Perpetua, Felicity and their Companions, Martyrs at Carthage, 203
Psalm 35
Contend, O Lord, with those that contend with me; fight against those that fight against me. Take up shield and buckler and rise up to help me. Draw the spear and bar the way against those who pursue me; say to my soul, ‘I am your salvation.’ Let those who seek after my life be shamed and disgraced; let those who plot my ruin fall back and be put to confusion. Let them be as chaff before the wind, with the angel of the Lord thrusting them down. Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the Lord pursuing them. For they have secretly spread a net for me without a cause; without any cause they have dug a pit for my soul. Let ruin come upon them unawares; let them be caught in the net they laid; let them fall in it to their destruction. Then will my soul be joyful in the Lord and glory in his salvation. My very bones will say, ‘Lord, who is like you? You deliver the poor from those that are too strong for them, the poor and needy from those who would despoil them.’ False witnesses rose up against me; they charged me with things I knew not. They rewarded me evil for good, to the desolation of my soul. But as for me, when they were sick I put on sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting; When my prayer returned empty to my bosom, it was as though I grieved for my friend or brother; I behaved as one who mourns for his mother, bowed down and brought very low. But when I stumbled, they gathered in delight; they gathered together against me; as if they were strangers I did not know they tore at me without ceasing. When I fell they mocked me; they gnashed at me with their teeth. O Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue my soul from their ravages, and my poor life from the young lions. I will give you thanks in the great congregation; I will praise you in the mighty throng. Do not let my treacherous foes rejoice over me, or those who hate me without a cause mock me with their glances. For they do not speak of peace, but invent deceitful schemes against those that are quiet in the land. They opened wide their mouths and derided me, saying ‘We have seen it with our very eyes.’ This you have seen, O Lord; do not keep silent; go not far from me, O Lord. Awake, arise, to my cause, to my defence, my God and my Lord! Give me justice, O Lord my God, according to your righteousness; let them not triumph over me. Let them not say to themselves, ‘Our heart’s desire!’ Let them not say, ‘We have swallowed him up.’ Let all who rejoice at my trouble be put to shame and confusion; let those who boast against me be clothed with shame and dishonour. Let those who favour my cause rejoice and be glad; let them say always, ‘Great is the Lord, who delights in his servant’s well-being.’ So shall my tongue be talking of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long.
Genesis 44:18-end
Then Judah stepped up to him and said, ‘O my lord, let your servant please speak a word in my lord’s ears, and do not be angry with your servant; for you are like Pharaoh himself. My lord asked his servants, saying, “Have you a father or a brother?” And we said to my lord, “We have a father, an old man, and a young brother, the child of his old age. His brother is dead; he alone is left of his mother’s children, and his father loves him.” Then you said to your servants, “Bring him down to me, so that I may set my eyes on him.” We said to my lord, “The boy cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.” Then you said to your servants, “Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you shall see my face no more.” When we went back to your servant my father we told him the words of my lord. And when our father said, “Go again, buy us a little food”, we said, “We cannot go down. Only if our youngest brother goes with us, will we go down; for we cannot see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is with us.” Then your servant my father said to us, “You know that my wife bore me two sons; one left me, and I said, Surely he has been torn to pieces; and I have never seen him since. If you take this one also from me, and harm comes to him, you will bring down my grey hairs in sorrow to Sheol.” Now therefore, when I come to your servant my father and the boy is not with us, then, as his life is bound up in the boy’s life, when he sees that the boy is not with us, he will die; and your servants will bring down the grey hairs of your servant our father with sorrow to Sheol. For your servant became surety for the boy to my father, saying, “If I do not bring him back to you, then I will bear the blame in the sight of my father all my life.” Now therefore, please let your servant remain as a slave to my lord in place of the boy; and let the boy go back with his brothers. For how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? I fear to see the suffering that would come upon my father.’
Hebrews 2:10-end
It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. For this reason Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, saying, ‘I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters, in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.’ And again, ‘I will put my trust in him.’
And again, ‘Here am I and the children whom God has given me.’ Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death. For it is clear that he did not come to help angels, but the descendants of Abraham. Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.
The Collect
Holy God, who gave great courage to Perpetua, Felicity and their companions: grant that we may be worthy to climb the ladder of sacrifice and be received into the garden of peace; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Wednesday, 7 March 2012
Tuesday, 6 March 2012
Where's my Raspberry Pi?
When I started out in the wonderful world of computers there was little choice. In fact my first computers were a Z80 developer's kit (with hexi-decimal keypad), a Nascom and Tangerine's Tanbug. All of these gave me the opportunity to enter into the wonderful world of computing at a time when there was little else out there (it was the end of the seventies don't forget!).
I learned a lot about programming (and soldering) from these early days and later forays into such wonderful objects as the Commodore PET, Apple][ and, of course, the BBC B I cut my teeth on hardware and software engineering. How I wished that these opportunities to do the same existed for my children, especially in our consumer-led, 'works out of the box' existence.
Well someone must have heard my cries for we have been blessed with a wonderful opportunity to return to the breadboard computing days with a superb project from a 'non for profit group', the Raspberry Pi foundation, by the name of the 'Raspberry Pi - Model B'.
The spec's for which (for those interested parties) are:
And costs less than £25!
So, if you have children (or are even a bit interested in computing at the grassroots level - this is the toy for them (and you).
Now - what can I do with it to justify using them in church (which has to be done - doesn't it?), after all it can do everything the big boys do, once you've made it do it of course - and that's the attraction (or perhaps not for those who are happy to be consumers!
First there was
And now, thinking of Windoze I can offer a heartfelt
:-)
I learned a lot about programming (and soldering) from these early days and later forays into such wonderful objects as the Commodore PET, Apple][ and, of course, the BBC B I cut my teeth on hardware and software engineering. How I wished that these opportunities to do the same existed for my children, especially in our consumer-led, 'works out of the box' existence.
Well someone must have heard my cries for we have been blessed with a wonderful opportunity to return to the breadboard computing days with a superb project from a 'non for profit group', the Raspberry Pi foundation, by the name of the 'Raspberry Pi - Model B'.
The spec's for which (for those interested parties) are:
- Broadcom BCM2835 700MHz ARM1176JZFS processor with FPU and Videocore 4 GPU
- GPU provides Open GL ES 2.0, hardware-accelerated OpenVG, and 1080p30 H.264 high-profile decode
- GPU is capable of 1Gpixel/s, 1.5Gtexel/s or 24GFLOPs with texture filtering and DMA infrastructure
- 256MB RAM
- Boots from an SD card (Fedora version of Linux)
- 10/100 BaseT Ethernet socket
- HDMI socket
- USB 2.0 socket
- RCA video socket
- SD card socket
- Powered from microUSB socket
- 3.5mm audio out jack
- Header footprint for camera connection
- 85.6 x 53.98 x 17mm
And costs less than £25!
So, if you have children (or are even a bit interested in computing at the grassroots level - this is the toy for them (and you).
Now - what can I do with it to justify using them in church (which has to be done - doesn't it?), after all it can do everything the big boys do, once you've made it do it of course - and that's the attraction (or perhaps not for those who are happy to be consumers!
First there was
And now, thinking of Windoze I can offer a heartfelt
:-)
Rights can be wrong!
Earwigging a number of intriguing conversations over a fair period of time has resulted in a collection of sound bytes and positional statements that have been used to attack, or defend, the views of others on a number of 'rights' issues. The different types of 'right' and the way they are perceived and presented interests me greatly, for those engaged in any dialogue of this kind are engaged in the art of apologetics ('apologia' giving an answer or defence of who we are and what we believe/live by) and this is a subject close to my heart.
One of the sadnesses when it comes to 'rights' is the fact that whilst the subject might be interesting and even bring some great close-quarter combat (of the intellectual kind), the bottom-line is that when the biggest objective lens of our theological/philosophical microscope is selected, we are dealing with people. What for some is merely a challenging or interesting topic is for others their reality and this needs to be an ever-present consideration as we enjoy the cut and thrust of debate. What some speak of an issue is the person with the issue's life and whilst this shouldn't stop us discussing, it should mean that we practice kindness and generosity whilst we do it (and this cuts both ways!).
One of the challenges of 'rights' is the fact that having a 'right' means that there is also a responsibility! This consideration makes some of the 'rights' debates rather interesting. I'm going to touch on just a couple for now (another busy day beckons and tea almost gone):
Animal rights - Animals have the right to be treated humanely, that should go without having to be said but, as I understand it, they are a lower class to humans and so we find them being used to feed us and, at times, used to advance medical science. What they are not fair game for is the testing of cosmetics and esoteric medical research for the sake of it (which I am sure doesn't happen).
Rights of the 'ethnicity' kind - Now I, naively, thought this would be a fairly simple area. Over the course of history we have seen various people groups opposed by other group. When I mentioned this in North London I was told it was white vs black. Move down the road a little and I found it was all about Turk vs Greek, a bit further up the road and it was African vs Caribbean. Heading towards the City and I found that it was Jew vs Gentile that was the compelling source of injustice! I travelled across town and found it was oppression of the 'British' on Pakistan, Islam, was sikh versus Hindu, Indians vs Pakistanis and the list continued far past the point that I willing to continue travelling.
Prejudice, oppression and intolerance existed, and still exists, in many places fror many reasons (real and perceived).
I tried to understand who was 'black', Indian, British, Pakistani and any other identifier and found that some who I thought were one thing were thought of as being something else by themselves or others! There was the young lady whose ethnic identity was 'half-caste' which meant she was rejected by all sides of the community (excluding 'Praise God' the local church).
Some naively think that being born in a place makes them members of that nation group but I have met many young people who are third-generation British and yet consider themselves to be otherwise.
Some naively think that this area is concerned with lack of oppression and the affording of general human rights but whilst this may true there are others in this battle because it is also a potential source of power, additional benefits (and I don't mean of the state-funded kind) and excuses for bad (ie. anti-social) behaviour.
Visiting an African-American church in the US I was taken up by a 'charter' affixed to the wall of the foyer. It spoke of being treated fairly and justly, of acting for the good of the local community and the nation as fully-integrated and committed members of the nation. On a separate wall were some words along the lines of:
One of the sadnesses when it comes to 'rights' is the fact that whilst the subject might be interesting and even bring some great close-quarter combat (of the intellectual kind), the bottom-line is that when the biggest objective lens of our theological/philosophical microscope is selected, we are dealing with people. What for some is merely a challenging or interesting topic is for others their reality and this needs to be an ever-present consideration as we enjoy the cut and thrust of debate. What some speak of an issue is the person with the issue's life and whilst this shouldn't stop us discussing, it should mean that we practice kindness and generosity whilst we do it (and this cuts both ways!).
One of the challenges of 'rights' is the fact that having a 'right' means that there is also a responsibility! This consideration makes some of the 'rights' debates rather interesting. I'm going to touch on just a couple for now (another busy day beckons and tea almost gone):
Animal rights - Animals have the right to be treated humanely, that should go without having to be said but, as I understand it, they are a lower class to humans and so we find them being used to feed us and, at times, used to advance medical science. What they are not fair game for is the testing of cosmetics and esoteric medical research for the sake of it (which I am sure doesn't happen).
Rights of the 'ethnicity' kind - Now I, naively, thought this would be a fairly simple area. Over the course of history we have seen various people groups opposed by other group. When I mentioned this in North London I was told it was white vs black. Move down the road a little and I found it was all about Turk vs Greek, a bit further up the road and it was African vs Caribbean. Heading towards the City and I found that it was Jew vs Gentile that was the compelling source of injustice! I travelled across town and found it was oppression of the 'British' on Pakistan, Islam, was sikh versus Hindu, Indians vs Pakistanis and the list continued far past the point that I willing to continue travelling.
Prejudice, oppression and intolerance existed, and still exists, in many places fror many reasons (real and perceived).
I tried to understand who was 'black', Indian, British, Pakistani and any other identifier and found that some who I thought were one thing were thought of as being something else by themselves or others! There was the young lady whose ethnic identity was 'half-caste' which meant she was rejected by all sides of the community (excluding 'Praise God' the local church).
Some naively think that being born in a place makes them members of that nation group but I have met many young people who are third-generation British and yet consider themselves to be otherwise.
Some naively think that this area is concerned with lack of oppression and the affording of general human rights but whilst this may true there are others in this battle because it is also a potential source of power, additional benefits (and I don't mean of the state-funded kind) and excuses for bad (ie. anti-social) behaviour.
Visiting an African-American church in the US I was taken up by a 'charter' affixed to the wall of the foyer. It spoke of being treated fairly and justly, of acting for the good of the local community and the nation as fully-integrated and committed members of the nation. On a separate wall were some words along the lines of:
Those who deserve rights - live and work to see them given to others.
'nuff said I reckon!
Daily Office - Mar 6
Psalm 50
The Lord, the most mighty God, has spoken and called the world from the rising of the sun to its setting. Out of Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth; our God comes and will not keep silence. Consuming fire goes out before him and a mighty tempest stirs about him. He calls the heaven above, and the earth, that he may judge his people: ‘Gather to me my faithful, who have sealed my covenant with sacrifice.’ Let the heavens declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge. Hear, O my people, and I will speak: ‘I will testify against you, O Israel; for I am God, your God. ‘I will not reprove you for your sacrifices, for your burnt offerings are always before me. ‘I will take no bull out of your house, nor he-goat out of your folds, ‘For all the beasts of the forest are mine, the cattle upon a thousand hills. ‘I know every bird of the mountains and the insect of the field is mine. ‘If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the whole world is mine and all that fills it. ‘Do you think I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats? ‘Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving and fulfil your vows to God Most High. ‘Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you and you shall honour me.’ But to the wicked, says God: ‘Why do you recite my statutes and take my covenant upon your lips, ‘Since you refuse to be disciplined and have cast my words behind you? ‘When you saw a thief, you made friends with him and you threw in your lot with adulterers. ‘You have loosed your lips for evil and harnessed your tongue to deceit. ‘You sit and speak evil of your brother; you slander your own mother’s son. ‘These things have you done, and should I keep silence? Did you think that I am even such a one as yourself? ‘But no, I must reprove you, and set before your eyes the things that you have done. ‘You that forget God, consider this well, lest I tear you apart and there is none to deliver you.‘Whoever offers me the sacrifice of thanksgiving honours me and to those who keep my way will I show the salvation of God.’
Genesis 44:1-17
Then he commanded the steward of his house, ‘Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in the top of his sack. Put my cup, the silver cup, in the top of the sack of the youngest, with his money for the grain.’ And he did as Joseph told him. As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away with their donkeys. When they had gone only a short distance from the city, Joseph said to his steward, ‘Go, follow after the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, “Why have you returned evil for good? Why have you stolen my silver cup? Is it not from this that my lord drinks? Does he not indeed use it for divination? You have done wrong in doing this.”’ When he overtook them, he repeated these words to them. They said to him, ‘Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants that they should do such a thing! Look, the money that we found at the top of our sacks, we brought back to you from the land of Canaan; why then would we steal silver or gold from your lord’s house? Should it be found with any one of your servants, let him die; moreover, the rest of us will become my lord’s slaves.’ He said, ‘Even so; in accordance with your words, let it be: he with whom it is found shall become my slave, but the rest of you shall go free.’ Then each one quickly lowered his sack to the ground, and each opened his sack. He searched, beginning with the eldest and ending with the youngest; and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. At this they tore their clothes. Then each one loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city. Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house while he was still there; and they fell to the ground before him. Joseph said to them, ‘What deed is this that you have done? Do you not know that one such as I can practise divination?’ And Judah said, ‘What can we say to my lord? What can we speak? How can we clear ourselves? God has found out the guilt of your servants; here we are then, my lord’s slaves, both we and also the one in whose possession the cup has been found.’ But he said, ‘Far be it from me that I should do so! Only the one in whose possession the cup was found shall be my slave; but as for you, go up in peace to your father.’
Hebrews 2:1-9
Therefore we must pay greater attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. For if the message declared through angels was valid, and every transgression or disobedience received a just penalty, how can we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? It was declared at first through the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard him, while God added his testimony by signs and wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit, distributed according to his will. Now God did not subject the coming world, about which we are speaking, to angels. But someone has testified somewhere, ‘What are human beings that you are mindful of them, or mortals, that you care for them? You have made them for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned them with glory and honour, subjecting all things under their feet.’ Now in subjecting all things to them, God left nothing outside their control. As it is, we do not yet see everything in subjection to them, but we do see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honour because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
The Collect
Almighty God, you show to those who are in error the light of your truth, that they may return to the way of righteousness: grant to all those who are admitted into the fellowship of Christ's religion, that they may reject those things that are contrary to their profession, and follow all such things as are agreeable to the same; through our Lord Jesus Christ, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Lord, the most mighty God, has spoken and called the world from the rising of the sun to its setting. Out of Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth; our God comes and will not keep silence. Consuming fire goes out before him and a mighty tempest stirs about him. He calls the heaven above, and the earth, that he may judge his people: ‘Gather to me my faithful, who have sealed my covenant with sacrifice.’ Let the heavens declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge. Hear, O my people, and I will speak: ‘I will testify against you, O Israel; for I am God, your God. ‘I will not reprove you for your sacrifices, for your burnt offerings are always before me. ‘I will take no bull out of your house, nor he-goat out of your folds, ‘For all the beasts of the forest are mine, the cattle upon a thousand hills. ‘I know every bird of the mountains and the insect of the field is mine. ‘If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the whole world is mine and all that fills it. ‘Do you think I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats? ‘Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving and fulfil your vows to God Most High. ‘Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you and you shall honour me.’ But to the wicked, says God: ‘Why do you recite my statutes and take my covenant upon your lips, ‘Since you refuse to be disciplined and have cast my words behind you? ‘When you saw a thief, you made friends with him and you threw in your lot with adulterers. ‘You have loosed your lips for evil and harnessed your tongue to deceit. ‘You sit and speak evil of your brother; you slander your own mother’s son. ‘These things have you done, and should I keep silence? Did you think that I am even such a one as yourself? ‘But no, I must reprove you, and set before your eyes the things that you have done. ‘You that forget God, consider this well, lest I tear you apart and there is none to deliver you.‘Whoever offers me the sacrifice of thanksgiving honours me and to those who keep my way will I show the salvation of God.’
Genesis 44:1-17
Then he commanded the steward of his house, ‘Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in the top of his sack. Put my cup, the silver cup, in the top of the sack of the youngest, with his money for the grain.’ And he did as Joseph told him. As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away with their donkeys. When they had gone only a short distance from the city, Joseph said to his steward, ‘Go, follow after the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, “Why have you returned evil for good? Why have you stolen my silver cup? Is it not from this that my lord drinks? Does he not indeed use it for divination? You have done wrong in doing this.”’ When he overtook them, he repeated these words to them. They said to him, ‘Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants that they should do such a thing! Look, the money that we found at the top of our sacks, we brought back to you from the land of Canaan; why then would we steal silver or gold from your lord’s house? Should it be found with any one of your servants, let him die; moreover, the rest of us will become my lord’s slaves.’ He said, ‘Even so; in accordance with your words, let it be: he with whom it is found shall become my slave, but the rest of you shall go free.’ Then each one quickly lowered his sack to the ground, and each opened his sack. He searched, beginning with the eldest and ending with the youngest; and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. At this they tore their clothes. Then each one loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city. Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house while he was still there; and they fell to the ground before him. Joseph said to them, ‘What deed is this that you have done? Do you not know that one such as I can practise divination?’ And Judah said, ‘What can we say to my lord? What can we speak? How can we clear ourselves? God has found out the guilt of your servants; here we are then, my lord’s slaves, both we and also the one in whose possession the cup has been found.’ But he said, ‘Far be it from me that I should do so! Only the one in whose possession the cup was found shall be my slave; but as for you, go up in peace to your father.’
Hebrews 2:1-9
Therefore we must pay greater attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. For if the message declared through angels was valid, and every transgression or disobedience received a just penalty, how can we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? It was declared at first through the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard him, while God added his testimony by signs and wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit, distributed according to his will. Now God did not subject the coming world, about which we are speaking, to angels. But someone has testified somewhere, ‘What are human beings that you are mindful of them, or mortals, that you care for them? You have made them for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned them with glory and honour, subjecting all things under their feet.’ Now in subjecting all things to them, God left nothing outside their control. As it is, we do not yet see everything in subjection to them, but we do see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honour because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
The Collect
Almighty God, you show to those who are in error the light of your truth, that they may return to the way of righteousness: grant to all those who are admitted into the fellowship of Christ's religion, that they may reject those things that are contrary to their profession, and follow all such things as are agreeable to the same; through our Lord Jesus Christ, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Monday, 5 March 2012
When Rights Clash - Part the Third
The sine wave approach
One of the interesting things that strikes me about life when rights clash is the way that some people assume that you can deal with the issues around rights as though they were sine waves.
"All we need," they think to themselves, "Is to introduce something that is 'anti-phase' (that is 180° out of sync') with the prejudice and that will solve it all." So that's what they do, they look at a situation and try to introduce something that will result in a flat line where prejudice is concerned. Where one class were perhaps oppressed they are now favoured and those who were favoured (or perhaps merely just dominant) are now oppressed such that their views count for nothing. Not only that but we take them, their attitudes and the society they stand/stood for and mock them, labelling them whenever and wherever the opportunity presents itself as 'dinosaurs' and generally engaging in the art of the ad hominem to press home our point (so we redress the balance, reward the previously oppressed and 'teach the bigots' a lesson too!).
Of course this isn't the reality when it comes to prejudice because we can't inject a pure anti-phase component. In fact what we do inject when we try to cancel out the prejudice in this quasi-scientific manner is what we call in science/engineering (and maths too) is 'harmonics' and these result in lots of incoherent noise such that the initial issues are not resolved and no one can hear anything the others are saying.
Seems that the world (and the Church which in so many cases these days is not different) can learn from the wonderful world of science - see, you don't even need to reach for your Bibles (which is probably a blessing because when I engage in discussion with people and 'rights' it seems that (even when they claim to be 'Christian') this is the last place they'd be caught looking.
Pax
One of the interesting things that strikes me about life when rights clash is the way that some people assume that you can deal with the issues around rights as though they were sine waves.
Seems that the world (and the Church which in so many cases these days is not different) can learn from the wonderful world of science - see, you don't even need to reach for your Bibles (which is probably a blessing because when I engage in discussion with people and 'rights' it seems that (even when they claim to be 'Christian') this is the last place they'd be caught looking.
Pax
Daily Office - Mar 5
Psalm 26
Give judgement for me, O Lord, for I have walked with integrity; I have trusted in the Lord and have not faltered. Test me, O Lord, and try me; examine my heart and my mind. For your love is before my eyes; I have walked in your truth. I have not joined the company of the false, nor consorted with the deceitful. I hate the gathering of evildoers and I will not sit down with the wicked. I will wash my hands in innocence, O Lord, that I may go about your altar, to make heard the voice of thanksgiving and tell of all your wonderful deeds. Lord, I love the house of your habitation and the place where your glory abides. Sweep me not away with sinners, nor my life with the bloodthirsty, whose hands are full of wicked schemes and their right hand full of bribes. As for me, I will walk with integrity; redeem me, Lord, and be merciful to me. My foot stands firm; in the great congregation I will bless the Lord.
Psalm 32
Happy the one whose transgression is forgiven, and whose sin is covered. Happy the one to whom the Lord imputes no guilt, and in whose spirit there is no guile. For I held my tongue; my bones wasted away through my groaning all the day long. Your hand was heavy upon me day and night; my moisture was dried up like the drought in summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and my iniquity I did not hide. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’ and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Therefore let all the faithful make their prayers to you in time of trouble;
in the great water flood, it shall not reach them. You are a place for me to hide in; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with songs of deliverance. ‘I will instruct you and teach you
in the way that you should go; I will guide you with my eye. ‘Be not like horse and mule which have no understanding; whose mouths must be held with bit and bridle, or else they will not stay near you.’ Great tribulations remain for the wicked, but mercy embraces those who trust in the Lord. Be glad, you righteous, and rejoice in the Lord; shout for joy, all who are true of heart.
Genesis 43:16-end
When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, ‘Bring the men into the house, and slaughter an animal and make ready, for the men are to dine with me at noon.’ The man did as Joseph said, and brought the men to Joseph’s house. Now the men were afraid because they were brought to Joseph’s house, and they said, ‘It is because of the money, replaced in our sacks the first time, that we have been brought in, so that he may have an opportunity to fall upon us, to make slaves of us and take our donkeys.’ So they went up to the steward of Joseph’s house and spoke with him at the entrance to the house. They said, ‘Oh, my lord, we came down the first time to buy food; and when we came to the lodging-place we opened our sacks, and there was each one’s money in the top of his sack, our money in full weight. So we have brought it back with us. Moreover, we have brought down with us additional money to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks.’ He replied, ‘Rest assured, do not be afraid; your God and the God of your father must have put treasure in your sacks for you; I received your money.’ Then he brought Simeon out to them. When the steward had brought the men into Joseph’s house, and given them water, and they had washed their feet, and when he had given their donkeys fodder, they made the present ready for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they had heard that they would dine there. When Joseph came home, they brought him the present that they had carried into the house, and bowed to the ground before him. He inquired about their welfare, and said, ‘Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?’ They said, ‘Your servant our father is well; he is still alive.’ And they bowed their heads and did obeisance. Then he looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, ‘Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me? God be gracious to you, my son!’ With that, Joseph hurried out, because he was overcome with affection for his brother, and he was about to weep. So he went into a private room and wept there. Then he washed his face and came out; and controlling himself he said, ‘Serve the meal.’ They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians. When they were seated before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth, the men looked at one another in amazement. Portions were taken to them from Joseph’s table, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. So they drank and were merry with him.
Hebrews 1
Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. For to which of the angels did God ever say,
‘You are my Son; today I have begotten you’? Or again, ‘I will be his Father, and he will be my Son’? And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, ‘Let all God’s angels worship him.’ Of the angels he says, ‘He makes his angels winds, and his servants flames of fire.’
But of the Son he says, ‘Your throne, O God, is for ever and ever, and the righteous sceptre is the sceptre of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.’ And, ‘In the beginning, Lord, you founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like clothing; like a cloak you will roll them up, and like clothing they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will never end.’ But to which of the angels has he ever said, ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet’? Are not all angels spirits in the divine service, sent to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?
The Collect
Almighty God, you show to those who are in error the light of your truth, that they may return to the way of righteousness: grant to all those who are admitted into the fellowship of Christ's religion, that they may reject those things that are contrary to their profession, and follow all such things as are agreeable to the same; through our Lord Jesus Christ, who is alive and reigns with you,in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Give judgement for me, O Lord, for I have walked with integrity; I have trusted in the Lord and have not faltered. Test me, O Lord, and try me; examine my heart and my mind. For your love is before my eyes; I have walked in your truth. I have not joined the company of the false, nor consorted with the deceitful. I hate the gathering of evildoers and I will not sit down with the wicked. I will wash my hands in innocence, O Lord, that I may go about your altar, to make heard the voice of thanksgiving and tell of all your wonderful deeds. Lord, I love the house of your habitation and the place where your glory abides. Sweep me not away with sinners, nor my life with the bloodthirsty, whose hands are full of wicked schemes and their right hand full of bribes. As for me, I will walk with integrity; redeem me, Lord, and be merciful to me. My foot stands firm; in the great congregation I will bless the Lord.
Psalm 32
Happy the one whose transgression is forgiven, and whose sin is covered. Happy the one to whom the Lord imputes no guilt, and in whose spirit there is no guile. For I held my tongue; my bones wasted away through my groaning all the day long. Your hand was heavy upon me day and night; my moisture was dried up like the drought in summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and my iniquity I did not hide. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’ and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Therefore let all the faithful make their prayers to you in time of trouble;
in the great water flood, it shall not reach them. You are a place for me to hide in; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with songs of deliverance. ‘I will instruct you and teach you
in the way that you should go; I will guide you with my eye. ‘Be not like horse and mule which have no understanding; whose mouths must be held with bit and bridle, or else they will not stay near you.’ Great tribulations remain for the wicked, but mercy embraces those who trust in the Lord. Be glad, you righteous, and rejoice in the Lord; shout for joy, all who are true of heart.
Genesis 43:16-end
When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, ‘Bring the men into the house, and slaughter an animal and make ready, for the men are to dine with me at noon.’ The man did as Joseph said, and brought the men to Joseph’s house. Now the men were afraid because they were brought to Joseph’s house, and they said, ‘It is because of the money, replaced in our sacks the first time, that we have been brought in, so that he may have an opportunity to fall upon us, to make slaves of us and take our donkeys.’ So they went up to the steward of Joseph’s house and spoke with him at the entrance to the house. They said, ‘Oh, my lord, we came down the first time to buy food; and when we came to the lodging-place we opened our sacks, and there was each one’s money in the top of his sack, our money in full weight. So we have brought it back with us. Moreover, we have brought down with us additional money to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks.’ He replied, ‘Rest assured, do not be afraid; your God and the God of your father must have put treasure in your sacks for you; I received your money.’ Then he brought Simeon out to them. When the steward had brought the men into Joseph’s house, and given them water, and they had washed their feet, and when he had given their donkeys fodder, they made the present ready for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they had heard that they would dine there. When Joseph came home, they brought him the present that they had carried into the house, and bowed to the ground before him. He inquired about their welfare, and said, ‘Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?’ They said, ‘Your servant our father is well; he is still alive.’ And they bowed their heads and did obeisance. Then he looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, ‘Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me? God be gracious to you, my son!’ With that, Joseph hurried out, because he was overcome with affection for his brother, and he was about to weep. So he went into a private room and wept there. Then he washed his face and came out; and controlling himself he said, ‘Serve the meal.’ They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians. When they were seated before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth, the men looked at one another in amazement. Portions were taken to them from Joseph’s table, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. So they drank and were merry with him.
Hebrews 1
Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. For to which of the angels did God ever say,
‘You are my Son; today I have begotten you’? Or again, ‘I will be his Father, and he will be my Son’? And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, ‘Let all God’s angels worship him.’ Of the angels he says, ‘He makes his angels winds, and his servants flames of fire.’
But of the Son he says, ‘Your throne, O God, is for ever and ever, and the righteous sceptre is the sceptre of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.’ And, ‘In the beginning, Lord, you founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like clothing; like a cloak you will roll them up, and like clothing they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will never end.’ But to which of the angels has he ever said, ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet’? Are not all angels spirits in the divine service, sent to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?
The Collect
Almighty God, you show to those who are in error the light of your truth, that they may return to the way of righteousness: grant to all those who are admitted into the fellowship of Christ's religion, that they may reject those things that are contrary to their profession, and follow all such things as are agreeable to the same; through our Lord Jesus Christ, who is alive and reigns with you,in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Sunday, 4 March 2012
Daily Office - Mar 4
Psalm 105:1-6,37-45
O give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples. Sing to him, sing praises, and tell of all his marvellous works. Rejoice in the praise of his holy name; let the hearts of them rejoice who seek the Lord. Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his face continually. Remember the marvels he has done, his wonders and the judgements of his mouth, O seed of Abraham his servant, O children of Jacob his chosen. Then he brought them out with silver and gold; there was not one among their tribes that stumbled. Egypt was glad at their departing, for a dread of them had fallen upon them. He spread out a cloud for a covering and a fire to light up the night. They asked and he brought them quails; he satisfied them with the bread of heaven. He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out and ran in the dry places like a river. For he remembered his holy word and Abraham, his servant. So he brought forth his people with joy, his chosen ones with singing. He gave them the lands of the nations and they took possession of the fruit of their toil, That they might keep his statutes and faithfully observe his laws.Alleluia.
Isaiah 51:1-11
Listen to me, you that pursue righteousness, you that seek the Lord. Look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug. Look to Abraham your father and to Sarah who bore you; for he was but one when I called him,but I blessed him and made him many. For the Lord will comfort Zion; he will comfort all her waste places, and will make her wilderness like Eden, her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the voice of song.
Listen to me, my people, and give heed to me, my nation; for a teaching will go out from me, and my justice for a light to the peoples. I will bring near my deliverance swiftly, my salvation has gone out and my arms will rule the peoples; the coastlands wait for me, and for my arm they hope.
Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and those who live on it will die like gnats; but my salvation will be for ever, and my deliverance will never be ended.
Listen to me, you who know righteousness, you people who have my teaching in your hearts; do not fear the reproach of others, and do not be dismayed when they revile you. For the moth will eat them up like a garment, and the worm will eat them like wool; but my deliverance will be for ever, and my salvation to all generations.
Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord! Awake, as in days of old, the generations of long ago! Was it not you who cut Rahab in pieces, who pierced the dragon? Was it not you who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep; who made the depths of the sea a way for the redeemed to cross over? So the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Galatians 3:1-9,23-29
You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly exhibited as crucified! The only thing I want to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? Having started with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh? Did you experience so much for nothing?—if it really was for nothing. Well then, does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? Just as Abraham ‘believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness’, so, you see, those who believe are the descendants of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, declared the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, ‘All the Gentiles shall be blessed in you.’ For this reason, those who believe are blessed with Abraham who believed. Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.
The Collect
Almighty God, you show to those who are in error the light of your truth, that they may return to the way of righteousness: grant to all those who are admitted into the fellowship of Christ's religion, that they may reject those things that are contrary to their profession, and follow all such things as are agreeable to the same; through our Lord Jesus Christ, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
O give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples. Sing to him, sing praises, and tell of all his marvellous works. Rejoice in the praise of his holy name; let the hearts of them rejoice who seek the Lord. Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his face continually. Remember the marvels he has done, his wonders and the judgements of his mouth, O seed of Abraham his servant, O children of Jacob his chosen. Then he brought them out with silver and gold; there was not one among their tribes that stumbled. Egypt was glad at their departing, for a dread of them had fallen upon them. He spread out a cloud for a covering and a fire to light up the night. They asked and he brought them quails; he satisfied them with the bread of heaven. He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out and ran in the dry places like a river. For he remembered his holy word and Abraham, his servant. So he brought forth his people with joy, his chosen ones with singing. He gave them the lands of the nations and they took possession of the fruit of their toil, That they might keep his statutes and faithfully observe his laws.Alleluia.
Isaiah 51:1-11
Listen to me, you that pursue righteousness, you that seek the Lord. Look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug. Look to Abraham your father and to Sarah who bore you; for he was but one when I called him,but I blessed him and made him many. For the Lord will comfort Zion; he will comfort all her waste places, and will make her wilderness like Eden, her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the voice of song.
Listen to me, my people, and give heed to me, my nation; for a teaching will go out from me, and my justice for a light to the peoples. I will bring near my deliverance swiftly, my salvation has gone out and my arms will rule the peoples; the coastlands wait for me, and for my arm they hope.
Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and those who live on it will die like gnats; but my salvation will be for ever, and my deliverance will never be ended.
Listen to me, you who know righteousness, you people who have my teaching in your hearts; do not fear the reproach of others, and do not be dismayed when they revile you. For the moth will eat them up like a garment, and the worm will eat them like wool; but my deliverance will be for ever, and my salvation to all generations.
Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord! Awake, as in days of old, the generations of long ago! Was it not you who cut Rahab in pieces, who pierced the dragon? Was it not you who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep; who made the depths of the sea a way for the redeemed to cross over? So the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Galatians 3:1-9,23-29
You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly exhibited as crucified! The only thing I want to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? Having started with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh? Did you experience so much for nothing?—if it really was for nothing. Well then, does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? Just as Abraham ‘believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness’, so, you see, those who believe are the descendants of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, declared the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, ‘All the Gentiles shall be blessed in you.’ For this reason, those who believe are blessed with Abraham who believed. Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.
The Collect
Almighty God, you show to those who are in error the light of your truth, that they may return to the way of righteousness: grant to all those who are admitted into the fellowship of Christ's religion, that they may reject those things that are contrary to their profession, and follow all such things as are agreeable to the same; through our Lord Jesus Christ, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Saturday, 3 March 2012
Thought for the Day - Empty or Full?
As we keep swimming in our own little goldfish bowls the question isn't, "Is it half-empty or half-full?"
The question is:
"Is there enough for you to live in?"
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