Month: August 2021

Walking on the pleasant Trail this morning, very quiet first thing, overlooked by crags…

I’m sure some people would vote for a Wisdom Party (though quite a promise to live up to). But the Wisdom Party in Sunday’s Lectionary (Book of Proverbs) is the other kind of party… “Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed….” That surprises me – to see wisdom likened to a party. Surely the point of a party is to be unwise. However (1) Wisdom is not the same as prudence. (2) Maybe what’s being offered here is an alternative party, confounding expectations. Less surprising, and great to see, is wisdom personified as a woman.

Again, a number of nature lovers on the Trail this morning. And one told me a lovely story of his childhood encounters with a badger family in South Yorkshire.

And Janet took me helleborine hunting…

…also I did a bit of light helleborine hunting.

More on bread in next Sunday’s Lectionary. This time as in some other parts of John’s gospel, I have some sympathy with Jesus’ audience, who just don’t get it. Sometimes I don’t get it. But in faith I KBO (keep going) nevertheless. Bit by bit, over time, I will get it.

Much of next Sunday’s Lectionary is about wisdom. So what can you say about it, other than it’s a good thing?

It’s something, in Solomon’s case anyway, God-given. It doesn’t seem to be the same as education or intelligence or knowledge or even prudence – maybe it’s to do with knowing what’s important and what’s not. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom”, according to Psalm 111.

Ephesians lists some unwise behaviours like getting drunk and some wise behaviours like singing Psalms. Not sure if this always helpful – I have happy memories of singing a spiritual after a couple of pints of Robinson’s. Was I wise or not? On the whole, drinking a lot leads to antisocial behaviour* and harms the drinker, and speaking selfishly I think I would be happier in the world if drink and drugs didn’t exist.

However I can’t remember any part of the Bible where you can read ‘don’t drink at all’. Wine features quite a lot.

(* Not only antisocial but also stupid – things that seem inspired at the time turn out to be stupid.)

In tomorrow’s Lectionary, the Ephesians reading, there’s an unwritten but obvious underlying principle. Value everyone. For instance in verse 32, “…be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.” We cannot be selective about whom we treat this way. Be kind to everyone, regardless of whether you gain anything from their friendship.

As the Olympics in Japan move towards a close,
we remember.
We remember that in Japan 76 years ago today,
a nuclear bomb was dropped on Hiroshima.
We remember the terror burnt into the minds
of hundreds of thousands of people,
many still alive.
We remember those who died.
We remember the destruction.
Lord, have mercy,
Christ have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
God, give us peace we pray.
May we do everything we can
to avoid a repeat of such devastation.

From Sunday’s Lectionary, the Ephesians reading, “So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbours, for we are members of one another.” It’s not rocket science. Or maybe it is. In some cultures (like the Etonian), lying is tolerated, maybe even encouraged as a sign of wit and initiative. Maybe the demand to be truthful is not universal, and is one of the things that distinguishes the Christian faith. If, for instance, the will to power trumps everything, then lying will be found useful in following that particular star.

Sadly, the church itself has lied sometimes, in covering up the misdeeds of its clergy, in making daft claims, etc…

May God forgive us all.

God, help me
to know,
and to choose your way,
in decisions big and small,
and when small decisions build up
to make a big difference to the world.

Walked past some works yesterday near Dunford Bridge on the rail trail. Seven electricity pylons are to be removed and cables buried underground instead. A lot of money and a lot of disruption. I don’t see the point: the towers are no more unnatural than the agricultural landscape in which they are set. I think they are moderately elegant, and a welcome reminder of the way we are all connected. It may be there’s a long-term saving of money from reducing maintenance costs, and possibly even a small saving in carbon emissions from using heavier cables and reduced transmission losses. But I find it hard to believe either of these justify the expense in money, disruption and carbon caused by this work. I am ready to be persuaded otherwise.

I fear it may also put the prospects of reinstating the railway even further away – and a railway there would’ve been a genuine and significant saving in fossil fuels.

A small bite of next Sunday’s Lectionary, in Psalm 34; “O taste and see that the LORD is good…” – maybe you could see it as some kind of metaphor – or maybe it’s about the physicality of God’s love – a couple of verses earlier we read… “This poor soul cried, and was heard by the LORD, and was saved from every trouble.” Maybe in the community that is governed by God, you can actually taste good food that is shared with people of every status, and see the happiness on people’s faces.