Tag: Justice

Proper 21, 17th Sunday After Trinity

1st October 2023

Reflection (readings are below)

Why do the people complain to Moses and not ask/ pray to God? Are they still at the learning stage and don’t yet know God? 

It seems that they have not yet learnt that God is with them. 

Later the Psalmist, will be able to write ‘Hear my teaching, O my people’. By the time the Psalmist is writing, God’s people have journeyed through the wilderness experiencing God’s presence in all aspects of their daily life. They will have been immersed in a time and space when they were ready and able to learn God’s teaching. 

In Philippians we have a wonderful early creed that describes the nature and character of Jesus. Jesus is God-with-us in a unique way. Through our faith in Jesus, God is at work in us, enabling us ‘both to will and to work for his good pleasure’.

Both the Old Testament readings and the epistle are telling us that the source of instruction that we need to enable us to lead good and fulfilled lives, should come from God. God should be the source of authority in our lives – for us as individuals and as a people. If we believe that God is the origin of all that has been created, then it would seem logical that God would be the best source of information – the best authority – to show us how we can live most harmoniously, most profitably with creation. Here I use the word profitably to mean not financial greed but beneficial wellbeing. And that would be well-being not just for some individuals but for everyone, for the whole ecosystem.

Today’s gospel reading is also about authority. More specifically, what is the authority by which Jesus acts? What is the authority that allows him speak of what God wills? What is the authority that allows him to teach others? What is the authority that allows him to heal and to forgive sins? What is the authority that allows him to challenge existing traditions and laws, to contradict what is said by those in positions of power? 

Does his authority come from his band of followers, or from  family business, or from sponsors, or from a self confident egotism, or maybe – just maybe – from God? 

Perhaps, in all honesty, the chief priests and elders are not entirely sure that they know the answer. The miracles and healings might suggest divine links, but how could that be squared with his pointed assertions that they, the public figures of the Law and guardians of God’s Temple, are wrong – that they have become entrapped in a false system that equates their human decisions with those of God? I can imagine it would be hard for them to see through the miasma of centuries old human-made traditions.

When we look at our own social, religious,  and business structures, can we be sure that we can always distinguish between human preferences and God’s will, between what is expedient and what God desires? 

Licensing new oil wells that will profit shareholders who vote for you, may seem expedient if you are after votes. But is spending money on such destructive projects that could otherwise be invested in climate friendly renewable energy projects, really what God desires? Surely what God desires is that the actions we choose should care for and benefit the planet, should provide for the wellbeing of the poor and the vulnerable in creation?

The people in Exodus quite rightly ask for clean drinking water. Water is essential for life. People need clean water to drink. Birds and animals need clean water to drink. Plants need water to grow. Aquatic creatures need clean water in which to live  – if the water becomes polluted, they die. Why then is it that we allow companies to make profits out of selling water whilst at the same time polluting streams, rivers and, ultimately, seas  on and in which so many plants and animal species depend? Why is it that farmers can profit from industrial-scale methods of production that release herbicides and pesticides and farm sewage into those same streams, rivers and oceans, without hindrance or reparations? Why is that industrialists can profit from producing aluminium and copper and lithium whilst polluting whole river systems? Or that oil companies can profit from extracting oil whilst polluting both rivers and oceans?

Surely what God desires are clean, biodiverse rich, flourishing streams and rivers, seas and deltas? Surely what God desires is that no one should make profits at the expense of anyone else’s (human or wildlife) wellbeing? That being so, by what authority do businesses and governments promote means of production and extraction and profiteering that kill off wildlife, damage ecosystems, and endanger the lives of millions of people across the world?

Conversely by what authority do climate activists, social reformers, naturalists and ecologist, call for an end of such practices? What motivates their actions? To win votes? For egotist reward? For fun? Or because they cannot stand back, and say and/ do nothing about what seems to be clearly unrighteous? 

Exodus 17:1-7

From the wilderness of Sin the whole congregation of the Israelites journeyed by stages, as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. The people quarrelled with Moses, and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?” But the people thirsted there for water; and the people complained against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?” So Moses cried out to the Lord, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.” The Lord said to Moses, “Go on ahead of the people, and take some of the elders of Israel with you; take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will be standing there in front of you on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink.” Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. He called the place Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarrelled and tested the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”

Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16

1 Hear my teaching, O my people; *
incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

2 I will open my mouth in a parable; *
I will declare the mysteries of ancient times.

3 That which we have heard and known,
and what our forefathers have told us, *
we will not hide from their children.

4 We will recount to generations to come
the praiseworthy deeds and the power of the Lord, *
and the wonderful works he has done.

12 He worked marvels in the sight of their forefathers, *
in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.

13 He split open the sea and let them pass through; *
he made the waters stand up like walls.

14 He led them with a cloud by day, *
and all the night through with a glow of fire.

15 He split the hard rocks in the wilderness *
and gave them drink as from the great deep.

16 He brought streams out of the cliff, *
and the waters gushed out like rivers.

Philippians 2:1-13

If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. 

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,

who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,

but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.

And being found in human form,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death–
even death on a cross.

Therefore God also highly exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name,

so that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Matthew 21:23-32

When Jesus entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” Jesus said to them, “I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?” And they argued with one another, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet.” So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

“What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ He answered, ‘I will not’; but later he changed his mind and went. The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, ‘I go, sir’; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him.

Proper 20, 16th Sunday after Trinity

24th September 2023

Reflection (readings below)

It is easy for people to get disgruntled, especially when they feel that a change in the system has unfairly affected them. 

Today’s readings are concerned with different systems. There is that of the world – sometimes referred to, by for example St Paul, as the way of the flesh. And there is that which is the way of God – the way of the kingdom of God. 

Life in Egypt operated under the system of the world. There were those in power and those enslaved. Those who were slaves worked whilst those in power enjoyed the fruits of their labour. To ensure those who were slaves kept on working, food was necessary.  Slaves worked to get food, and slaves got food to ensure they  worked.

God took the people out of that system in a way that was dramatic and promised to be life changing. But initially the people felt uncomfortable. They are not used to this system. They complain – Po I g the blame on Moses and Aaron. God knows what they are experiencing and God wants to introduce them to an alternative system, the system, or way, of God. God will feed them not because he wants them to work hard, but because they are God’s people. God wants them to learn God’s ways, to learn to follow God’s instructions and God’s example.

So without having to work, God provides them with food to eat – a free gift. But God’s way are about having enough and not being greedy or grasping. They are to collect each day just the food they need. Later in the story we hear that those who are greedy, and collect more that they need, find that the surplus they gathered goes mouldy! God’s ways are not just about having enough food, they are also about having enough rest. Just as God, after six days of labouring to create the world, rested on the seventh day, so to the people of God are to observe a day of rest on the seventh day. 

These words from today’s psalm reminds us that seeking God’s way is the way, will lead to rejoicing!

“Glory in his holy Name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.”

The story from St Matthew’s gospel likewise contrasts the ways of the world and the ways of God, and how the two systems have different ways of valuing people. The world values people according to their ability to work hard, whilst at the same time overlooking the fact that some people lack opportunity, that people are not playing on a level playing field. The kingdom of God values people because they are people made in God’s image. The kingdom of God serves to give people opportunities. The kingdom of God sets out to meet people’s need – not their greed. The kingdom of God asks that we be generous towards others just as God is generous to us.

Paul’s letter to the Philippians reminds us that to seek God’s kingdom, to follow in the ways of Christ, is not without discomfort and suffering, but despite these, it is always a way of life that is full of joy.

The way of the world still predominates. We still find that we and others are often constrained by its overwhelming force, and by its injustices. People still go hungry, people still lack opportunities, people still find that the system is set against them. Only this week Mr Sunak has declared that because people cannot afford to replace their existing gas heating systems, that he will allow these expensive systems to remain in place, locking users into an ongoing reliance on gas markets with ever increasing energy costs. Would it not be better to insulate people’s homes, fitting them out with energy efficient heating systems, and so allowing them to benefit from the lower costs of renewable energy. Would it not be even better to ensure that everyone has a warm home as a universal right?

Can we envisage how all our lives would look if we lived according to the values of the kingdom of God? Those values we pray for each time we say the Lord’s Prayer – ‘May your kingdom come, on earth as in heaven.’

Exodus 16:2-15

The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

Then the Lord said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not. On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on other days.” So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your complaining against the Lord. For what are we, that you complain against us?” And Moses said, “When the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening and your fill of bread in the morning, because the Lord has heard the complaining that you utter against him—what are we? Your complaining is not against us but against the Lord.”

Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, ‘Draw near to the Lord, for he has heard your complaining.’” And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked toward the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. The Lord spoke to Moses and said, “I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’”

In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.”

Psalm 105:1-6, 37-45

1 Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his Name; *
make known his deeds among the peoples.

2 Sing to him, sing praises to him, *
and speak of all his marvellous works.

3 Glory in his holy Name; *
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.

4 Search for the Lord and his strength; *
continually seek his face.

5 Remember the marvels he has done, *
his wonders and the judgments of his mouth,

6 O offspring of Abraham his servant, *
O children of Jacob his chosen.

37 He led out his people with silver and gold; *
in all their tribes there was not one that stumbled.

38 Egypt was glad of their going, *
because they were afraid of them.

39 He spread out a cloud for a covering *
and a fire to give light in the night season.

40 They asked, and quails appeared, *
and he satisfied them with bread from heaven.

41 He opened the rock, and water flowed, *
so the river ran in the dry places.

42 For God remembered his holy word *
and Abraham his servant.

43 So he led forth his people with gladness, *
his chosen with shouts of joy.

44 He gave his people the lands of the nations, *
and they took the fruit of others’ toil,

45 That they might keep his statutes *
and observe his laws.
Hallelujah!

Philippians 1:21-30

To me, living is Christ and dying is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which I prefer. I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith, so that I may share abundantly in your boasting in Christ Jesus when I come to you again.

Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel, and are in no way intimidated by your opponents. For them this is evidence of their destruction, but of your salvation. And this is God’s doing. For he has graciously granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for him as well– since you are having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

Matthew 20:1-16

Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the labourers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’ When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the labourers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.’ When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

Counting on …. Day 1.175

19th September 2023

‘A just transition to a fossil free future.’

To transition is to move from one state to another from way of doing things to another. It can involve change that is not much more than a minor adjustment or it can involve change that is a complete turnabout. Swopping from incandescent to LED lightbulbs might be an example of the former. Swopping from air travel to flight free journeys, from meat-based to plant based diets, from drilling for oil to the building wind farms, more an example of the latter. Most recently we have seen in the  introduction of the expansion of ULEZ, a scheme  that whilst fair and just for most people (providing clean air for pedestrian, cyclists and car drivers) is unjust for a small number of people who are dependent on their – non compliant – vehicles but have insufficient funds to buy an alternative and in adequate public transport to remove the initial need for a car.

The transition maybe even more deep rooted. We may need to transition from our market economies where profit and monopoly power determines what is produced and who consumes it, to an economy based on the the common good, on the least polluting, on satisfying need rather than greed. For a just transition we might see the introduction of a universal basic income, free health and social care at the point of need, an inter grated public transport system in place of private cars, the elevation of food sovereignty over futures markets, the adoption of doughnut economics. 

To read the excellent first chapter of Kate Raworth’s book on doughnut economics follow this link – https://doughnuteconomics.org/tools/18

You might also read this Time article about Amsterdam’s decision to pursue doughnut economics – but be aware, the webpage is full of adverts encouraging your to buy more and thus contribute to the GDP model of economics! https://time.com/5930093/amsterdam-doughnut-economics/

Counting on … day 1.174

18th September 2023

What is the aim, the objective, of climate activism? 

Having pondered this, I wonder if it might be ‘A just transition to a fossil free future.’

‘Just’ that whatever course of action we and/or others take should be fair and just  to all: fair to the poor as well as the rich; fair to people in the polluting industries and to those in the restorative ones; fair to people in the global south and to those in the north; fair to animals, birds, fish, insects …. as well as to human; fair in the division of resources and responsibilities; fair in the distribution of  sacrifices and of opportunities.

Much of the suffering we see around us arises from injustice. Fuel poverty is going to be an issue this winter. Those with limited resources cannot afford to insulate their home, invest in more fuel-efficient heating systems, or in solar panels. Whilst those with ample  financial resources  can benefit from all these cost saving opportunities. To take action on this – to seek justice – check out this website https://www.warmthiswinter.org.uk/

and/ or watch this talk on the issue – https://youtu.be/7b1KS4pazw4?si=yR3eLepDiLT5hrC4

or this – https://energyforall.org.uk/


Green Tau: issue 78

13th September 2023

Is peace simply the opposite of war?

Recently I took part in a peace vigil outside the DSEI arms fair being held at London’s ExCel centre. Setting aside for a moment the morals of using weapons, there is something deeply uncomfortable about the idea of an arms fair: the idea that just as one can a book fair, or an Ideal Homes exhibition, or a horticultural show, one can have a ‘jolly day out’ walking round stands full of weapons, admiring staged demonstrations, picking up samples and goody bags, whilst enjoying alcoholic and other beverages. There is equally something very disturbing about people making profits out of buying and selling products designed to inflict fear, maim and kill.

But on the other hand are weapons a necessary evil, things that do have at some point to be bought and sold? Would we have wanted  the Ukrainians to be weaponless when the Russians invaded? Perhaps weapons are a necessary evil if we want peace not war? 

The following is not based on academic research, but simply a reflection of wha has been going through my mind. 

Is peace the opposite of war or vice versa? I think that peace is the opposite of war but that the reverse proposition is flawed. Peace is not simply an absence of war. It is far more. 

Peace is justice and equality. 

Peace is freedom. 

Peace is contentment and fulfilment. 

Peace is about the individual and the community. 

Peace is about the present and the future. 

This is a rigorous set of imperatives to meet. But does peace exist anywhere in the world? Here in the UK we are not at war, but do we enjoy the peace described above? I think not.

Justice is unevenly delivered. For those with money to pay for lawyers and the cost of court cases, there can be justice. Indeed for those with money to serve injunctions, injustice can be perpetuated. Justice is uneven delivered depending on one’s colour, race or faith. Activists seeking the right to protest can find their actions constrained by injunctions served on them by big corporations and institutions – and to compound the injustice, may then be billed for the injunction!

Equality is patchy – again depending on your wealth. The more you have, the more the system will work in your favour. If you can afford to go to a good school (whether by living in the right catchment area or paying fees) you will get better qualifications and better employment opportunities. If you can afford a better house – especially one you own rather than rent – you will be healthier, learn better and again  have better employment opportunities. If you are homeless, the chances of being as healthy, of getting good qualifications and a job are much less. If you grow up in a household with two parents, if you grow up in a household where everyone is literate, if you grow up in a household where everyone has a job, then you too will have better educational outcomes and better employment opportunities. Then there are postcode lotteries that affect your access to schools and health care. There are geographical north-south divides that shape your opportunities.

Freedom often depends upon access to money. To be free to travel, you need to be able to pay for transport.  To be free to take a holiday you need a higher enough wage – and/ or holiday pay – to cover your costs of living whilst on holiday. To be free to change career, you need sufficient money to cover re-training costs plus what is need to cover living costs whilst you study. To be free to live where ever you want, you need sufficient funds to match the great variation of costs across the country, from region to region, area to area. 

Contentment and fulfilment will vary from person to person, and some may find them for a very low outlay, but for others the cost may be prohibitive. One may find fulfilment in hillwalking, but another in skiing.  Neither ambition is inherently better but the latter may financially be unobtainable. If one’s contentment  depends upon swimming, fulfilment may depend upon whether your local authority still runs to swimming pools or whether your local water company keeps your rivers clean.

Because of the inequalities so far highlighted, you can see that some individuals in the UK may achieve lives of relative peace, but that as a community, our achievements are limited.

Again, sadly, whilst we may have relative peace for now, the ongoing likelihood of such peace is in the balance. With underfunded health, social care  and educational provision, the inequalities of access becoming increasingly dependent on money, seems likely to increase. And with the lack of investment in renewable energy, energy efficient infrastructure and in infrastructure (including things such as tree planting) to mitigate the  effects of the already changing climate, many people’s hope for future contentment  also looks bleak. Such is the state of peace in the UK. But what about more vulnerable countries?

What about Mali where rival militias tax or destroy rural communities? And where climate change is causing the loss of agriculture land with the expansion of the Sahara?

What about North and South  Sudan and Uganda where control of the water in the Sudd wetlands and the White Nile, is leading to disagreement and conflict?

 What about Pakistan where climate change is both melting glaciers and intensifying the wet and dry seasons, making agriculture less viable, and where rising sea levels are reducing the amount of available farm land? With limited opportunities to make a future at home, where can these farmers and their families go to seek a fulfilled life? Seeking refugee in Europe is increasingly difficult.

What about the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where the race to mine copper and cobalt to make batteries, is driving many local people off their land, whilst at the same time polluting land and water supplies? 

Across the world there are many instances where one can see that peace is not present. These are potential hotspots which could lead to internal or cross border warfare. My contention is that if the money that would be spent on the wars that are likely to erupt, was instead spent on removing the obstacles to peace, we would not need to be investing in the arms trade. Where war is already happening, I do see that a different response is needed, but that is still needs to be one that establishes peace on both sides of the conflict.

I can well imagine that rather than building up resources for future war, building up the resources for peace would be financially cheaper. This peace building would involve establishing justice and systems of maintaining justice – both internally within countries and between them. It would involve removing existing inequalities and rebalancing fairly access to resources and opportunities. It would involve valuing contentment and fulfilment as more important than GDP. It would involve valuing equally the needs of individuals and the needs of communities. 

Not an easy task but one that is biblically mandated, perhaps, as in this passage from Micah.

And many nations shall come and say:
‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
    to the house of the God of Jacob;
that he may teach us his ways
    and that we may walk in his paths.’
For out of Zion shall go forth instruction,
    and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

He shall judge between many peoples,
    and shall arbitrate between strong nations far away;
they shall beat their swords into ploughshares,
    and their spears into pruning-hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
    neither shall they learn war any more;

but they shall all sit under their own vines and under their own fig trees,
    and no one shall make them afraid;
    for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken.

For all the peoples walk,
    each in the name of its god,
but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God
    for ever and ever. Micah 4:2-5

Here there is justice, for God arbitrates between nations and between peoples. Here there is equality such that  everyone can sit under their own vines and their own fig trees. Here freedom is suggested for  weapons have been turned into gardening tools, and no one makes anyone afraid. Here is (religious) freedom where people walk with their own gods. Here is contentment and fulfilment for all are taught the ways of God. 

Counting on … day 1.169

11th September 2023

Here in the UK not  everyone has equal access to green spaces, fresh fruit and vegetables, clean air. 

This is a justice issue and one that should be tackled to improve wellbeing for the individuals and for society as a whole. It is something that has been recognised by the Government but how it can be realised and financed is not so clear. 

“Parks and greenspaces in England deliver an estimated £6.6 billion of health, climate change and environmental benefits every year. But with 80% of people now living in towns and cities, one third of people do not have access to good quality green and blue space within 15 minutes of their home. The government’s Environmental Improvement Plan, published [31st January 2023], includes a commitment that the public should be able to access green space or water, such as woodlands, wetlands, parks and rivers, within a 15-minute walk from their home.” https://www.gov.uk/government/news/natural-england-unveils-new-green-infrastructure-framework

Counting on … day 1.164

4th September 2023

1st September to 3rd October is creationtide – time to celebrate the awe and wonder of creation and to renew our commitment to care for all of creation. This year’s particular theme is justice. Determining what is fair and right can be a tricky balancing act between competing needs of plants and creatures and humans. Sustainable ecosystems perhaps best demonstrate what is possible – where species support each other, where what is input is generous, and where what is extracted is not detrimental to the whole. 

14th Sunday after Trinity, Proper 15

20th August 2023

Reflection (readings below)

Who will, or who is, God saving? That certainly seems to be the subject of today’s readings. Is just the Jew or the foreigner as well? Is it just those the Christians who believe in God as revealed by Jesus Christ, or is it the Jews too – who were the first to believe in God? Did Jesus come just to save those Jews described as the lost sheep of Israel, or those Gentiles who believe in his power to heal, too? And what of the Pharisees? Does their blindness, their failure to recognise Jesus for who he is, exclude them from being saved? Are they not also some of the lost sheep of Israel?

The passage from Isaiah suggests that salvation comes to those who ‘maintain justice and do what is right’, although the afterthought is that such salvation is for those foreigners who love God and live according to his covenant, his ways. God is God for all people, and there is a beautiful image of God gathering in all these people – a God with wide and open arms?

Paul, in his letter to the Romans, seems to be saying that in the past (pre Jesus) the Jews had been saved because of their relationship with God through the mosaic covenant but that now they are in an in between situation having not believed in Jesus, and yet have not been rejected by God. Indeed Paul is confident that this situation will be reversed such that both those who believe in Jesus now and those who do not as yet believe, will all be saved. All will be shown mercy – loving acceptance- by God.

Then in Matthew’s Gospel we hear of a discourse between Jesus and a Canaanite woman: who has Jesus come to save? Just those of the House of Israel, ie the Jews, or Gentiles too? Paying closer attention, is it any or all Jews Jesus has come to save, or just those who are lost? To be lost is not to know where one is or to know where one should be going. To be lost is to know one’s vulnerability and to know one’s need for someone to guide you. The Canaanite woman knows she is as is as lost as the lost of the house of Israel and she knows she needs help. And Jesus responds to that. 

That is how we are all saved: by realising and accepting our own helplessness and knowing that our way to healing, to salvation, is through following the guidance, the example, of Jesus. Jesus shows us how to live in harmony with God’s will and therefore in harmony with the rest of creation, in a life of justice and righteousness.

But what of animals and birds, fish and plants? Are they not equally part of God’s creation and worthy of being saved? Or is their salvation automatic rather than something to be sought? Or is their salvation tied to that of  we humans? Certainly it would seem that our human inability to live in harmony with each other and with the rest of creation, is the cause of much suffering – the depletion of the soils so that they cannot sustain plant life, the poisoning of the waters so that they cannot support life, the overloading of the atmosphere with greenhouse gases causing the planet to overheat, the expansion of human habitation (including industrial and agricultural land use) so that millions of species have become extinct. Yes, it would seem that the salvation of the whole of creation is linked to the salvation of humankind. We need all to realise and understanding our failure to do what is just and right, our fallenness – or lostness – that needs the wisdom of God to brings us back into the right way of living, back into harmony with God.

As today’s psalm says: “Let [God’s] ways be known upon earth, your saving health among all nations…[so that] the earth has brought forth her increase; may God, our own God, give us his blessing. May God give us his blessing, and may all the ends of the earth stand in awe of him.”

Isaiah 56:1,6-8

Thus says the Lord:
Maintain justice, and do what is right,

for soon my salvation will come,
and my deliverance be revealed.

And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord,
to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord,
and to be his servants,

all who keep the sabbath, and do not profane it,
and hold fast my covenant–

these I will bring to my holy mountain,
and make them joyful in my house of prayer;

their burnt offerings and their sacrifices
will be accepted on my altar;

for my house shall be called a house of prayer
for all peoples.

Thus says the Lord God,
who gathers the outcasts of Israel,

I will gather others to them
besides those already gathered.

Psalm 67

1 May God be merciful to us and bless us, *
show us the light of his countenance and come to us.

2 Let your ways be known upon earth, *
your saving health among all nations.

3 Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
let all the peoples praise you.

4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, *
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide all the nations upon earth.

5 Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
let all the peoples praise you.

6 The earth has brought forth her increase; *
may God, our own God, give us his blessing.

7 May God give us his blessing, *
and may all the ends of the earth stand in awe of him.

Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32

I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew.

For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. Just as you were once disobedient to God but have now received mercy because of their disobedience, so they have now been disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they too may now receive mercy. For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all.

Matthew 15: 21-28

Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.” But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” He answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

Feast of the Transfiguration

6th August 2023

Reflection (readings below)

Today’s readings all point to the awe and glory that surround God, and that attempt to describe what God is like. Descriptions that portray God as king or ruler, point to both the otherness of God and the power of God. Words such as judgement and dominion, justice and righteousness, point to the idea that there is a right way and a wrong way of living. But how do we know, how do we learn, which is which?

The gospel story has three characters standing on a mountain top. Mountain tops are traditionally places where God is encountered –  Noah and his ark on Mount Ararat, Moses on Mount Sinai, Elijah on Mount Horeb,  and Mount Zion where the temple was built. The mountain in today’s story isn’t named but is thought to be Mount Tabor. These three characters – Jesus, Moses and Elijah – represent three ways of receiving God’s wisdom, God’s guidance on the right or righteous – way to live. 

Moses represents the Law, the commandments received from God on Mount Sinai. These laws covered many aspects of daily life – what to do when a neighbour’s livestock escapes and damages your crops, safeguards for the wellbeing of live stock and of slaves, which foods you might safely eat, how to resolve disputes that involve physical injuries, safeguarding widows and orphans, the payment of tithes/ taxes  etc. These in their day were practical laws designed to ensure justice and harmony within communities. The Mosaic Law is not unique. The Sumerians had the Code of Ur-Nammu, and the Babylonians the Code of Hammurabi, both of which are similar in character to that of Moses. Written laws may not be perfect but they do establish the means for some form of justice, and justice is key to the righteousness that God desires. 

“And if we are careful to obey all this law before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness.” Deuteronomy 6:25

Elijah represents prophesy – and as the Letter of Peter reminds us, prophets are moved to speak by the Holy Spirit. Prophets speak out loud the truths that God wants us all to hear. Sometimes we need to hear the truth about what we are doing that is wrong and destructive; sometimes we need to hear the truth that tells us how wonderful things could be if only we followed the ways of God. 

“The fortress will be abandoned, the noisy city deserted; citadel and watchtower will become a wasteland forever, the delight of donkeys, a pasture for flocks, till the Spirit is poured on us from on high, and the desert becomes a fertile field, and the fertile field seems like a forest. The Lord’s justice will dwell in the desert, his righteousness live in the fertile field. The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever. My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.” Isaiah 32:14-18

And Jesus who is the living word of God! He not only speaks, but is the embodied presence of God. In his daily life, in his actions and activities, he lives life as God wills. He is the exemplar of how we should live, and by following in his footsteps, we walk in the ways of God.

“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12  “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:29

Can we use these three sources – the law, the prophets and the living word – to understand God’s wisdom in addressing the current  climate and environmental crises?

“Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against any of your people, but love your neighbour as yourself. I am the LORD.” Leviticus 19:18 This law clearly underscores everything we should be doing. It also should be a good test for the value or justice of the laws which currently influence climate change  policy and action for the wellbeing of the environment. As Christians we should ensure that those laws which protect the environment and tackle climate change are observed by both ourselves, those in business and by all those in authority. There are times when it is clear that this is not always the case.

As Christians we are also called to be prophetic, to speak truth to power. When we are conscious through the prompting of the Holy Spirit, that people are not caring for the world, for its environment, for its many diverse inhabitants, in the ways that God desires, we should speak out. Sometimes with words, sometimes with actions, sometimes with prayers – we can look to the actions of the prophets (often highly radical) for inspiration. 

And above all we as Christians are called to follow the example of Jesus – Jesus who was attentive to the needs of all he met, who sought to heal them and to reassure them of their value in God’s eyes. Jesus who wasn’t diverted from doing or saying the right things even when it was politically incorrect or was being criticised by the religious authorities. Jesus who shared his whole life with others that they might have life in its fullness. Jesus who helped people to realise that they were called to be God’s children, all equal in God’s eyes. Jesus who taught that forgiveness was God’s unceasing gift. 

We should bring all these traits, these examples to bear, when we consider each day how to safeguard the environment, how to tend and protect and love all of God’s creation.

“And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy. and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8

Daniel 7.9-10, 13-14

As I watched,
thrones were set in place,
    and an Ancient One took his throne;
his clothing was white as snow,
    and the hair of his head like pure wool;
his throne was fiery flames,
    and its wheels were burning fire.

A stream of fire issued
    and flowed out from his presence.
A thousand thousand served him,
    and ten thousand times ten thousand stood attending him.
The court sat in judgement,
    and the books were opened.

As I watched in the night visions,

I saw one like a human being
    coming with the clouds of heaven.
And he came to the Ancient One
    and was presented before him.

To him was given dominion
    and glory and kingship,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
    should serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
    that shall not pass away,
and his kingship is one
    that shall never be destroyed.

Psalm 99

1 The Lord is King;
let the people tremble; *
he is enthroned upon the cherubim;
let the earth shake.

2 The Lord is great in Zion; *
he is high above all peoples.

3 Let them confess his Name, which is great and awesome; *
he is the Holy One.

4 “O mighty King, lover of justice,
you have established equity; *
you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.”

5 Proclaim the greatness of the Lord our God
and fall down before his footstool; *
he is the Holy One.

6 Moses and Aaron among his priests,
and Samuel among those who call upon his Name, *
they called upon the Lord, and he answered them.

7 He spoke to them out of the pillar of cloud; *
they kept his testimonies and the decree that he gave them.

8 O Lord our God, you answered them indeed; *
you were a God who forgave them,
yet punished them for their evil deeds.

9 Proclaim the greatness of the Lord our God
and worship him upon his holy hill; *
for the Lord our God is the Holy One.

2 Peter 1:13-21

I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to refresh your memory, since I know that my death will come soon, as indeed our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.

For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received honour and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain.

So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

Luke 9:28-36

Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah” —not knowing what he said. While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.

Counting on …. Day 1.141

5th August 2023

A lack of a level playing field can mean that the poorest face the highest costs. A recent Green Christian talk, “ Looking ahead to winter – making sure nobody is left behind”, highlighted that for the poorest fuel costs are likely to be highest. Those with money can afford to insulate their homes, install a heat pump and smart heating controls, all reducing the amount of energy needed  – and therefore cost – of keeping warm. Equally those who are poorest tend not to own but to rent their home and any improvements in energy efficiency, insulation and even repairs (to prevent leaks or damp etc), can only happen with the willing input of the landlord. 

To watch Dr Mike Pepler’s talk visit https://youtu.be/7b1KS4pazw4