The Fall and Human Failure – an exploration

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Religious Thoughts

That was the title of Bishop Gregor’s lecture latest lecture that took place last night at All Saints and an exploration it most certainly was.  There is stuff to ponder but what struck me most forcibly was something that I was most probably already well aware of but had fallen into that all too familiar chasm of familiarity.

The collects seem to relish in our ‘fallen nature’, even collects for joyous occasions.  On Easter Day that most joyous of festivals we are told that we have to ‘die daily to sin’.  Oh dear, Christ’s death and resurrection isn’t enough, boy it is no wonder many believe ‘there is no health in us’, if our Lord’s passion and the Love of God in raising him again from the dead isn’t enough.  In fact the majority of collects seem to suggest we are no more than ‘miserable offenders’, which seems odd when they are supposed to collect the theme of the day together in a prayer and most readings aren’t like that, or are they?

Daniels’ Friends

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Daniel

Last night we finished our Bible Study on the book of Daniel I closed it off with a little self-indulgence.

This painting by Simeon Solomon of ‘Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the Fiery Furnace’ encompasses several of my passions.  Stories in the Bible, Angels, Arts and Crafts, history and paintings.

This scene was portrayed in some of the earliest Christian art examples are found in the Roman Catacombs.  For the early Christians the story of these three men who stayed true to their faith despite the threat of death was an inspiration to them.  After the Medieval period this story was far less commonly portrayed in art.

Simeon Solomon (1840-1905) was a friend of Edward Burne-Jones (one of my all time favorites) and had a Jewish background which I think might be the reason why this angel appears more purposeful than angles are usually portrayed.

It’s A Question of Taboos

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Photography, Psalms

As for mortals, their days are like grass;
they flourish like a flower of the field;
for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
and its place knows it no more.

Psalm 130:15-16

I was telling someone recently that these verses of Psalm 130 were among my favorite, they had two comments.

Firstly they said I over use that phrase when it comes to the Bible.  Apparently I hardly go past a single reading or quote without saying that it contains some of my favorite verses.  I understood what she was saying I have lots of favourite bits in the Bible, but it did get me to thinking, is it right to have favorite bits of the Bible?  After all I have always been quick to defend the lectionary as it challenges us with bits of the Bible which we might be tempted to skip over.

Her second observation was that I seem to have a tendency to talk about death a lot.  Now this I wasn’t aware of and in fact I defended quite vigorously, including by pointing out that we spend more time dead than alive.  However I ended up by having to concede that I probably talk about it far more than the average Jo or Jane in the street and were others might shy away from such conversations I will happily engage in them because I think they are important conversations to have.  It is curious to me that the last time this country was celebrating their queen’s diamond jubilee such conversations wouldn’t have seemed out of the ordinary – as indeed speaking about faith or the Bible wouldn’t have been – while we are far more open about discussing all manner of things than our Victorian ancestors would have needed the smelling salts out at the first mention of.  The later doesn’t really surprise me, it is the former that I find curious.

What causes things that weren’t taboo to become such?

A Living Alleluia

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Religious Writing

A Christian should be an alleluia from head to foot.

St Augustine of Hippo (354-430)

Flourishing

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Nature, Photography, Proverbs, Religious Thoughts

Those who trust in their riches will wither,
but the righteous will flourish like green leaves.

Proverbs 11:28

Righteousness versus wealth, the choice should be easy for the church and indeed for any Christian, which would you choose.  In this 21st century world in which we live riches are portrayed like a rock, firm and secure, but wealth is of this world and the things of this world can not last.  Rather than a rock riches are like shifting sand, look to Greece, look at the banks, riches can not be trusted the sands shift as priorities change.  Okay righteousness is not always easy, but it will always bear fruit indeed the much fruit that Jesus has been urging in our Gospel readings over the last two weeks.

Patron Saint of Coach Travellers?

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Julian of Norwich, Religious Writing

I know I am a week late (her feast day is 8th May) and I also know that Julian of Norwich isn’t the patron saint of coach travellers – indeed she isn’t even a saint – but as a number of St Andrew’s congregation are off to Norfolk this week I found myself dipping into her ‘Revelations of Divine Love’.  They are making an 11 hour coach journey, not my idea of fun at all, so I went looking for some words of comfort to sustain them on their journey.

God did not say, ‘You will never have a rough passage, you will never be over-strained, you will never feel uncomfortable’, but he did say ‘You will never be overcome’.

Welcoming Weary Fishers on the Shore

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Photography, Religious Thoughts

I love the current Eucharistic prayer as it poetically lists the resurrection appearances.  Every time we looked out of the window while on holiday there was at least one boat and my favorite line was a constant companion helping me truly relax on holiday:

‘welcoming weary fishers on the shore’

You don’t need to be a fisher or be on a shore, all that is needed is to know that if, or should that be, when, you are weary Christ will be there waiting to welcome you.  I don’t need to be on holiday to just feel the tiredness of the day sweep away with those words, the worries dissolve if only for a while before I grab them back.  However for that moment my body, soul and mind totally relaxes and rests with God.

The greatest joy of the holiday was I spent the majority of the two weeks not dragging myself back from that bliss, because there was work to do and things to be getting on with, but being able to just be and revel in the welcome and rest.

The Lament of the Thirsty

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Nature, Photography, Psalms, Religious Thoughts

Hold on to your britches there are some of you out there who ain’t going to like this!

As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When shall I come and behold the face of God?
My tears have been my food day and night,
while people say to me continually, ‘Where is your God?’

Psalm 42:1-3

The Lament of the Thirsty

The pain of thirst in throat and soul
for there is no bounty spread before like the shore crab enjoyed.
the signposts lied.
Oh thirst,
thirst like a wild animal
who travelling over many miles,
to reach refreshment in the promised stream,
finds the water no longer flows.
Yes, there are places,
places were the water has pooled,
due to dams and weirs,
but there is no refreshment in that water
refreshments cost is bitterness.
At other pools guards stand with false smiles -
a fee, a password, or secret sign -
without there is no quenching of thirst;
nor knowing if that guarded water will satisfy and enrich.
Surely this is not the final destination.
The promise must be more than this.
Smooth pebbles caressed for centuries by sweet water
sweet soul reviving water.
The sound like music to the ears,
but instead, instead it is drowned out by the cry
‘Where is your God?’

I have a theory, it isn’t a very popular theory nor is it one that I find easy to hold for it pains me, but I am sticking by it until someone proves to me otherwise.  Currently I am not convinced the Church either answers that question or even considers it as a question worth answering.  I think the Church is so busy licking wounds, trying to second guess where the next supposed attack might come from and fearing for itself as an institution that like Ephesus it has forgotten its first love.  It no longer glories in answering the question ‘Where is your God?’ but rather hides in its own petticoats in vain attempts to defend itself.  How can God be known and understood in the world today if the Church doesn’t reflect the wonder, awe and majesty that is God, but rather the fear, mistrust and anxiety of self-preservation?  How can a God of love been recognised when love is missing from so much of what is done in the name of the Church?  How can someone ever feel accepted by that God if they see others being rejected by those who say they do know God?  How can the 50 days of Easter be celebrated if the Church continues to live in a forlorn wilderness, denying by word and deed the very thought of resurrection?

‘Where is your God?’

The Parable of the Shore Crab

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Ecclesiastes, Nature, Photography, Religious Thoughts

So I commend enjoyment, for there is nothing better for people under the sun than to eat, and drink, and enjoy themselves, for this will go with them in their toil through the days of life that God gives them under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 8.15

We are still in the 50 day celebration of Easter, celebrating the new life in the risen Christ, a new life that brings hope for the here and now and hope for the future.  A new life that says grab life with both hands for there is nothing to fear, a time to eat, drink for tomorrow we don’t die, or rather the death of this earthly frame is not the end as we once might have thought.  There are those who are sincere committed Christians who believe that as a follower of Christ life should be sombre and frugal I understand where they are coming from but it wont surprise you to hear that I don’t agree with their interpretations.

This little fella was also on the boat with the Scorpion Fish I told you of yesterday, he came up in one of the creels falling onto the floor of the boat and scurrying away to hide under the manmade rock of an old bit of scaffolding.

The Parable of the Shore Crab

Consider the shore crab, it lands on a strange land but neither worries or panics.  Instead it finds for itself sanctuary and bounty beyond measure to feast upon.  It does not through suspicion reject the bounty that is laid out in full sight but eats of its fill, both seeking and finding contentment.

Consider the shore crab, feasting one moment and the next scooped up and set as bait for Brown Crabs.

I don’t believe Christ wants us to be somber dour Christians after all time and time again we hear of him eating and drinking, okay he doesn’t do it all the time but he certainly does it.  I don’t believe he wants us to be forever looking over our shoulders wondering suspiciously how and why something good has happened, for he came to bring us life in all its fullness.  And I don’t believe that Christ wants us to miserable, for if that was the case surely he wouldn’t have made people’s lives better by healing the lame and the deaf and the blind, not casting the stone, comforting the bereaved, welcoming the outcast and … well you get the picture.

I do believe that our lives can be bait for others, attractive examples of what life can be.  Of the contentment and fulfillment that life can offer knowing God will provide.  Knowing that there are places of safety when things seem a bit strange.  Set free from anxiety knowing that the future has already been taken care of by a cross and an empty grave.  I believe that to be a Christian doesn’t mean no more eating, drinking no more being merry, but rather no more worry surely that is enough to put a smile on anyones face!

Leading Worship

Have just spent a wonderful day with some of my group that lead the All-Age Worship at All Saints, before they receive their licence from the Bishop next month, it was a journey of discovery, enlightenment, encouragement and affirmation.   To those of you who have yet to experience the new Diocesan Worship Leaders training material I can say that both myself, as the facilitator, and those who were being facilitated would highly recommend it.  Even if you are not someone new to leading worship it is a rich and well thought out resource.

Also should you be planning to use it, then because of an error by our printers 120 rather than 12 copies of a slightly altered version of the booklet were delivered – if you are interested in some of them please let me know (I can also let you know of the alterations).  I will also be running the day again for those of my leaders who weren’t able to attend today – if you know of anyone who might be interested in coming along they would be more than welcome – the date hasn’t yet been confirmed.

Pondering the Questions

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Liturgical Seasons, Religious Thoughts

Did you notice that ‘and’ hidden in last Sundays Gospel from Mark?

In among all those other familiar words for Easter Sunday a common word that is so easy to overlook but this time it struck me like never before in fact it was one of those moments when you suddenly actually see something that has always been there and immediately questions jumped into my head, questions that have been travelling with me this Easter week:

• why was that ‘and’ in between the disciples and Peter?
• was it that Peter was not physically in the same place as disciples?
• was it because Peter was still bitterly weeping elsewhere?
• or was it that Peter, because of his denial was no longer considered one of the disciples?
• who no longer considered him as such the women?
• the other disciples?
• the young man dressed in white?
• Peter himself?

The Common English Bible translates it as ‘especially Peter’ as if this strange young man dressed in white knew that this was news that Peter needed to know more than anyone else.  Was Peter now so full of remorse for his denial that he was in danger of following Judas’ path?

One little word, so many questions, and a week later not sure I really have any answers, the pondering continues.

The Law of the Lord

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Liturgical Seasons, Psalms

During Lent I have been preaching a series of sermons on the Psalms and then we have been having a discussion on a Wednesday evening about issues raised in the sermon.  Last Sunday it was Psalm 19:

¹ The heavens are telling the glory of God;
and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
² Day to day pours forth speech,
and night to night declares knowledge.
³ There is no speech, nor are there words;
their voice is not heard;
⁴ yet their voice goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In the heavens he has set a tent for the sun,
⁵ which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy,
and like a strong man runs its course with joy.
⁶ Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
and its circuit to the end of them;
and nothing is hidden from its heat.
⁷ The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the decrees of the Lord are sure,
making wise the simple;
⁸ the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is clear,
enlightening the eyes;
⁹ the fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring for ever;
the ordinances of the Lord are true
and righteous altogether.
¹⁰ More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey,
and drippings of the honeycomb.
¹¹ Moreover by them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
¹² But who can detect their errors?
Clear me from hidden faults.
¹³ Keep back your servant also from the insolent;
do not let them have dominion over me.
Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.
¹⁴ Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable to you,  O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Last night we had a great discussion about those laws which were around in the time of this psalm first being sung but we totally ignore and don’t even think about – such as the wearing of mixed fabrics – also why there are other laws of that time which still challenge the church so.