The Recluctant Eco - IT'S TOO HARD!!! ... ??

OK,

This Blog post is written as a bit of a confession ... we're told confession is good for the soul ... hopefully its also good for the environment.

Sometimes we dont know what we should do, but sometimes we also do know what we shouldnt do!

Recently there was a very scary report to come out about Climate Change ... and we do need to do something about it ... we really do! It's not OK not to do something.

It's going to change everything. It really is!

This post is a confession that I haven't done the things that I should have ... but also I'm happy with how things are ... I'm very happy jumping on to an aeroplane and going somewhere. I'm also happy with the status quo - I dump recycling stuff into the ordinary household bin ... sure it's only a can.

But I also know that things do need to change ... we need to talk about the issues ... apparently we're told that for the government climate change is not on the doorsteps

I'm also content with the price I pay for petrol, jumping into my car and going where I want, when I want to go.

But it's not really OK? is it?

Perhaps this crisis might be helped a bit not just by Government but also the churches playing our part and standing up and making our voices heard on the issues.

Lets look a little bit at this:

We know what the problem is: 

- The world is in extreme danger from human action
http://www.un.org/depts/los/consultative_process/icp18_presentations/barrett.pdf

- As Christians we have a duty of care for this but are not doing what needs to be done

Why should we be doing something: 

- Us Anglicans have what we call the 5 Marks of Mission One of which is 'Safeguarding the integrity of creation' - which along with the other things within the marks of mission.
- The Roman Catholic Church recently stated

We need a conversation which includes everyone, since the environmental challenge we are undergoing, and its human roots, concern and affect us all. The worldwide ecological movement has already made considerable progress and led to the establishment of numerous organizations committed to raising awareness of these challenges.

Regrettably, many efforts to seek concrete solutions to the environmental crisis have proved ineffective, not only because of powerful opposition but also because of a more general lack of interest. Obstructionist attitudes, even on the part of believers, can range from denial of the problem to indifference, nonchalant resignation or blind confidence in technical solutions. We require a new and universal solidarity. As the bishops of Southern Africa have stated: “Everyone’s talents and involvement are needed to redress the damage caused by human abuse of God’s creation”. [22] All of us can cooperate as instruments of God for the care of creation, each according to his or her own culture, experience, involvements and talents.  Pt 14 - http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20150524_enciclica-laudato-si.html

 - Then there is the political willingness to do the difficult stuff...

Days before the last general election, the man who would be minister for climate action, Denis Naughten, told RTÉ Radio’s Late Debate that when he was out canvassing, no-one on the doorsteps was asking about climate change.

He wasn’t saying it wasn’t important or that action wasn’t needed, but there was little in his contribution to suggest he was the person to inject a sense of urgency into the national response to the most pressing global issue of our time.

Two years on from his elevation to minister, there is still scant evidence that it has been similarly elevated in his mind from a challenge to the more appropriate category of crisis. https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/views/ourview/climate-change-an-urgent-matter--minister-must-tell-it-like-it-is-857718.html

I just wonder  are we in Crisis mode yet ... not that we want to create a crisis but I just wonder are we heading in for one if something isn't done.

I Call myself a reluctant Eco because I have other things to do - I have pastoral care to think about, I have a masters to complete, a wedding to arrange, bills to pay, work to be done and I have sunday services to prepare for and 101other things on this weeks to-do list and frankly its too hard to think what steps need to be completed in order to stop the world decaying in this generation. IT'S TOO HARD!

Then the thought of raising my head above the parapet on this issue might mean ... well I dont really know what it might mean ...

But just because its too hard does that mean it shouldn't be done?

I call myself reluctant because of what I think of eco warriors ... again this is a confession and I apologise because I have a stereotype in my mind of people who recycle everything, who live in wood houses in trees and who live off the food produced in their gardens... All of these things are good but I like supermarkets, My car and pineapples!

What can be done ... we need to talk, we need a conversation?

I wonder if this can be done in the mainstream of the church - maybe as a ecumenical venture with people who have the knowledge - I'm not sure what I'm calling for, or if I'm calling for anything in particular ... I just know theres a problem that's becoming a crisis very fast and we do need to do something about it.

Anyone have any ideas ... ANYONE?

This Blog was started a while back but was given priority by a chance meeting in a coffee shop in Blarney by someone I just met who had a passion for Climate Change & churches working together. Thanks F for your inspiration - we'll see what comes of this. 

Sermon on Hope

 A sermon preached in St. Peter's Carrigrohane and Church of the resurrection Blarney on Sunday 28th October 2018. 

Readings  

Job 42: 1–6, 10–17 or Jeremiah 31:7–9

Psalm 34: 1–8, 19–22 or Psalm 126

Hebrews 7: 23–28

Mark 10: 46–52

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts be now and always acceptable in thy sight O Lord our strength and our redeemer. Amen

We’re now 5 Sundays away from Advent – and the church calendar changes and tries to prepare us for the preparation for advent

Hope is my theme today - It’s one that has been taken from our OT reading and Psalm

See, I am going to bring them from the land of the north,

   and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth,

among them the blind and the lame,

   those with child and those in labour, together;

   a great company, they shall return here.

and

May those who sow in tears

   reap with shouts of joy.

⁶ Those who go out weeping,

   bearing the seed for sowing,

shall come home with shouts of joy,

   carrying their sheaves.

As Christians … hope should be our bread and butter - the things that sustain us when times are tough and when there seems to be no way forward.

Time and again in Scripture we see dire situations - being sustained by hope, by vision.

Psalm 42:5

Why are you cast down, O my soul,
   and why are you disquieted within me?

Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
   my help and my God.

Hope is one of those words that roll off our tongue without too much thinking .. I hope its going to be dry today, I hope things will go well with the examination …

Michael D Higgins in his speech yesterday mentioned The people have made a choice as to which version of Irishness they want reflected at home and abroad. It is the making of hope they wish to share

I hope, you hope, we hope but what do we hope for?

One definition of which I came across … Hope is a vision for better days that changes us in the present.

This vision for better days that changes us in the present is useful

so for example a student might say I hope for an A in my exam (future vision) … but that student can change what they are doing in the present in order to work towards their hope.

Of course not everything is within their control but there is a vision of something better.

The hope we have in God is of course similar to this but on a different scale

Our hope in God is that he will see us through the tough times but also our ultimate hope that we will be with him forever - where there will be no more pain, sickness or death. 

This hope is peppered right throughout scripture - The Israelites dared to have hope, there’s an audaciousness to the hope we have in God- Its this hope that sustains through dry times, its this hope that paints a picture of a better way when things are going tough

Its a hope that actually things can be turned around, that different decisions can be made, that there is a way around an obstacle, that grief can lift, that life is indeed worth living.

Perhaps sometimes we feel life is out of sync somehow … perhaps things are getting us down - have you ever thought about writing your hopes down … your hopes for the future … and also wondering what you need to change in order for you to get closer to those hopes

Many of the things we hope for might be in our grasp if we’re willing to work towards them.

Ultimately we’re called to hope in God … How do we do that? … well we take time to cultivate that relationship with him, to get close to the father, to take time out with him

Tears to joy

Going out Weeping, bearing seed for sowing

Returning home with shouts of Joy carring their sheaves

Ultimately our hope is summed up in Hebrews 7

Jesus holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever consequently he is able for all time to save those who approach God through him.

The hope in this is clearly seen in the priesthood of Jesus … and we’re included those who approach God through him.

The writer of the epistle to the Hebrews talks about confidence in the Hope we have – they go to great lengths in outlining why we should have confidence in Christ.

It doesn’t say that …he is able for all time to save those who approach God through him.

This is not a might or maybe thing … it is full confidence.

This is challenging but it gets to the very heart of hope …

(Bible Study Story)

When we look back at Genesis … we see the snake in the garden articulating something which happens time after time … did God really say …

That temptation can undermine our understanding of the most fundamental relationship between youself, myself and God.

Did God really say … is it really that easy.

And the answer is yes it is

Trust in God

Allow the Holy Spirit to work stuff out in your life

But there’s also the confidence to say actually my Hope is in him alone

This is not always that easy in our culture … where there is the issue of self-reliance, self confidence. Self

Of course all of these things are important but God reliance, God Confidence

Reliance upon his promises, his actions is something we need to talk more about.

I just wonder as we prepare for Advent this year – are we prepared to talk more about his plans, his purposes, his kingdom and see where it might take us to in our faith.

This might mean a few things … for us as we think of the implications of our hope – I would love to suggest 3 things for us to think about.

With our hope secure:

Trusting God for all things – deepening our trust … thinking about areas in our lives where we aren’t that great in trust him – and placing that under his regime

Treasuring  the things of his kingdom – where our treasure is there our heart is -

Tending to our soul – How is your soul? –a strange question maybe … but it is an important one -  in this time on the run up to Christmas where is your relationship with the Lord?, how is your inner life? Your quiet times, your listening times? The time you need to take with God?

There’s no better time than now

There’s a prayer that is stuck to my wall in my study

Yes we are still fools

Yes we are still dreamers

Who else would keep looking at desolation and in the end only responded by imagining beauty?

Who else would stay in manure and wait for sees because they remembered a rumor of fruit

Who else would reach right into the deepest pain and fear and try to love there even continue to try when hope dies and loves flame flickers in the cold wind of selfishness?

May we be saved all the more from the false sanity of comfort and numbly knowing all the answers

May our questions old and new be transfigured into the kernels of graced dreams and grow our deep rooted imagination of creation healed and whole

And in our becoming begun again

May the ancient first fruit of inspired hope nurture enough new foolish wisdom to go on living the love that makes no sense.

My prayer for all of us is that we would understand the inspired hope that we have and discover how amazingly wide, high and deep the love of God is and rest in that love and share the reason for the hope that is within us with others this day and forever more.

Amen.

a wise heart - Sermon Sunday

Readings

Amos 5:6-7,10-15
Psalm 90: 12-17
Hebrews 4: 12–16


Mark 10: 17–31

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts be now and always be acceptable in thy Sight O Lord our strength and our redeemer. Amen

The Psalmist wites

So teach us to count our days
   that we may gain a wise heart.

The New Living Version translates it as
“Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.”

This captures the meaning of the original Hebrew, though not its poetically


Today I would love us to do a bit of thinking … maybe a bit deeper thinking than I would usually do in a sermon - perhaps its life stage I’m at at the moment and thinking of the future - I’m wondering quite a bit about wisdom and people I see as wise - people who are living as I would like to live.  People who are running the race a bit further ahead than I am … people who are an example of faith and life … I want to know how they have become wise and have kept running in the life of faith … despite all their difficulties, despite illness, grief - They haven’t let go of God’s promises.

 I wonder who that is for you?

I have been very impacted recently by the emphasis upon wisdom in Scripture … as defined as

The quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgement;

What makes people wise ?
 - Experience Good and Bad
knowledge … they know stuff

but beyond that … they have good judgement … they are able to make good decisions

As I look around … in politics national and international, in media, … there are lots of people with experience and knowledge but sometimes I question whether or not the good judgement is there.

As a member of the clergy I go to many funerals of family members and friends, of people I know well and those not so but each funeral … somewhere in the service speaks of the persons relationships, their achievements and their personality.

Each of these experiences I’m reminded very much of these verses … the brevity of life … but also the gift of the days we’ve been given and how we’re called to live each day with wisdom … growing in experience, knowledge and good judgement.
Of course this is practical stuff …

right from we were kids we’ve been growing in this wisdom stuff
   
Those of you who are parents … saw how your kids grew up … with wisdom

Those of you who think back 10, 15, 20 years can see things that you used to do that you’ve now left behind … as you have grown in wisdom.

This growth might have been caused by someone challenging you on something, it may have been you realising the consequences of your actions, or it may have been a moment of revelation that you knew you had to change.

In all of this I just wonder about certain things to help our growth in wisdom

Who do we have to speak wise words into our hearts? - to challenge us
Where do we have time in our schedules to allow the ancient words of scripture into our routine ?
How do we respond when wise words are indeed spoken ?

In the Gospel reading today we hear sharp words from Jesus, challenging words

The rich young man … heard God’s word directly from him and went away sad … for he had great wealth

The disciples heard the same words and they were encouraged.

We’re reminded that we were created to love one another, but also to Love God

In doing this there is a question of priorities … and on the whole we’re not too keen on having our priorities re-ordered but sometimes  we just need to be stopped in our tracks say actually what is the most important thing.

The only thing that does last is our relationship with God … and other things come in under that

Our finances
Our Families
Our work commitments
Our friendships
Our values
Our political views 

This is not a popular thing to say - but it is the one thing that will last

As we count our days … as we are reminded in today's readings … thats the challenge of Scripture

How do we respond to this … we can walk away sad and think of all of the things we might loose or we could see how amazing an adventure, freeing and wise this decision could be.

Sometimes we need to be prompted to do the things we might know we need to do - to have the loving conversation.

Yesterday, I just watched the latest movie to hit the cinema screens, First Man, the back story to the moon landings, where the story followed the Family of Neil Armstrong. In the scene the night before  blast of Apollo 11 … Neil is busily filling his time packing his bags and his brief case and his wife challenges him that he needs to sit down with his kids and talk - he might not be coming back … there is risk, incredible risk to his own life … he needs to be there for them … he doesn’t know how to do it, but we know from previous scenes in the film that he is a loving dad & husband but he’s dealing a lot with grief from the death of a previous child.

As I reflected upon this scene last night … there was an important thing that combined with the theme of this sermon today …

I don’t think any of us today are going to be going to  moon or to Mars today, going to be doing anything overly risky - but we do know that there might be things we are putting off either because we know they are difficult but they are right and we know we need to

say sorry,
say how much we love,
say that we forgive,
say that we set the person free
write the note
Give grace to the person who doesn’t deserve it.

May we have the wisdom to do that life giving action … why … because we recognise that we have to count our days



I want to pick up these questions again


Where do we welcome wise words spoken? … from whom? … have we spent time with that person?
What priorities do we need to change in our lives?  … have we taken time to think about those priorities in the past while?
How do we respond to when words are indeed spoken ? … whats our attitude

May we enjoy life … kingdom centred life.

Amen.

A Tuesday Thought ... Thinking about Margins

 This is the ponderings which have come together from a number of sources but which seem to have come semi coherently as I ponder role as leader and also a member of various groups and teams... 

 

On somedays your head is wrecked by thoughts which have the Potential to change how you think about the world … surprising thoughts … that might be just chains of randomness but then again they might just have the potency to change how things are done eternally.

Power in Church (universal), in organisations, in churches (churches), in the community, in the nation is  usually held at the top, in the centre, in the corridors, at the ballot box … sometimes we find ourselves there in the centre, in the room - the people there to make the decisions, to set the vision, to vote. Empowered, heard and responded to.

At other times, well its different, isn’t it? - the decision was made without us, we were silenced, neglected, dis-empowered, marginalised, criticised, misunderstood, overlooked …

In any process … (and it seems to be there are indeed many, countless processes working at the same time) there is a need for those at the top, in the know, in those corridors to PAUSE and THINK … before the decisions are made to hear and include, to empower and understand the ones on the margins of the decisions

The ones on the margins might actually have some answers, insights, possibilities of creative solutions to the problems faced.

It might take time and effort to get these things done but maybe, just maybe there is possibilities for new creative solutions to the intransigence of the past, understanding of the present and then perhaps a new future opens up as a vista before us.

Can those of us in power (no matter how much or little that may be )… and lets be real here … this ain’t easy - let a bit of it go - to include, to reach out, to go beyond the superficial, to hear the stories, to chose not to put ourselves first, to not have our way

When we win, are we prepared to find whats good with the losers
When we are in power, are we prepared to go to the disempowered and discover what life is like for them?

and then again its not about them and us … there is a common humanity that needs love, that needs to be empowered together.

in any process, in any group the stories from the margins needs to be heard

In our world, in my world, where are the margins I need to listen to ?

In my world, where am I on the margins? where could my voice need to be heard?

I used the words ‘potential to change’ … because potential it is … It won’t happen if we wont take the risk.

We need to call out to those whose voice ain’t heard, ain’t represented, ain’t given the opportunity to make a difference.

I suppose there is a bit of radicalness within this that has the potential to change the systems, to set the vision but there might just be a bit of gospel for those on the margins in it … who knows ?? 



There's issues here of conflict resolution, Reconciliation, Wisdom ...