Getting into the Swing Word on the Week 1st June 2019.
I invariably find it difficult to select a topic for the weekly blog. It’s not the shortage of material that is the problem but the volume! So much happens in a week and, believe it or not, the Bible always has a view which could be expressed. In this case, an insignificant incident, given the oxygen of publicity, has seriously damage a political career.
Normally in this life what you loose on the swings you can regain on the roundabouts but, alas for Maria Bailey, the roundabout is not working. In fact, Maria in her various media interviews this week, has fared badly on the swings also! So who is this Maria?
Maria Bailey is an Irish Fine Gael politician for the Dún Laoghaire constituency who was appointed Chair of the Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government; a seat which she is in danger of losing. It’s not the only chair where she has found it difficult to hold onto her seat. Her best known was when she fell off a swing near a hotel bar when she was holding a bottle in each hand. Her case against the hotel, which goes back to July 2017, claimed she couldn’t run after the accident. However, within three weeks of the incident she won a 10 km race in the same time which she clocked up in the same race the previous year.
Details from her claim to the Circuit Court (where the maximum award is €60,000) were published last week, causing significant embarrassment for her Government. The latter are on a crusade to drive down insurance personal injury claims in the run-up to elections.
In order to get to the bottom of the matter the Taoiseach has called for a report. This being the usual tactic by government when things become uncomfortable. Her case against the hotel has now been withdrawn.
Perhaps the biggest swing in Scripture was in public opinion. One day the Jerusalem crowd were hailing Jesus as the Messiah and spreading their cloaks before him, the next they were calling for his crucifixion (St Matthew chapter 21 verse 9). The swing could not have been greater. The fickleness of the mob, so easily influenced by the Chief Priests and the Elders and blinded by a blood lust for a crucifixion. They even preferred the release of a notorious criminal and took the guilt of Christ’s upon themselves and their children (St Matthew Chapter 27 verses 22 to 26).
With the benefit of hindsight, we see through Joseph’s eyes, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (Genesis Chapter 50 verse 20). And that salvation commenced at Pentecost has continued to draw people into the Kingdom to this day.