I have had so many thoughts and prayers over the last nearly two years, but not been able to put into words what I’m thinking and feeling.
Many times I have been on the edge of posting, but not been able to.
Today, I was listening to a short passage from the Gospel of Luke in my daily ‘Pray as you go‘ … here it is:
And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, ‘This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.’ Luke 2:33-35
The child is Jesus. Simeon is a priest in the temple in Jerusalem. Mary and Joseph have brought Jesus at 40 days old to present him to the Lord. The words said to Mary are disturbing. They point to the way that Jesus will speak truth to the powers of his day, and the opposition that he will receive as a consequence.
Having listened to the reading a couple of times, I was invited to think about a character that I identified with in the passage. Or maybe I would like to imagine holding the baby in my arms ?
I’m writing this as we are surrounded by ugliness. By actions and words that spread hate and violence.
We are in the middle of the unlawful and genocidal actions of the Zionist state of Israel.
In addition we have to contend with racism directed at those seeking refuge in our land.
All around we see forces at work that are not rooted in compassion and understanding, but cruelty and ignorance.
I imagine myself in the middle of all of this, and ask myself what do I do, or say.
Do I shout out ?
“From the river to the sea …”
Yes, I have joined in those chants, and will still do so.
Do I hold up a placard ?
“Free Palestine, save Gaza”
Yes, I have done that each week in a public space this year, and will continue to do so.
But today, I have an image of myself with thousands of people simply holding babies.
No chants,
No words,
No placards.
Just holding a baby in my arms.
To hold a placard I would need to put the baby down, or give the precious bundle to someone else.
To shout a chant I might disturb this sleeping infant.
The most important thing in my mind is to protect this baby, who speaks to me of vulnerability, of non-violence, of possibility, of innocence.
Maybe this could be a worldwide Christian witness to the self giving love of that tiny babe.
Thousands, millions of people simply holding a baby in their arms.
A witness to the disrupting power of non-violence.
Join me.
N.B. this would be intended as a symbolic protest, in case you thought I was suggesting we put real babies in danger.
Category: Activism
So, It’s Been A While
Around 20 years ago, we came a across a small Human Rights organistion called Amos Trust … named for some words in the Hebrew Bible (The book of the prophet Amos chapter 5) …
But let justice roll on like a river righteousness like a never-failing stream!
The particular aspect of their work that we support is working for Justice and peace in what one middle eastern Christian has called ‘The Land of the Holy One’
Our introduction to this came when we learned about the wall of separation that creates enclosed, shut off areas for Palestinians. We learned about the restrictions on Palestinians, and the many inequalities that they suffer.
For 20 years now, we have been learning about the roots of these injustices … which go back over 100 years – with key moments like the Balfour declaration in 1917, which started the path for the Jewish state, and everything that has happened since.
We’re seeing that all play out in a horrific way now in Gaza, in the West Bank, and in the last couple of days, the escalation in Lebanon.
So – I was looking at a part of Luke’s Gospel, in the New Testament, as I was preparing to take a service last week in our weekday service of Holy Communion.
In the early chapter of Luke’s Gospel, we see Jesus healing people on the edge of socoety – outcasts. We see Jesus healing on the Sabbath, which in the eyes of the religious leaders amounted to breaking the commandment to keep the Sabbath holy. We see Jesus calling working class fishermen to be his close followers. We see him calling even a tax collector. Jesus is pronouncing forgiveness, another aspect of what he’s doing that would have outraged the religious leaders. His teaching is even openly critical of them as rule bound and narrow.
And now Jesus has been invited to the house of a pharisee – for them to check him out. Test him. See if he really is as bad as they think.
Now there is a woman – described as ‘sinful woman,’ who has very likely heard Jesus, or at least been told enough about him to know that she needs what he is offering – that is, the opportunity for a fresh start. She hears that Jesus has been invited to the pharisee’s house and she turns up. She would have sat around the edge of the room, hoping for some food when the meal has finished. She’s waiting for Jesus to arrive, and she has come to offer thanks to him for his teaching about forgiveness. She has come prepared with some perfume. Maybe she doesn’t yet know how this is all going to work out, but she’s there because Jesus is there. She is there in reponse to knowing that she is forgiven.
Then Jesus arrives. But something is wrong. Simon, the host, does not give Jesus the customary kiss of greeting, or provide Jesus with the oil and water to wash himself. It’s an insult, and everyone knows it. And the woman sees it.
So she decides to do what Simon should have done. She has no water with which to wash Jesus’ feet, but she has her tears, and washes his feet with her tears.
She has no oil to anoint his head, but she anoints his feet with the perfume she has bought.
Simon should have given Jesus a kiss of greeting, so she kissed Jesus’ feet.
I have heard many sermons on these verses, and they have often been used to encourage us to think about our worship. What is it that we bring to Jesus ? The woman brought what was most precious – valuable perfumed ointment. Should we not also offer to Jesus the things that are most precious – our whole self ?
That’s one way to read the verses. I would like to suggest another, that seems to fit with the way Jesus’ ministry is developing.
The woman is acting in solidarity with Jesus. She is confused as to why Jesus has not had the greeting that was usual. She understands that it is an insult. But she is willing to take a risk and do for Jesus what Simon should have done.
And how will Jesus respond, after the outrageous behaviour of the woman ? The assembled pharisees might have expected him, in his position as a religious teacher, (however much they might have been suspicious of him) to be uncomfortable, even hostile to what the woman has done.
But Jesus comes to her defence. He sides with her. He acts in solidarity with her. And by doing so, he will further antagonise the religious leaders and demonstrate that what he has come to do is not limited to working within the boundaries of what they accept. He has come to challenge the very dynamics of power that exist.
And the call to us is to follow his lead. To see where power is being used to oppress, and stand in solidarity with those who are suffering.
We want to stand with all who are suffering, whatever ‘side’ they are on. But as far as the land of the Holy One is concerned, we stand with the people of Gaza and the Occupied Territories of the West Bank, and campaign for a just peace that gives Palestinians equality and dignity that is rightfully theirs.
This Is Something I Regret
So I have been thinking deeply about the forthcoming General Election. I live in a constituency (Gloucester) that has had a Conservative MP for some years- you have to go back to the early 2000’s to see a different colour.
But it is one of the seats that Labour might hope to win this time round (2024).
My question is … if I want to see a more progressive government, who will put the needs of the poorest first, and prioritise our The Climate Catastrophe, The NHS, Schools, Social Care and the Justice System (among others!) … how shall I vote ?
Possible answers … v
1. Vote with my heart and vote Green. Normally that might be seen as a wasted vote in our ‘First Past The Post’ system. But this time the Labour Party are likely to make the new government, so it might not matter what happens to Gloucester … so why not vote Green as the Tories are almost certainly out.
2. Vote Labour on the basis that you never know what will happen in an election, so play it safe.
3. Spoil the ballot paper – the whole system is rigged. So this is one way I can register a protest.
4..Don’t vote – for similar reasons, my Green vote won’t count anyway so why bother
We have a postal vote, and the papers arrived last week. At that point in time, I had decided on option 2, so I filled in the ballot paper and popped it in the post on Friday.
I was too hasty, on reflection. I think I should have gone with my heart. Much as I want to see the Conservative Party out of power, I actually don’t think it will be that different with Labour.
I’ve been reading a book by Ian Dunt – ‘How Westminster Works, And Why It Doesn’t.’ If even a fraction of it is a true reflection of our system of government, then we’re stuffed unless something radical happens.
By that I mean the first step being a reform of the electoral system to some version of PR.
Interestingly, this subject took up a fair bit of time on Radio 4 ‘Any Questions’ and ‘Any Answers’ programme. (But bearing in mind that only about 1 in 7 of people over 15 years of age listen to at least 15 minutes of Radio 4 in a week – (quite a low bar).
Added to that, as a supporter of Palestinian statehood, and incensed by the media coverage of the conflict in Gaza, I am discovering how deep a connection there is between the Labour Party and Israeli interests. That’s seriously worrying. See here
I wish I could take my vote back. No political party is perfect of course, but I believe that the Greens have it more right than the others.
Let me know what you think …
Every Day Is Nakba Day
Today is May 15th, the day when Palestinians mark the forced removal of Palestinians from their homes in 1948 to make room for the Jews coming from Europe to settle in Palestine. The name Nakba means catastrophe or disaster. Nakba Day is generally commemorated on 15 May, the day after the date in the Gregorian calendar of Israel’s Independence in 1948.
This poem is part of a collection of poems ‘Things you may find hidden in my ear,’ by Mosab Abu Toha, a poet from Gaza.
The poem looks back at the Nakba, which is a daily reality for the Palestinian people. It is being reenacted now in the West Bank as Israeli settlers take over Palestinian land, and in the horrendous war in Gaza, as many people are fleeing to a place of safety, probably never to return to Gaza. Once more a catastrophe is occurring, as history is repeated. May God have mercy on us.
My Grandfather Was A Terrorist
My grandfather was a terrorist—
He tended to his field,
watered the roses in the courtyard,
smoked cigarettes with grandmother
on the yellow beach, lying there
like a prayer rug.
My grandfather was a terrorist—
He picked oranges and lemons,
went fishing with brothers until noon,
sang a comforting song en route
to the farrier’s with his piebald horse.
My grandfather was a terrorist—
He made a cup of tea with milk,
sat on his verdant land,
as soft as silk.
My grandfather was a terrorist—
He departed his house,
leaving it for the coming guests,
left some water on the table, his best,
lest the guests die of thirst after their conquest.
My grandfather was a terrorist—
He walked to the closest safe town,
empty as the sullen sky.
vacant as a deserted tent,
dark as a starless night.
My grandfather was a terrorist—
My grandfather was a man,
a breadwinner for ten,
whose luxury was to have a tent,
with a blue UN flag set on the rusting pole,
on the beach next to a cemetery.
By Mosab Abu Toha
What I Love About Greenbelt
So this was on fb yesterday …on the ‘Unofficial Greenbelt Festival’ group …
Had a lunch at church today, ended up sharing a table with folks discussing the greenbelt line up plus folks who never heard of the festival. “It’s a Christian festival but the sort that would book bob vylan as headliner ” seemed not bad intro , vylan, corrine Bailey rae and flamy grant felt like a fair introduction. Go one you’ve got 2 sentences max and can drop up to 5 names ; how do you describe the festival?
In amongst the other responses I thought this summed up a fair bit of how I feel …
No names to drop –
No shame in that;
And up itself,
Well, just a bit,
And white and middle class
Well yes, but less
I hope, and
Right on left
Well I don’t mind that either.
We’ll go again,
And hope to feel
At home a bit,
and not a bit
Enough to keep us moving
Forward in the
Right direction
With music, faith
And all that social action
Please.
Willing To Be An Idiot
Do you need shared experience of some sort to stand in solidarity with others ?
It’s partly about being willing to be an idiot
In the process we leave behind the saviour model and be prepared to be re-evangelised.
Rehumanise.
I’m Reading The Argos Catalogue
When our children were little, one of the things they loved to do was to browse through the Argos catalogue. (Argos is a UK store that sells a whole variety of stuff from toys to electronics to household goods.)
Back in the dim and distant past, (The late 60’s), there was another catalogue, called the. Whole Earth Catalog – an actual physical catalogue produced by the counter culture in the USA. It was a mix of essays and product reviews, designed to connect those who wanted to bring about change and work for a more fair and equal society, and give them the tools for that work.
It was referred to by Steve Jobs as a kind of ‘Google in paper form’ that existed before the internet.
In fact it was the direct precursor to the World Wide Web.
The purpose of the internet in the mind of those who built on the aims of The Whole Earth Catalog was that it gave access to information to all, and a forum for the exchange of ideas, for the betterment of humanity.
You can hear more about it in the recent BBC series ‘Gatekeepers’
We now know what those originators of the www. did not know. That the internet would give rise to stalking, fake news, exploitation, misinformation, cyber crime, and a host of other unintended consequences, as well as many positive dimensions.
Like every new development, it has the potential for good, and for ill. We’re now facing the same situation with AI, but we are already so far into the age of AI that we probably won’t be able to guard against the negative effects of that technology.
So what ?
I’m not telling you much that you didn’t already know, so what’s my point ?
It’s the age old question of how to respond to culture – withdraw, assimilate, confront or engage ?
I guess the answer is for me to engage, always. I’ve been tempted recently to withdraw – to disengage with social media etc – but I’m still here.
Admittedly some things have gone. The twitter and instagram accounts that I almost never used are no longer. (I hope they do get deleted)
Facebook remains for me a helpful way of accessing information, but not especially as a forum for debate.
This platform is mainly for me to get my thoughts in order, and try to make sense of what’s going on, and I welcome comments.
But the direction I’d like to travel is to do with getting smaller – trying to find ways to engage with people face to face, where there is the possibility of fostering relationship and dialogue.
That’s all for now. Blessings on you.
Why Do I Always Weep ?
And other related musical questions.
I’m quite an emotional person. I will have tears come to my eyes at the oddest things. A tree in leaf, a scene from a film … but mostly music.
I can hardly listen to some music without weeping. I chose that word carefully – I could have said cry, rather than weep, but I think weep is closer.
The artist who does this so consistently that I have to be careful who is around when I listen to him is Jackson Browne. I was out on week 5 of Couch to 5 K (again, and for for the fourth time) this morning, and listening to the title track of his 1974 album ‘Late For The Sky.’
Mmhh. Here come those tears again.
So anyway, I cry a lot.
And, related to that, another musical thought.
For some reason, the words of a Moody Blues album came to mind early this morning, so I put it on to listen. From ‘On the Threshold of a Dream’. It reminded me of a time before music streaming, before the internet, before CDs and even before cassettes, when all we had was the radio and vinyl.
So let me take you back to the late 60’s. The news comes out that your favourite band are about to release a new album. You can’t just google it and listen, but you might just be lucky enough to hear a track played on Kenny Everett, or John Peel. Or a friend might have, quite by chance, heard the track and told you about it, knowing how mad you are for their music.
So what do you do ? You head off to the local record shop. In the late 60’s it would be an independent, but by the early 70s, Virgin Records were opening stores all over the place and we had one in Brighton, just a short train ride from where I lived.
Depending on how much you loved this band’s music, you might just buy it without hearing it, or you could ask them in the shop to put the record on, and you would listen to it in a small booth, equipped with speakers in the walls. That’s where I first heard Deja Vu, the magisterial album by CSNY.
But let’s say you just went out and bought it. I remember around that time a typical price for an album was £2.29.
You would get it home, and put it on the turntable. Remember, you’ve only heard one track, or maybe not even that. You’re in your room, and listening to the album, track at a time. And, as you listen, you’re looking at the lyric sheet, if there is one. (Jackson Browne’s early albums had no lyric sheet, so you need to listen really carefully)
The lyric sheet will tell you who is playing on the album – so for example, if Jackson Browne’s second album had a lyric sheet, you would have seen that someone called ‘Rockaday Johnnie’ was playing piano on the track ‘Redneck Friend.’ It was in fact Elton John, but not having a permit to work in the US, he went by a pseudonym.
The point is, you would invest time to listen carefully, and having heard side one, you would carefully turn the vinyl over and play side two, all the way through.
My son and his wife are in the new vinyl generation. The price has gone up – typically £30 for a vinyl record, but I’m guessing the experience is similar. The band that does it for him is ‘Everything Everything’ and I’ve heard him talk about getting and playing the vinyl in the same way that I did back in the 60’s and 70’s.
So, where does that leave me … ? I think I need to be more intentional about my listening to really get the most out of the music that I love.
For example, I had never properly heard this line from Jackson Browne’s song ‘Doctor My Eyes’ before the other day:
Doctor, my eyes
Tell me what is wrong
Was I unwise
To leave them open for so long?
What a great lyric. And as time went on, we heard Jackson Browne write and sing about the big issues of our time – especially the nuclear threat, war, and the environment. Despite the challenge and tendency to become disillusioned, he has kept his eyes open and brought to our attention the things that matter.
Good listening.
You’ld Think They Would Understand
I read this psalm this morning
Responsorial Psalm
Jeremiah 31:10-13
R: Response
The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.
O nations, hear the word of the Lord,
proclaim it to the far-off coasts.
Say: ‘He who scattered Israel will gather him
and guard him as a shepherd guards his flock’ R
For the Lord has ransomed Jacob,
has saved him from an overpowering hand.
They will come and shout for joy on Mount Zion,
they will stream to the blessings of the Lord. R
Then the young girls will rejoice and will dance,
the men, young and old, will be glad.
I will turn their mourning into joy.
I will console them, give gladness for grief. R
The prophet Jeremiah is writing about ‘The overpowering hand’ … that had subjected Israel to captivity, humiliation, exile and death for many. Removed them from their ancestral home.
It happened in Jeremiah’s time. It happened again in persecution and pogroms, and holocaust.
Jeremiah tells of a time when that humiliation will pass. When life will return to normal. There will once again be laughing, dancing, joy.
One would hope that a people who had experienced such devastation would recognise that they themselves have become the overpowering hand. The foot on the throat.
O to be able to speak the words of the psalm to Gaza and the people of the West Bank ? To say that the Lord will save them, that they will rejoice again ? How long ? How long ?
Something Greater Than Jonah Needed
Today the British Parliament will be debating whether to support a ceasefire in Gaza. The various political parties have differing stances with their subtext and starting point being on balance either –
Outrage at the 7th October Hamas attacks and support for Israel’s right to defend itself, or
devastation at the loss of life in Gaza, and an outright call for a ceasefire.
It’s a mess, and not one that will yield a solution, barring a miracle, in the near future.
It feels like it’s one of those proxy battles – in this case being fought between the more extreme powers in USA/Europe and the more militant of the Arab nations.
The state of Israel, founded in 1948, has its birth and much of its energy coming out of the persecution of the Jewish people over centuries, and has its roots in a modern European way of operating.
The Palestinian people are still essentially a Middle Eastern culture, and identify with nations around with a similar history.
For the USA or European government to call unequivocally for a ceasefire would be seen to side more with the Palestinian people in Gaza and the Occupied Territories, and somehow betray western values, and the state of Israel that has its beginnings in Europe.
And in the end it’s all about money and power and who is going to have your back at the end of the day.
Both sides in this conflict are ‘hurt people.’ And you know the saying – ‘hurt people hurt people.’
I read this verse this morning. Luke’s Gospel Chapter 11 verse 32.
“The people of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and now something greater than Jonah is here.”
The Old Testament story of Jonah is about his calling as a prophet. He was sent by God to preach to the people of Nineveh to change from their sinful ways. They did repent, and Jonah was surprised and angry. He never imagined that they would repent, and thought they had got off too lightly.
But they did listen and they did change. So they have the right to challenge others who need to change. They saw that they were living on a destructive path and turned around.
Where are today’s Ninevites ? Where are the ones who have seen their failings and made a decision to be different ? We need them to witness to their unholy past, and challenge this generation and condemn it.
And by this generation, I do not simply mean Hamas and The State of Israel, although at this time maybe they are first in line. I mean all those who measure life in their ability to control dollars and bombs, and oil and water, and propaganda and terror.
What we are seeing in Israel Palestine is a playing out of history, and we need someone or something that is greater even than Jonah.
Five Short Words 