Thought for the Day 4th June Thank you Ma’amJune 2nd, was the 67th anniversary of the Coronation. Queen Elizabeth II deep, abiding faith in Christianity isn’t a secret.She grew up Anglican, being part of the most famous Church of England family in the world. Upon inheriting the throne from her father, she also inherited his title as Defender of the Faith, a role every monarch has held since Henry VIII broke with the Catholic Church. When she was crowned in Westminster Abbey on a rather wet and soggy day in June 1953, she took an oath to God to become his servant. After making numerous promises during the Coronation ceremony, she said:“The things which I have here before promised, I will perform and keep. So help me God.”And my goodness, has she done it?This great lady, to whom this country owes so much, has been an inspiration to me, particularly when the going has been a bit tough. For instance, she once said about what sustains her in difficult times:“To many of us our beliefs are of fundamental importance. For me the teachings of Christ and my own personal accountability before God provide a framework in which I try to lead my life. I, like so many of you, have drawn great comfort in difficult times from Christ's words and example.”The Queen’s Christmas broadcasts are mainly written by her personally, and in many of them there is an underlying Christian message – here are just a few:“I know just how much I rely on my faith to guide me through the good times and the bad. Each day is a new beginning. I know that the only way to live my life is to try to do what is right, to take the long view, to give of my best in all that the day brings, and to put my trust in God…I draw strength from the message of hope in the Christian Gospel.”“For me, the life of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, whose birth we celebrate today, is an inspiration and an anchor in my life. A role-model of reconciliation and forgiveness, he stretched out his hands in love, acceptance and healing. Christ’s example has taught me to seek to respect and value all people of whatever faith or none.”“Although we are capable of great acts of kindness, history teaches us that we sometimes need saving from ourselves – from our recklessness or our greed. God sent into the world a unique person – neither a philosopher nor a general (important though they are) – but a Saviour, with the power to forgive.”“Billions of people now follow Christ’s teaching and find in him the guiding light for their lives. I am one of them because Christ’s example helps me see the value of doing small things with great love, whoever does them and whatever they themselves believe.”How can one fail to be inspired by such words, especially during periods in our lives such as we are experiencing at the moment. So I conclude this little tribute to our Sovereign Lady with a prayer said during her Coronation service 67 years ago:O God,who providest for thy people by thy power,and rulest over them in love:Grant unto this thy servant ELIZABETH, our Queen,the Spirit of wisdom and government,that being devoted unto thee with her whole heart,she may so wisely govern,that in her time thy Church may be in safety,and Christian devotion may continue in peace;that so persevering in good works unto the end,she may by thy mercy come to thine everlasting kingdom;through Jesus Christ, thy Son, our Lord,who liveth and reigneth with theein the unity of the Holy Ghost,one God for ever and ever. Amen.Carol Hope.
STATIONS OF THE RESURRECTIONJesus Appears To SaulActs of the Apostles Ch. 9 vs 1-18Today we travel our final journey of our Stations of the Resurrection, a journey where we have seen how the resurrection affected and changed the disciples, and consequentially the world. Finally we come to see the conversion of St. Paul, a man who had not met Jesus in the flesh, but who met him so powerfully in the Spirit, that the early Church was empowered by his missionary zeal, and we continue to be inspired by his writings to this day.Have you ever completely changed your mind about someone? Sometimes we hear stories about people falling in love with a person who they initially disliked, sometimes they are true stories and sometimes they are the mainstay of Mills and Boon fiction writers. We all like a happy outcome from a fractious relationship, but it usually seems much easier for others than ourselves. When Saul literally saw the light (of Christ) on his journey to Damascus, he changed completely and he was certainly “born again”. It is a story that is stranger than fiction.When thinking about Saul we have to remember where he was coming from. He was a strict Jew and Pharisee who knew all about the messianic prophesies of the scriptures and he had made his mind up that these followers of Jesus, who were now proclaiming his resurrection and divinity were frauds and usurpers.When we become Christians we put our trust in the Lord, but how do you think those early followers of the risen Lord felt about this man Saul? Saul was a man who was happy to hold the coats of those who stoned to death St. Stephen, and then took on a commission to go to Damascus to arrest other Christians. Our reading today tells us not only of the conversion of St. Paul but also of the conversion of Ananias, from someone terrified of a dangerous man, to an instrument of the Lord in releasing Saul from the bondage of his past self. If we move to a more recent time, how would a community of Jewish people during the Second World War react if a Gestapo officer arrived and said that he had decided to become a Jew. The anger and suspicion would have been immense from both the Jews and the Nazi officer before there could be total trust. Could you have been a person reach out in such circumstances for God's sake?The fact that Saul, or St. Paul as we know him, saw the risen Christ is so important for us all, not because of his missionary zeal and his writings, but because of his example to all of us. He saw and believed and acted out his faith, to the point of martyrdom. Most of us will not experience a vision of the risen Lord, but as he said to Thomas,”Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe”. St. Paul's witness was different but complimentary compared with the disciples who had walked with Jesus in this world.Bishop John Robinson in his book “But That I Can't Believe!”, points out that St. Paul's writings (he calls them his gospel), were all centred on Jesus and the resurrection, but he points out that Paul never mentions the empty tomb, because it was not central to him. Robinson points out that “The empty tomb is not the resurrection any more than the shell of the cocoon is the butterfly”. For all of us today, we cannot see the empty tomb, or any physical evidence of the resurrection, but we can know the risen Christ through the Holy Spirit, here with us in our lives and in our Church.Fr. Terry
Thoughts for Today 2nd June 2020From the real world, sublime and challengingSouth American music, rhythm and the Falls….We were looking forward to the Iquazu Falls as we headed to Argentina via Ilhabela’s remote rain forest, and Uraguay’s Montivideo.Walking was with a different rhythm as we had an extraordinary dance troupe from Rio performing for us on the ship with their distinctive throbbing music. We boat transferred enroute to Ilhabela and the Mata Atlantica rainforest with a guide and biologist . Ilhabela has a population of 4,000 people and 360 waterfalls. It was a delicate place to visit in the humidity and precarious walking conditions underfoot. Citronella and Deet were worn to protect us. We came across funghi of many sorts and the most fascinating was the one in the photo. I asked the question: ‘What is this one called?’ and the reply from our biologist Marcello was ‘Composer’s Ear’!Three days later, the 28th January, we visited Montevideo with its large busy port and made friends with the men and women of the heavily armed city police. Two ladies in white coats were scientifically ridding the tourist route of graffiti near to the Romanesque Cathedral with its huge cupola. An amazing sunset and crescent moon that night heralded another special day ahead. We had an early start with a two hour flight from Beunos Aires to Iguazu for the Aguazu Falls, the largest waterfall in the world. On arrival at the National Park we walked to the Narrow gauge, propane driven railway (made in Ross on Wye in 1995) for the 7 kilometre, 20 minute ride. The racoons escorted us towards the extraordinary wetlands covering 1,300 kilometres. We walked the long way across the bridges of the board-walk to the wetlands spotting a plush-crested jay on the way. We finally heard the musical thunder of the Devil’s Throat’ the first falls of the one and a half miles wide of falls. In no time we were soaked from head to foot making it hard to take camera proof photographs. With the gallery of visitors from all over the world we wondered sight and the sound of such a force of water from a height of 269 feet (Niagara 165 feet).Walking again, and with a second train ride, we came to another part of the Falls in an area of wetland called St Martin’s. This photo was taken across the great expanse of the glorious protected Unesco Heritage site. We never knew whether this trip would be possible, but we still reflect upon the music of the water and the gift it is. It was hard to leave that place.Meanwhile, back at the airport I was escorting our party of eight for the last flight back to Buenos Aires. The guide stayed with us until our flight was called. Duty Free Kit Kats were shared with the Balmoral 8 and with a gentleman who sat by us, Fr.Tim, a Roman Catholic Priest from Toronto. He was Chaplain for another cruise ship going to Antarctica from Buenos Aries. We compared notes and shared a farewell liturgical gift of chocolates, a precious chord of unity was struck.The diamond jewels of the lights of Buenos Aries heralded our late return back to the city…looking forward to our second day there.With blessings.Edward and Jane
Memories - Thought for the day on Whit Monday, 1st JuneToday is Pentecost Sunday or as I remember it - Whit Sunday. The service today took my mind back to my childhood. I am sure that many of you remember the old traditions of Whitsuntide. Whit Sunday, followed by Whit Monday, was usually a Bank Holiday. Whitsuntide in 1967 was replaced by Spring Bank Holiday which was the last Monday in May. This year, Spring Bank Holiday in Ireland has fallen on Pentecost Sunday and Monday which I regard as the proper dates, but I'm old fashioned.I was brought up in Dronfield Woodhouse in Derbyshire, which was then a small village. The town of Dronfield is between Sheffield and Chesterfield and is about 2 miles from the village of Dronfield Woodhouse. My family church and the one which I attended is St Swithin's in Holmesfield which is 1 mile from my home. Every Whitsuntide we had new Whitsuntide clothes and shoes, which I believe was traditional in some areas, and we had to wear them on Whit Sunday. On Whit Monday, a number of people from the Church went on the Whit Walk, round the village of Holmesfield, pausing outside the homes of people who were somewhat wealthy, singing a hymn and the Vicar holding out his hand, expecting to be given some money. My father who was an avid church person and used to train the choirboys, strongly disagreed with what he regarded as begging, but the church needed the money, of course and the Whit Walk used to generate quite a sum. One of my main memories as a child is of doing the Whit Walk in new shoes and usually getting blisters on my feet and having sore feet for days. A thought for Pentecost - quote from Second Vatican Council - The Church Today: 'Christ is now at work in the hearts of men through the energy of His Spirit. He arouses not only a desire for the age to come, but, by that very fact, He animates, purifies, and strengthens those noble longings too, by which the human family strives to make its life more human and to tender the whole earth submissive to this goal.'I was looking on the internet for some suitable prayers for this time and came across this prayer for the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit. In the current climate of the COVID19 virus, the lockdown and the resultant unhappiness, human greed and the general feeling of being fed up, I thought some of the wording rather appropriate.Christ Jesus, before ascending to Heaven, You promised to send the Holy Spirit to your apostles and disciples. Grant that the same Spirit may perfect in our lives the work of Your grace and love.• Grant us the Spirit of Fear Of The Lord, that we may be filled with a loving reverence towards You;• The Spirit of Piety that we may find peace and fulfilment in the service of God while serving others;• The Spirit of Fortitude that we may bear our cross with You and, with courage, overcome the obstacles that interfere with our salvation;• The Spirit of Knowledge that we may know You and know ourselves and grow in holiness;• The Spirit of Understanding to enlighten our minds with the light of Your truth;• The Spirit of Counsel that we may choose the surest way of doing Your will, seeking first the Kingdom;• Grant us the Spirit of Wisdom that we may aspire to the things that last forever;Teach us to be your faithful disciples and animate us in every way with Your Spirit.AMENCarol Pittaway
