Mark
Synoptic
Gospel - not a biography
Preocuppied with Kingdom
Discipleship
The Son of God as flesh.
D E Nineham demonstrated that Jesus was in fact the eternal word of God become flesh"
The Son of God brings freedom
James D. G Dunn"A New Christian Perspective"Mark is where Jesus is seen as a teacher aim - to bring liberty
The Son of God brings New Life
Gerald O'Mahony : praying St Mark
The actual accounts of the resurrection are limited
"There are built into the text of the gospel dozens of indications that the gospel was written in the light of Jesus's resurrection."
Sunday 26 April 2009
Monday 20 April 2009
St Mary Abbots Sunday After Easter
St Mary Abbots
Romans 4.13-25
The putting of the resurrection firmly into context.
This is a chapter on the question - what is faith? and in which the power of the resurrection is celebrated.
Points about Paul here:
he has a deep knowledge of the life of the patriarchs
the nature of the promise is of land and of descendants
the nature of faith
faith in God as creator
faith in the promiseof hsi glory
this faith = "reckoned to him as righteousness"
where God wants us to be
Backdrop v25
"It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus Our Lord from the dead, who was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our justification."
God has made us a promise
Our faith is a response to God's righteousness
Our new life is rooted in God's purposes.
Romans 4.13-25
The putting of the resurrection firmly into context.
This is a chapter on the question - what is faith? and in which the power of the resurrection is celebrated.
Points about Paul here:
he has a deep knowledge of the life of the patriarchs
the nature of the promise is of land and of descendants
the nature of faith
faith in God as creator
faith in the promiseof hsi glory
this faith = "reckoned to him as righteousness"
where God wants us to be
Backdrop v25
"It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus Our Lord from the dead, who was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our justification."
God has made us a promise
Our faith is a response to God's righteousness
Our new life is rooted in God's purposes.
Saturday 18 April 2009
Thought for the Day R4 17th April
TFTD
18th April 2009
Rob Marshall
Good morning
Picking the music for your own funeral might not be at the top of your weekend list of priorities. But a survey of funeral directors this week showed that, apart from in Scotland, more people now choose pop songs than traditional hymns. Frank Sinatra’s My Way is, apparently, still the favourite.
It is an amazing privilege to officiate at a someone’s funeral. There are many that stick in my mind because of their originality – their sense of compassion, great humour, faith and thanksgiving. One thing is for sure – no two funerals are ever the same!
And that includes the music. In recent months I’ve officiated at funerals where You Raise Me Up, Unforgettable or Alleluia have been played alongside Abide With Me and The Lord's My Shepherd.
Rites of passage are changing with the times. Church remains a popular venue for Christian weddings and funerals. But the way we plan for such occasions and our expectations of them, obviously shifts with each generation.
Thomas Mann said that "A man's dying is more the survivors’ affair than his own", underlining the point that funerals are as much for those left behind as for the deceased. Indeed, the readings, hymns, poems, songs and tributes are comfort-offering human necessities, rooted in the psychological need for a moment of fond farewell, saying goodbye and closure.
But other things happen at faith funerals where ritual almost demands a parallel need for poignancy and reflection. I certainly find that people need this too.
In the Christian service, the acts of commendation and committal are very moving and certainly best left free only for the sound of silence and meditation. These glorious words are used: “The days of man are but as grass: he flourishes like the flower of the field and when the wind goes over it, it is gone; and it’s place will know it no more; but the merciful goodness of the Lord lasts forever”. The meaning of life in death and of what lies ahead becomes the focus. People find great comfort in this moment for faith.
Most funerals are a creative ritual combination. Of remembering, faith & celebration potently mixed with moving on and commendation. And this flexible blending of the formal with the informal allows the creation of deeply spiritual space, where there is plenty of room for tears and laughter. Dignity and thanksgiving can go hand in hand.
Modern rites of passage are immersed in our particular culture whilst always looking faithfully beyond it.
18th April 2009
Rob Marshall
Good morning
Picking the music for your own funeral might not be at the top of your weekend list of priorities. But a survey of funeral directors this week showed that, apart from in Scotland, more people now choose pop songs than traditional hymns. Frank Sinatra’s My Way is, apparently, still the favourite.
It is an amazing privilege to officiate at a someone’s funeral. There are many that stick in my mind because of their originality – their sense of compassion, great humour, faith and thanksgiving. One thing is for sure – no two funerals are ever the same!
And that includes the music. In recent months I’ve officiated at funerals where You Raise Me Up, Unforgettable or Alleluia have been played alongside Abide With Me and The Lord's My Shepherd.
Rites of passage are changing with the times. Church remains a popular venue for Christian weddings and funerals. But the way we plan for such occasions and our expectations of them, obviously shifts with each generation.
Thomas Mann said that "A man's dying is more the survivors’ affair than his own", underlining the point that funerals are as much for those left behind as for the deceased. Indeed, the readings, hymns, poems, songs and tributes are comfort-offering human necessities, rooted in the psychological need for a moment of fond farewell, saying goodbye and closure.
But other things happen at faith funerals where ritual almost demands a parallel need for poignancy and reflection. I certainly find that people need this too.
In the Christian service, the acts of commendation and committal are very moving and certainly best left free only for the sound of silence and meditation. These glorious words are used: “The days of man are but as grass: he flourishes like the flower of the field and when the wind goes over it, it is gone; and it’s place will know it no more; but the merciful goodness of the Lord lasts forever”. The meaning of life in death and of what lies ahead becomes the focus. People find great comfort in this moment for faith.
Most funerals are a creative ritual combination. Of remembering, faith & celebration potently mixed with moving on and commendation. And this flexible blending of the formal with the informal allows the creation of deeply spiritual space, where there is plenty of room for tears and laughter. Dignity and thanksgiving can go hand in hand.
Modern rites of passage are immersed in our particular culture whilst always looking faithfully beyond it.
Post Easter Reflections
Gregory of Nyssa
Gregory of Nyssa (c 335 – after 394) was a Christian bishop and saint. He was a younger brother of Basil the Great and a good friend of Gregory Nazianzus. His significance has long been recognized in the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Roman Catholic branches of Christianity. Some historians identify Theosebia the deaconess as his wife, others hold that she, like Macrina the Younger, was also a sister of Gregory and Basil. Gregory along with his brother Basil of Caesarea and Gregory of Nazianzus are known as the Cappadocian Fathers. They attempted to establish Christian philosophy as superior to Greek philosophy.
“Paul (in I Corinthians 15) shows that the person not believing in the resurrection of the dead does not admit of Christ's Resurrection. Through the web of mutual connections there comes the inevitable conclusion -"If there is no resurrection of the dead, neither has Christ risen. If Christ has not risen, our faith in him is vain" [1 Cor 15.16]. If the proposition is true, namely that Christ is risen from the dead, then it is necessarily true that this connection spoken of is true, that there is a resurrection of the dead. For by a particular demonstration the universal is presented at the same time. On the contrary, if anyone says the universal is false, that is, the resurrection of the dead, neither is the truth found in an individual example, that is, Christ's Resurrection from the dead.
Paul therefore compels the Corinthians by syllogisms to accept his teaching on the Resurrection. From it he claims that if the Resurrection does not exist, its universal confirmation is concluded. For with a specific proof the general principle is also revealed. And, on the contrary, if anyone were to say that the general principle is false (that there is a resurrection of the dead), then neither would the specific be found true (that Christ was raised from the dead). Paul adds to this fact that as all have died in Adam, all will be restored to life in Christ. Clearly does Paul here reveal the mystery of the Resurrection. Anyone who looks at what results from the Resurrection readily sees its consequence, that is, the goal for which all men hope and for which they direct their prayers”.
Gregory of Nyssa (c 335 – after 394) was a Christian bishop and saint. He was a younger brother of Basil the Great and a good friend of Gregory Nazianzus. His significance has long been recognized in the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Roman Catholic branches of Christianity. Some historians identify Theosebia the deaconess as his wife, others hold that she, like Macrina the Younger, was also a sister of Gregory and Basil. Gregory along with his brother Basil of Caesarea and Gregory of Nazianzus are known as the Cappadocian Fathers. They attempted to establish Christian philosophy as superior to Greek philosophy.
“Paul (in I Corinthians 15) shows that the person not believing in the resurrection of the dead does not admit of Christ's Resurrection. Through the web of mutual connections there comes the inevitable conclusion -"If there is no resurrection of the dead, neither has Christ risen. If Christ has not risen, our faith in him is vain" [1 Cor 15.16]. If the proposition is true, namely that Christ is risen from the dead, then it is necessarily true that this connection spoken of is true, that there is a resurrection of the dead. For by a particular demonstration the universal is presented at the same time. On the contrary, if anyone says the universal is false, that is, the resurrection of the dead, neither is the truth found in an individual example, that is, Christ's Resurrection from the dead.
Paul therefore compels the Corinthians by syllogisms to accept his teaching on the Resurrection. From it he claims that if the Resurrection does not exist, its universal confirmation is concluded. For with a specific proof the general principle is also revealed. And, on the contrary, if anyone were to say that the general principle is false (that there is a resurrection of the dead), then neither would the specific be found true (that Christ was raised from the dead). Paul adds to this fact that as all have died in Adam, all will be restored to life in Christ. Clearly does Paul here reveal the mystery of the Resurrection. Anyone who looks at what results from the Resurrection readily sees its consequence, that is, the goal for which all men hope and for which they direct their prayers”.
Post Easter Reflections
St John Chrysostom
Saint John Chrysostom (c. 347–407, Greek: Ιωάννης ο Χρυσόστομος), archbishop of Constantinople, was an important Early Church Father. He is known for his eloquence in preaching and public speaking, his denunciation of abuse of authority by both ecclesiastical and political leaders, the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, and his ascetic sensibilities. After his death (or, according to some sources, during his life) he was given the Greek surname chrysostomos, meaning "golden mouthed", rendered in English as Chrysostom.
“For St Paul is always establishing the credibility of the Resurrection from Christ, and especially now. For if our body be a member of Christ, and Christ be risen, the body also shall surely follow the Head.
“Through his power.” For since he had asserted a thing disbelieved and not to be apprehended by reasonings, he hath left entirely to His incomprehensible power the circumstances of Christ’s own Resurrection, producing this too as no small demonstration against them. And concerning the Resurrection of Christ he did not insert this: for he did not say, “And God shall also raise up the Lord;”—for the thing was past and gone;—but how? “And God both raised up the Lord;” nor was there need of any proof. But concerning our resurrection, since it has not yet come to pass, he spoke not thus, but how? “And will raise up us also through His power:” by the reliance to be placed on the power of the Worker, he stops the mouths of the gainsayers.
Further: if he ascribe unto the Father the Resurrection of Christ, let not this at all disturb thee. For not as though Christ were powerless, hath he put this down, for He it is Himself who saith, (S. John ii. 19.) “Destroy this Temple, and in three days I will raise it up:” and again, (S. John x. 18.) “I have power to lay down My life, and I have power to take it again.” And Luke also in the Acts says, (c. i. 3.) “To whom also He shewed Himself alive.” Wherefore then does Paul so speak? Because both the acts of the Son are imputed unto the Father, and the Father’s unto the Son. For He saith, (S. John v. 19.) “Whatsoever things He doeth, these the Son also doeth in like manner.”
And very opportunely he here made mention of the Resurrection, keeping down by those hopes the tyranny of gluttonous desire; and all but saying, Thou hast eaten, hast drunk to excess: and what is the result? Nothing, save only destruction. Thou hast been conjoined unto Christ; and what is the result? A great and marvellous thing: the future Resurrection, that glorious one, and transcending all utterance!”
Saint John Chrysostom (c. 347–407, Greek: Ιωάννης ο Χρυσόστομος), archbishop of Constantinople, was an important Early Church Father. He is known for his eloquence in preaching and public speaking, his denunciation of abuse of authority by both ecclesiastical and political leaders, the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, and his ascetic sensibilities. After his death (or, according to some sources, during his life) he was given the Greek surname chrysostomos, meaning "golden mouthed", rendered in English as Chrysostom.
“For St Paul is always establishing the credibility of the Resurrection from Christ, and especially now. For if our body be a member of Christ, and Christ be risen, the body also shall surely follow the Head.
“Through his power.” For since he had asserted a thing disbelieved and not to be apprehended by reasonings, he hath left entirely to His incomprehensible power the circumstances of Christ’s own Resurrection, producing this too as no small demonstration against them. And concerning the Resurrection of Christ he did not insert this: for he did not say, “And God shall also raise up the Lord;”—for the thing was past and gone;—but how? “And God both raised up the Lord;” nor was there need of any proof. But concerning our resurrection, since it has not yet come to pass, he spoke not thus, but how? “And will raise up us also through His power:” by the reliance to be placed on the power of the Worker, he stops the mouths of the gainsayers.
Further: if he ascribe unto the Father the Resurrection of Christ, let not this at all disturb thee. For not as though Christ were powerless, hath he put this down, for He it is Himself who saith, (S. John ii. 19.) “Destroy this Temple, and in three days I will raise it up:” and again, (S. John x. 18.) “I have power to lay down My life, and I have power to take it again.” And Luke also in the Acts says, (c. i. 3.) “To whom also He shewed Himself alive.” Wherefore then does Paul so speak? Because both the acts of the Son are imputed unto the Father, and the Father’s unto the Son. For He saith, (S. John v. 19.) “Whatsoever things He doeth, these the Son also doeth in like manner.”
And very opportunely he here made mention of the Resurrection, keeping down by those hopes the tyranny of gluttonous desire; and all but saying, Thou hast eaten, hast drunk to excess: and what is the result? Nothing, save only destruction. Thou hast been conjoined unto Christ; and what is the result? A great and marvellous thing: the future Resurrection, that glorious one, and transcending all utterance!”
Post Easter Reflections
Gregory of Nyssa
Gregory of Nyssa (c 335 – after 394) was a Christian bishop and saint. He was a younger brother of Basil the Great and a good friend of Gregory Nazianzus. His significance has long been recognized in the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Roman Catholic branches of Christianity. Some historians identify Theosebia the deaconess as his wife, others hold that she, like Macrina the Younger, was also a sister of Gregory and Basil. Gregory along with his brother Basil of Caesarea and Gregory of Nazianzus are known as the Cappadocian Fathers. They attempted to establish Christian philosophy as superior to Greek philosophy.
“Paul (in I Corinthians 15) shows that the person not believing in the resurrection of the dead does not admit of Christ's Resurrection. Through the web of mutual connections there comes the inevitable conclusion -"If there is no resurrection of the dead, neither has Christ risen. If Christ has not risen, our faith in him is vain" [1 Cor 15.16]. If the proposition is true, namely that Christ is risen from the dead, then it is necessarily true that this connection spoken of is true, that there is a resurrection of the dead. For by a particular demonstration the universal is presented at the same time. On the contrary, if anyone says the universal is false, that is, the resurrection of the dead, neither is the truth found in an individual example, that is, Christ's Resurrection from the dead.
Paul therefore compels the Corinthians by syllogisms to accept his teaching on the Resurrection. From it he claims that if the Resurrection does not exist, its universal confirmation is concluded. For with a specific proof the general principle is also revealed. And, on the contrary, if anyone were to say that the general principle is false (that there is a resurrection of the dead), then neither would the specific be found true (that Christ was raised from the dead). Paul adds to this fact that as all have died in Adam, all will be restored to life in Christ. Clearly does Paul here reveal the mystery of the Resurrection. Anyone who looks at what results from the Resurrection readily sees its consequence, that is, the goal for which all men hope and for which they direct their prayers”.
Gregory of Nyssa (c 335 – after 394) was a Christian bishop and saint. He was a younger brother of Basil the Great and a good friend of Gregory Nazianzus. His significance has long been recognized in the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Roman Catholic branches of Christianity. Some historians identify Theosebia the deaconess as his wife, others hold that she, like Macrina the Younger, was also a sister of Gregory and Basil. Gregory along with his brother Basil of Caesarea and Gregory of Nazianzus are known as the Cappadocian Fathers. They attempted to establish Christian philosophy as superior to Greek philosophy.
“Paul (in I Corinthians 15) shows that the person not believing in the resurrection of the dead does not admit of Christ's Resurrection. Through the web of mutual connections there comes the inevitable conclusion -"If there is no resurrection of the dead, neither has Christ risen. If Christ has not risen, our faith in him is vain" [1 Cor 15.16]. If the proposition is true, namely that Christ is risen from the dead, then it is necessarily true that this connection spoken of is true, that there is a resurrection of the dead. For by a particular demonstration the universal is presented at the same time. On the contrary, if anyone says the universal is false, that is, the resurrection of the dead, neither is the truth found in an individual example, that is, Christ's Resurrection from the dead.
Paul therefore compels the Corinthians by syllogisms to accept his teaching on the Resurrection. From it he claims that if the Resurrection does not exist, its universal confirmation is concluded. For with a specific proof the general principle is also revealed. And, on the contrary, if anyone were to say that the general principle is false (that there is a resurrection of the dead), then neither would the specific be found true (that Christ was raised from the dead). Paul adds to this fact that as all have died in Adam, all will be restored to life in Christ. Clearly does Paul here reveal the mystery of the Resurrection. Anyone who looks at what results from the Resurrection readily sees its consequence, that is, the goal for which all men hope and for which they direct their prayers”.
Monday 13 April 2009
Post Easter Fathers' reflections
Origen- Commentary of John
Origen assumed the leadership of Alexandria's Catechetical School at the age of only eighteen, after an outbreak of persecution under the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus (146-211) in 203 forced the previous incumbent, Clement, to flee. He was undoubtedly one of the most brilliant of the church fathers and the most prolific of the Christian writers of his time and his six-column arrangement of the Hebrew Old Testament text (known as the Hexapla)[2] was not surpassed for over a thousand years.
Now what the Gospels say is to be regarded in the light of promises of good things; and we must say that the good things the Apostles announce in this Gospel are simply Jesus. one good thing which they are said to announce is the resurrection; but the resurrection is in a manner Jesus, for Jesus says: "I am the resurrection." Jesus preaches to the poor those things which are laid up for the saints, calling them to the divine promises. And the holy Scriptures bear witness to the Gospel announcements made by the Apostles and to that made by our Saviour. David says of the Apostles, perhaps also of the evangelists: "The Lord shall give the word to those that preach with great power; the King of the powers of the beloved;" teaching at the same time that it is not skilfully composed discourse, nor the mode of delivery, nor well practised eloquence that produces conviction, but the communication of divine power.
Hence also Paul says: "I will know not the word that is puffed up, but the power; for the kingdom of God is not in word but in power." And in another passage: "And my word and my preaching were not persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit and of power." To this power Simon and Cleophas bear witness when they say: "Was not our heart burning within us by the way, as he opened to us the Scriptures?" And the Apostles, since the quantity of the power is great which God supplies to the speakers, had great power, according to the word of David: "The Lord will give the word to the preachers with great power." Isaiah too says: "How beautiful are the feet of them that proclaim good tidings;" he sees how beautiful and how opportune was the announcement of the Apostles who walked in Him who said, "I am the way," and praises the feet of those who walk in the intellectual way of Christ Jesus, and through that door go in to God. They announce good tidings, those whose feet are beautiful, namely, Jesus.
Origen assumed the leadership of Alexandria's Catechetical School at the age of only eighteen, after an outbreak of persecution under the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus (146-211) in 203 forced the previous incumbent, Clement, to flee. He was undoubtedly one of the most brilliant of the church fathers and the most prolific of the Christian writers of his time and his six-column arrangement of the Hebrew Old Testament text (known as the Hexapla)[2] was not surpassed for over a thousand years.
Now what the Gospels say is to be regarded in the light of promises of good things; and we must say that the good things the Apostles announce in this Gospel are simply Jesus. one good thing which they are said to announce is the resurrection; but the resurrection is in a manner Jesus, for Jesus says: "I am the resurrection." Jesus preaches to the poor those things which are laid up for the saints, calling them to the divine promises. And the holy Scriptures bear witness to the Gospel announcements made by the Apostles and to that made by our Saviour. David says of the Apostles, perhaps also of the evangelists: "The Lord shall give the word to those that preach with great power; the King of the powers of the beloved;" teaching at the same time that it is not skilfully composed discourse, nor the mode of delivery, nor well practised eloquence that produces conviction, but the communication of divine power.
Hence also Paul says: "I will know not the word that is puffed up, but the power; for the kingdom of God is not in word but in power." And in another passage: "And my word and my preaching were not persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit and of power." To this power Simon and Cleophas bear witness when they say: "Was not our heart burning within us by the way, as he opened to us the Scriptures?" And the Apostles, since the quantity of the power is great which God supplies to the speakers, had great power, according to the word of David: "The Lord will give the word to the preachers with great power." Isaiah too says: "How beautiful are the feet of them that proclaim good tidings;" he sees how beautiful and how opportune was the announcement of the Apostles who walked in Him who said, "I am the way," and praises the feet of those who walk in the intellectual way of Christ Jesus, and through that door go in to God. They announce good tidings, those whose feet are beautiful, namely, Jesus.
Saturday 11 April 2009
Holy Saturday BBC Radio 4 Thought for the Day
Holy Saturday
TFTD
Rob Marshall
Good morning.
One of my most vivid memories of student days in Durham is a series of breakfast conversations I had with Archbishop Michael Ramsey – the 100th Archbishop of Canterbury. Bishop Michael loved the company of university students. He said that we kept his mind alive. And on one Holy Saturday, which is today in the Christian calendar, I remember he and I had a heated debate about how to communicate the reality of the resurrection to an increasingly doubtful generation.
The resurrection is the bringing together of everything anticipated of the Messiah. It is the turning point, the difference. Here is the specific moment when an answer to a centuries-old question about the meaning of life is offered – as St Paul says, once for all. Ramsey insisted that the events of Good Friday only made sense to Jesus' disciples after the resurrection had happened.
The key to grasping this reality is, of course, faith; faith that there is a God and that Easter marks the moment of true resurrection.
That death, rather than being the end of the story of the mystery of creation, is but the beginning.
The ability, or not, to grasp such faith remains the crux - the heart of the matter. As Alan Richardson wrote: “Christian theology has never suggested that the ‘fact’ of Christ’s resurrection could be known apart from faith.” The question for many is how to get hold of such a faith.
It’s a question which I frequently get asked on the tube when wearing my clerical collar. Is there really life after death? It is a question I can understand people asking as the funeral bells tolled this week in hill towns across central Italy. It’s a question I certainly asked again myself on Tuesday as I drove through Doncaster shortly after two young boys were charged with the attempted murder of another two boys; and also after a deeply lovely conversation with a teacher friend of mine in a hospice on Wednesday when we discussed the reality of suffering and the promise of glory. The question of faith is a constant refrain in many people’s lives.
Life is not without doubt. It comes to all of us at times. Life is a profound and fascinating journey offering many insights along the way and it certainly isn’t easy. But for the Christian, waiting today for the new light of Easter at dawn tomorrow, there is real expectation and real hope in the air.
A firm belief in the resurrection is often the culmination of a lifetime of serious and challenging episodes, pointing to a faith which transfigures, changes beyond recognition, all that fear.
A very happy Easter to you all.
TFTD
Rob Marshall
Good morning.
One of my most vivid memories of student days in Durham is a series of breakfast conversations I had with Archbishop Michael Ramsey – the 100th Archbishop of Canterbury. Bishop Michael loved the company of university students. He said that we kept his mind alive. And on one Holy Saturday, which is today in the Christian calendar, I remember he and I had a heated debate about how to communicate the reality of the resurrection to an increasingly doubtful generation.
The resurrection is the bringing together of everything anticipated of the Messiah. It is the turning point, the difference. Here is the specific moment when an answer to a centuries-old question about the meaning of life is offered – as St Paul says, once for all. Ramsey insisted that the events of Good Friday only made sense to Jesus' disciples after the resurrection had happened.
The key to grasping this reality is, of course, faith; faith that there is a God and that Easter marks the moment of true resurrection.
That death, rather than being the end of the story of the mystery of creation, is but the beginning.
The ability, or not, to grasp such faith remains the crux - the heart of the matter. As Alan Richardson wrote: “Christian theology has never suggested that the ‘fact’ of Christ’s resurrection could be known apart from faith.” The question for many is how to get hold of such a faith.
It’s a question which I frequently get asked on the tube when wearing my clerical collar. Is there really life after death? It is a question I can understand people asking as the funeral bells tolled this week in hill towns across central Italy. It’s a question I certainly asked again myself on Tuesday as I drove through Doncaster shortly after two young boys were charged with the attempted murder of another two boys; and also after a deeply lovely conversation with a teacher friend of mine in a hospice on Wednesday when we discussed the reality of suffering and the promise of glory. The question of faith is a constant refrain in many people’s lives.
Life is not without doubt. It comes to all of us at times. Life is a profound and fascinating journey offering many insights along the way and it certainly isn’t easy. But for the Christian, waiting today for the new light of Easter at dawn tomorrow, there is real expectation and real hope in the air.
A firm belief in the resurrection is often the culmination of a lifetime of serious and challenging episodes, pointing to a faith which transfigures, changes beyond recognition, all that fear.
A very happy Easter to you all.
Wednesday 8 April 2009
Thought for the Day 4th April
TFTD
4th April 2009
Rob Marshall
Good morning.
It’s the Grand National this afternoon. What better way to cast aside all thoughts of diplomacy and summits than to sit back and enjoy this truly amazing spectacle of showmanship and drama.
The day, of course, will not be without controversy. There have already been fatalities amongst the horses at the Aintree Meeting. There are massive concerns in Britain about the level of gambling. Then there’s the size of the fences, the use of the whip and the never ending debate about whether hard bred racehorses actually enjoy hurtling over Beeches Brook.
But, and it might well be simply because we all need distractions from the more serious issues of life, we all love a spectacle, millions of people across the world will tune in and, t’was ever thus.
In Greek and Roman civilisations, similar races took place, though with chariots. Indeed, the earliest account of a horse & chariot race occurs in Homer’s description of the funeral of Patroclus. The crowd were captivated and enthralled. It was about the noise, the battle, the form book being turned upside down - the victor and the vanquished. Such titanic battles have always been the stuff of legend - heroes are made and expectations raised.
I believe any kind of race really needs to be competitive in nature. How ridiculous it is to suggest, as some have, that you can have a race without feeling the need to win.
But even whilst enjoying the spectacle and admitting that winning is always, well better than losing, there remains the basic point – and this is also a simple spiritual allegory of life itself – that it is the taking part and the sharing in the spectacle where most lasting satisfaction is gained.
There is an undercurrent in the Bible, particularly the Old Testament Psalms and the New Testament Epistles, where human life is described as a race (against time) with hurdles to overcome.
And winning or losing – affects us for a short while but we quickly move on - even if we lose this particular heat - we easily regroup for the next. There’s a constant desire to try again.
Each day, each job, each cadence of life is a similar challenge. The race towards the winning post goes on through life.
That’s probably why, despite some genuine concerns, we enjoy the spectacle of the Grand National. As Pierre de Coubertin, said: "The important thing in life is not the victory but the contest; the essential thing is not to have won but to have fought (or to have run) well."
4th April 2009
Rob Marshall
Good morning.
It’s the Grand National this afternoon. What better way to cast aside all thoughts of diplomacy and summits than to sit back and enjoy this truly amazing spectacle of showmanship and drama.
The day, of course, will not be without controversy. There have already been fatalities amongst the horses at the Aintree Meeting. There are massive concerns in Britain about the level of gambling. Then there’s the size of the fences, the use of the whip and the never ending debate about whether hard bred racehorses actually enjoy hurtling over Beeches Brook.
But, and it might well be simply because we all need distractions from the more serious issues of life, we all love a spectacle, millions of people across the world will tune in and, t’was ever thus.
In Greek and Roman civilisations, similar races took place, though with chariots. Indeed, the earliest account of a horse & chariot race occurs in Homer’s description of the funeral of Patroclus. The crowd were captivated and enthralled. It was about the noise, the battle, the form book being turned upside down - the victor and the vanquished. Such titanic battles have always been the stuff of legend - heroes are made and expectations raised.
I believe any kind of race really needs to be competitive in nature. How ridiculous it is to suggest, as some have, that you can have a race without feeling the need to win.
But even whilst enjoying the spectacle and admitting that winning is always, well better than losing, there remains the basic point – and this is also a simple spiritual allegory of life itself – that it is the taking part and the sharing in the spectacle where most lasting satisfaction is gained.
There is an undercurrent in the Bible, particularly the Old Testament Psalms and the New Testament Epistles, where human life is described as a race (against time) with hurdles to overcome.
And winning or losing – affects us for a short while but we quickly move on - even if we lose this particular heat - we easily regroup for the next. There’s a constant desire to try again.
Each day, each job, each cadence of life is a similar challenge. The race towards the winning post goes on through life.
That’s probably why, despite some genuine concerns, we enjoy the spectacle of the Grand National. As Pierre de Coubertin, said: "The important thing in life is not the victory but the contest; the essential thing is not to have won but to have fought (or to have run) well."
Friday 3 April 2009
The Prime Minister at St Paul's
I was invited to look after the media at St Paul's cathedral today for a visit prior to the G20 summit.
Here is my report:
Prime Minister Gordon Brown today conceded that the unsupervised globalisation of the financial markets crossed moral as well as national boundaries. Speaking at St Paul’s Cathedral for a pre-G20 debate organised by the St Paul’s Institute, Mr. Brown insisted that “we must (now) reshape our global economic system so that it represents the values we celebrate in our everyday lives.” The debate was chaired by the Bishop of London, Richard Chartres. The Prime Minister was joined on the platform by the Prime Minister of Australia Kevin Rudd. Entitled My Word is my bond? Rebuilding Trust – the G20 and beyond the dialogue offered some clear theological reflection on the current global economic crisis. Members of the public were invited to attend the debate and over 2000 people filled St Paul’s Cathedral. Representatives from many City institutions, charities, universities, colleges and schools were joined by clergy and members of the public. Questions from the audience were put to the panel.
This event was the first in the St Paul's Institute 2009 major programme, Money, Integrity and Wellbeing, which will continue in the autumn with further public debates, services and study days. The British Prime Minister identified four global challenges affecting this generation: “financial instability in a world of global capital flows, environmental degradation in a world of changing energy need, violent extremism in a world of mass communications and increased mobility, and extreme poverty in a world of growing inequalities.” Mr. Brown said that any response could take advantage of shared values and morals: “Now that people can communicate instantaneously across borders, cultures and faiths, I believe we can be confident that across the world we are discovering that there is a shared moral sense. It is a sense strong enough to ensure a constant replenishment of that well of values on which we depend and which must infuse our shared rules.” He called for a change in attitudes and approach: “The certainty is that there is always an alternative to fear of the future; and what conquers fear of the future is faith in the future. On the question of the future of Banking, Mr. Brown said that bankers should act as ethically at work as they do at home: “In our families, we raise our children to work hard and to do their best. We don’t reward them for taking risks that would put them or others in danger. We don’t encourage them to seek short-term gratification at the expense of long-term value.” The Prime Minister of Australia Kevin Rudd said that sometime last September “something cracked” and the reverberations of that economic collapse continue today. The consequences had been palpable and painful in virtually every country in the world. The effects were simultaneously local and global. “The challenge for all governments is to rebuild an economic system in which all can have trust. It means understanding what has gone wrong as well as reaffirming what is still good about our systems. In other words, getting the balance right. “The time has come to restore the balance,” Mr. Rudd told his audience. “There is nothing ennobling about poverty.” Mr. Rudd said that governments had to be active and that it was time for governments to balance individual humanity and the common good. This he said would assist in the “building up of economic trust”. Questions from the audience were then put to the two Prime Ministers and Bishop Chartres chaired the session. Government help to charities, putting money into the banking system, climate change and how to build a moral consensus were amongst the questions put to the panel.Others included the role of children and schools and combating poverty within the global meltdown. A collection was taken at the event for the microfinance charity Five Talents, which provides small loans and business training for the active poor in 10 developing countries. --ends— For more information please contact Hannah Talbot, Press & Communications Officer, St Paul’s Cathedral on 0207 246 8321 or email hannah@stpaulscathedral.org.uk Notes to editors: St Paul’s InstituteSt Paul’s institute is the Cathedral’s forum for contemporary ethics and recaptures the cathedral’s ancient role as a centre of education and public debate. This event is the first in the St Paul’s Institute 2009 major programme, Money, Integrity and Wellbeing, which will continue in the autumn with further public debates, services and study days.Confirmed future speakers include Baroness Julia Neuberger, Vince Cable MP, Secretary of State Douglas Alexander MP, Lord Griffiths and Canon Nicholas Sagovsky. St Paul’s Cathedral St Paul’s is the cathedral church of the diocese of London, which it has served for over 1,400 years. The current building has become a potent symbol of the life of a nation and is also one of the world’s most beautiful buildings. Designed by Sir Christopher Wren in the late seventeenth century, its stones have absorbed the hopes, fears, sorrows and joys of generations and stand as an enduring symbol of our communion with those gone before and those still to come. Each year nearly two million people flock to the Cathedral for services, concerts, debates, educational events, performing arts and sightseeing. All are most welcome. ------------------------------------------------------------------------St Paul's Cathedral. NOTICE & DISCLAIMERThis email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error please return it to the sender, delete the email and destroy any copies of it. The information contained in this email are the views of the author and may not necessarily reflect those of the St Paul's Cathedral.------------------------------------------------------------------------ Reply Forward
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Here is my report:
Prime Minister Gordon Brown today conceded that the unsupervised globalisation of the financial markets crossed moral as well as national boundaries. Speaking at St Paul’s Cathedral for a pre-G20 debate organised by the St Paul’s Institute, Mr. Brown insisted that “we must (now) reshape our global economic system so that it represents the values we celebrate in our everyday lives.” The debate was chaired by the Bishop of London, Richard Chartres. The Prime Minister was joined on the platform by the Prime Minister of Australia Kevin Rudd. Entitled My Word is my bond? Rebuilding Trust – the G20 and beyond the dialogue offered some clear theological reflection on the current global economic crisis. Members of the public were invited to attend the debate and over 2000 people filled St Paul’s Cathedral. Representatives from many City institutions, charities, universities, colleges and schools were joined by clergy and members of the public. Questions from the audience were put to the panel.
This event was the first in the St Paul's Institute 2009 major programme, Money, Integrity and Wellbeing, which will continue in the autumn with further public debates, services and study days. The British Prime Minister identified four global challenges affecting this generation: “financial instability in a world of global capital flows, environmental degradation in a world of changing energy need, violent extremism in a world of mass communications and increased mobility, and extreme poverty in a world of growing inequalities.” Mr. Brown said that any response could take advantage of shared values and morals: “Now that people can communicate instantaneously across borders, cultures and faiths, I believe we can be confident that across the world we are discovering that there is a shared moral sense. It is a sense strong enough to ensure a constant replenishment of that well of values on which we depend and which must infuse our shared rules.” He called for a change in attitudes and approach: “The certainty is that there is always an alternative to fear of the future; and what conquers fear of the future is faith in the future. On the question of the future of Banking, Mr. Brown said that bankers should act as ethically at work as they do at home: “In our families, we raise our children to work hard and to do their best. We don’t reward them for taking risks that would put them or others in danger. We don’t encourage them to seek short-term gratification at the expense of long-term value.” The Prime Minister of Australia Kevin Rudd said that sometime last September “something cracked” and the reverberations of that economic collapse continue today. The consequences had been palpable and painful in virtually every country in the world. The effects were simultaneously local and global. “The challenge for all governments is to rebuild an economic system in which all can have trust. It means understanding what has gone wrong as well as reaffirming what is still good about our systems. In other words, getting the balance right. “The time has come to restore the balance,” Mr. Rudd told his audience. “There is nothing ennobling about poverty.” Mr. Rudd said that governments had to be active and that it was time for governments to balance individual humanity and the common good. This he said would assist in the “building up of economic trust”. Questions from the audience were then put to the two Prime Ministers and Bishop Chartres chaired the session. Government help to charities, putting money into the banking system, climate change and how to build a moral consensus were amongst the questions put to the panel.Others included the role of children and schools and combating poverty within the global meltdown. A collection was taken at the event for the microfinance charity Five Talents, which provides small loans and business training for the active poor in 10 developing countries. --ends— For more information please contact Hannah Talbot, Press & Communications Officer, St Paul’s Cathedral on 0207 246 8321 or email hannah@stpaulscathedral.org.uk Notes to editors: St Paul’s InstituteSt Paul’s institute is the Cathedral’s forum for contemporary ethics and recaptures the cathedral’s ancient role as a centre of education and public debate. This event is the first in the St Paul’s Institute 2009 major programme, Money, Integrity and Wellbeing, which will continue in the autumn with further public debates, services and study days.Confirmed future speakers include Baroness Julia Neuberger, Vince Cable MP, Secretary of State Douglas Alexander MP, Lord Griffiths and Canon Nicholas Sagovsky. St Paul’s Cathedral St Paul’s is the cathedral church of the diocese of London, which it has served for over 1,400 years. The current building has become a potent symbol of the life of a nation and is also one of the world’s most beautiful buildings. Designed by Sir Christopher Wren in the late seventeenth century, its stones have absorbed the hopes, fears, sorrows and joys of generations and stand as an enduring symbol of our communion with those gone before and those still to come. Each year nearly two million people flock to the Cathedral for services, concerts, debates, educational events, performing arts and sightseeing. All are most welcome. ------------------------------------------------------------------------St Paul's Cathedral. NOTICE & DISCLAIMERThis email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error please return it to the sender, delete the email and destroy any copies of it. The information contained in this email are the views of the author and may not necessarily reflect those of the St Paul's Cathedral.------------------------------------------------------------------------ Reply Forward
New window Print allSponsored LinksStreet View UFO'sUFO's spotted in East London See baffling images herewww.TheSun.co.uk/NewsCanterbury Hotels OnlineBlazing Donkey @ Sandwich & The Dog Inn @ Winghamwww.blazingdonkey.co.ukGalvanised Pallet RackingHeld in Stock in East Yorkshire Nationwide sales team & fast quoteswww.filplastic.co.ukHotel Saint Paul, ParisSpecial offer from 130 euros 3 stars, 31 rooms, Left Bankwww.cybevasion.comHull PlumberHull and surrounding area, free quotes, will beat any genuine quotewww.mr-pipes.co.ukObamas present OK?Yes or No?Tell us your view!rm.springboarduk.comHoohaa - Creative DesignCreative Graphic Design / Print / Branding / Art / 3D /www.hoohaadesign.co.ukChic, Stylish and UniqueScarborough's finest luxury hotel. Perfect for your dream weddingwww.oxpasturehall.comMore about...Joiners in Hull »
Gordon Brown Global »
London Summit »
Credit Crisis »About these links« Back to Inbox Archive Report spam Delete Move to Labels More actions ‹ Newer 3 of 7 Older ›Import contacts from Yahoo, Outlook and others into your Google Mail contact list. Learn moreYou are currently using 442MB (6%) of your 7311MB.Last account activity: 24 minutes ago on this computer. DetailsGoogle Mail view: standard turn off chat basic HTML Learn more©2009 Google - Terms - Privacy Policy - Google Home
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