Month: August 2020

We walked to Crowden today, and saw a bird a long way away that was flying from southwest to northeast across the valley where the Pennine Way goes. It may or may not have been a Lammergeier, but it was flapping constantly as it went, so maybe not. What we did see, though, about a mile away, was a knot of twitchers at the quarry…

… you’ve got to have patience, and a liking for sheep and cool breezes.

It was, a lovely day, though…

I thank you God
for beautiful places
and beautiful weather.
I remember that many people
have no access to these things:
their lives are ugly, circumscribed
by injustice, hatred and pressure;
they walk on different paths
from the paths I walk.
Your Kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as in heaven.

Looking at the Matthew reading in next Sunday’s Lectionary…

Leaving aside for the moment how strange it is that Jesus seems to be talking about the needs of the church when the church didn’t exist yet (that early Christian community at least must’ve thought that’s what Christ would’ve said about their community life)… there’s another bit of that passage that I find a difficult, but joyous challenge. According to this gospel, Jesus says (18:20), “For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” Those words have been remembered in many settings. It’s great to think that Jesus is present wherever people meet in his name, however small the gathering. Meeting someone at a railway station, sharing a bacon sandwich, poring over the Bible … whatever. Some people have quoted this when a very small number worship together in a comically/sadly inappropriate space, like a church that’s much too big, with an organ and everything. What concerns and excites me is that this applies to many Christians who are different from me; Christians who park their guns in the corner on the way in, Christians who have extreme views about the divine right of their race, Christians who see human relating or the role of women very differently from the way I see these things. We disagree fundamentally – and this is not just rearranging angels on the head of a pin, this is disagreements that are political and make a difference to daily life. And yet I dare to believe that Jesus is present with therm too. More worrying still is when they appear deaf to someone else’s take on the world (which I must seem too). And yet we’ve got to keep on talking, and above all listening. It’s hard, but that’s what it is to be part of a worldwide community.

Help us God,
to be united,
despite our real, deep, wounding
differences.
Help us to maintain our integrity and love.

A fair day today, but chilly; lovely for walking.

Tomorrow’s Lectionary includes a passage from Romans – beautiful and inspiring, but also hard to put into action – especially this forgiveness thing…

“12:19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”
12:20 No, “if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.”
12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

But how are you to forgive, when someone else vulnerable has been hurt by a bully? The need for justice also demands action from us.

How can an enemy ‘burn’ with shame if they have no idea that what they are doing is wrong, because (for instance) they come out of a culture that’s deeply messed up? After all, speed limits are for sissies, aren’t they? There’s still a need to assert what’s right and what’s wrong.

Even so, the idea of contrary engagement can be powerful – like Jesus’ coat/shirt thing (Luke 6:27-30) – it is like the more recent idea of non-violent direct action. I think someone pointed out though, that the latter depends on things being fairly reported in the media. If the press are forced to be unfair, then we’re all in trouble.

Sunlight on Mouselow this morning…

But, for the gospel in Sunday’s Lectionary, darkness. This is what happens when God’s love meets a troubled world. Jesus is going to be executed. His followers are going to have a hard time. Most people, like me, yearn for comfort — we do have need of comfy chairs, Angel Bob. But it can’t be denied there’s a harsh edge to the Good News of God’s love.

Two questions about this undoubtedly heroic deed; How? Why?

These are two of the big questions about the ways of God too. Just saying…

Creator God, sometimes we do not know How, or Why:
give us faith to live on without answers to these questions,
and yet to carry on asking.

Apologies that you didn’t get yesterday’s post about the Ashes Park which has a moat and gate and stuff. The server was not playing. Today a lovely walk on the north bank mof the tidal Ouse. More in due course.

Janet’s end point today on the eastwards walk was a park with a moat and a gate.

Above should have been a picture but the blog site is not playing ball at the moment.

Rain didn’t affect us as much as it does cricket.

On the Trail again, and further east on Yorkshire’s flat lands. Lovely sunny day, not too hot.

More randomness today, in the form of showers. Plenty of dry-ish weather with clouds, and some intense showers. I did a couple of walks in the dryish times, including one of my favourite sections, between the tip and the sewage works.

A troubling incident this morning. Apart from a couple of spots, I accomplished my whole morning walk today without getting rained on. Then I got in and doffed my boots and cag, and came into our main room. When I got in, I could see that it was pouring. I was lucky. Some people would say I was blessed. But I can’t have that. Think of all the people in this village* who got in ten minutes later – are they cursed? What about me tomorrow, or yesterday? It’s a trivial example, but it gets more serious. How is it decided who gets cancer? Is wealth a sign that God has blessed you – or is it a sign that you are a more ruthless operator? Is your national success in wiping out the indigenous peoples and occupying the land a sign of God’s special favour? As soon as I say the word ‘blessed’, I feel as if there’s something unfair going on.

And yet I am blessed. My Creator has given me life and breath and the ability to fix some of people’s hurts listed above. If I serve God, I can prosper in that enterprise. Jesus has put a new spin on the word: not the wealthy, but the poor are blessed in the kingdom of God.

And I can see fragments of real faith even in the ‘prosperity gospel’. If you are working some desolate, dust-dry farm in the American midwest, of course you’re going to pray, you’re going to have that kind of faith that’s close to despair, which Jesus sometimes seems to hold up as an example…. similarly if your life takes on the bleak colours experienced by someone poor and living in west Africa.

* I don’t know what to call it – it’s quite populous – it has the lion’s share of two council wards. It has a railway station (terminus no less!). It never had a market. It has a big garment warehouse and various other industrial bits. It has a few shops which are enough for day-to-day needs.