Bob Warwicker's blog

In the gospel reading of Sunday’s Lectionary, Jesus taught ‘as one having authority, and not as the scribes’. What gives someone authority? Training? – Jesus as a rabbi would’ve had some. But so did the scribes. Using other sources, as essay-writers are always supposed to do? Jesus knew his scriptures, but so did the scribes. It just sounds right? But so, in many people’s ears, do conspiracy theories. It’s what I wanted to hear? Not everybody wanted to hear what Jesus said – good news for the poor is not good news for everyone – though you could say Jesus meets everyone at their point of poverty. He had a deep manly voice? Obvious nonsense – but you’d be amazed how much it matters for some people. What he does fits what he says? – That’s more like it. Obvs, we (and probably Jesus’ listeners) see his authority as coming ultimately from God, but I’m thinking more about how this works with the evidence of our eyes and ears.

The weather here is quite quiet at the minute, ideal for splashing along the muddy Trail.

Drizzly this morning, an ideal time to walk up the zigzag path as far as the gate into the trees. You get a good feeling of being alone on this quiet path, with the hills around turned a gentle grey by the weather. On the way back I saw a cluster of roe deer skip panickily around then out of my path. When I say ‘I saw’ – I’d left my glasses at home because they’d probably have got wet and steamy. So I saw some deer-ish blobs with white blobs roughly where you’d expect their bottoms to be.

Meanwhile in the real world, a Conservative MP thinks the effect of COVID isn’t as bad as it’s cracked up to be. Folks like this seem to have an undue influence – talk of the tail wagging the dog.

Just so you know what it’s like to walk in the almost-dark before dawn…

Have a quick look at Sunday’s Lectionary reading from 1 Corinthians.

Is that similar to supposing that a government epidemiologist, knowing that both he and his grandmother were free of COVID, went to visit her, against the lockdown rules? They were safe, but they’d broken the rules, and his photo appeared in the press. He was sacked from his role by the government. Now that’s a bit hypothetical – you can’t be sure it’s safe – but it seems to me the same kind of issue that we read about in 1 Corinthians. You may think it’s OK, but we’re a community and if it’s not OK for everyone, it’s not OK for you. You’ve got to consider others, lest they copy your behaviour and it’s their downfall. Besides which, our brains seem to be very flexible when thinking of reasons why “it’s OK for me to do something other people don’t do”.

Very thin covering this morning from a small shower in the night, and one or two bits of old snow remaining. As I walked eastwards, the new snow got less and the old snow got more.

In the Big Bang Theory (an American comedy show), the character Zack is invited to take part in a superhero costume party. The dialogue goes like this…

“Sheldon: Congratulations. Zack, how would you like to be Superman?
Zack: I don’t know, sounds like a lot of responsibility.”

“It sounds like a lot of responsibility.” So does speaking on behalf of God, as we see in the Deuteronomy reading of next Sunday’s lectionary. It’s not something to be done lightly – it needs to be done with humility – and it needs to take cognisance both of the accumulated wisdom of community(ies) in interpreting God’s word, and the corporate defects of that same community (like favouring the rich and powerful very often). Also that reading is a timely reminder of how powerful speech – communication can be. A lie can spread across the internet faster than a speeding superhero … and so can a more helpful meme.

The snow may or may not just about nudge as far as us before it retreats again. Won’t worry the scorers though, even if it does snow.

Modest walk this morning in fair but chilly weather, then going to virtual church.

Next time I say the Lord’s prayer, I want to remember “our Father” … “give us” …plural – all those other people I’m praying together with.

A little snow this morning…

…just a shower.

Pleasant morning today, with some sunshine. Nevertheless, our little, minimal-energy, coloured LEDs will be on until Candlemas.

God of everything,
who emptied yourself in Jesus
for love of the world;
we pray for all who empty themselves for love and service,
especially for all workers in the NHS,
for relatives and friends and grocery-shoppers,
delivery drivers, order pickers and soldiers,
food bank people, emergency services and politicians and many more.
We pray for COVID patients, and for others
whose treatment is interrupted,
and for all who live in fear.
Living God, in the time of emptiness,
give just the one more piece of hope we pray,
to keep on loving.

A short walk before dawn this morning, with the bright snow on either side to guide my path, and everywhere the roar of the Etherow coming down the steps by the dam.

Mercifully, as far as I can tell, it seems the rain has been too long-term to flood Hebden Bridge. But other places are flooded or close.

Please pray for people whose homes or businesses have flooded,
those who fear flooding,
those who are struggling to know what to do for the best
as the floods come in a time of social distancing.

‘1:16 As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea–for they were fishermen.
1:17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you fish for people.”
1:18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him.’
(Mark’s Gospel)

Fishing isn’t easy. It’s a dangerous task and sometimes there is no reward at the end of it. And then you’ve got to sell the fish – and markets are subject to all kinds of problems – and they can get messed up by the arrogance of people with ‘bigger fish to fry’.

Neither is evangelism easy. It’s not as if you just go out there and haul in massive nets bulging with tons of the silver darlings. You have to speak out of the truth of what you have discovered about God, and listen to the truth of what your interlocutor has discovered. Sometimes there is no meeting. Sometimes the truth hurts, and you could have been way more successful peddling a lie. I think I’m what they call a ‘critical realist’. There is such a thing as truth, and we approach it, but always being open to changing our minds. The Bible helps – it’s a wonderful repository of people’s experiences of God – but it also takes work.

But there is good news I believe. God loves the world. God cares about people in poverty (although that may sound less like good news to some). God is aching to give us another chance. God has come into our world in that human being Jesus.

God of love,
in a time of conflict and mourning,
we lift up our voices to you.
We ask for healing, for peace.
We ask you to show us again
what your good news means for our generation.

By the words I say,
by the listening I do,
by your love at work in the world,
may a new hope, a new life,
come to people known and unknown.

God of justice and mercy,
God who calls us to walk humbly with you,
we pray for America today,
that healing and hope may come.