Brian O’Driscoll has seldom been out of the news this week. Riding high off his “Man of the Match” performance in last Saturday’s match against Italy his stellar career on the Rugby field surpasses all the other Irish greats from times past.

He has been at the centre of Irish Rugby, in more ways than one, his presence dominating the national and international game over the past 14 years. The No.13 jersey is being worn by him today for the last time appropriately in Paris in the stadium where it all began.

What is it about Rugby that holds such fascination? Perhaps some clues can be gleaned when we saw the game through Ghanaian eyes. The visitor from that land was new to the game and we watched a match on TV. He marvelled at the curbing of our natural instinct required by the rule to pass the ball backwards while striving to go forward. The shape of the ball intrigued him with its unpredictable bounce and also the scrum which tied up half the players in a contest where he thought skill was surrendered to sheer shove!

So different from the soccer he grew up with and yet there was a marvelling at the discipline required to play Rugby that he went on to become a follower of the game!

That discipline Brian had in abundance. So had the team and together they held out to achieve a memorable victory over France to win the Six Nations Championship.

The Bible has its heroes. They appear throughout its pages but are summarised in Hebrews chapter 11 where we get the “Roll of Faith”.

These were ordinary people who led extraordinary lives. They learned about God’s promises and they believed. This belief in what was said by an unseen God changed their natural instincts from walking by sight to relying on and obeying God’s word even when it was costly to do so. Many died before they saw the promises fulfilled. Some were martyred, as in many places in the world today, rather than renounce their faith.

Unlike sporting heroes this discipline did not come so much by training but by a surrender of the will to a triune God who not only convicts of sin and converts the sinner but established his presence within him leading to a life of service.

The glory of today’s victory, and it was glorious, will fade. The laurel wreath withers. But for the long haul St Paul’s advice is still relevant. “…while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

There has been a ruthless progression in the career of President Putin whereby he has now a firm grip on all the levers of power in his native Russia. He has been in the news this week for ramping up his efforts to obtain “independence” for Crimea.

The Russians are famed for their skill at chess and Putin has used pieces called army (with anonymous uniforms) and navy to set up a referendum in Crimea on the 16^th March which will give him checkmate!

Perhaps Alex Salmon viewing his faltering campaign for Scottish independence might take a leaf out of Putin’s book and raise a tartan army to encourage the people to vote for a separation from England!

There are one or two similarities between the two situations. Both can use oil and gas as a means of gaining the other sides attention. Both view “Independence” as a stepping stone to a fresh alliance. In Scotland’s case with the EC and Crimea a return, after 60 years apart, to Russia.

Of course Alex Salmon is no Putin. The latter was sited as the most powerful man in the world by the influential Forbes Magazine. With his Crimean army of 11,000 recently increased to 30,000 (Putin calls them self-defence volunteers) it seems that the Russian speaking population need a lot of protecting!

As the de facto Czar of Russia Putin has shown in the past how to win elections. His formulae should produce a vote in favour of joining Russia.

Then there will be the slight problem of access as Ukraine happens to be in the way. Again Putin has arranged his pieces well. With Ukraine unable to pay its gas bill of €1.36 billion it gives him a number of options.

Putin at age 62 could be said to be a man with ambitions and one of them is not to retire!

What has the Bible to say to all this?

The annexing of lands belonging to a weaker neighbour was a common practice throughout the Old Testament. What made Israel different was that she was able to conquer lands and defeat armies which were much stronger. This enabled the people to see God fulfilling what he promised in providing them with a land of their own. Their biography, until the time of King David, is written in Psalm 78. The Psalm concludes with this description, “He chose David his servant and took him from the sheepfolds;
from following the nursing ewes he brought him to shepherd Jacob his people, Israel his inheritance. With upright heart he shepherded them and guided them with his skillful hand”.

The model of the Ruler who cares for his people reached its fulfilment in Jesus of whom St John quoted “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep” (Chapter 10 verse 11).

This may be a far cry from Putin’s present style but never underestimate the transforming power of the Gospel when applied by the Holy Spirit to Putin or us.

The UK Cabinet made the unprecedented step this week of meeting in Aberdeen. The Prime minister was flown by helicopter to an Oil Rig in the North sea to make a speech In favour of a “NO” vote in the Independent Scotland election on the 18^th September.

Meanwhile the Scottish Cabinet in waiting met nearby at Portlethan to discuss how the Scots could be persuaded to vote “Yes”. Both ignored each other!

As the debate proceeds it becomes clearer that finance takes centre stage. Considering devolution and a token government in Edinburgh inadequate Alex Salmon, the Scottish leader, wants full control of the currency. And strangely they want the UK Pounds Sterling to be their currency and not the Euro. This is despite the fact that entry into the EC is on their wish-list!

At present the EC has not much of an appetite for more independent States as it fears that other “State-lets” might look for recognition by Europe.

When I lived in Scotland I was pro an independent Scotland but after 36 years in independent Ireland I am not so sure! The children’s rhyme which we once skipped to underlined the interconnectedness of these lands; “Scotland, England, Ireland, Wales, all mixed up like monkeys tails”. I think even then there was a recognition that what united the Highlander and the Lowlander was a common dislike of the Westminster parliament! Left to themselves who knows what skulduggery might ensue!

The Bible recognises 3 groupings, the Family, the Church and the State. When the 3 flourish mankind has prospered. Damage any one of them and decline sets in.

“The powers that be are ordained by God” (Romans Chapter 13 verse 1). God favours good Government. He also recognises the difficulties and instructs his people to pray for, and not ridicule, their Government.

Scripture is neutral regarding the division of one State into two being more concerned to the integrity of those who govern than the nationalistic ambitions of the people. Indeed nationalism is always about territory and power whereas patriotism is more benign being about pride in ones country, its freedoms and culture.

There is a third way to view the State which Jesus ushered in when he proclaimed that the Kingdom of God has arrived. This Kingdom is not an earthly territory but comprises the people who serve Jesus. He is their ruler and they obey Him. This Kingdom is the salt and light which permeates virtually every State, sometimes underground and often persecuted and misunderstood but bringing with it, freedom from guilt, a clear conscience and peace with God for all those who enter it.

Jesus calls you to be part of this Kingdom, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (St Matthew Chapter 11 verses 28/30).

It’s not independence but a dependence on Jesus that should be the goal.

Ukraine is a country whose loyalty is torn in two between Russia in the East and the EC countries of Western Europe in the West. Since independence the old alliance with Russia have left 30% of the population speaking Russian. The President, known to the Protesters as “The Criminal”, comes from the Eastern part which would favour retaining links with Russia.

The Ukrainian speaking majority wants closer links with Western Europe and the present struggle is around this issue.

Russia has a strong hand in that she has a military base in the country and also supplies Ukraine with 35 per cent of its natural gas. A further 25 percent of the natural gas in Ukraine comes from internal sources, the remaining 40 percent from Central Asia through transit routes that Russia controls.

At the same time, 85 percent of the gas which Russian exports to Western Europe comes through Ukraine. Perhaps that helps to explain the West’s interest in the current crisis and the Russian insistence that the protesters are terrorists.

This week a deal was struck to limit the President’s powers, introduce a Government of National Unity and hold Elections in December.

This may have been acceptable two weeks ago but with the recent spilling of blood (77 dead and 587 injured) nothing short of getting rid of the President will satisfy the protesters.

Last night the coffins of the dead were brought into Independence Square ensuring an emotive content to the speeches and stiffening the resolve of the protesters to remain there until the President goes. The people who gave their lives are called “heroes” and their martyrdom has altered the dynamic of the conflict.

At its core lies mistrust of the Government and its President. This is based on their past performance. As a consequence they are no longer believed. So when a deal was made the protesters do not think it will be kept.

In Christianity it is reckoned there were 167,000 martyrs (Regent College research) last year. They were slain for there faith in Jesus Christ. They lived largely but by no means exclusively in the 20/40 degrees latitude band round the World. In many cases they could have escaped the death penalty by renouncing their faith but like their Lord they remained faithful unto death. They trusted Jesus when he said that there are some things worse than death (St Matthew Chapter 10 verse 28). They also believed in life after death as is witnessed by St Paul’s 2^nd letter to Timothy written shortly before his martyrdom, “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of 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 Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (Chapter 1 verses 8-10)

Conflicts arising out of injustices will be present till Jesus’s return. Christians are called to be faithful to their calling to proclaim his loving kindness in providing a complete salvation to all who recognise their need.

How do you prevent those charged with keeping the law from being a law unto themselves? Answer, you appoint an Ombudsman. As least that is the theory but does it work in practice?

Designed to handle complaints about the Garda from the public, the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) found themselves in a difficult position when they discovered that their premises were bugged with listening devices.

The plot thickened when the devices used, according to the UK Consultants Verrimus who did a sweep of the premises, were not available to the public and had been planted by experts. These experts were professional in their work having almost perfected an exit strategy to be triggered should they be discovered. This strategy operated when Verrimus caught them in a prearranged trap and caused the hasty withdrawal of those listening taking their devices with them. All that was left were a few loose ends of their equipment which presumably have no fingerprints on them!

So all the evidence points to the fact that the surveillers themselves, the GSOC, were being surveilled!

No one likes a watchdog, particularly one that was doing its job, albeit without telling the Garda or the Minister for Justice that they were checking for listening devices. The result was a week of rubbishing the GSOC which is a pity as we need someone to watch over the ones who watch over us.

The principle of accountability is writ large in the Bible. How we live our lives and how we communicate in our speech are the indicators as to what kind of person we are. Whilst conduct must match speech it is the latter that is recorded.

In dialogue with the religious people of his day Jesus said, “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the Day of Judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (St Matthew Chapter 12 verses 34/37)

God doesn’t need listening devices. As the Psalmist put it “Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether”.

We could easily be overwhelmed by such things but for the knowledge that Jesus is alive and has a permanent priesthood in the glory. “He holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. (Hebrews Chapter 7 verses 24/25)

The 22^nd winter Olympic Games opened this week in the Russian town of Sochi. Build over the last seven years on a piece of marsh land President Putin, who has links with the area, drove the project to its successful completion.

It was a herculean task to get the job done. The final bill of €37.5 billion is almost as much as the combined costs of the last two summer Olympics in China and the UK. It is as much a statement of Russian pride in regaining some sort of world ranking as it is a showground for a couple of week’s winter sports.

The 3,700 athletes from many nations marched into the stadium in front of 40,000 guests. The absence of some Heads of State, not uncommon at winter Olympics, took on a more political meaning as the unrest continues in Ukraine and Syria. The need for a high security level was underlined when there was an attempted hijack of a plane on a flight out of Ukraine. The hijacker ordered the plane to go to Sochi but was overpowered.

Following the tradition at these events to showcase the high points of the country’s history we were treated to an amazing display of talent and technical triumphs. Starting with the mythological troika of three horses pulling the sun we then entered a fairytale Russian city with its onion shaped towers and carnival atmosphere. The scene changed to Peter the Great’s time with his conquering ships making a way down to the Black Sea.

A ballerina played the part of Natasha In Tolstoy’s War and Peace and the 1917 revolution was depicted by a train and steelwork all accompanied to the music of Stravinsky’s Firebird suite.

The arena was darkened for World War 2 where Russia lost 27 million people. This was followed by the reconstruction of the new Russia complete with moon rocket and, rather quaintly, couples with prams representing the baby boom.

The show took on almost a religious air with the climax marked by anthems, oaths, flags and speeches on athletes living together in peace and harmony with no discrimination or performance enhancing drugs. The competitors were reminded that they were ambassadors for their countries and the obtaining of medals was to be second to competing fairly.

The Bible does not give us many glimpses of the glory but it is clear that Jesus is central to all that is happening there. St John surveying the assembled multitude recognised that they were singing about the risen reigning Jesus “they sang a new song, saying,

“Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation (Revelation Chapter 5 verse 9)
Who are these people? St Paul, using the analogy of an athlete writes of himself, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. (2 Timothy Chapter 4 verse 7/8).

Make sure of your place for that occasion on that Day – put your faith in Jesus.

There are some things that humanity should never forget no matter how strong the desire is to forget them. The 69^th annual Holocaust Memorial, which was held this week in many countries, is one of these things. The Third Reich’s genocide of Jews living within their territories cost the lives of 5,500,000 and should never be forgotten.

Of course there will always be “Holocaust Deniers”. People who are so anti-Semitic that they support the fiction, it never happened. It was a myth, they say, perpetrated by the Jews themselves to gain sympathy! Others point out that Hitler’s death camps, in addition to Jews, slaughtered millions of Romani, Polish and Russian civilians, homosexuals, people with disabilities and Soviet prisoners of war.

This year’s Memorial in Ireland had four survivors present. Those are people whose eyes had witnessed indescribable evil. In fact General Eisenhower, who saw the aftermath of the camps with all their horrors, had the foresight to request Press Reporters and Photographers be sent to these places to record for posterity the dreadfulness of the slaughter and secure the evidence of the inhumanity of those who ordered and those who carried out the killings.

Their aspiration had been to breed a master race drawn from Nordic races led by Hitler’s Germany who were to exterminate from Europe any who would spoil purity of these Aryan supermen.

The motivation of the Holocaust was purely ideological, rooted in an illusionary world of Nazi imagination, where an imaginary “Jewish conspiracy to control the world” was opposed to a parallel Aryan quest. No genocide has been based so completely on myths, on hallucinations, on stupid ideology—which was then executed by very rational, hardheaded Aryans.

Hitler saw the church as a conservative influence on society which suited him during the duration of the war. In his speeches he would praise Christian culture when it suited him. He viewed Jesus as an Aryan who fought against the Jews! His goal was to eventually eliminate Christianity.

Hitler shot himself to avoid capture and people said “Hitler is finished”. But for Hitler there was an appointment which he must keep, “just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment”. The one thing about this judgement is that it will be perfectly just. Not one of us will have a word to say in our defence. All will be revealed. “No creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (Hebrews chapter 4 verse 13)

So whether our sins are obvious or concealed we need one to represent us and this God has provided in Jesus, St John writes “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world”. (1John Chapter 2 verse 1)

Our Advocate is Jesus – but you have to repent and believe the gospel.

This being the birthday of the Scottish National Bard it is fitting to reflect on some of his qualities which have immortalised his work in many countries. Two centuries since his death have not lessened the relevance of his “love poems” or his stirring lines on behalf of democracy.

“My love is like a red, red rose” is a prime example of the first and “The rank is but the guinea’s stamp, the man’s the gowd (gold) for a’ that” gives a flavour of his democratic views.

Burns had a hard life as a farm labourer, always on the edge of poverty and made worse by his frequent love affairs. These earned him the ire of many fathers reaching a climax with him fleeing to the West Indies. However he had published his first book of poems and on hearing of their success soon returned to Scotland and to acceptance with the literary classes of the day.

The “Burns Night” annual celebration on the 25^th January has its own “liturgy”. The haggis is ceremoniously preceded by a piper and laid on the top table. Then the “Selkirk Grace” is said and the “Address to the Haggis” recited. After the meal there are various toasts culminating in the “immortal memory”. This is a sort of secular sermon extolling Burn’s poetry and the evening concludes with the singing of “Auld Lang Syne” .

It is perhaps in “The Cotters Saturday Night” that Burns reached the heights of poetic grandeur capturing the old Cotter (small farmer) at his fireside weary after his week’s work listening to the tales of his young folk as they call in from their week’s work. They make room for a neighbour’s son who is attracted to their eldest daughter and all eat a simple meal of porridge, with milk from the cow who is chewing her cud beyond the partition.

After the meal they sing a Psalm and the father opens the Bible, which he inherited from his father. He reads confidently from both Testaments recognising how the second person of the trinity, Jesus Christ’s “guiltless blood for guilty man was shed” and how His followers took the message to many lands including his beloved Scotia. The evening concludes with the older ones departing to their several homes and the Cotter and his wife getting down to pray that the Lord would provide for them, “But, chiefly, that in their hearts with Grace Devine preside”.

Or as St Paul put it a little more fully but with the same burning desire for his loved one’s salvation, “so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Ephesians Chapter 3 verses 17-19.

This week RTE broadcast the design and delivery of twins from India to Ireland. The surrogate industry was explained to us in an hour long programme bringing us up to speed with the new technologies of our “brave new world”.

Seán and his partner Fiona had been seeking a child for 5 years and spent €30k on various treatments but without success. The fact that both had children from previous relationships and were now into their 50ies would seem to indicate that their childbearing days were over. Not in 2014. Thanks to the assistance of the surrogacy clinic in Mumbai.

The clinic provided the couple with a “menu” of potential egg donors and surrogate mothers from which to choose. They selected a strong young girl called Shoba, who had children of her own and needed the money, to be the carrier and then chose another healthy girl who produced six “quality” eggs.

Three eggs were selected, fertilised by Seán, and implanted in Shoba who stayed for a couple of weeks in the clinic and the couple, after parting with €25,000, went home.

One of the clinic’s rules is to limit the carrier to two embryos and as all three were doing well a radiographer was employed to “stop the heart of one of the babies”. Shoba returned to her village where the couple was assured she would not be smoking or drinking. Irish habits die hard!

Nine months later Seán and Fiona got the phone call that Shoba had returned to the clinic and that birth was imminent. They returned to Mumbai and after the twins had a thorough health check-up they were presented with Donal and Ruby. Shoba was sent home immediately after the birth with €6,500 (for twins) which approximated; we are told, to 20 times her normal annual income.

It took six weeks to get the exit visa’s to leave India and emergency documents were prepared to allow the twins, who are stateless, to enter Ireland. Amid the joy and celebration of their homecoming there was not much thought for the future of the kids with their ageing parents and questions of who actually am I? Perhaps Seán and Fiona will show them the RTE documentary! But then they might go looking for Shoba!

Births in the Bible to barren women came after prayer and supplication e.g. Hannah (1Samuel) and Elizabeth (St Luke 1). They marked out special men of faith who were used by God to draw people back to Himself.

In a post-faith era where science permits selfishness to reign we have the poor being exploited and abortion used as a tool of trade in the godless world of baby design.

Protection having been removed from the weakest i.e. those in the womb, the next level of exploiting impoverished young women, albeit in India, now becomes acceptable.

Children were never treated as commodities by Jesus. He considered them as important as adults equally worthy of love. He likened their trust in their parents as comparable to the trust people must put in Himself it they are to enter the Kingdom of Heaven (St Mark Chapter 10 verses 13-16). The children do not automatically belong to the Kingdom but like adults must come to Jesus and by faith receive Him for themselves (St John Chapter 1 verse 12).

In a recent speech in Edinburgh Mary McAleese our former President `outed` the Scottish Cardinal O’Brien who had resigned, apparently when some priests threatened to expose him, last year.

Mrs McAleese had the naive idea that the Cardinal should have held his ground and thus show support for the many gay priests in the ranks of the church.

This is just the most recent trumpet blast of the liberal agenda. These people have succeeded in making waves right across the Western world labelling any who would oppose them as homophobic.

In Ireland their agenda rolls on. They have succeeded in changing the abortion law using the Halappanavar case, (paying scant regard to the facts), to gain support for the theory that we need liberal abortion laws to become a modern state, free from the shackles of church governance.

Emboldened by the current climate a gay priest claims today that teaching on sexuality needs re-casting. For guidance he suggests that we may look to science, psychology and experience. Apparently he believes that this way would lead to more compassion. Presumably he wants his behaviour to be condoned.

Those who believe the Bible recognise the Adamic nature – they are all too familiar with it in themselves. The desire to re-make the rules to sanction gay behaviour might suit one person. Another might say he is fed up using self restraint and would like to sanction adultery. The net result is “Everyone did as he saw fit” Judges Chapter 17 verse 6.

How then should we live? We will either be moulded by the Word or the world. The two are at enmity with one another, John chapter 17 verses 14/17. We are not to cherry-pick the verses to obey. As St Peter put it “They stumbled at the word being disobedient” 1Peter Chapter 2 verse 8. But when we stumble it’s not the Word that needs to change it’s us.

The major change takes place when we realise our foolishness and repent turning from our own will to follow Christ. The Holy Spirit then enables us to submit to the word and lead lives characterised by obedience. This new found obedience Jesus said is indicative of our love for Him. St John Chapter 14 verse 15.

Whose agenda are you following? The Word or the Worlds’. You cannot opt for both.