prophecy – The Green Tau

Feast of Christ the King

23rd November 2025

Reflection with readings below

Each time we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we ask that God’s kingdom come on Earth as in Heaven. This is to ask that God should reign on Earth, that God’s rule should prevail here on Earth. This would be a transformation of the systems of power and authority that we see. God’s rule has the best interests of the poor and vulnerable at heart. God’s rule encourages cooperation and the sharing of resources. It engenders love and friendship between everyone. It engenders peace and harmony. Today we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King for as the last Sunday of the Church’s year it is when we reflect on the culmination of Jesus’s ministry – the establishing of God’s rule here on Earth.

For the people Jeremiah was writing for, were in a no win situation – either to be overrun by the Babylonian Empire or to be taken over by the Egyptian Empire. Jeremiah places the fault with the nation’s leaders. They are more concerned for their own well being and safety, and have failed in their work of caring for, protecting and keeping the people together in community. Jesus himself will preach the same message when he castigates those in authority for having as little concern for their people as a hired hand hand has for the sheep – and will assert his own role as the Good Shepherd.

Are our leaders today following the example of the good or of the bad shepherds? Do our government ministers have our best interests at heart or are they more focus on popularity in the polls? Do they care for migrants, for those seeking a safe place to live? Do they care for those already committed to working here, who as yet have no citizenship rights? Do they care whether or not the most vulnerable, and the poorest, actually have enough to live good healthy lives? Do they care enough to ensure that our children have the best start in life, or that our elderly can live free of worry in their old age? Or do they care more for those with large incomes, those who can successfully lobby for their attention, or who can manipulate the markets?

And what of the national governments involved with COP30? Are they willing to care for not just the people in their own countries but for the wellbeing of people across the world? The climate crisis doesn’t recognise national boundaries so unless they work together we will instead all suffer.

And what too of those in positions of power that are not democratically elected? The CEOs of commercial organisations, the fund managers controlling vast portions of economic wealth, or the lobbyists and influencers who increasingly determine the direction of travel governments. Yet again, the number of lobbyists representing the interests of the fossil fuel industries at COP30 has risen: 1in 25 attendees is such a lobbyist. Their numbers exceed the delegates from the Philippines, and equally those from Jamaica – both being nations recovering from extreme weather events driven by climate change.

The world is full of ‘bad shepherds’.

As Christians we need to follow Jeremiah’s example and call out the abuse and misuse of power wherever we find it – and by the same token that means we should have ears and eyes open to what is happening in the world and be ready to ask the awkward questions so that such wrong doing does not happen unreported. As Christians we need to challenge the systems that allow people to exercise and misuse power in this way. And as Christians, we should be standing up for the needs as well as for the rights of the vulnerable and isolated.

Yes these tasks can seem impossible, but with God as our strength and Jesus as our guide, we can and should do the best we can. It may mean doggedly reading the news and other reports even when this feels overwhelming. It may mean tediously writing letters and signing petitions. It may mean going out in the cold and wet to join vigils and protest marches (but these also come with wonderful times of camaraderie, with well earned breaks for coffee and cake, and with amazing encounters with amazing people). It may mean boycotting favourite foods or products – we do have significant power as consumers when we work together. It may mean changing our lifestyles to show solidarity with others and to be living examples of what the Kingdom of Heaven may look like.

As we prepare for the start of the new Church year, can we embrace Advent as a time to reflect on and renew our commitment to the coming of the Kingdom of God?

Jeremiah 23:1-6

Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the Lord. Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who shepherd my people: It is you who have scattered my flock, and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. So I will attend to you for your evil doings, says the Lord. Then I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they shall not fear any longer, or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing, says the Lord.

The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. And this is the name by which he will be called: “The Lord is our righteousness.”

The Song of Zechariah Luke 1: 68-79

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; *
he has come to his people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty saviour, *
born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old,

that he would save us from our enemies, *
from the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our fathers *
and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham, *
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,

Free to worship him without fear, *
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, *
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,

To give his people knowledge of salvation *
by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God *
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,

To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, *
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Colossians 1:11-20

May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers– all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.

Luke 23:33-43

When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots to divide his clothing. The people stood by, watching Jesus on the cross; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!” The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.”

One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” He replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

Counting on … 169

21st October 2025

Recently Christian Climate Action produced a vision document calling on the Church to be more prophetic. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yOj-jCh9H8L_vqFJ89fbpJHPQibwPgQ0/view?usp=drivesdk

On the one hand the Church of England is pressing ahead with its challenge of reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2030, which is seeing many church buildings (including schools and vicarages etc) being fitted with low energy light bulbs, insulation, solar panels and heat-pumps etc. And this is clearly very important and especially so if it also motivates people to do likewise in their own homes and places of work. (The number of regular worshippers is now just over a million).

On the other hand does the Church challenge individuals, industries and governments to address the systemic wrongs that perpetuate the climate and biodiversity crises and the social injustices that these cause?

As an analogy, I as an individual can be rigorous about placing my plastic in the recycling bin, but if most of that plastic ends up on beaches in Africa because the price of virgin plastic is cheaper than that of recycled plastic, the economic system has won.

I can try and raise this issue as an individual, but how much more effective would it be if the Church were there calling for change – using its cultural status and its position in Parliament to call for effective policies to incentivise recycling within the UK, to incentivise the use of recycled plastic and taxing the production of virgin plastic?

What if – for example- the Church of England were, say, to publicly back Greenpeace which has long been challenged the status quo vis a vis the pollution and global injustices arising from inadequate policies around plastics?

For further information

Plastic pollution

Counting on … 164

14th October 2025

The original meaning of prophecy was of a message about the future that was revealed to the prophet by divine inspiration and this is reflected in the root Greek word “prophēteia ” meaning the gift of interpreting the will of the gods. (1) Now – perhaps because fewer people place their faith in divine inspiration – prophecy more often means a statement or observation predicting what will happen in the future.

Prophecies don’t necessarily come with absolute certainty. For example Jonah was sent to Ninevah with a prophecy predicting that if the people did not repent of their wrong doing , they would be punished. The warning is taken on board, the people repent and Ninevah – much to Jonah’s anger – is saved. Indeed most of the prophets from the first half of the Bible, have messages that call on the people to repent lest they wish endure significant suffering and destruction – although sometimes they have messages which predict a life of peace and flourishing for those who honour God’s way.

Effective prophecy in these situations is prophecy that leads people to reshape the way they live.

There is very much a need for effective prophecy today; prophetic words – and actions – that can motivate people to turn away from lifestyles that are destroying lives and ecosystems, and instead to adopt ways of living that are caring and kind and respectful of the Earth’s planetary boundaries.

https://www.etymonline.com/word/prophecy

Proper 21, 15th Sunday after Trinity

28th September 2025

Reflection with readings below

Jeremiah’s action was made as a visible sign of hope – hope that even though it now looked as if Jerusalem and the land of Judah would be conquered by the Babylonian empire, that this occupation would not be forever. There would be a time in the future when the people would once again know freedom. By buying the field at this most inopportune time – whose land would it be when the Babylonian had invaded – and by burying the title deeds in a jar for their long time safekeeping, that land could be rightly reclaimed by Jeremiah – or more likely his descendants – Jeremiah was saying don’t give up hope there. Even if oir land is taken away from us now, even if we are dispersed to foreign lands, there will at some future date be a restoration and we will return!

Many Palestinians families – both Muslim and Christian – have in their possession keys belonging to the homes from which they were ejected by the Israeli forces in the 1948 Nakba. They hold onto these keys as a sign of hope that one day they will return to their homes. Often images of keys appear on banners and signs to symbolise this hope of returning. The Right of Return is in fact a binding principle under international law, enshrined in United Nations General Assembly Resolution 194, adopted on December 11, 1948. It affirms that refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbours should be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date. It applies to all who have been made refugees. Surely they are right to hope that their futures will include restoration and restitution.

In today’s Psalm we are told that God is our shelter and stronghold. That God protects us because we are bound to God by love. If we call out, God will hear us. Whatever happens God is our safe place – even when a physical safe place seems an impossibility. It must be that belief that enables so many Palestinians to continue to pray and not give up on the hope of a better future.

The Letter to Timothy reminds us that we didn’t bring anything into this world and will take nothing out, and that we should seek contentment with what we have rather than being sucked into an endless desire to accumulate evermore riches and possessions. The writer is focused here on material goods and wealth, for in fact we come onto this world with the gift of God’s love and we take with us all the love that has grown with us through our lives. Not only that, as we come into in this life so we benefit from God’s gift of a bountiful Earth within lean air to breath, water to drink, all manner of fruits and plants to supply our needs – and with their beauty to bring us joy. And it is our responsibility to ensure that we don’t despoil this through greed or stupidity, but rather ensure that all this magnificent wonder of nature is passed on to our children and our children’s children for their wellbeing too. When we leave the Earth we should not leave it in a worse state than when we entered.

Yet when we look at the destruction of land and property, trees, plants and water supplies that is being carried in what was the Holy Land, we are seeing actions that go against God’s will, that destroy the wellbeing of both current and future generations.

We can see the same thing happening when indigenous people have their land taken away or their forests destroyed.

We can see the same thing happening when people are forced out of their homes because they cannot afford the mortgage payments or rents. And we see this happening to whole communities when their local shops and businesses, their community centres and libraries, are closed because rents are too high, funding to low, and market forces distorted by the monopolistic power of big corporations.

Where today do we see or hear the successors to Jeremiah, Moses and the prophets, calling out what is wrong in our world, drawing our attention to what matters and telling us how we can redeem what is being lost? Surely we as Christians and as church communities that are seeking to following Christ, should be the prophets of this age, calling for righteousness and justice and peace to prevail?

Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15

The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the tenth year of King Zedekiah of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar. At that time the army of the king of Babylon was besieging Jerusalem, and the prophet Jeremiah was confined in the court of the guard that was in the palace of the king of Judah, where King Zedekiah of Judah had confined him.

Jeremiah said, The word of the Lord came to me: Hanamel son of your uncle Shallum is going to come to you and say, “Buy my field that is at Anathoth, for the right of redemption by purchase is yours.” Then my cousin Hanamel came to me in the court of the guard, in accordance with the word of the Lord, and said to me, “Buy my field that is at Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, for the right of possession and redemption is yours; buy it for yourself.” Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord.

And I bought the field at Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel, and weighed out the money to him, seventeen shekels of silver. I signed the deed, sealed it, got witnesses, and weighed the money on scales. Then I took the sealed deed of purchase, containing the terms and conditions, and the open copy; and I gave the deed of purchase to Baruch son of Neriah son of Mahseiah, in the presence of my cousin Hanamel, in the presence of the witnesses who signed the deed of purchase, and in the presence of all the Judeans who were sitting in the court of the guard. In their presence I charged Baruch, saying, Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Take these deeds, both this sealed deed of purchase and this open deed, and put them in an earthenware jar, in order that they may last for a long time. For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Houses and fields and vineyards shall again be bought in this land.

Psalm 91:1-6, 14-16

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, *
abides under the shadow of the Almighty.

2 He shall say to the Lord,
“You are my refuge and my stronghold, *
my God in whom I put my trust.”

3 He shall deliver you from the snare of the hunter *
and from the deadly pestilence.

4 He shall cover you with his pinions,
and you shall find refuge under his wings; *
his faithfulness shall be a shield and buckler.

5 You shall not be afraid of any terror by night, *
nor of the arrow that flies by day;

6 Of the plague that stalks in the darkness, *
nor of the sickness that lays waste at mid-day.

14 Because he is bound to me in love,
therefore will I deliver him; *
I will protect him, because he knows my Name.

15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; *
I am with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and bring him to honour.

16 With long life will I satisfy him, *
and show him my salvation.

1 Timothy 6:6-19

There is great gain in godliness combined with contentment; for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it; but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.

But as for you, man of God, shun all this; pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life, to which you were called and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep the commandment without spot or blame until the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will bring about at the right time– he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords. It is he alone who has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see; to him be honour and eternal dominion. Amen.

As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life.

Luke 16:19-31

Jesus said, “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. He called out, `Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.’ But Abraham said, `Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.’ He said, `Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father’s house– for I have five brothers– that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.’ Abraham replied, `They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.’ He said, `No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, `If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'”

Proper 19, 13th Sunday after Trinity

14th September 2025

Reflection with readings below

Jeremiah’s message was clear: God’s people needed to know how to do good not evil. For when their behaviour was evil, their fruitful land would become a barren desolation. Prophets don’t so much predict the future, as spell out the consequences of different course of behaviour, highlighting what may happen when the wrong course of action is taken – and this is seldom a message people want to hear. The calling of a prophet was – and is – not easy. No one likes being told they’ve got it wrong. Jeremiah was always outspoken in his role as a prophet – regardless of the consequence for his own safety. He ended up being put down an empty well as well as being taken against his will to Egypt.

Jeremiah’s words and actions however came from his deep closeness to God and his knowledge of God’s wisdom. This wisdom revealed to Jeremiah that when people lived in opposition to God’s will, in opposition to the ways in which the Earth – God’s creation – worked, the results would be suffering and disaster.

When we read the words of other prophets such as Isaiah (whose words are expounded in this year theme for the Season of Creation – Peace with Creation – Isaiah 32:14-18) we find the same message: when we humans do not engage with God’s wisdom, when we do not pursue justice, when we do not live in harmony with the world God has created, then suffering and disaster ensues.

For decades now, we humans have been ignoring the consequences of burning ever greater quantities of fossil fuels. We have turned a blind eye to the unjust systems that mean the poorest suffer the most. We have failed understand that the Earth can not provide a limitless supply of resources to meet our growing appetite for more and more luxuries. If Jeremiah or Isaiah were here today they would be shouting out from the rooftops, calling us to repent and transform the way we live. They would be disrupting our lives with prophetic actions. They would be challenging the systems of rule and money that perpetuate the disregard for God and planet.

This week Christian Climate Action launched a document entitled ‘Stop Crucifying Creation’ which calls on the Church to take up that same prophetic role exercised by Jeremiah and Isaiah. In response to the accelerating climate crisis and the growing inequalities between rich and poor – both within and between nations – the Church is being called upon to use its corporate position to speak about the truth of these crises, to challenge those in positions of power who are aiding the unfolding suffering and disaster – governments and corporations. The Church is also being called to renew the vision of the early church which sought to nurture loving, caring and sharing communities.

Loving, caring and sharing communities have to be places where everyone is included and valued. In today’s gospel story, the Pharisees want to draw a distinction between themselves and those others who were tax collectors and sinners. So Jesus tells the parable of the lost sheep – and then of the lost coin. In each case, the one that is lost is not indistinguishable from the others: the one hundred are all sheep and all to be cared for; the ten coins are all coins to be equally valued. Jesus’s message is a reminder not to ‘other’ the person – or community – that we perceive as not being ‘PLU’s. For those of who are climate activists, we need to remember that fossil fuel directors, insurance brokers and investment bankers are just as important in God’s eyes – not because of what they do but because of who they are: children of God. Indeed as the epistle writer tells us, it is the grace of Jesus that should overflow through us with faith and love.

And it is the message of the prophets and the psalmists that God does seek out and care for those who have gone astray so that all may flourish.

Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28a

At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem: A hot wind comes from me out of the bare heights in the desert toward my poor people, not to winnow or cleanse– a wind too strong for that. Now it is I who speak in judgment against them.

“For my people are foolish,
they do not know me;

they are stupid children,
they have no understanding.

They are skilled in doing evil,
but do not know how to do good.”

I looked on the earth, and lo, it was waste and void;
and to the heavens, and they had no light.

I looked on the mountains, and lo, they were quaking,
and all the hills moved to and fro.

I looked, and lo, there was no one at all,
and all the birds of the air had fled.

I looked, and lo, the fruitful land was a desert,
and all its cities were laid in ruins
before the Lord, before his fierce anger.

For thus says the Lord: The whole land shall be a desolation; yet I will not make a full end.

Because of this the earth shall mourn,
and the heavens above grow black;

for I have spoken, I have purposed;
I have not relented nor will I turn back.

Psalm 14

1 The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” *
All are corrupt and commit abominable acts;
there is none who does any good.

2 The Lord looks down from heaven upon us all, *
to see if there is any who is wise,
if there is one who seeks after God.

3 Every one has proved faithless;
all alike have turned bad; *
there is none who does good; no, not one.

4 Have they no knowledge, all those evildoers *
who eat up my people like bread
and do not call upon the Lord?

5 See how they tremble with fear, *
because God is in the company of the righteous.

6 Their aim is to confound the plans of the afflicted, *
but the Lord is their refuge.

7 Oh, that Israel’s deliverance would come out of Zion! *
when the Lord restores the fortunes of his people,
Jacob will rejoice and Israel be glad.

1 Timothy 1:12-17

I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because he judged me faithful and appointed me to his service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of violence. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners– of whom I am the foremost. But for that very reason I received mercy, so that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display the utmost patience, making me an example to those who would come to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Luke 15:1-10

All the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to Jesus. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

So he told them this parable: “Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbours, saying to them, `Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

“Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbours, saying, `Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Proper 4, 4th Sunday before Lent

9th February 2025

Reflection with readings below

God has created a world that is continually evolving. It is network of changing ecosystems inhabited by an infinite variety of species. Amongst these humans stand out for their capacity reshape the world. The writers of scriptures have known for millennia that humans have the ability to act for good or for ill. A passage in Deuteronomy tells the people that they can chose to do what is right and enjoy fruitful and joyous lives, or they can chose to do what is wrong and suffer lives of destruction and misery. And the situation hasn’t changed.

Today’s readings tell how God – aware of human frailties – time and again calls on individuals to proclaim God’s wisdom, God’s gospel of salvation, to the peoples of the world. God’s call to Isaiah

was dramatic and profound. The message Isaiah was called to speak was at a time of great tension and threat. It was not an easy message to proclaim, nor was it easy to hear. In fact the people chose to close their ears and ignore God’s warnings. Catastrophe followed.

Paul was clearly aware of the importance of the message he had to share, and equally clear that his role as a chosen messenger was not based on any merit on his part but purely on the grace of God. In fact Isaiah had shared the same sense of inadequacy. And Simon Peter too.

But whereas Isaiah’s encounter with God was full of awe and wonder, smoke and angels, Simon Peter’s boarders on the mundane. He was doing nothing more than his usually daily job. The unexpected catch of fish was certainly amazing but not out of this world. Yet the call, his encounter with Jesus, struck him to his core and was absolutely life changing. Now he was to use his skills for a different task, that of reaching out to and drawing in his fellow humankind, to allow them to encounter Jesus and to take on board a new way of living – the way of the Gospel, the way of God’s wisdom.

Here we are two millennia later. The world is in a vulnerable place and now – as always – people need to hear the word of God, to hear the wisdom that will lead them to choose the way of right living, of fruitfulness and joy.

And we are the people who must speak!

What must we say, what must we proclaim as the word of God to the world?

That we face an existential crisis of our own (human) making.

We have pumped so much carbon dioxide into the atmosphere (as well as other greenhouse gases) principally through burning fossil fuels at ever increasing rates. The warming effect on the atmosphere has already activating tipping points and feed back loops which are accelerating the impact. We’re seeing year on year increases in temperatures that are exceeding the expectations of the scientists; we’re seeing increasingly frequent and intense adverse weather events – floods, droughts, wildfire, storms, heat domes; we’re seeing melting glaciers and ice caps, rising sea levels and more frequent land and mud slides. We’re seeing the slowing of the Atlantic Meridian Overturning Current. When this current fails to circulate hot and cold waters, we in the UK will find ourselves in a land that has a climate compatible with that in Greenland. At the same time UK’s land area will be shrinking as sea levels rise by 50-70cm. This, on the present trajectory, will happen in the life time of children who have already been born. This is going to be the probably scenario they will face as they enter the job market and – perhaps – choose whether or not to become parents themselves.

We cannot prevent all of the adverse effects of the crisis – many are already baked in. But we can yet limit the worst impacts, we can protect against the most adverse consequences, we can help one another to live as safely and as comfortably as possible, but – and this is a big BUT – only if we act now on the science we have. Only if we act now for the common good – that is for the good of everyone with equality and justice – and not allow the interests of a minority to take precedence.

We need to engage the attention and the commitment of governments and organisations, of companies and and trade groups, of workers and investors, of social groups and individuals.

We have to act now. We have to act with urgency. We need to make substantial step changes so that we are more than half way to our goals of global sustainability in the next five years. We should write to our MPs, to Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, and Ed Miliband, secretary of state for energy security and net zero. We should seek out campaigns and support them, sign petitions, boycott those companies that are supporting the continued expansion of fossil fuels. We should review our financial arrangements – do our banks, insurers, pension providers etc support fossil fuels industries? We should look at our own lifestyles – are we walking the talk? We should be looking out for groups and communities being marginalised and penalised by the climate crisis and the failure to make a just transition to a sustainable world.

This is the gospel message: we need to love our neighbours as ourselves – not just the neighbour next door, but the neighbours in the next town, across the next boarder, and in the farthest parts of the globe. We need to tend and care for the planet knowing that it is the unique common home that God created for us. We need to love God with our whole being because it is that love that will motivate us to act.

Isaiah 6:1-8, [9-13]

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. And one called to another and said:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory.”

The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. And I said: “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. The seraph touched my mouth with it and said: “Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out.” Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I; send me!” And he said, “Go and say to this people:

`Keep listening, but do not comprehend;

keep looking, but do not understand.’

Make the mind of this people dull,
and stop their ears,
and shut their eyes,

so that they may not look with their eyes,
and listen with their ears,

and comprehend with their minds,
and turn and be healed.”

Then I said, “How long, O Lord?” And he said:

“Until cities lie waste
without inhabitant,

and houses without people,
and the land is utterly desolate;

until the Lord sends everyone far away,
and vast is the emptiness in the midst of the land.

Even if a tenth part remain in it,
it will be burned again,

like a terebinth or an oak
whose stump remains standing
when it is felled.”

The holy seed is its stump.

Psalm 138

1 I will give thanks to you, O Lord, with my whole heart; *
before the gods I will sing your praise.

2 I will bow down toward your holy temple
and praise your Name, *
because of your love and faithfulness;

3 For you have glorified your Name *
and your word above all things.

4 When I called, you answered me; *
you increased my strength within me.

5 All the kings of the earth will praise you, O Lord, *
when they have heard the words of your mouth.

6 They will sing of the ways of the Lord, *
that great is the glory of the Lord.

7 Though the Lord be high, he cares for the lowly; *
he perceives the haughty from afar.

8 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you keep me safe; *
you stretch forth your hand against the fury of my enemies;
your right hand shall save me.

9 The Lord will make good his purpose for me; *
O Lord, your love endures for ever;
do not abandon the works of your hands.

1 Corinthians 15:1-11

I would remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you stand, through which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you–unless you have come to believe in vain.

For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them–though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we proclaim and so you have come to believe.

Luke 5:1-11

Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. So they signalled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.

Fourth Sunday of Advent

22nd December 2024

Reflection with readings below

In today’s readings it is the small and the marginalised that are brought centre stage – Ephrathah the smallest of the clans, sheep (that ubiquitous farm animal), women (even today in many societies women are still marginalised) and unborn children. The texts offer peace and security, restoration and salvation, and a rebalancing of wealth and power.

Micah’s words promise peace and security. We only have to glance at the newspapers to see how important those two still are. Micah lived in a time of great turmoil when powerful empires sought to grab control of the known world – and largely disregarding small nations in the process: their purpose was to be a source of taxation – and rich men tried to grab as much profit as they could, and would willingly bow to any god or passing fad, if that helped them up the greasy pole. In other words Micah’s world was not dissimilar to our’s today. If you read more of Micah’s words you will find the vocabulary highly critical and harsh.

Yet Micah did seem confident that the God he worshipped and for whom he spoke, did still love Israel, was still merciful and still offered hope for a better future. In an earlier part of the Book of Micah, we hear of swords being beaten into ploughshares and spears into pruning hooks. Peace – and justice – will only come into being through radical change. The ‘same old, same old’ will not do. Mary’s Magnificat comes with the same message. Existing power structures need to be upended. Existing patterns of wealth distribution cannot continue. Radical change is needed.

Jesus’s birth heralds in God’s era of radical change. The writer of Hebrews articulates that in the issues of his day. God’s desire is not going to be met through burnt offerings and sacrifices, God’s will is not going to be achieved through a set of laws that have passed their sell-by date. God’s salvation comes through the incarnation, through the indwelling of Christ in a human body – through the lived experience of Jesus as a human encompassing birth and death and resurrection.

And God’s salvation is still be found in those bodies wherein Christ dwells today. Like Mary before us, we are called to say yes to God, to allow God’s word to be implanted in us, to allow that living word to shape our thoughts and words and actions. We may find ourselves echoing the prophet Micah or echoing Mary the mother of Jesus, in challenging the ongoing sinful practices of the rich and powerful. We may find ourselves enacting countercultural actions that will turn swords into plough shares or redistribute wealth to the poor. We may find ourselves embracing the mind of Christ that understands that everyone is to be loved.

Micah 5:2-5a

You, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah,
who are one of the little clans of Judah,

from you shall come forth for me
one who is to rule in Israel,

whose origin is from of old,
from ancient days.

Therefore he shall give them up until the time
when she who is in labour has brought forth;

then the rest of his kindred shall return
to the people of Israel.

And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.

And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great
to the ends of the earth;

and he shall be the one of peace.

Psalm 80:1-7

1 Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph like a flock; *
shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim.

2 In the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, *
stir up your strength and come to help us.

3 Restore us, O God of hosts; *
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.

4 O Lord God of hosts, *
how long will you be angered
despite the prayers of your people?

5 You have fed them with the bread of tears; *
you have given them bowls of tears to drink.

6 You have made us the derision of our neighbours, *
and our enemies laugh us to scorn.

7 Restore us, O God of hosts; *
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.

Hebrews 10:5-10

When Christ came into the world, he said,

“Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,
but a body you have prepared for me;

in burnt offerings and sin offerings
you have taken no pleasure.

Then I said, ‘See, God, I have come to do your will, O God’
(in the scroll of the book it is written of me).”

When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), then he added, “See, I have come to do your will.” He abolishes the first in order to establish the second. And it is by God’s will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Luke 1:39-55

In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”

And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,

for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.

His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.

He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.

He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;

he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.

He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,

according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

4th Sunday Epiphany

28th January 2024

Reflection (readings follow on)

Earlier this week someone was explaining to me why they did not believe in climate change. If the science was true, they argued, would not the politicians being taking action?

A good question.

Most politicians have families – children and, maybe, grandchildren – and surely they would want to take action to protect them and their futures if the risks were real and serious? The same would hold true for the CEOs of fossil fuel companies, of banks, of insurance companies, of pension funds. If they knew that fossil fuel emissions were increasing the risk of homes being flooded or being damaged by storms; or increasing the risk of heat waves causing excess deaths among the young and old; increasing the risks of droughts, floods and wild fires that decimate harvests and lead to food shortages – then surely they would be taking action to curtail such emissions and reduce those risks as fast as possible?

Is it that they don’t have the information? Is it that they don’t believe what the scientists are telling us? Is it that they can’t believe it will be as bad as the scientists predict? Is it that they believe that with wealth and power they can insulate their nearest and dearest from such disasters?

Paul in his letter to the community in Corinth is aware how tricky knowledge can be. Often we have an incomplete knowledge, a partial knowledge, and we may make perverse decisions. Sometimes my incomplete knowledge is similar to but not identical with your incomplete knowledge and that can lead to huge misunderstandings. So Paul reminds us that one thing is true – that we are all known to God!

If knowledge isn’t always the answer, what about wisdom? Wisdom begins with fear of the Lord, says the Psalmist. Fear of the Lord is not about being panic stricken, or scared out of our pants, but about realising just how far apart is our understanding of the world and God’s understanding. It is about humility – knowing our place, our limitations – and about awe. That is the beginning – not the end – of wisdom. Wisdom is what we gain by paying attention to God, by paying attention to what God has created and how it all interrelates. Wisdom is about learning from others – we cannot expect to gain sufficient wisdom to be of use just as an individual – and about learning from our (individual and corporate) mistakes. Wisdom is about not ignoring the difficult questions. Rather wisdom is about holding that tension between acknowledging the difficulty and acknowledging our own inability to provide a solution.

Perhaps we need to put more emphasis on wisdom than on just knowledge. Perhaps that is what politicians and CEOs and economists and advertising executives need – wisdom so that they can make best sense of the knowledge they have?

The passage from Deuteronomy is focused on the importance of the prophet. What is a prophet? The Godly Play scripts say that a prophet is someone who comes so close to God and God comes so close to them, that they know what God is wanting to say. Prophetic speech can include warnings about what is or might be happening in the world, and about the consequences of the actions we might take. It can also give advice and guidance about living better lives, about living in harmony with the world, and about engaging with God.

Clearly The Prophet referenced in Deuteronomy, is Jesus. And Jesus in today’s gospel is highlighted as a person who not only teaches, but teaches with authority. This is because his knowledge comes from God – something the spirits recognise.

To return to the question, if politicians know that the knowledge the scientists tell us about climate change is true, why do they not act as if it were true? Is it lack of wisdom or lack of knowledge? Or is it that they feel safe ignoring the information for as long as the majority of people and organisations around them are doing the same thing? It is easier to go along with the crowd. They are not alone. It is an approach taken by business leaders, by financiers, by economists. No one wants to be the first to say this is a real problem. No one wants to risk standing out in the crowd. No one wants to risk loosing a short term gain.

They, and we, are at an impasse. No one will take action until everyone else does! No one wants to question the consensus that if no one is panicking, then there is nothing to panic about.

What we need is a prophet! Someone who tell it like it is. Someone who is not constrained by polite convention. Someone who is honest. Someone who can brave the brickbats. Someone who has a strong faith to lean upon. Someone whose understanding is informed by God, whose wisdom grows out of respect for God, whose message reflects God’s truth.

And do w have such prophetic voices. Climate activists are often our modern day prophets. Some are more popular – such as David Attenborough and Chris Packham. Others less so – being a prophet is not about popularity.

When climate activists break the glass doors of banks, it has been because they are sounding the alarm to people who do not seem to be paying attention. It is because they are relaying to those institutions the warnings they really need – and would surely want – to hear if only they were not being drowned out by the ‘business as usual’ message of the majority.

When activists walk slowly along the road disrupting daily life, it is because they acting out on a very small scale the disruption that the climate crisis will lead to if we continue as we are. When activists hold prayerful vigils they act both as an encouragement to those who want to see a different future and to activity a niggling doubt for those who think all is well.

These prophets are trying to unravel the mentality that says until everyone else acts, then I won’t act. These prophets are trying to break this lemming-like mindset. And it is a hard and difficult and drawn out process.. But prophets are backed by God’s wisdom, by the authoritative teaching that comes from Jesus, and by the confidence that comes from knowing that they are known by God.

Finally from today’s psalm, we are reminded that grace and compassion, faithfulness and justice are hallmarks of God which we should aim to mirror in our lives.

Deuteronomy 18:15-20

Moses said: The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you shall heed such a prophet. This is what you requested of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said: “If I hear the voice of the Lord my God any more, or ever again see this great fire, I will die.” Then the Lord replied to me: “They are right in what they have said. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their own people; I will put my words in the mouth of the prophet, who shall speak to them everything that I command. Anyone who does not heed the words that the prophet shall speak in my name, I myself will hold accountable. But any prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, or who presumes to speak in my name a word that I have not commanded the prophet to speak—that prophet shall die.”

Psalm 111

1 Hallelujah!
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, *
in the assembly of the upright, in the congregation.

2 Great are the deeds of the Lord! *
they are studied by all who delight in them.

3 His work is full of majesty and splendour, *
and his righteousness endures for ever.

4 He makes his marvellous works to be remembered; *
the Lord is gracious and full of compassion.

5 He gives food to those who fear him; *
he is ever mindful of his covenant.

6 He has shown his people the power of his works *
in giving them the lands of the nations.

7 The works of his hands are faithfulness and justice; *
all his commandments are sure.

8 They stand fast for ever and ever, *
because they are done in truth and equity.

9 He sent redemption to his people;
he commanded his covenant for ever; *
holy and awesome is his Name.

10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; *
those who act accordingly have a good understanding;
his praise endures for ever.

1 Corinthians 8:1-13

Now concerning food sacrificed to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. Anyone who claims to know something does not yet have the necessary knowledge; but anyone who loves God is known by him.

Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “no idol in the world really exists,” and that “there is no God but one.” Indeed, even though there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as in fact there are many gods and many lords— yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.

It is not everyone, however, who has this knowledge. Since some have become so accustomed to idols until now, they still think of the food they eat as food offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. “Food will not bring us close to God.” We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if others see you, who possess knowledge, eating in the temple of an idol, might they not, since their conscience is weak, be encouraged to the point of eating food sacrificed to idols? So by your knowledge those weak believers for whom Christ died are destroyed. But when you thus sin against members of your family, and wound their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food is a cause of their falling, I will never eat meat, so that I may not cause one of them to fall.

Mark 1:21-28

Jesus and his disciples went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, “What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.

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.