the adventures of retirement
Not a bad day today, good for a walk up the Trail around sunrise. A few pictures of benches as I thought about maybe looking into the outside prayer stations app again.
…looks as if someone’s been having a good time. Not so much fun for those who come after though.
Nice to start the new year with a visit to Canterbury, to have some trips and great to see H and T. The Crab and Winkle Way was brilliant, and the buses back from Whitstable (along with others) frequent and reliable. Unfortunately Janet is trapped in the generation of women who, in a colossal moving of the goalposts, won’t get bus passes or state pensions until 66.
Think global, act local
Various people are credited with inventing this phrase, starting with R Buckminster Fuller in the 1950s, in the form “think globally, act locally”.
The Lectionary passages for this Sunday coming remind me of that phrase.
Starting with Isaiah, first question, who is this stuff about God’s ‘servant’ about? It could be the people of God (Israel), their leader, about the prophet’s personal experience; for the Christian, it could be about Jesus. For me, though, it kind of doesn’t matter, because it tells us about the characteristic way God’s servant operates. And yes, for me that is Jesus, but also anyone who seeks to serve God, and also the churches themselves. The servant’s style is gentle, the antithesis of bullying … “42:2,3 He will not cry or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice.” But, the servant is determined …“42:4 He will not grow faint or be crushed until he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his teaching.” And despite God’s servant’s apparent meekness, the scope of her ambition is global … “42:1 Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.” But I have to watch out here, because I find that the more I talk about justice, the less I do it. Maybe we have to survey what we can do where we are.
And in the Acts of the Apostles, we also see the global ambition of God’s love … “10:34,35 Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.” If you read the earlier part of that chapter, you discover that Peter had to change his mind before he was able to say this. He had only just discovered that the story of Jesus was for all the nations. So yes, it’s no bad thing to change one’s mind sometimes.
Read in Matthew’s gospel, and you see that Jesus submits to baptism. Once again, the un-bullying style is in evidence. John the Baptist was unwilling to do the deed at first, and Jesus could’ve surfed on John’s worship of him. But no, he went under the water to be baptised just like anybody else.
About Sunday’s Lectionary…
Isaiah: Well, this is wacky – ‘your’ Lord, ‘my’ Lord, ‘the’ Lord – what’s all that about – you’ll have to consult a commentary about that! A few things stand out to me, though. One is God’s exasperation about about the people’s refusal to hope. Maybe we too can hope. Are there ways we can understand the story of what is going on in our times differently, and discover some hope? And is that story of hope also about what we can do? And who’s in charge of stories anyway? This is a crucial question in an age of social media, newspapers that are happy to call honest judges ‘traitors’, and ‘post-truth’. Second, no doubt you’ve heard many times that the prophecy is about “the young woman”, rather than a “virgin”. Third, “…before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good…”. We Christians often picture Jesus as perfect, and indeed it is fairly basic to our faith that he embodies God in a human being. But he was once a child – was he perfect then? How can he have known the difference between good and evil at a young age? How can any small child know the difference between good and evil? That knowledge can’t be a single thing anyway, it must be a developing understanding. The grown up Jesus criticises the Pharisees, but they thought they were doing right – as adults. Anyway, this thing about knowing good and evil is not just academic, it makes a difference to lives – see the BBC drama, ‘Responsible Child’. BTW, I fear for the future of the BBC as an impartial force. They too are in charge of the stories, but a voice not so often heard now.
Psalm 80: Here’s verse 6 … “You make us the scorn of our neighbours; our enemies laugh among themselves.” I hate it when that happens – don’t you?
Matthew: Just to note that Joseph doesn’t seem to be a very traditional man – or at least he wouldn’t seem to be in UK culture, and I guess not in first century Palestine either.
Merry Christmas to all my readers … correction … both my readers … correction … to you, Janet!
The Lectionary for Sunday, as we look forward to celebrating the coming of Jesus, is this… https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts.php?id=3
These readings are full of hope, but at the time of writing it seems very unlikely that there will be any hope in my nation this Sunday. The Magnificat seems particularly misjudged… “He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.” At a time when the need for food banks is set to go even higher, in what universe can these words possibly come true? Well, lots of people debate this question about what the technical folk call eschatology. But just now, it’s not about debate, it’s about how people can keep on living. I don’t know what to say.
Just keep hoping, that’s all. Keep the hope alive, like that flickering candle flame of Advent. (Not a very carbon-efficient way to illuminate things BTW!)
Much newness over the last few days. It’s now not uncommon to see deer around dawn or dusk on the Longdendale Trail between Torside Crossing and Torside Car Park. And as we get to canal walks in Greater Manchester, we’ve been using public transport. This is greener and more fun. We’ve been on tram routes we’ve not used before, and we’ve experienced some new trains. (Well, this excites me, anyway). On Saturday, we got a nice surprise as we hopped onto a refurbished 323 at Hadfield. Nice new displays, too, although someone needs to attend to the widow and orphan control (see picture). There’s a thought for the day…
We’ve been on the same train again since, and it always brings out positive comments from people – and there’s plenty of excitement and curiosity about the new big onboard toilet. This is needed because of this. It states “Both sets of regulations require that all rail vehicles must be accessible by no later than 1 January 2020.” But regardless of the law, it is the right thing to do. More excitement as we had our first ride on a 195, coming back from Rochdale on the Leeds to Chester train. Nice inside, but the ride was a bit disappointing (better than a Pacer though), I guess because we were sitting over the bogie and the track was a bit rough.
God of love,
this Advent-time,
we put our faith in you,
we find our hope in Jesus,
a child of dangerous times,
the king of Love,
bringer of healing and forgiveness.
We’ve walked a number of canals this year, and there’s also been a rash of TV programmes about canals lately. There was one about Bath and a surveyor the other day. So I looked up the map, to remind myself of the lie of the land and found something called “Beckford’s Tower”. Now Beckford is a name like Henry or Pennant, that in my head I associate with people whose families moved from Jamaica, and sure enough, when I looked it up I found that Beckford was a slave-owner. And I read this… “One of my new estates in Jamaica brought me home seven thousand pounds last year more than usual. So I am growing rich and mean to build towers”. Make if this what you will.
I wonder what it feels like to walk around with a name that belongs to your ancestors’ oppressor. Or maybe you can claim it defiantly, saying “we have survived this”, as with the words “christian” or “queer”.
We visited Dover last week while we were in Canterbury. Here’s one of the posters that were on the walls, from Conversations from Calais…
…beyond the Channel there is another world, connected with this Britworld. It may be too much to bear, to think of those who want to come to our country as people, but people they are, and the pain that drives them here is all too powerful.
We’ve been to other places since, a visit to Manchester yesterday, and autumnal Derwent and Howden the day before, now in the centre of an amber warning for rain, apparently based on OS Landranger map 110, to which my life always seem to return. I hope Calderdale is far enough north to be safe.
Beyond the Channel is France. Beyond death is life. The Lectionary passages for Sunday speak of resurrection. It gets hard to make easy sense out of these. The Luke reading, particularly, suggests it’s something beyond understanding in our earthbound categories.
The lectionary is here… https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts.php?id=287
I know the two old testament readings are not supposed to be used together, but they seem to address a similar situation from opposite sides. In habbakuk, the prophet speaks of the pain of those who suffer injustice and long for God’s intervention. Isaiah addresses the corrupt people and spells out what God needs if justice is to happen. Don’t waste time on worship if you are unwilling to fix your lives.
In the gospel reading, jesus approaches the outcast zaccheus. That in itself conveys the message, all the more because jesus needs zaccheus and his hospitality. That is kingdom community living, give and take, mutual dependence.
We are in Canterbury at the moment, and the phone is eating battery whenever it’s on mobile data. Here is yesterday’s walk from Broadstairs to margate…
… and the previous from Canterbury to Shepherdswell…
… and this is some random crepuscular stuff…
The walks have been good. And it’s been good to see Hannah and Toby.
This was yesterday morning…
…as it happens there was a picture on the TV weather forecast last weekend taken from the same spot: it’s always nice to see Bottoms on the television, and the reservoir is looking good when the weather is nice.
Today is different. A drizzly, small, dense rain has started, and it’s hard to see very much at all. I find comfort, though, in the grey blanket, and the promise of water for the ground after a bit of a dry spell. However, this time the dry spell has been very brief, and tomorrow’s promised rain is very heavy. We need rain, but not in daft amounts. Here’s an old prayer for rain… “O GOD, heavenly Father, who by thy Son Jesus Christ hast promised to all them that seek thy kingdom, and the righteousness thereof, all things necessary to their bodily sustenance: Send us, we beseech thee, in this our necessity, such moderate rain and showers, that we may receive the fruits of the earth to our comfort, and to thy honour; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” The Book of Common Prayer has some nice bits like this, although I couldn’t bring myself to join the celebrations for its anniversary that fell a few years ago. There was no mention in those plans of the cost of everything that happened in 1662. My predecessors were unceremoniously chucked out, with no chance of flying bishops or anything like it.
I don’t see much chance of “moderate rain and showers” in our planet’s future. God may do all he can to keep our climate nice, but he’s fighting Big Oil now.
Here’s an autumny tree I saw on the trail…
A surprising thing I learnt from a meeting last night was how bad buses were in generating carbon dioxide per passenger mile. (Sorry I wasn’t taking notes and so I don’t have the figures). But I’m still going to use buses, and this is why… The figures we were quoted last night (not sure of the underlying assumptions and what towns/nations were surveyed) were poor because buses often run nearly empty. If I get on a plane, there’s a good chance I’ll bump up demand enough to cause another flight. If I get on a bus outside the rush hour, there will be no extra cost in fuel burning. The more people use buses, the better buses will be in terms of emissions per person. Also it gets cars off the road, with their associated emissions. Also, with the resulting lighter traffic, buses are a better option because they are not held up (ever tried to get from Stalybridge to Hadfield on a 237 on a Friday afternoon?). Also, buses cost me nothing now, a privilege that needs to be extended to more people, maybe even everyone.
Why drugs are bad
Much of the debate about decriminalising street drugs is around the medical effects of addiction and the criminality that comes from drugs being illegal.
But there is a deeper problem about drugs. It may sound odd, coming from someone as unsociable as me, but people need people. That is the foundation of our life as human beings in society. Look in the Bible, and you’ll see, right through the from the beginning to the end, from the prophets to Paul, that living right with one another is a fundamental part of living right with God.
And if people stop needing people, and turn instead to needing a substance, then it undermines the basis of all society.
This applies to all drugs, including alcohol – although in the case of alcohol and some others there can be times and social conventions by which the drug can bring people together.
Notes
1) Am I right in thinking there was a Doctor Who about this? ISTR a hypercongested highway and people selling happiness patches from booths.
2) Among the most scary moments I can remember are the ones when it’s a summer afternoon and I’m on my pushbike waiting for the lights to change. A car draws up beside me with its windows open and it stinks of cannabis. And I’m thinking to myself – “I have to share the road with these clowns!”
Here is Sunday’s gospel reading…
Luke 18:9-14
18:9 He [Jesus] also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt:
18:10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
18:11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
18:12 I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.’
18:13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’
18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.”
There’s a communal dimension to the smugness of the Pharisees as well. They were the ‘in’ people, part of a group who supported each other and validated each other’s religion. The tax collector ‘standing far off’ is on his own, without that kind of support. Christians look to their churches for support and comfort. I want to suggest that maybe Christians too should watch out that they/we don’t get too smug about our ‘righteousness’, just because they/we have the comforting blanket of being with like-minded people. If we want to find Jesus, maybe we should look ‘far off’, away from our community of people ‘like us’ and seek the lone and ‘contemptible’.
Nice walk the other day. A couple of dams are out of bounds to walkers at the moment, so some routes are not possible. Here’s Rhodeswood Reservoir partly drained to facilitate work on the dam wall (at the other end)…
I’m still working out what this retirement thing is going to be like. I have to think the best is yet to come. – When I was young all things seemed possible. I had loads of talent for sciencey stuff. But looking back on my paid life, I haven’t really contributed anything. Maybe I never would have been able – I have character flaws, like a lack of courage and a lack of anger. I still feel as if I ought to have done better, though. So yes, maybe the best is yet to come!
Morning light on the moors out the back…
Janet had a meeting in Manchester yesterday, so I went with her on the train, then walked off towards Boggart Hole Clough. I’d been past the entrance before, but never explored it. It was pleasant in the autumn sun, but foolishly I turned back before getting to the boating lake…
On the way I noticed an advert for car credit. It adds to the impression that things are more expensive when you are poor – like prices in the local shop, compared to a distant supermarket. This is how the ‘invisible hand’ works, it seems….
I also passed some blocks of flats clad in material which changes colour depending on where you stand to look at it. A photo wouldn’t have conveyed the way this shiny stuff inspired a childlike awe and wonder in me. I only hope it doesn’t burn.
For various reasons I’ve been wondering about the idea of ‘conflict of interests’. MPs have to declare any financial interests they have, so people know whether their view of an issue is biased. A name I remember from my childhood is Ernest Marples. I’m sure he was scrupulous in declaring his interests, but in what universe was it a good idea to put a man who made his money from roadbuilding in charge of the railways? And now we’re struggling to get enough railway capacity for our needs – all the more important as the realisation dawns that we can’t burn fossil fuels like there’s no tomorrow.
Sunday’s readings can be found at this link.
Jeremiah… It’s sometimes challenging to see the ups and downs of fortune as being in God’s hands, especially when they’re down. But here there’s the promise of something better. And the passage ends with this, which to me is beautiful, speaking of an end to the religious elite… “31:33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 31:34 No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, “Know the LORD,” for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.”
Psalm 121… take a look at this…
… it is on a stone on a hill overlooking the M62 as it snakes towards Lancashire.
Genesis and Luke… God in Jeremiah seems to have his ways and stick to them – although I guess the idea of ‘covenant’ itself is bipartisan. But in Genesis and Luke, in different ways, it seems to me we get pictures of God and people bargaining with each other – God, the Almighty, the Timeless, who also responds to us.
2 Timothy… Living in an era of fake news, I can’t dispute the truth of this… “4:3 For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, 4:4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths.”
We all love a lie, so long as it suits our prejudices. But this leaves us with the problem of discernment. What is sound doctrine? Do we accept the authority of the white men who lead most churches? Surely in many cases this is discredited, both because of maleness and whiteness (I am white and male BTW). Is the Bible self-explanatory? Not in my experience. I think my approach is to muddle through, use some enlightenment-style scepticism, learn from as many different people of different backgrounds as possible, use my vestigial commonsense, be ready at all times to be challenged by what I read in the Bible and in the signs of the times.