hall. Some may have thought that Michael D could have done with a haircut but it would be churlish to dwell on the matter!

Pride of Place. There cannot have been many times in the past that immigrants could said to have been ‘living in both the shadow and shelter of each other’ as the President so eloquently put it. This visit however has enabled the Irish immigrant to emerge from the shadows with pride in his or her roots and be glad to be Irish.

Pride of Grace. There was no question of one religion vying with another for supremacy. There were traces of Christian values in the mutual recognition of past wrongs and the symbolic gestures of contrition. In addition there was the grace that welcomed the former enemy and sat down to eat with him. Also humility was evident in the Queen’s commitment to be represented at the centenary of the 1916 Rising.

‘Hope and History’ may yet rhyme as the poet longed for.

“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble”

1Peter Chapter 5 verse 5.

There is no doubt but that the Brits are in a league of their own when it comes to State visits. Better than anyone they can turn on the style. Recipient of this treatment in the coming week will be our President Higgins with his wife Sabina.

Everyone who is anyone will be there. Over the three days many hands will be shaken and words found to extol the virtues of both countries.

Feeding off the back of the Northern Ireland “Peace Process” the Royal Banquet at Windsor Castle in honour of President Higgins will be an unmissable affair. However some may hesitate. Perhaps it is understandable that Martin McGuinness, the former IRA Leader, has not yet accepted the invitation as he has much to lose as well as much to gain by his being there. His attendance would be significant.

The Queen has already set the scene by inviting members of the Irish community in Britain to Buckingham palace last week. There she renewed her acquaintance with the Cork fishmonger with whom she formed a friendship on her visit here two years ago.

It is good to have these signs of a closer relationship as they may have to withstand the turmoil of Scottish Independence and the UK leaving the EU in the near future. There are implications for Northern Ireland should either of these events materialise.

The Bible indicated that Jesus kept some strange company and never more so than at his death when he was hung between two criminals. One of them repented and, in his own way, committed himself to Jesus. St Luke records the dialogue, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”(Chapter 23 verses 42/43).

So the ex-criminal was included in the guest list of the heavenly banquet joining that multitude from every tribe and language and people and nation – the redeemed by Jesus, Revelation Chapter 5 verses 9/10.

Banquets on earth can be great occasions where mutual trust can be developed but there is always the possibility of misunderstandings, they are a work in progress.

Banquets in heaven will be attended by those in whom Jesus has finished the work of the new creation they will be eternally complete in their Saviour whom they serve in love (Revelation Chapter 19 verses 6/8).

Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:

“Hallelujah!
    For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and be glad
    and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
    and his bride has made herself ready.