Dew of Hermon

NOTICE BOX !

2012-01-29T21:10:00.001Z

COMICAL CHURCH SIGNS

DIET FOR LIFE

2012-01-16T00:49:00.003Z

COME TO ME

“I am the bread of life.
Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again.
Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
But you haven’t believed in me even though you have seen me.
However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them.
For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will.
And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day.
For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life.
I will raise them up at the last day.” ~ Jesus ~

John 6:35~40

GRACIOUS RANT

2012-01-12T11:56:00.001Z

SO TRUE

JUST MARRIED

2012-01-11T01:56:00.002Z

WEDDING DRESS CODE !

Attending a wedding for the first time, a little girl whispered to her mother, "Why is the bride dressed in white?"
"Because white is the color of happiness, and today is the happiest day of her life."
The child thought about this for a moment, then said "So why is the groom wearing black?"

FIELD OF DREAMS

2012-01-07T01:44:00.004Z

Shane Geoghegan 1980~2008

PITCH FOR SHANE

I was down at City Hall today seeing to one of the economic mundanities of life, taxing the car when my attention was diverted by the ‘Pitch for Shane Exhibition ‘ presently showing in the Istabraq Hall. Shane Geoghegan was coldly gunned down in a case of mistaken identity in a gang related shooting in November 2008. The public outcry of revulsion at the time prompted some people to get together to remember and celebrate Shane’s life and the idea or the ‘Pitch for Shane’ was born.

A group of volunteers have spent the last several months down at the City Market encouraging people to make tiny clay figures to field a team for Shane’s rugby pitch. The notional pitch now at the gallery eventually fielded 20,000 clay figurines each one an expression of individual disdain for the horrific manner of Shane’s killing and a pledge that this young mans life will not be forgotten.

The effect of seeing the figures arrayed on the floor of the gallery is really quite breathtaking, looking like an immense army prepared for battle. This project is an unusual marriage of artistic expression and public concern which seems to me to be a powerful use of ‘art’ to reflect life. And by virtue of its widespread public involvement tears down the walls of elitism which sometimes enshrines the works of our artistic community. I was caused to stop and reflect on the death of a man cut down in his prime but also pausing to consider how the goodness of ordinary people can help to at least put senseless evil into a fuller context. A cynical voice might say ‘what difference does any of this make, Shane is dead and this doesn’t change that’ but I would say that how we react as a society to evil such as this determines how we can hope for a changed future

The clay team have lined out not just for Shane Geoghegan but for every man, woman and child who longs for a time when such deeds will be no more. Is there not within each of us a sense of hope in the Biblical promise that there’s a day coming when the lion will lye down with the lamb and humankind will beat their swords into ploughshares ! May each one of us work and pray for that great day when God’s Kingdom will come in all its fullness to this tired old earth.

Gerard O'Shea

GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN

2011-12-30T03:00:00.002Z

2011-12-29T12:23:00.002Z

FINDING A CURE

A new doctor had arrived in town. He could cure anything and anybody. Everyone was amazed with what he could do - everyone except for Mr. Thompson, the town sceptic.
Grumpy old Mr. Thompson went to visit this 'miracle doctor' to prove that he wasn't anybody special. When it was time for his appointment he told the doctor, "Hey, doc, I've lost my sense of taste. I can't taste nothin', so what are ya goin' to do?"
The doctor scratched his head and mumbled to himself a little, then told Mr. Thompson, "What you need is jar number 47."
So the doctor brought the jar out, opened it, and told Mr. Thompson to taste it. He tasted it and immediately spit it out, "This is gross!" he yelled. "Looks like I just restored your sense of taste Mr. Thompson," said the doctor. So Mr. Thompson went home.... very mad.
One month later, Mr. Thompson decides to go back to the doctor and try once again to expose him as a fake, by complaining of a new problem. "Doc," he started, "I can't remember anything!" Thinking he had the doctor stumped now, he waited as the doctor scratched his head, mumbled to himself a little, and told Mr. Thompson, "What you need is jar number 47, it's......"
But before the doctor could finish his sentence, Mr. Thompson was cured and fled the room!
　

ROYAL MESSAGE

2011-12-29T00:23:00.002Z

The Queen during her

visit to Cork's 'English Market'

During her visit to this country earlier this year Queen Elisabeth ll won the hearts of many by her gracious and good humoured disposition as she visited landmark sites on the island. Perhaps most moving was her time at the Garden of Remembrance where those who died in the struggle against British occupation are honoured. Also her interaction with the crowds who turned out after her visit to Cork’s English Market was remarkably warm and spontaneous. The visit definitely advanced neighbourly relations between our two countries and changed many ‘Republicans’ views of the British Monarchy. The Queen is the head of the Anglican Church and is reported to have a strong Christian faith herself and is a daily Bible reader. In this years Christmas message she speaks explicitly of the Saviour and the necessity of an individual relationship with Him, as you will see from the excerpt below… ~GOSh.~

QUEEN'S CHRISTMAS SPEECH

For many, this Christmas will not be easy. With our armed forces deployed around the world, thousands of service families face Christmas without their loved ones at home.
The bereaved and the lonely will find it especially hard. And, as we all know, the world is going through difficult times. All this will affect our celebration of this great Christian festival.
Finding hope in adversity is one of the themes of Christmas. Jesus was born into a world full of fear. The angels came to frightened shepherds with hope in their voices: 'Fear not', they urged, 'we bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
'For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour who is Christ the Lord.'
Although we are capable of great acts of kindness, history teaches us that we sometimes need saving from ourselves - from our recklessness or our greed.
God sent into the world a unique person - neither a philosopher nor a general, important though they are, but a Saviour, with the power to forgive.
Forgiveness lies at the heart of the Christian faith. It can heal broken families, it can restore friendships and it can reconcile divided communities. It is in forgiveness that we feel the power of God's love.
In the last verse of this beautiful carol, O Little Town Of Bethlehem, there's a prayer:
O Holy Child of Bethlehem,
Descend to us we pray.
Cast out our sin
And enter in.
Be born in us today.
It is my prayer that on this Christmas day we might all find room in our lives for the message of the angels and for the love of God through Christ our Lord.
I wish you all a very happy Christmas."

NIGHT OF WONDER !

2011-12-25T00:41:00.002Z

CHRISTMAS WISHES

Immanuel -God with us ! May I wish

all loyal supporters of this blog
a Happy Christmas

and Peaceful New Year

Gerard O'Shea

OLD STORY FOR NEW AGE

2011-12-24T01:00:00.004Z

TELLING IT LIKE IT IS !

So how’d it happen? Baby Jesus. The Liberator? You ready for this?
I’ll tell you: his mum, Mary, is engaged to Joe. They’d not had sex yet, but – weird! She’s pregnant! Courtesy of the Holy Spirit.
Focus on Joe. A good guy, trying to do the right thing and he’s desperate to keep this news quiet. The locals would come down so hard on her. He’s working out how best to deliver the “sorry, but it’s off” speech – without the gossip grapevine crashing from overload.
He’s smashing the billiard balls of his best options around his brain, well into the early hours. Finally he drops off and God downloads a dream: An angel saying:
“Joe Davidson, don’t you chicken out of making Mary your wife. I’ll tell you why. ‘Cause it’s the Holy Spirit’s baby. She’ll have a boy, and you’ll put the name Jesus down on the birth certificate. Why “Jesus”? ‘Cause it means Liberator and that’s what he’s going to do for all his people…. liberate them from all the mess they’ve gotten themselves into.”
Joe wakes up and, yes, realizes it was all a dream. But he follows his Angel Orders to the letter and the wedding’s back on as soon as the baby’s born. Joe makes sure the birth certificate reads, “First name: Jesus.”

Meanwhile, in the depths of the Roman Empire, he-who-must-be-obeyed, Augustus Caesar, announces the Big Count. Caesar, the Big Cheeser, wants accurate population stats across the empire. Everyone is expected to trek back to their hometown for the registration.
So Joe Davidson sets off on the 130 km trip down the map, crosses the border and arrives in Bethlehem, Davidstown, in the south. He takes his fiancee Mary, who’s pregnant and showing. Three, four, maybe five days later they arrive and realize someone else is about to cross a border and arrive in Bethlehem.
Crisis! Her waters break! “No vacancy” signs in every B&B window. Decision. Mary has a ‘home birth’ in a livestock shed. She wraps strips of cloth round the baby and uses an animal feeding trough as a cot.

Noisy night, chaotic night

All is alarm, all is fright

Rounded virgin, now mother to child

Wholly infant, so other, so wild

Awake at an unearthly hour

Pull back to the fields outside the overpacked town, focus in on a local Sheep Security Team sitting through their night shift.
One of God’s angels turns up, with brilliant supernatural special FX packing the fields with God’s radiance. The guys are scared stupid.
The angel delivers his standard, “Don’t panic” line then hits them with, “I’ve got great news, great news to bring a smile to every shape of face on the planet. Mark the date in your diaries. Today over in Davidstown there’s a new baby born. Not just any baby – The Baby! The Boss, Liberator God himself, turning up for you in baby shape. You’ll know which baby – he’ll be wrapped up snug and lying in a feeding trough that’s caked with old animal grub.”
Cued to make their entrance on the last line of the breaking news, the whole angel choir turn up and blast out the song:
“Celebrate! Elevate! And on planet Earth, serenity. In your earthly home, shalom for all who have known God’s smile.”
Once the angel choir scoots back up the Heavenly HQ, the Sheep Security Team come out with, “Let’s check it out”. “Yeah, let’s hit the town.” “Search the whole of Bethlehem for this baby.” “God’s put us in the picture – let’s go!”
They leg it and, sure enough, they track down Mary and Joe, then find the baby in his makeshift cot. The next days they fill the pubs with echoes of what they’d been told about this baby. The public pulse is breakneck pace as “Liberator Talk” bounces round the walls of the town. The reactions range from amazed to – well, amazed.
The Sheep Security Team go back to work, talking up God for letting them in on the whole adventure.
And Mary’s reaction? She’s quietly storing away all of this in a safe place in her heart, bringing memories out when ever she has some space to wonder.

This is a paraphrase of the story of Jesus’ birth from the Bible. Rob Lacey used ‘street language’ to make the old old story relevant for a new generation.

KAVANAGH'S CHRISTMAS

2011-12-19T11:46:00.001Z

Patrick Kavanaghs powerful evocation
of his childhood memory
of Christmas in Monaghan.

A CHILD IS BORN

2011-12-17T22:47:00.003Z

SALUS MUNDI *

I saw a stable, low and very bare,

A little child in a manger.

The oxen knew him, had Him in their care,

To men He was a stranger.

The safety of the world was lying there,

And the world's danger.

Mary Coleridge

(* safety of the world)

THE FOOD OF LOVE

2011-12-17T01:07:00.003Z

AMISH RECIPE FOR

A HAPPY MARRIAGE

The Amish, justly famous for their hearty home cooking, give us their recipe for a happy marriage.

If yours isn't so great, perhaps there's an ingredient missing!

3 cups love

2 cups warmth

1 cup forgiveness

1 cup friends

4 tablespoons hope

2 tablespoons forgiveness

An equal measure of faith

Generous amount of humor with laughter to taste

Mix together warmth and love.

Thoroughly blend in tenderness.

Stir in the friends, add the hope & mix in the forgiveness.

Sprinkle with laughter and cook in faith.

Serve daily in generous helpings.

(taken from Amishcommunity.blogspot.com)

ASKING SANTA !

2011-12-11T22:53:00.001Z

BELIEVE IT OR NOT

2011-12-10T22:28:00.003Z

"The atheist
can't find God
for the same reason
that a thief
can't find a policeman."

(unknown)

A CERTAIN TRUTH

2011-12-10T02:11:00.001Z

TIME TO TELL

2011-12-10T01:01:00.007Z

SHEPHERD'S WORK

It’s my first Christmas away from home. Our college youth choir is on tour and we’re making our way from southern California, across the barren landscape of the Texas panhandle, to Oklahoma. It’s bitter cold, our van is smothered with ice, I can’t see out the window, and we’ve been on the road for more than twenty-four hours.
We make it to First Church in time to set up for their Christmas Eve service. Our program is John Fisher’s musical, The New Covenant. In between songs I narrate the message from Jeremiah of a new and better way:
“The time is coming,” declares the Lord,“when I will make a new covenant…It will not be like the covenant made with their forefathers…I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts.I will be their God,and they will be my people.For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”
Our program is over. The congregation surrounds us with love and good food. They’re touched and moved: The baby Jesus, full of grace and truth, God-with-us, in our hearts, in our minds. No more rules. We can start anew.
It’s getting deathly late, so we bed down in the church’s Fellowship Hall. The room is piled with bodies, strewn all over the floor under sleeping bags. I’m too exhausted to care.

TRAVELLING ON
Christmas morning. All is quiet, but all is bleak. Through the windows, which reach from ceiling to floor at the other end of the room, there is nothing but grey, icy dirt. Sparse blades of grass whimper in the wind. Nothing looks or feels familiar—nothing like the Christmas I know.
We pack up, wind our way back through Texas, to another church. It’s another evening concert. It’s Christmas night. Our program proceeds as before. From the Gospel of John I announce, “The law was given through Moses; but grace and truth through Jesus.” I go on to quote from the apostle Paul:
Therefore, we are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face… No, Christ has taken it away. For where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into this likeness…For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts.
In the Christ child is life, and that life is the light of the world. In us too is life and light. It shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not and cannot overcome it. We are witnesses. It shines.
It’s approaching midnight. This time families invite us home and give us a bed. Before I turn in, my host thanks me. His wife left him several years back. “Thank you for reminding me of how the light can still shine.”

GLORY TO GOD
Morning comes early, much too early. We have to pack up and head off to Albuquerque. I’m not too sure I have the energy to keep doing this, but I’m eager to sing and tell about the new and better way.
This time the congregation is packed with elderly folk. “Merry Christmas! God is with us – Immanuel is born.” Our program commences. Near the end, I quote from Paul again:
We have seen his glory and do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all… Glory to God in the highest!
A bent-over gentleman, with cardigan and cane, comes up to me afterwards. He is teary-eyed. He embraces me, and then gingerly walks away. His wife had just died of cancer.
Several days and several more churches later I’m back in school. A letter is in my mailbox from Mom. “So how was your Christmas?” I tell her all about the tour, where we went and what we tried to bring to those we met.
Another letter from Mom. She worries I didn’t have a good Christmas: No tree, no gifts, no Santa, no caroling or parties. I don’t know what to say. Then I recall the shepherds in the Christmas story, and how they hurried off to spread the news about the babe lying in the manger. “All who heard them were amazed at what they said to them.”
“Mom,” I write back. “I did have a good Christmas… I was doing shepherd’s work.”
Christ is born! There is a new and better way. The light shines in the darkness. Our sins are forgiven, remembered no more. Spread the news. It’s the season for shepherd’s work. Hallelujah!

Charles Moore

(taken from 'The Plough' magazine)

LENGTH OF DAYS

2011-11-19T12:33:00.000Z

THESE REMAIN

2011-11-17T01:29:00.003Z

FALLEN MAJESTY

Although crowds gathered once if she but showed her face,
And even old men's eyes grew dim, this hand alone,
Like some last courtier at a gypsy camping-place
Babbling of fallen majesty, records what's gone.

The lineaments, a heart that laughter has made sweet,
These, these remain, but I record what's gone. A crowd
Will gather, and not know it walks the very street
Whereon a thing once walked that seemed a burning cloud.

W.B.Yeats

SEVEN DAYS

2011-10-28T11:53:00.000+01:00

FAIR PLAY

2011-09-25T14:08:00.004+01:00

THE POET

Therefore he no more troubled the pool of silence
But put on mask and cloak,
Strung a guitar
And moved among the folk.
Dancing they cried,
'Ah, how our sober islands
Are gay again, since this blind lyrical tramp
Invaded the Fair.'

Under the last dead lamp
When all the dancers and masks had gone inside
His cold stare
Returned to its true task, the interrogation of silence.

George Mackay Brown

WISDOM OF A CHILD

2011-09-19T22:36:00.002+01:00

This was written by an 8-year-old named Danny Dutton, who lives in Chula Vista , California . He wrote it for his third class homework assignment, to 'explain God.' I wonder if any of us could have done as well ?

EXPLANATION OF GOD

'One of God's main jobs is making people. He makes them to replace the ones that die, so there will be enough people to take care of things on earth. He doesn't make grownups, just babies. I think because they are smaller and easier to make. That way he doesn't have to take up his valuable time teaching them to talk and walk. He can just leave that to mothers and fathers.'
'God's second most important job is listening to prayers. An awful lot of this goes on, since some people, like preachers and things, pray at times beside bedtime. God doesn't have time to listen to the radio or TV because of this. Because he hears everything, there must be a terrible lot of noise in his ears, unless he has thought of a way to turn it off.'
'God sees everything and hears everything and is everywhere which keeps Him pretty busy. So you shouldn't go wasting his time by going over your mom and dad's head asking for something they said you couldn't have.'
'Atheists are people who don't believe in God. I don't think there are any in Chula Vista . At least there aren't any who come to our church.'
'Jesus is God's Son. He used to do all the hard work, like walking on water and performing miracles and trying to teach the people who didn't want to learn about God. They finally got tired of him preaching to them and they crucified him. But he was good and kind, like his father, and he told his father that they didn't know what they were doing and to forgive them and God said O.K.'
'His dad (God) appreciated everything that he had done and all his hard work on earth so he told him he didn't have to go out on the road anymore. He could stay in heaven. So he did. And now he helps his dad out by listening to prayers and seeing things which are important for God to take care of and which ones he can take care of himself without having to bother God. Like a secretary, only more important.'
'You can pray anytime you want and they are sure to help you because they got it worked out so one of them is on duty all the time.'
'You should always go to church on Sunday because it makes God happy, and if there's anybody you want to make happy, it's God!
Don't skip church to do something you think will be more fun like going to the beach. This is wrong. And besides the sun doesn't come out at the beach until noon anyway.'
'If you don't believe in God, besides being an atheist, you will be very lonely, because your parents can't go everywhere with you, like to camp, but God can. It is good to know He's around you when you're scared, in the dark or when you can't swim and you get thrown into real deep water by big kids.'
'But...you shouldn't just always think of what God can do for you. I figure God put me here and he can take me back anytime he pleases.
And...that's why I believe in God.'

DANIEL MARTIN MOORE

2011-09-19T21:54:00.001+01:00

UP ABOVE MY HEAD

I first heard Daniel Martin Moore singing on a TV arts programme presented by John Kelly, a man who knows his music. Moore sings old Gospel songs as well as his own compositions in a laid back gentle style that allows these old ‘spirituals’ to eat right into your soul. When I got to meet him prior to a performance here in Limerick I asked the Kentuckian if the songs meant much to him. He considered for a while and replied, “Sure they do, I love the words”. I pressed a bit harder and asked him if he was a man of faith ? Again he paused before he answered, “I’m not religious…I left that behind me years ago” He declined my outstretched hand as he had picked up a head cold during his visit but he was warm and friendly if a little distant. He went on to play a dazzling set to an appreciative group of half a dozen people, such are the joys of any live music gig that is a little different here on Shannonside ! As I left he came after me and said “Thanks for coming”, and as he shook my hand, “Don’t forget to wash your hand ! “ I didn’t .

Gerard O'Shea

RULE OF LIFE

2011-09-19T13:25:00.001+01:00

PROBABLE PROPHECIES

2011-09-12T10:00:00.004+01:00

This little nugget was brought to my attention on ‘The Shepherds Staff’’, a blog worth looking up in its own right. These probabilities are taken from Peter Stoner in Science Speaks (Moody Press, 1963) to show that coincidence is ruled out by the science of probability

FUTURE PERFECT !

Stoner states that by using the modern science of probability in reference to eight prophecies, "we find that the chance that any one man might have lived down to the present time and fulfilled all eight prophecies is 1 in 1017." (Please pardon the format. Blogger will not support superscript). That would be 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000.
In order to help us comprehend this staggering probability, Stoner illustrates it by supposing that "we take 1017 silver dollars and lay them on the face of Texas. They will cover the state two feet deep. "Now mark one of these silver dollars and stir the whole mass thoroughly, all over the state. Blindfold a man and tell him that he can travel as far as he wishes, but he must pick up one silver dollar and say that this is the right one. What chance would he have of getting the right one? Just the same chance that the prophets would have had of writing these eight prophecies and having them all come true in any one man."
Stoner considers 48 prophecies and says, "we find the chance that any one man fulfilled all 48 prophecies to be 1 in 10157, that is, 1 in
100,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
The estimated number of electrons in the universe is around 1079. It should be quite evident that Jesus did not fulfil the prophecies by accident.

GOD IS OUR REFUGE AND STRENGTH

2011-09-11T23:13:00.001+01:00

PRESIDENT READS PSALM 46

President Obama reads Psalm 46 at the the 9/11 rememberance ceremony

in New York city today.

THE GOOD DOCTOR

2011-09-02T15:43:00.003+01:00

DR. MARTYN LLOYD - JONES

One of the most compelling and precise teachers of the Scriptures that I have heard. Leaving his Harley Street medical practise for the pulpit many of his colleagues at the time were at a loss to explain this unusual move. Lyod Jones took this radical step after becoming convinced that this was the road God was directing him to take. Time proved that God’s wisdom is superior to eartly wisdom and the fruit that followed his ministry became a powerful vindication of that early decision. ~GOSh.~

KATHLEEN O'SHEA 14th Anniversary

2011-08-29T13:44:00.004+01:00

Today is the 14 th Anniversary of my Mams death.

Here she is pictured in the front porch of Ardhu with

her loyal companion 'Judy'.

LAST DAYS

Towards the end
I was like a guide-dog
Leading my mother
Through the hazards of shopping centres
And crossing roads
As her eyes dimmed with age.

She bore it all bravely
And kept the tears
Till we were gone,
Then - in a flash of time
A light dawned
That spirited her away
From all our care and ken.

She had simply had enough,
And at the end
Sat back in her chair
And didn’t even wave goodbye.

Now her eyes are wide open
And she is seeing things
We can only dream of.

Gerard O'Shea

KEEPING YOUR HEAD

2011-07-30T00:43:00.003+01:00

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Today is going to be a struggle, Lord.
The act of rising, journeying,
conversation, bustling crowds,
people I work with,
people I meet.

Be my confidence,
my assurance,
in the words that I speak.
Be my freedom,
my guidance,
as I walk through these streets.

Today is going to be a struggle, Lord.
Keep my head above water,
keep my eyes fixed on you.

This prayer written in the Celtic tradition by John Birch who has a delightful site of prayer and worship resources at http://www.faithandworship.com/index.htm

KENNY ON 'CLOYNE REPORT'

2011-07-22T13:30:00.001+01:00

Taoiseach Enda Kenny gave this landmark speech in the Dail in response to ‘The Cloyne Report’ on the clerical cover-up of sexual and physical abuse of children in their care. Above is the full speech with an abridged version in print below…

THE CURSE OF CLERICALISM

THE REVELATIONS of the Cloyne report have brought the Government, Irish Catholics and the Vatican to an unprecedented juncture. It’s fair to say that after the Ryan and Murphy reports Ireland is, perhaps, unshockable when it comes to the abuse of children.
But Cloyne has proved to be of a different order.
Because for the first time in Ireland, a report into child sexual abuse exposes an attempt by the Holy See, to frustrate an inquiry in a sovereign, democratic republic – as little as three years ago, not three decades ago.
And in doing so, the Cloyne report excavates the dysfunction, disconnection, elitism – the narcissism – that dominate the culture of the Vatican to this day. The rape and torture of children were downplayed or “managed” to uphold instead, the primacy of the institution, its power, standing and “reputation”.
Far from listening to evidence of humiliation and betrayal with St Benedict’s “ear of the heart”, the Vatican’s reaction was to parse and analyse it with the gimlet eye of a canon lawyer. This calculated, withering position being the polar opposite of the radicalism, humility and compassion upon which the Roman Church was founded.
The radicalism, humility and compassion which are the very essence of its foundation and purpose. The behaviour being a case of Roma locuta est: causa finita est.
Except in this instance, nothing could be further from the truth.
Cloyne’s revelations are heart-breaking. It describes how many victims continued to live in the small towns and parishes in which they were reared and in which they were abused. Their abuser often still in the area and still held in high regard by their families and the community. The abusers continued to officiate at family weddings and funerals. In one case, the abuser even officiated at the victim’s own wedding.
There is little I or anyone else in this House can say to comfort that victim or others, however much we want to. But we can and do recognise the bravery of all of the victims who told their stories to the commission.
While it will take a long time for Cloyne to recover from the horrors uncovered, it could take the victims and their families a lifetime to pick up the pieces of their shattered existence…

Clericalism has rendered some of Ireland’s brightest, most privileged and powerful men, either unwilling or unable to address the horrors cited in the Ryan and Murphy reports.
This Roman clericalism must be devastating for good priests, some of them old; others struggling to keep their humanity, even their sanity, as they work so hard to be the keepers of the church’s light and goodness within their parishes, [their] communities [and within] the human heart.
But thankfully for them, and for us, this is not Rome.
Nor is it industrial-school or Magdalene Ireland, where the swish of a soutane smothered conscience and humanity and the swing of a thurible ruled the Irish-Catholic world.
This is the Republic of Ireland 2011.
A republic of laws, of rights and responsibilities; of proper civic order; where the delinquency and arrogance of a particular version, of a particular kind of “morality”, will no longer be tolerated or ignored.
As a practising Catholic, I don’t say any of this easily.
Growing up, many of us in here learned we were part of a pilgrim church. Today, that church needs to be a penitent church. A church, truly and deeply penitent for the horrors it perpetrated, hid and denied. In the name of God. But for the good of the institution…

Cardinal Josef Ratzinger [the current Pope Benedict] said: “Standards of conduct appropriate to civil society or the workings of a democracy cannot be purely and simply applied to the church.”

As the Holy See prepares its considered response to the Cloyne report, as Taoiseach, I am making it absolutely clear, that when it comes to the protection of the children of this State, the standards of conduct which the church deems appropriate to itself, cannot and will not, be applied to the workings of democracy and civil society in this republic.

IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS

2011-07-17T00:29:00.006+01:00

Many of the phrases and sayings that are commonplace in our veryday speech come from the Bible. This ancient text is not just a repository of spiritual wisdom but in its many translations has entered words and phrases into our language that still resonate today. Here is one…

A FLY IN THE OINTMENT

The word ‘ointment’ comes directly from biblical times when kings were ritually anointed with fragrant creams or unguents.

In Ecclesiastes 10 verse 1 (King James Versioin) we read,

“ Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.”

Today we use the phrase to describe any minor irritation that spoils everything

STAYING IN TOUCH

2011-07-13T01:42:00.003+01:00

IT'S FOR YOU !

I wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our
mobilel phones?

What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?

What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?

What if we flipped through it several times a day?

What if we used it to receive messages?

What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?

What if we gave it to children as gifts?

What if we used it as we travelled?

What if we used it in case of an emergency?

What if we upgraded it to get the latest version?

Oh, and one more thing. Unlike our mobiles, we don’t ever have to worry
about our bible being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill!

OUT IN THE OPEN

2011-07-04T23:54:00.006+01:00

Keats had a keen eye for the glories of nature and in this poem values the refuge that the countryside affords to the pent up dweller of the city. He would have loved Limerick for its close proximity to an abundance of green and waving bounty as in the images captured here from a recent stroll on Plassey bank. One can literally walk from the centre of the city along this riverside pathway until within minutes all sight and sound of the frantic city fades away. ~GOSh.~

To One Who Has Long
Been In the City Pent

To one who has been long in city pent,
’Tis very sweet to look into the fair
And open face of heaven,—to breathe a prayer
Full in the smile of the blue firmament.

Who is more happy, when, with hearts content,
Fatigued he sinks into some pleasant lair
Of wavy grass, and reads a debonair
And gentle tale of love and languishment?

Returning home at evening, with an ear
Catching the notes of Philomel,—an eye
Watching the sailing cloudlet’s bright career,
He mourns that day so soon has glided by:
E’en like the passage of an angel’s tear
That falls through the clear ether silently.

John Keats

GLIMPSING ETERNITY

2011-07-03T15:33:00.002+01:00

Ballymartin, Pallaskenry

THE BRIGHT FIELD

I have seen the sun break through
to illuminate a small field
for a while, and gone my way
and forgotten it. But that was the pearl
of great price, the one field that had
treasure in it. I realize now
that I must give all that I have
to possess it. Life is not hurrying

on to a receding future, nor hankering after
an imagined past. It is the turning
aside like Moses to the miracle
of the lit bush, to a brightness
that seemed as transitory as your youth
once, but is the eternity that awaits you.

R S Thomas

BY THE RIVER SHANNON

2011-07-02T23:00:00.009+01:00

A WALK HOME

Strolling home from town today in glorious sunshine there was reason aplenty to stop and take in the marvellous scenery on this riverside walk. After crossing Sarsefield Bridge I turned down along O'Callaghans Strand with the majestic Shannon on my left hand side and I counted over forty swans swimming in a straight line . Onward under the Shannon bridge and along the bank in the direction of Barringtons Pier. This part of the walkway is arched over by a canopy of green with the traffic on the adjacent Condell road just a background hum. On my left still the river at its widest breadth with the now disused docklands on the other side. The Shannon will wind and twist its way until entering the sea beyond the port of Foynes. To reach home I cross the busy road aided by the recent addition of pedestrian lights, and leaving the river behind I am in the Westfield wetlands. Here is an undisturbed habitat for wildlife and an oasis of calm and serene beauty within a shout of the bustling city of Limerick. And it’s on my doorstep ! The wetands are a favourite location for dog walkers, joggers, cyclists, fishermen, birdwatchers and all who enjoy the delights of the great outdoors.

Gerard O'Shea

WEARING THE SAINTS DOWN

2011-07-02T01:54:00.003+01:00

DEVILISH EROSION

Satan has in fact a plan against the saints of the Most High which is to wear them out. What is meant by this phrase, "wear out"? It has in it the idea of reducing a little this minute, then reducing a little further the next minute. Reduce a little today, reduce a little tomorrow. Thus the wearing out is almost imperceptible; nevertheless, it is a reducing. The wearing down is scarcely an activity of which one is conscious, yet the end result is that there is nothing left. He will take away your prayer life little by little, and cause you to trust God less and less and yourself more and more, a little at a time. He will make you feel somewhat cleverer than before. Step by step, you are misled to rely more on your own gift, and step by step your heart is enticed away from the Lord. Now, were Satan to strike the children of God with great force at one time, they would know exactly how to resist the enemy since they would immediately recognize his work. He uses the method of gradualism to wear down the people of God.

Watchman Nee

Watchman Nee was born Ni Shu-tsu November 4, 1903, and became a Christian in China in 1920 Watchman Nee attended no theological schools or Bible institutes. His wealth of knowledge concerning God's purpose, Christ, the things of the Spirit, and the church was acquired through studying the Bible and reading spiritual books.. When Communists came to power in the late 1940's - Nee became a target because of his growing Christian ministry and belief, which contradicted that of the Communist Party. He was arrested by the Communists in 1952 for his professed faith in Christ as well as his leadership among the local churches. .More than four years after his arrest and after a long trial, - Watchman Nee was sentenced to fifteen years in prison with hard labour. He was, however, never released. During his confinement, his faith remained unconquerable. He sang hymns in his cell and preached the gospel to everyone he met. He remained in prison until his death more than twenty years later.

RICH PICKINGS

2011-06-28T02:21:00.006+01:00

MANAGING MONEY

I don’t know if Microsoft founder Bill Gates is of any particular religious persuasion but he certainly has grasped one of Jesus essential teachings on the nature of wealth. Wealth and its acquisition can have a numbing effect on the spirit of a man or woman when they become enmeshed in its deceitful web. Jesus told the story about the wealthy farmer who had his barns filled and his money made but was not ready to face his God when death called (Luke 12:16-21). Gates has made more money than almost any other man on the planet (this year he came in as the second wealthiest) but he has realised the limited happiness that simply acquiring money gives.

At the peak of the software revolution it is estimated that he was worth $400 billion. To invest his fortune in worthwhile endeavours he has set up a foundation endeavouring to raise $37.1 billion to assist the poorest of the worlds poor. He is under no illusion that he can take it with him and he has no intention of leaving it to his children, as he says, “ they will have to pick a job they like and go to work. They are normal kids now. They do chores, they get pocket money.” Paul the Apostle tells us that the love of money is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10) and Jesus in His earthly life gave an example of living simply and without ostentation which sadly is more than can be said for some of His present day followers (but that’s another story!).

Even the rich and famous sometimes see through the glam and sham of high living. Liz Taylor once refused to accept a $1 million pink diamond ring from Richard Burton. She said they decided to build a hospital in Botswana with the money instead. Taylor explained, “ I love Richard for the extravagant thought but he doesn’t have to spoil me any more…just love me.” Bill Gates is currently pouring his vast resources into a programme to vaccinate 243 million children in the worlds poorest countries against illnesses such as pneumonia and measles. As a result it is expected that four million lives will be saved over the next four years.
Not only is Gates making an invaluable contribution to the betterment of peoples lives but he is also inspiring by example other members of the super rich to emulate his philanthropy. Oprah Winfrey is a close friend and has pledged to donate the bulk of her $2.7 billion estate to charity. Proverbs 11:28: says "Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf." - Bill Gates has learned this ancient truth. Let’s hope that he has also taken to heart Jesus insights into the limitations of simply living for the here and now…. “ Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing …And don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things. These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need… So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom. (Luke 12)

Gerard O'Shea

QUILT EXHIBITION

2011-06-25T00:13:00.007+01:00

PATCHWORKED BEAUTIES

Walking out of town the other day I dropped in to a ‘Quilt’ exhibition at ...

what was formerly the Franciscan Church. Inside the church was ablaze...

with colour from a wide variety of quilts created by groups of women here ...

and around the world. These are truly stunning pieces of artistic ...

achievement as you can see from these pictures.

Gerard O'Shea

APPROACHING LEWIS

2011-05-23T13:25:00.002+01:00

A RELUCTANT DISCIPLE

You must picture me alone in that room in Magdalen, night after night, feeling, whenever my mind lifted even for a second from my work, the steady, unrelenting approach of Him whom I so earnestly desired not to meet. That which I greatly feared had at last come upon me. In the Trinity Term of 1929 I gave in, and admitted that God was God, and knelt and prayed: perhaps, that night, the most dejected and reluctant convert in all England.

C S Lewis -
'Surprised by Joy'

JESUS IS HERE

2011-05-18T21:00:00.005+01:00

HE KNOWS OUR NEED

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are–yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:15–16

There are times when life gets so hard that you feel unable to pray; you may even feel you no longer have any faith. It seems as if the Savior is far from you and that you no longer belong to the Savior, or that you never were on the right track to begin with. It’s as if you were in hell, gripped with fear and a sense of being lost. You may even wish you had never been born. The pain is too great, the future too hopeless.
How I would love to direct you in such a way that all darkness is taken away from your soul! But such agony cannot be blown away with one stroke. For that, we have to wait for a time of grace. Yet, even now the Savior can give you much, but only if you become quiet and place your hope in him. If you remain childlike about your condition, you will not think that everything is lost – even when you hear discordant voices inside you. The Savior is there to comfort you. And if you are unable to become quiet, don’t worry. The harm is not irreparable. Inability is not a sin. The Savior loves you, if only because of your sighs.

Remember, Jesus came into the flesh, into your very need, so that you may know that God is not indifferent to your suffering. You sigh and weep, you are miserable, you mourn for the Savior. That is all right, as long as you do it in the right way. The Savior did not say: “Blessed are those whose cause is right.” He did say: “Blessed are the poor in spirit. Blessed are those who mourn” (Matt. 5:3–4). Believe it!
If you can’t feel the Savior, then all the more believe in him. Those to whom God’s love is nearest are precisely those who don’t see and yet believe (John 20:29). The same is true of those who don’t feel and yet believe. The enemy often wreaks havoc on our feelings; but he can’t touch your faith. The devil cannot own your faith –unless you give in.
Sometimes you will feel that you have no faith, and yet deep down you still believe. Believe then in your faith. Things will get better. Christ is there, even if he is somewhat hidden. Don’t even be afraid of hell – he is there too. Anyone who sighs and longs will not be lost. It is for our sake that the Lord reveals his glory. Remember, the Savior intercedes on our behalf (Rom. 8:34) and cannot help but intervene with his assistance if you have a longing in your heart.

Johann Christoph Blumhardt
(1805-1880)

HARTNETT ON KAVANAGH

2011-05-08T19:16:00.004+01:00

THE POET DOWN
for Patrick Kavanagh

He sits between the doctor and the law,
Neither can help. Barbiturate in paw
one, whiskey in paw two, a dying man:
the poet down, and his full caravan.
They laugh and they mistake the lash that lurks
in his tongue for the honey of his works.
The poet is at bay, the hounds baying,
dig his grave with careful kindness, saying :
‘Another whiskey, and make it a large one !’
Priests within, acolytes at the margin
the red impaled bull’s roar must fascinate -
they love the dead, the living man they hate.
They were designing monuments - in case -
and making furtive sketches of his face
and he could hear, above their straining laughs,
the rustling foolscap of their epitaphs.

Michael Hartnett

Related Blogs (copy and paste)

http://dewofhermon.blogspot.com/2009/07/michael-hartnett-poem.html

http://dewofhermon.blogspot.com/2008/08/michael-harnett.html

http://dewofhermon.blogspot.com/2007/04/patrick-kavanagh.html

http://dewofhermon.blogspot.com/2010/12/chink-too-wide.html

http://dewofhermon.blogspot.com/2009/01/luke-kelly-raglan-road_09.html

http://dewofhermon.blogspot.com/2008/07/earth-is-lords.html

LOVING ENEMIES

2011-05-04T23:52:00.001+01:00

A TIMELESS TEACHING

These are words we need to be reminded of over and over again as we seek to follow the way of the Master. Such extraordinary forbearance is impossible through human resolve alone and with this in mind He has sent the Holy Spirit "to lead us into all truth". Only through His supernatural power can we ever hope to even come near to the standard of living being set out here. This teaching is timeless...its implication is radical...here from the lips of Jesus is a truly life altering principle.

~GOSh.~

KILLING BIN LADEN

2011-05-03T15:43:00.005+01:00

TAKING A LIFE

When I arrived at work the other morning I was greeted with the news, “So they got Bin Laden” My first reaction was of slight incredulity as he has become an elusive icon for violent Islamic fundamentalism over the last 15 years and has been pursued for all of that time by the Americans . Two days ago in a heavily secured compound in Pakistan, elite members of the U.S. SEALS unit stormed the building shooting the terrorist leader through the head. Even the death of such a patently dangerous man should cause us to stop and reflect on the whole issue of the taking of a life. On Facebook I exchanged thoughts on this subject in response to a post by an idealistic (I don’t use that word condescendingly)) young woman who felt that any killing is wrong and there should be a better way. My mind recalled that incredible Pastor, Dietrich Bonhoeffer who during the Nazi regime joined a group who planned to assassinate Hitler. Bonhoeffer described himself as a Christian pacifist but was prepared to live with the consequences of killing Hitler for the sake of the greater good. As it happened Bonhoeffer and his companions were arrested and executed before they could carry out their plan.
Men like Gandhi and Martin Luther King eschewed violence even in the face of very forceful confrontation taking Jesus’ teaching of ‘turning the other cheek’ literally. So through the ages followers of Jesus have responded differently to the problem of evil and the proper response of a child of God to violent attack. My own thoughts on this run along the lines of two possible courses of action at a personal and a governmental level. While Jesus certainly taught non-confrontation in his Sermon on the Mount there is a clear passage in Romans 13 which allows the governing authority to ‘wield the sword’ against wrongdoers. It seems to me that the individual is called to live a peaceful life where we forgive those who wrong us and we do not return evil for evil. In society however it seems that the government has a duty of care towards its citizens to protect them from violent people and those who would do harm. In this context the death of Osama Bin Laden was a justifiable act against a man who had not only admitted his part in the mass murders of thousands of people, but had openly gloried in those terrible acts.

The Bible tells us that God does not delight in the death of the wicked and neither should we. Every mans death is a stark reminder of the present bind of sin upon this whole earth and even the death of a wicked man should give us pause for thought. Bin Laden ended up with his warped philosophy after many twists and turns in his own life and it must be said, the sometimes indefensible activities of Western powers in his own homeland. While his perception of injustices heaped against his people may have been correct , the resolution of them through violence and killing led to his involvement in one awful atrocity after another, with a huge cost in innocent lives lost. The challenge now for the Americans after this coup is to proceed with graciousness and caution not getting caught up in triumphal boasting or reacting gleefully to the death of their greatest enemy. As the philosopher Nietzsche warned, “Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And when you look long into an abyss, the abyss also looks into you. "

Gerard O'Shea

GATHERING GLADNESS

2011-04-24T12:27:00.004+01:00

EASTER POEM

Break the box and shed the nard;
Stop not now to count the cost;
Hither bring pearl, opal, sard;
Reck not what the poor have lost;
Upon Christ throw all away:
Know ye, this is Easter Day.

Build His church and deck His shrine;
Empty though it be on earth;
Ye have kept your choicest wine-
Let it flow for heavenly mirth;
Pluck the harp and breathe the horn:
Know ye not 'tis Easter mom?

Gather gladness from the skies;
Take a lesson from the ground;
Flowers do ope their heavenward eyes
And a Spring-time joy have found;
Earth throws Winter's robes away,
Decks herself for Easter Day.

Beauty now for ashes wear,
Perfumes for the garb of woe.
Chaplets for dishevelled hair,
Dances for sad footsteps slow;
Open wide your hearts that they
Let in joy this Easter Day.

Seek God's house in happy throng;
Crowded let His table be;
Mingle praises, prayer and song,
Singing to the Trinity.
Henceforth let your souls alway
Make each morn an Easter Day.

Gerard Manley Hopkins

Chaplet - flower arrangement consisting of a circular band of foliage or flowers for ornamental purposes
Nard- an aromatic Himalayan plant, of the valerian family, believed to be the spikenard, the source of an ointment used by the ancients.
Sard - a deep orange-red variety of chalcedony, a milky or greyish translucent to transparent quartz

LOVING OTHERS

2011-04-09T09:21:00.004+01:00

BLINDSIDED

Recently, a 12-year-old boy in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, hung himself. Why? Because the next day was his first day at a new school, he was overweight, and he dreaded being taunted by other children. Few things are more painful than shame. One of the greatest kindnesses we can show others is to take away their false shame through love and acceptance. When the disciples met a man who was blind from birth they asked Jesus, '..."Was it because of his own sins or his parents' sins?"' (John 9:2 NLT). They weren't concerned that the man needed help or that he'd spent his life in total darkness. No, they started discussing his shortcomings - right in front of him! It's easier to label people than love them. We label things because we think we know what's inside, and we label people for the same reason. We'd rather debate homosexuality than befriend someone who's gay, condemn divorce than help its victims, argue about abortion than support an orphanage, or gripe about social services than help the poor. Jesus didn't see this blind man as a victim of fate, he saw him as an opportunity waiting to happen. He said to His disciples, '..."You're looking for someone to blame... Look instead for what God can do"' (John 9:3 TM). If you don't love people, you don't love God; actually, you don't even know Him! You need to pray, 'Lord, remind me today that the greatest gift I have to give others, is Your love.' When you get serious and begin to pray that way, people will open up to God's help and healing.

This is taken from 'The Word for Today', a daily devotional produced by UCB Christian Broadcasters http://www.ucb.co.uk/index.cfm?itemid=88

RETIRING COUPLE

2011-04-01T13:32:00.005+01:00

JUST THE TICKET !

Working people frequently ask retired people what they do to make their days interesting. Well, for example, the other day, Maud my wife and I went into town and visited a shop. When we came out, there was a Traffic Warden writing out a ticket. We went up to him and I said, 'Come on, how about giving a senior citizen a break?' He ignored us and continued writing the ticket. I called him an "idiot" . He glared at me and started writing another ticket for having worn-out tyres. So Maud called him a "big bully". He finished the second ticket and put it on the windscreen with the first. Then he started writing more tickets. This went on for about 20 minutes. The more we abused him, the more tickets he wrote. Just then our bus arrived, and we got on it and went home. We try to have a little fun each day now that we're retired. It's important at our age.

Thanks to my brother Tony(retired!) for passing on this gem.

BREATH OF LIFE

2011-03-27T21:21:00.002+01:00

photo : Ann Phillipson

KEEPING YOUR CRAYONS

2011-03-22T15:16:00.005Z

RAINBOW WARRIOR

“Daddy, I want to colour!” These are the first words out of my daughter’s mouth every day when she dashes in our front door after playschool.

I can tell she has something in her mind that needs to get on paper. She doesn’t have time to take off her jacket or sit down, or even go to the bathroom.
Watching my daughter, I have come to believe that my college psychology teacher was wrong. The fundamental human drive – what it is that we most want to do and need to do – is not to have sex, nor to have power. It is to create. That’s what “soul” is.

That’s what makes us human.
To create is to be happy.

The only unhappy ones among us are those who lost their crayons somewhere along the way.

Tim Keiderling

PRAYER FOR JAPAN

2011-03-16T00:02:00.007Z

Last March 11 th, at 2.46pm (JST) a massive earthquake of magnitude 8.9 hit the Pacific Ocean near to Norteastern Japan causing a huge tsunami that rolled into that country with devastating consequences. Whole cities were wiped off the map with huge loss of life and Japans nuclear power plants at Fukushima have been badly damaged with the ongoing danger of meltdown and the potential release of high volumes of radiation. The situation is so overwhelming and the immediacy of the rolling news coverage is so graphic that it is easy to be numbed into inaction by the sheer scale of the horror. Fr those of us who profess belief in a God of love there are challenges in the scale of the human suffering and misery unleashed by these events and there is the absolute necessity to get on our knees before the Lord and pray for the stricken people of Japan. Of course our words must be tempered by our actions and we should help in any way we can in the enormous task of recovery.~GOSh~

GOD SAVE THE PEOPLE

Almighty God, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, come to the help of the people of Japan and deliver them from this difficulty that besets their nation..

I believe, Lord, that all trials of life are under your care and that all things work for the good to those who love You. Even in this dark hour of hopelessness may your light shine and your love move amongst those who have lost everything.

Take away fear, anxiety and distress. Help those afflicted to face and endure their difficulty with faith, courage and wisdom. Grant that this trial may bring people closer to You, for You are a rock and refuge, a comfort and hope, a delight and joy.

I trust in Your love and compassion for those ravaged by the tsunami and fearful of the radiation fallout. And Lord may we who view these terrible events be moved to practical acts of compassion so that your name will be honoured and glorified throughout the earth. Blessed is Your name, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.

FOR THE JOURNEY

2011-03-13T11:23:00.005Z

A STILL SOUL

May you have a still soul that
goes murmurless like water
in the deep of rivers;

And perchance you wander
silent amid the din of the world's
grinding barter like one journeying
in strange lands.

You, too, with the still soul,
have your mission, for beneath the dashing,
noisy waves must ever run the silent waters
that give the tide its course.

Max Ehrman

ELECTION VERSE

2011-02-24T16:36:00.009Z

Tom Mc Carthy

AN EVENING WITH POETS

Spent another highly enjoyable evening in the company of poets at the White House last evening. There were several highlights at the open mic (where anyone with a poem can perform) and later as Joe Healy from Kilmeedy read as the guest poet. Healy’s poetry and indeed demeanour reminded me of John McGahern and his work references many rural themes such as Pattern Days, working on the land and the GAA. Evelyn Casey read a very moving poem about an elderly neighbour who had recently died and new talent Edward O’Dwyer gave us a stunning piece about the poem itself.

As always the master of ceremonies, originator and human engine driving proceedings along was the indefatigable Barney Sheehan who introduced each reader and mingled among the large audience welcoming one and all. Tom McCarthy is a stalwart of the Wednesday night gathering and he passed around a verse, written some years ago but still relevant today. As this country goes to the polls tomorrow to vote in a General Election it seems appropriate to print Tom’s poem here …

Promises promises from men without Clout,
The same old story without a doubt.
Canvass for me and I’ll fill you with booze,
With tax-payers money I have nothing o loose.

Posters and leaflets of faceless men,
They’ll sell their souls for a vote to get in.
With tax-payers money they’ll pay for the print,
No stamina, no power just a hundred yard sprint.

When the ballots are counted amid the roars and the cheers,
You wont see them again for another five years.

REMEMBERING AIDAN

2011-02-19T10:19:00.009Z

Aidan with his sister Phyllis

Aidan is in there somewhere,
front right is my guess !

Today is the third anniversary of the death of my dear friend Aidan Power. At mid-day a few of us will meet at his grave in the Quakers cemetery at Punches Cross, to mark the day and remember an extraordinary man. Tall in physical appearance and big of heart Aidan strove to live in harmony with his understanding of the New Testament and in that generous spirit touched many other lives. His passing was tragic for those of us left behind, though the assurance is that his troubled spirit has found its longed for peace at last. These are some photographs that Aidan’s brother Philip sent me recently…~ GOSh.~

With his beloved brother Paddy

for more blogs on Aidan use the SEARCH box on this page

PS. Since publishing this blog Philip has pointed out to me that he in fact is the child I identified as Aidan

while the man himself is the child behind, shying away from the camera.

ALL AT SEA

2011-02-17T15:15:00.008Z

A BOYS OWN ADVENTURE

The first book that I remember reading was ‘The Coral Island’ by J.M.Ballantyne a classic adventure story of three cabin boys, Ralph, Jack and Peterkin who were washed up on a beautiful Polynesian island, the sole survivors of a shipwreck. I devoured the book and its colourful descriptions of the tropical island, following their idyllic lifestyle as they fished in the pools and discovered marvels of nature. I think I must have been about 12 years old and in my imagination I ran alongside the three lads and shared in their wonderment at this new and vibrant world of wild animals, luscious yams and bathing under crystal waterfalls ! The only possessions they retained were a broken telescope, an iron-bound oar and a small axe with which they managed to build a shelter and construct a small boat. The book was written before Stevenson’s ‘Treasure Island’ and is said to have inspired William Golding’s later and darker novel ‘Lord of the Flies’. Of course not everything remained carefree and jolly for the boys as they had to deal with mad cannibals and blood thirsty pirates, but in all those trials I was at their side living each hair-raising moment from page to page ! Ralph Rover narrates the tale and I still thrill as I re- read the opening lines -" Roving has always been, and still is, my ruling passion, the joy of my heart, the very sunshine of my existence. In childhood, in boyhood, and in man's estate, I have been a rover; not a mere
rambler among the woody glens and upon the hill-tops of my own
native land, but an enthusiastic rover throughout the length and
breadth of the wide wide world…It was a wild, black night of howling storm, the night in which I was born on the foaming bosom of the broad Atlantic Ocean. My father was a sea-captain; my grandfather was a sea-captain; my great-grandfather had been a marine…Thus it was, I suppose, that I came to inherit a roving disposition." Those words bring me back to a draughty bedroom, lying under a mountain of blankets with just my head visible and cold hands clutching ‘The Coral Island’ while my child’s imagination basked in sunny climes and the exotic adventures of my three pals, Ralph, Jack and Peterkin..

Gerard O'Shea

2011-02-14T23:54:00.004Z

Leo Tolstoy

A RADICAL GOSPEL

Leo Tolstoy took a radical position when it came to living out the teachings of Jesus and sometimes his eccentric personality led to glaring contradictions between his avowed principles and his actual lifestyle. However he certainly endeavoured to improve the lot of the peasant tenants on his land based largely on the precepts enshrined in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Tolstoy published ‘The Gospel In Brief’ in 1893 and it he summarises what he regards as the essence of Christ’s life and teachings in the Gospels. The book though not widely circulated has been very influential especially for the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein who extolled, “ This book virtually kept me alive. If you are not acquainted with it, then you cannot imagine what an effect it can have upon a person,” Here is a brief excerpt from it and I hope in future blogs to print further pieces from what is a very powerful book.~ GOSh ~

THE TRUE LIFE
The satisfaction of the personal will leads to death; the satisfaction of the Father's will gives true life.

THY WILL BE DONE

AND Jesus rejoiced in the power of the spirit and said: I acknowledge the spirit of the Father, the source of everything in heaven and earth, who has revealed what was hidden from the wise and learned to the simple, because they acknowledge themselves sons of the Father.
All who are concerned for the happiness of the body have put on a yoke not made for them, and have harnessed themselves to a load they cannot draw.
Understand my teaching and follow it and you shall have peace and joy in life. I give you another yoke and another load-the spiritual life. Yoke yourselves to this, and you shall learn from me peace and happiness.
Be tranquil and meek-hearted and you will find blessedness in your life.
For my teaching is a yoke made for you, and to obey my teaching is to have a light load with a yoke suited to you.
Once when he was asked whether he wished to eat, he replied: I have food you do not know of They thought someone had brought him food, but he said: My food is to do the will of Him who gave me life and to accomplish what he has entrusted to me. Do not say: There is still time, as a farmer says while waiting for the harvest. He who fulfils the will of the Father is always satisfied and knows neither hunger nor thirst. The fulfilment of the will of God always satisfies and is always a reward in itself. You must not say: 'I will do the will of God later.' While you have life you always can and should do the will of the Father. Our life is a field God has sown, and our business is to gather its fruits.
If we gather its fruits we receive the reward of a life beyond time. We do not give ourselves life, someone else gives it us. And if we labour to gather in life, then like harvestmen, we receive a reward. I teach you to gather in this life which the Father gives you.

Leo Tolstoy

SPREADING THE WORD

2011-02-13T22:22:00.004Z

THE AUTHORISED HISTORY

The King James Version is the venerable granddaddy of Bible translations stretching all the way back to 1611. As part of the 400 th. Anniversary celebrations this drama/documentary, KJV ~ The Making of the King James Bible traces the origin of an historical project. This is a swashbuckling saga of an ailing Queen who names her successor with her dying breath, a solitary teenager steeped in Biblical and Calvinist thought ushered to the throne and a church divided by doctrinal and political intrigue. Against this turbulent background the idea for a new and scholarly translation of the Bible was hatched in the mind of the young King. Brilliantly narrated by John Rhys-Davies and under the masterful direction of Norman Stone (‘Shadowlands’), ‘KJV’ never flags as it unfolds this gripping story. Elisabeth’s successor, Scottish King, James VI had a keen sense of Divine providence over his life and the task of organising a new translation of the Scriptures became his life’s passion and subsequently his enduring legacy. In its scope and depth there had never been anything quite like it. Archaic though the language of the KJV may seem to modern readers, in its time it was cutting edge and innovative. This presentation helps us to appreciate what a milestone that enterprise represented.

Gerard O'Shea

This review appears in the current edition of VOX magazine

GO TO THE ANT

2011-02-04T14:57:00.003Z

WATCHERS

Behold the fleck of ant
bearing with diligence his large
load of crumb down the long
mile of floorboard.

By observation we become
part of an insect's life. Is he
aware of us? What thread of vision
links antic and observant?
What false criterion of size?
And who is it who, watching us,
whispers Watch for Who it is
Who watches you?

Luci Shaw

Luci Shaw is a contmporary Americn writer whose work often reflects spiritual themes and keen observations of nature. I first came across her poetry in Selwyn Hughes' daily devotional 'Every Day With Jesus'. Her website www.lucishaw.com is well worth a visit.

MAN OF SORROWS

2011-01-28T23:18:00.002Z

SHOUT OF GOD

"To some, the image of a pale body glimmering on a dark night whispers of defeat.
What good is a God who does not control his Son's suffering?
But another sound can be heard:
the shout of a God crying out to human beings, "I LOVE YOU."
Love was compressed for all history in that lonely figure on the cross,
who said that he could call down angels at any moment on a rescue mission,
but chose not to - because of us.
At Calvary, God accepted his own unbreakable terms of justice.
Any discussion of how pain and suffering fit into God's scheme
ultimately leads back to the cross. "

Philip Yancey

A GOOD BOOK

2011-01-22T15:46:00.003Z

BIG MISTAKE

A collector of rare books ran into an acquaintance who told him he had just thrown away an old Bible that he found in a dusty, old box. He happened to mention that Guten-somebody- or-other had printed it.
"Not Gutenberg?" gasped the collector.
"Yes, that was it!"
"You idiot! You've thrown away one of the first books ever printed. A copy recently sold at auction for half a million dollars!"
"Oh, I don't think this book would have been worth anything close to that much," replied the man. "It was scribbled all over in the margins by some clown named Martin Luther."

END OF AN ERA

2011-01-20T01:24:00.005Z

Jim and Barbara King on the last day of
trading after 17 years of faithful service.

SHUTTING UP SHOP

On Saturday January15 th the Limerick Christian Bookshop on Gerald Griffin Street closed its doors for the last time. Under the management team of Jim and Barbara King the shop has served the Christian community in Limerick for the past 17 years and for as long more before that under various personnel .
My first contact with the shop was when it was located on Catherine street and traded under the name ‘Christian Publication Centre’. As a teenager I became interested in the Bible and its prophetic element which spoke about the ‘last days’ and so I purchased my first Bible in the CPC bookshop, a little King James Version with tiny print and a black leather cover. I recall the mixture of awe and trepidation on seeing the complete Bible for the first time and wondering where I would start in studying it. Later I became a regular visitor, sometimes to buy a book but more often to chat to May Reader who ran the shop and became a kind of spiritual confidante to myself and many others who were exploring the meaning of New Testament Christianity at that time. May viewed her work at the bookshop more as a missionary than a salesperson and she patiently listened as we confronted her with a 1001 questions about the Bible and the Christian faith. In those years the shop served as a drop-in centre that welcomed anyone from all denominational backrounds and none.

Some customers bagging
last minute bargains !

The shop then moved to Upper William Street beside Joe Ryan’s the locksmith and May continued there for a time. At this stage the shop was taken over from the Charitable trust (Christian Publication Centre) and came under the oversight of a mixture of trustees drawn from various fellowships in the Limerick area. Eventually May felt it was time to return to Canada to look after her aging mother and Mary Finnegan took over for a few years. I even threw my hat in the ring at one stage to manage the shop but I was deemed unsuitable by the trustees…so my career path took a different turn.
After Mary, Newmarket-on-Fergus man Tim O’Connel took over the reins and the shop moved to its final resting place in Gerald Griffin Street. Tim was a graduate of the Irish Bible School and was a keen enthusiast for matters theological and many the esoteric debate ensued between him and some his more studious customers! He was a great man to explain the intricacies of Calvin’s Biblical view to which Tim passionately subscribed. I never quite grasped the sense of it myself !

A last cuppa for Peter Childs (trustee) and Jim

After Tim’s departure Jim and Barbara moved down to Limerick from Northern Ireland and took up their posts and under their tenure extended the reach of the shop particularly among the immigrant communities who were now coming to live in the area. In recent years the shop continued to be an important place in my life as I dropped in to buy the odd book or cd and catch up with all the latest news from Jim and Barbara. There was always a warm welcome whether or not a purchase was made and that the shop was not primarily commercially driven was its great advantage and separated it from other religious outlets in the city.
The shop continued to act as a centre for communicating events with other believers around the city and county. In the last few years however the shop suffered the same crippling fall in trade that has blighted so many other businesses in these economically challenging times, coupled with the ease with which books can now be ordered online. The plan was to continue to trade into 2011 but the recent cold weather resulted in burst water pipes causing extensive flood damage to the premises and the decision was made to close at the end of January. On it’s last day of trading many old customers dropped in to wish Jim and Barbara well on their retirement and to bag a bargain in the final sale. As I shopped for the last time I was filled with gratitude at all that God had achieved through this long and faithful ministry in the city and sadness that this precious outlet will be no more. It’s the end of an era and while Limerick is now well served with many Christian groups there is no central meeting place where believers can meet each other on an informal basis. Anyone out there with any ideas ?

Gerard O'Shea

GODSPELL !

2011-01-16T15:12:00.003Z

BY THE LETTER

While walking through the woods one day, I was surprised to hear a child's voice. I followed the sound, trying in vain to understand the child's words. When I spotted a girl perched on a rock, I realized why her words had made no sense: She was repeating the alphabet.
"Why are you saying your ABC's so many times?" I asked her.
The child replied, "I'm saying my prayers."
I couldn't help but laugh. "Prayers? All I hear is the alphabet."
Patiently the child explained, "Well, I don't know all the words, so I give God the letters. He knows what I'm trying to say."

A NEW YEAR RESOLUTION

2011-01-06T13:16:00.003Z

EASY PC HOUSEKEEPING

I don't see what the fuss is about house cleaning.
Seems easy enough to me.

1. Open a new file in your PC.

2. Name it "Housework."

3. Send it to the RECYCLE BIN

4. Empty the RECYCLE BIN

5. Your PC will ask you, "Are you sure you want to delete Housework permanently?"

6. Answer calmly, "Yes," and press the mouse button firmly.....

7. Feel better?

THE MORNING COMES

2011-01-02T01:29:00.005Z

NEW YEAR MEDITATION

The Evening and the Morning were the First Day.
Genesis 1:5

How different is God's method from man's! The creature works from day to night, his best is first; but darkness overshadows his fairest hopes and best-concerted schemes. The Creator's days begin with the preceding eve. He reckons the evenings and nights into the days, because out of them the day is born; they usher in the light, and recreate body and brain for the busy hours that follow.

Arr you disappointed in Christian work? - Remember that God worked on through long dark ages, before His schemes were evolved in order and beauty. Human schemes begin with blare of trumpet and roll of drum, but are soon plunged in darkness. The heavenly seed is sown in autumn shadows; the foundation-stone of redemption was laid amid the gloom of Calvary; the work that lasts generally begins amid disappointment, difficulty, and heart-break, but inevitably passes into the day.

Are you passing through the bitterness of soul-trouble? - For weeks there has been no ray of comfort, no sign of deliverance. Yet every dark hour is hastening toward the dawn. You will see your Beloved walking toward you in the morning light.

Are you in despair for the worm? - The times are dark, and threaten to get darker. But if the first creation began in the dark, can it be wondered at that the second must begin there too? But as the one emerged in daylight, so shall the other. The morning comes; see the star of day standing sentry! Time, is bearing us to a day that shall never go down to night, but shall mount ever toward its meridian.

F.B. Meyer

THERE'S A NEW YEAR A COMIN'

2010-12-31T23:40:00.001Z

A NEW START

2010-12-31T22:15:00.002Z

Begin again to the summoning birds
to the sight of light at the window,
begin to the roar of morning traffic
all along Pembroke Road.

Every beginning is a promise
born in light and dying in dark determination
and exaltation of springtime
flowering the way to work.
Begin to the pageant of queuing girls
the arrogant loneliness of swans in the canal
bridges linking the past and the future
old friends passing through with us still.

Begin to the loneliness that cannot end
since it perhaps is what makes us begin,
begin to wonder at unknown faces
at crying birds in the sudden rain
at branches stark in the willing sunlight
at seagulls foraging for bread
at couples sharing a sunny secret
alone together while making good.

Though we live in a world that dreams of ending
that always seems about to give in
something that will not acknowledge conclusion
insists that we forever begin.

Brendan Kennelly

REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL

2010-12-30T00:23:00.005Z

12 PROMISES FOR 2011

As we enter a New Year here are some truths
that every child of God can count on...

God is for you.

God loves you.

God will guide you.

God will not fail you.

God will be with you.

God will provide for you.

God will bless you.

God will give you rest.

God will strengthen you.

God will answer you.

God will uphold you.

God will keep you

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

2010-12-24T16:21:00.003Z

A BIRTH

Yeshua, at your birth, did the angels
sing Vivaldi’s Gloria? and the shepherds,
did they play jaws harp, Jews’ harp, tonguing
Dvořák’s New World Symphony? The spheres —

were they humming, as twilight turned
from tangerine to emerald, and down
to a drear and turquoise basso — did the stars
sound out Bruckner, Brahms and Bach? --

That sheep may safely graze. . . Or was it merely
the snuffling of animals in their stalls, dawn-music
played each morning in the small farms, the opening

of stable doors, or city-sounds of preparation
for another day, like an orchestra tuning up, this
puer natus, this image of love, of God invisible.

John F. Deane

I would like to wish all the faithful visitors to this
Blog a Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year

Gerard O'Shea

A Social Network Christmas

2010-12-23T20:59:00.000Z

The story of the Nativity for the Facebook generation...

A DIVINE GIFT

2010-12-23T14:32:00.003Z

The story goes that in the year 1604, on Christmas Eve, a churchman known as Friar Giovanni wrote a letter to the Contessina Allagra Aidobrandeschi who lived in Florence, Italy. This letter has been remembered and quoted often since.

A CHRISTMAS WISH

Most noble Contessina, I salute you. Believe me your most devoted servant.
Contessina, forgive an old man's babble. But I am your friend, and my love for you goes deep.
There is nothing I can give you which you have not got;
but there is much, very much, that, while I cannot give it, you can take.
No Heaven can come to us unless our hearts find rest in it today. Take Heaven!
No peace lies in the future which is not hidden in this present little instant. Take peace!
The gloom of the world is but a shadow. Behind it, yet within our reach, is joy.
There is radiance and glory in the darkness, could we but see; and to see, we have only to look.

Contessina, I beseech you to look.
Life is so generous a giver, but we, judging its gifts by their covering,
cast them away as ugly or heavy or hard.
Remove the covering, and you will find beneath it a living splendour,
woven of love, by wisdom, with power.
Welcome it, grasp it, and you touch the angel's hand that brings it to you.
Everything we call a trial, a sorrow, or a duty, believe me,
that angel's hand is there; the gift is there,
and the wonder of an overshadowing Presence.
Our joys, too: Be not content with them as joys, as they too conceal diviner gifts.

Life is so full of meaning and of purpose,
so full of beauty--beneath its covering--that you will find that earth but cloaks your heaven.
Courage, then, to claim it: That is all!
But courage you have, and the knowledge that we are pilgrims together, wending through unknown country, home.
And so, at this Christmastime, I greet you, not quite as the world sends greetings,
but with profound esteem, and with the prayer that for you, now and forever,
the day breaks and the shadows flee away.

LIGHT YOUR LAMPS

2010-12-20T01:44:00.005Z

WAITING AND WATCHING

It is Advent again. We call this time Advent because it reminds us of what comes from God for the creation of his kingdom on earth. We who are here have been led in a special way to keep what is coming on our hearts and to shape ourselves according to it. That which comes from God - that is what moves our hearts, not only in these days but at all times. That which is to come from God is the most important thing we have, in the past and in the present as well as in the future. It is only in God's coming that even the Bible itself has value to us, let alone all the other things we call "means of grace." Unless what comes from God is a part of it, it remains like a dead seed and does not achieve what must be achieved if God's kingdom is to be.
There are many today who sigh to heaven, "Saviour, come now!" But they are not sighing for the sake of God's kingdom. They cry out like this only when they are in trouble and want God to help them. And they don't know of any help that is more effective than to have a Saviour come and put a quick end to their troubles.
When it comes to the things of God, however, we must not be concerned for what is ours, but only for what belongs to Christ. We should do this not merely for our own edification; we must become workers for God. This leads us to God's vineyard, a place where there is not a great deal of talk, but where everyone is intent on deeds.
This is what it means to prepare for Advent. Jesus says, "Be ready for action, and have your lamps lit; be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet...blessed is the slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives" (Luke 12:35-48). Here Jesus is speaking of his disciples and their preparation for his coming. Take note that God's kingdom is not formed by any human discovery or intention, however daring and noble, but by the coming of Christ. Our faith, our ardour, must be for this coming. Otherwise it would be better to put aside our meditations on Advent. The reign of God is a marvellous thing. To worldly wisdom God's kingdom seems like foolishness, and yet it gives shape to the whole world, the whole creation, making it God's eternal coming.

But look out! When someone holds a light in his hand and shines it here and there, he is immediately asked, "What business have you here?" Thus so many people let their light go out again. It is too awkward, too inconvenient to keep holding up a light and showing people the dirt and saying, "There, clean that up; the way you are doing things now isn't right in God's eyes. Cut off your hand! Tear out your eye! Cut off your foot!" - as Jesus says, figuratively, when there is something about the hand or eye or foot that stands in God's way.
This is what it means to watch. If you look for the truth in small matters you will not go astray in big ones. You will be able to recognize truth there and carry out the command that comes. Let us keep staunch in our eagerness to do whatever comes to us of the truth. Then there will be knocks on our door, over and over, and God's coming will not be hidden. For devoted hearts the light will keep dawning from him who is merciful and compassionate.

Christoph Friedrich Blumhardt

TELLING THE DIFFERENCE

2010-12-19T19:42:00.004Z

WORDS APART

A young girl who was writing an essay for school came to her father and asked, "Dad, what is the difference between anger and exasperation?" The father replied, "It is mostly a matter of degree. Let me show you what I mean." With that the father went to the telephone and dialled a number at random. To the man who answered the phone, he said, "Hello, is Brian there?" The man answered, "There is no one living here named Brian. Why don't you learn to look up numbers before you dial". "See," said the father to his daughter. "That man was not a bit happy with our call. He was probably very busy with something and we annoyed him. Now watch...." The father dialled the number again. "Hello, is Brian there?" asked the father. "Now look here!" came the heated reply. "You just called this number and I told you that there is no Brian here! You've got some nerve calling again!" The receiver slammed down hard. The father turned to his daughter and said, "You see, that was anger. Now I'll show you what exasperation means." He dialled the same number, and when a violent voice roared, "Hello!" The father calmly said, "Hello, this is Brian. Have there been any calls for me?"

SEASONAL ADVICE

2010-12-18T00:48:00.005Z

KEEPING CHRISTMAS

There is a better thing than the observance of Christmas Day,
and that is keeping Christmas.

Are you willing to forget what you have done for other people
and to remember what other people have done for you?

To ignore what the world owes you,
and to think what you owe the world?

To admit that the only good reason for your existence is
not what you are going to get out of life,
but what you are going to give to life?

Are you willing to stoop down and consider the needs
and desires of little children?

To remember the weakness and loneliness
of people who are growing old?

To stop asking how much your friends like you,
and ask yourself whether you love them enough?

To try to understand what those who live
in the same house with you really want,
without waiting for them to tell you?

To make a grave for your ugly thoughts
and a garden for your kindly feelings, with the gate open?

Are you willing to do these things even for a day?
Then you can keep Christmas.

Are you willing to believe that love
is the strongest thing in the world--
stronger than hate, stronger than death--
and that the blessed Life which began in
Bethlehem many years ago is the image
and brightness of eternal love?

Then you can keep Christmas.

Henry Van Dyke

POST BUDGET BLUES

2010-12-09T19:51:00.005Z

A Nation Protests

WHERE'S THE FAIRNESS ?

The biggest problem with our recent hair shirt budget is how it will disaffect thousands of people who already feel marginalised, driving them further away from the political mainstream. People who depend on government payouts to live on have all experienced cuts in their weekly payments. The blind, the disabled, the unemployed, the carers, those on a minimum wage will all have less money to spend as a result of the adjustments being passed through our parliament even as I write. The mantra of the Finance Minister is that ‘we will all feel the pain’ which is tantamount to equating the inconvenience of a mild headache with the traumatic aftermath of an amputated limb ! Of course the middle class and the rich will be affected by reductions to their take home pay ( and in some cases huge mortgage repayments bringing them to the wire!) but the effect on those solely depending on government allowances is inevitably catastrophic in every single case.

Pearse Doherty celebrates Sinn Fein's
election victory in Donegal

Our political parties seem incapable of taking their fiscal scalpel to the very rich in our society while the poor are a soft target upon which a surgical strike can easily be made. The gross unfairness of this recurring injustice is already causing some to look politically in directions that they would never have considered before, especially to the parties of the ultra left like Sinn Fein. I think if I was in one of the targeted ‘poor’ groups and everything else being equal I would at least be listening with a keener ear to the ‘sharing the wealth of the nation’ rhetoric of these left wing Republicans. The widespread cynicism towards politicians of all hues plays well for the S.F.’ers and it is likely that this party will experience an upsurge of support in the upcoming election. As matters economic have upstaged every other issue for the last two years it will hardly matter where the Left stand on issues such as abortion and gay marriage, if they manage to persuade those marginalised by the cuts that a fairer society is around the corner. And if that happens we have only the cavalier behaviour of our politicians and bankers to blame, for consistently ignoring the mass of citizens of this state as they ploughed merrily on rampaging and devastating the wealth of the nation.

If nothing else the events of the last two years have clearly shown that the Money men call the shots in 21st century Europe. The mysterious Bondholders who gamble staggering amounts of money on international markets are the behind-the-scene figures upon which the future of whole states depend. Perhaps we should have paid closer attention to the unmasking of the real controller of this world in the pages of the New Testament. Jesus blew the whistle on the old enemy when He announced, “ Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out.” (John 12:31)) Early in His public mission Jesus had encountered the Ruler of this world (Matthew 4:1-11) and wrestled with him in the wilderness, in fact one of Satan’s temptations was to offer the Lord ‘all the kingdoms of this world’, ( implying that they were his to give.)

The heart of the economic realities that affect all our lives is hard and relentless and often energised by a spirit that is anti-God and excludes those who are weakest among us. Jesus put it starkly when He said that a follower of His could not serve God and Mammon (the world’s monetary spirit). We ignore the poor among us at our peril not just because of the potential of social unrest but because their interests are close to God’s heart and we are obligated to love them in real practical ways. How sad that Sinn Fein should be one of the few voices raised in their defence, where is the public Christian outcry at these viscous cuts that will effect those least able to afford them. We stay silent wrapped up in our own comfort zone at a terrible price, while a whole generation are seduced by loud and bold declarations that in the end can never deliver the sought for equality and justice. The ‘god’ of this world can only be overcome in the power of the ‘Prince of Peace’ who alone can take away our hearts of stone and transform us from within. The real revolution turns one life at a time, day by day into a force for change that even the Gates of Hell cannot withstand.

Gerard O'Shea

SLOWING DOWN

2010-12-05T21:32:00.003Z

SEASONAL BUSINESS

There are gifts to buy, meals to make, trips to take, decorations to be hung, songs to be sung, places to go, people to see…
It's December 5th and I'm already tired. Anyone else?

I read the words... Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10
But how can I be still when there's so much going on?
Of course, the first answer is to simplify my life.
Yet the kind of stillness God is talking about isn't just about my circumstances. It's about being still on the inside.

I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother. Psalm 131:2 What is a weaned child like? One that has learned to stop asking for more, more, more and instead simply rests in the arms of love, love, love.

My hurry and stress come from that want of more. I want to do more, be more, pack more in to these few short days. Then it seems God whispers to my heart, "Enough. You are enough. You have enough. In the middle of the busy, make a quiet place inside and stay with me. My love is what you really need."

I settle, quiet down, breathe a sigh of relief. The miracle of Christmas?
God came for us so we could come to Him. Even (especially) in the busy, broken, chaos of our lives.

'Tis the season to be still.

Holly Gerth

A CHINK TOO WIDE

2010-12-05T20:22:00.005Z

ADVENT

We have tested and tasted too much, lover-
Through a chink too wide there comes in no wonder.
But here in the Advent-darkened room
Where the dry black bread and the sugarless tea
Of penance will charm back the luxury
Of a child's soul, we'll return to Doom
The knowledge we stole but could not use.

And the newness that was in every stale thing
When we looked at it as children: the spirit-shocking
Wonder in a black slanting Ulster hill
Or the prophetic astonishment in the tedious talking
Of an old fool will awake for us and bring
You and me to the yard gate to watch the whins
And the bog-holes, cart-tracks, old stables where Time begins
O after Christmas we'll have no need to go searching
For the difference that sets an old phrase burning-
We'll hear it in the whispered argument of a churning
Or in the streets where the village boys are lurching.
And we'll hear it among decent men too
Who barrow dung in gardens under trees,
Wherever life pours ordinary plenty.
Won't we be rich, my love and I, and
God we shall not ask for reason's payment,
The why of heart-breaking strangeness in dreeping hedges
Nor analyse God's breath in common statement.
We have thrown into the dust-bin the clay-minted wages
Of pleasure, knowledge and the conscious hour-
And Christ comes with a January flower.

Patrick Kavanagh

GOOD TO GO

2010-11-27T23:53:00.002Z

On a sub-zero morning at the Milk Market this poster gave me a chuckle. While I can't vouch for Peter's pies (I have yet to indulge) obviously his sense of humour is intact and that no mean feat in these perilous times !

~GOSh.~

LIFTING THE GLOOM

2010-11-20T01:40:00.004Z

WE HAVE A PRAYER !

O God, I beg two favours from you;
let me have them before I die.
First, help me never to tell a lie.
Second, give me neither poverty nor riches!
Give me just enough to satisfy my needs.
For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?”
And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name.

Proverbs 30: 7-9

My friend Antoin brought these verses to my notice recently as we discussed our present woes, they are  from the Book of Proverbs and would make an appropriate national prayer in this hour of uncertainty.
As the International Monetary Fund negotiate with our government as to the extent of our economic rescue package and the atmosphere of fear amongst the general population grows, truly these are uncertain times. During our Celtic Tiger feeding frenzy, Consumerism became the new Irish state religion, and by now the shopping trips to New York would have been booked as hordes of  Gaels descended upon the U.S. metropolis in search of seasonal gifts. I heard that at the peak of the Boom we joined the global league for ownership of most helicopters per head of population (handy for popping off to race meetings, don’t you know). Things are different now though, as our European paymasters take control of our economic affairs ( and by extension, our sovereignty), and we wait with deep foreboding for Budget Day on December 7th. The air of gloom is real and palpable and it seems as if many will face even deeper cuts into their income or welfare allowances. There might be an upside to all of this if the coming era of  austerity causes us as a nation to rediscover that life does not consist just of consumerable things but that there are qualities like truth and love which are essential to the functioning of a vibrant and healthy society. These lost gems reflect our spiritual aspect  which can be smothered by the glitter and glam of the world. I would argue that as a nation we have sold our birthright for a bowl of EU subsidy pottage, and now we are beginning to reap that whirlwind.

Gerard O'Shea

UNSPEAKABLE HORROR

2010-11-17T18:35:00.006Z

In the aftermath of the Newcastlewest killings

TWIN TRAGEDIES SHOCK NATION

Sometimes words are not enough to convey the pain and the gut wrenching heartache of what man is capable of inflicting on his fellow man. In the last 24 hours as the nation poised itself for the imminent IMF financial bailout a scene of unimaginable horror was unfolding in a provincial Irish town, Newcastlewest and in a Cork seaside village, Ballycotton. In the first incident a mother, her friend and her two children (Reece, 3 and Amy,5 months) were found dead in their home at Hazelgrove Estate around lunchtime yesterday. Earlier the quiet seaside town of Ballycotton was shaken as news emerged of the ‘suspicious’ deaths of two children (Zoe,7 and Ella,2) in their home and the death of their father after his car had crashed into a tree near the house. Two unspeakable events made all the more poignant because of the little innocents who were brutally killed, apparently by adults whom they would have loved and trusted. The tragedies have drawn a pall over the country making our economic emergency seem trivial by comparison. Those close to the families, left behind ,have a huge burden of grief and loss to bear and our prayers are needed at this time that they may receive help from God to cope. At times of great evil it seems as if hell has been opened to us and we can see all too clearly the depraved potential of the human heart, and it is easy to fall into a malaise of despair where Satan and his works seem to have triumphed. This is not so, the Cross of Christ and His glorious resurrection from the dead will not allow it, our foe is defeated , death itself will be swallowed up in victory. These simple words from Christina Rossetti should encourage all our hearts that God is still in control and His love endures forever, and that in their hour of heartbreak we can confidently lift those bereaved by these events before His throne.

Gerard O'Shea

O Lord, seek us, O Lord, find us
In they patient care;
By thy love before, behind us,
Round us everywhere;
Lest the god of this world blind us,
Lest he speak us fair,
Lest he forge a chain to bind us,
Lest he bait a snare.
Turn not from us, call to mind us,
Find embrace us, bear;
Be thy love before, behind us,
Round us, everywhere.

Christina Rossetti

The burnt out car at Ballycotton

LOVE IS NOT LOVE...

2010-11-12T23:32:00.003Z

SONNET 116

William Shakespeare

The original spelling version. the f = s -> ftar = star
u = v - > loue = love

GIVING THANKS

2010-11-07T17:34:00.003Z

IT'S A GIFT

I saw a great idea for a gift the other day, a Thank You journal. Now before you say anything the venture is in aid of the Hospice movement who do such outstanding work in the care of the terminally ill and each year they come up with a creative fund raising venture to tie in with the Christmas spending spree. The Journal has a few ‘celebrity’ entries to get the ball rolling and the idea is a simple one, to record the everyday things for which we may be grateful. I think it’s a great idea even if the thought of saying ‘thanks’ seems a bit hollow when not addressed to anyone in particular, so I’d suggest for believers the ‘thank you’ would be addressed to God, the giver of every good gift. Sometimes saying ‘thanks’ is the hardest thing as when Jesus healed the ten lepers and only one returned to thank Him. The Bible is full of examples of being thankful in both the New and Old Testaments , “ Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift” ( 2 Corinthians 9: 15) and "Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men."(Psalm 107:8 ). In fact the practise of ‘thanksgiving’ is mentioned as the antidote to worry and stress by Paul the Apostle when he advised, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God."(Philippians 4:6 ). There is what I’ll call the ‘sublime’ thanksgiving for the marvellous aspects of God’s dealings with us and then there is the more ‘prosaic’ thanks we should remember for those little blessings which sometimes creep right by us without our notice. It’s the little blessings I’d like to concentrate on in my efforts here to create my very own ‘Thank You’ journal…so here goes…

Thank you Lord for…

A friend calling my name to join them in walking to town.

The healing effect of a live music gig.

The soothing effect of Manuka honey on a sore throat.

For meeting an old friend after many years.

Walking through the brilliantly coloured autumnal leaves.

Getting through a long day at work.

Being inside in front of the fire waiting for the storm.

The thrill of flicking through ‘Soundings’ (my Poetry book from school) after 35 years.

Seeing the Shannon at high tide.

Gerard O'Shea

Author Sheila Flanagan launches the Hospice fundraiser.
You can find out more about the Irish Hospice Foundation’s ‘The Thank You Book’ here,

http://www.hospice-foundation.ie

DOWN, LOOKING UP

2010-10-30T01:10:00.003+01:00

PRAYING FROM THE DEPTHS

Depression is an affliction that seems to be on the increase, with many bent low under its oppressive weight. There does not appear to be any one quick cure for this ailment and the believing child of God is as susceptible to its grip as anyone else. Counselling can be useful and sometimes medication will help to see a person through their darkest days, but we also look beyond ourselves in time of distress to our loving Heavenly Father for help and healing. Ironically it’s at times when we most need to lift our hearts in prayer that we find it difficult to put into words what we are feeling and what we desire of God. This little prayer can be said by someone going through the valley of depression or can be said on their behalf by a concerned brother or sister. Mental anguish can disable the sufferer from the ability to act for himself and it is incumbent on the body of Christians to lift and support each other during times of trial. Often all we can do is to listen and pray and trust the Lord to provide a way of release for our afflicted brother or sister. May God in His mercy give each one of us the necessary grace and wisdom to be a comfort and a support for all who are so afflicted. ~GOSh.~

Oh Lord, as I sit here in the middle of all my mess, I don't
have much strength or energy to pray. But I'm lifting up my head and my eyes to You because I know deep in my heart that You have the power to do all things. I believe that You want me to be happy and healthy more than I do. And I know you have a good plan for my life.

God, as I bring you my pain, please turn it into something good. Please heal me. Your Word says that ALL things work together for good to those who love You and are called according to Your purpose. Let my healing be a testimony to all the GREAT things you do every day.

I just raise my head to thank you Lord. Thank you for hearing me. Thank you for loving me enough to take care of me. And thank you for showing me what I need to do to feel better.

I ask and receive everything in Jesus' name.

TURNING AWAY

2010-10-29T01:17:00.003+01:00

RESISTING EVIL

"Do not fight the thing in detail:

turn from it.

Look ONLY at your Lord.

Sing.

Read.

Work."

Amy Carmichael

VEGGIE WONDERS

2010-10-28T23:26:00.005+01:00

EVERYDAY MIRACLE

"Some sceptics say, ‘Oh, the miracles. I can’t accept miracles.’ "Well consider this then. One may drop a brown seed...

in the black soil...

and up comes a green shoot. You let it grow...

and soon enough you’ll pull up a root that is red.
Now you cut that red root and you find it has a white heart.
"Can anyone tell me how this comes about—
how brown cast into black turns up green
with red underneath and white inside?
Yet you eat your radish without even thinking of it as a miracle.…
Everyday is a miracle—a miracle of life that sustains our hope!"

William Jennings Bryan

TIME GENTLEMEN TIME

2010-10-28T21:06:00.004+01:00

DRINKING TIME

In these difficult times pubs like every other business are feeling the pinch, so this enterprising publican in Ennistymon is covering all the bases in this inclusive sign that mentions everything bar the kitchen sink.

This must be the most redundant book title ever to grace the shelves of an Irish bookshop. There are many areas of human endeavour that we as a nation may need guidance and instruction in but how to drink is not one of them. In fact a more necessary title might be 'How To Stop' ! I spotted the book in a tourist shop in beautiful Ballyvaughaun.

Gerard O'Shea

ALWAYS THERE

2010-10-23T02:00:00.005+01:00

THE UNINVITED GUEST

He seems to come in like the leaves -
Blown in at the open window ...
And always, I've noticed,
At an inconvenient time -
Right in the middle of the washing.
He looks at me and shows me these holes in his hand.
And, well, I can see them in his feet.
'Not again,' I say,
'Please don't stand there bleeding
All over the kitchen floor.'

Sometimes he comes softly, sadly,
At night - close, by the side of my bed -
Sometimes I latch the door -

But he never goes away.

Thelma Laycock

LOOKING UP

2010-10-19T01:09:00.005+01:00

That old cliche, ‘ when the outlook seems bad-try looking up’ has become a lifeline for many in these trying times, as people return to ‘old fashioned’ prayer in the extremity of their needs. It’s human nature to turn to God in our need and then quickly ignore Him as our fortunes improve and this seems have been the case for this land as we hit the boom years. Now that the ‘bust’ is upon us those old materialistic certainties are gone and there is some evidence that there is a return to a spiritual pursuit, one aspect of which is Prayer. With our back to the wall as a nation there are precious few we can call to for help, how reassuring then that God is only a prayer away. ~GOSh.~

A PRAYER FOR OUR
ECONOMIC TIMES

O Lord God,
As I survey the stormy economic seas troubling our nation,
Troubling me, my family, my friends, my community,
I ask Lord that we may steady ourselves in these winds of change,
By reaching out to you, being stronger servants.

O Lord God,
You banished Adam from the garden for disobedience.
You told him to work with the scare resources of the earth.
I ask Lord that we may learn to manage our resources more wisely,
By reaching out to you, being wiser stewards.

O Lord God,
You told the rich young ruler to give everything up and follow,
You understand the material walls we build to shut you out,
I ask Lord that we may constantly seek to break down the barriers,
By reaching out to you, being better disciples.

O Lord God,
You provide all that we need to live a life fulfilled,
You never abandon us even when we are selfish and foolish,
I ask Lord that we may see the wealth we have in you,
By reaching out, being dependent only on you.

O Lord God,
You sustain your faithful people through good times and bad,
You know when we fail and when we are faithful to your will,
I ask Lord that we may show the Gospel in the midst of economic confusion,
By reaching out to you, being beacons of your Word.

David Cowan

MINERS RESCUE

2010-10-14T00:34:00.010+01:00

The 33 Miners

ON TOP OF THE WORLD !

I remember (just about) being glued to the TV coverage of the Apollo moon landing back in 1969 and recall the sense of history in the making, as the pictures showing Neil Armstrong take those first steps on the lunar surface were beamed back to earth. As a child of 13 I was awestruck looking at the extra terrestrial drama unfold, but in the early hours of yesterday morning I sat transfixed watching live coverage of the rescue of 33 men trapped in the subterranean depths of the San Jose mine in Chile. The two events seem parallel to me in historical significance, but in terms of raw human emotion the plight and unfolding resolution of the miners situation is uniquely moving and inspiring. I confess the rescues moved me to tears, as each one in turn emerged in the tiny capsule from a depth of 620m of solid rock and were reunited with loved ones who have been waiting and hoping for the past 69 days.

Freed miner Esteban Rojas kneels to pray
with his wife after being brought to the
surface from the San Jose mine

There were so many heroic acts associated with the rescue it is difficult to single out one, but certainly the rescue worker who made the initial descent stands out for me as the man of the hour whose bravery and composure were just extraordinary. On another level the co-operation of nations shows what can be achieved through unity of purpose, apparently American engineers were pivotal in the drilling operation and the specialised drill was manufactured here at Smithfield Industrial Estate at Shannon, just a fifteen minute drive from my home. The world media gathered to cover the rescues and ensured when the first man, Florencio Avalos (31) emerged unscathed there was global celebration.

Luis Ursula (front right) the foreman of the
mine and leader of the trapped men
was the last to be rescued.

Many people around the world have been praying for this happy outcome, a point acknowledged when the Chilean President described the rescue as ‘a miracle’. Chile is still largely a country of religious faith with a large Roman Catholic population and a growing number of Evangelical Christians. As well as food and water miniature Bibles were also fed down the pipeline to the miners and it will be interesting to hear in coming days the details of how they lived together and kept their morale up in such difficult circumstances. Mario Sepulveda, the second miner to be rescued said in an interview, "I have been with God and I've been with the devil," And judging from the disposition of the men as they emerged from the rescue capsule, morale was maintained and spirits were kept high. At a time when we are so accustomed to the daily tirade of doom and gloom it is a wonderful occasion to genuinely rejoice and celebrate this marvellous outcome of human endurance , ingenuity and courage.

Gerard O'Shea

WONDERFULLY MADE

2010-10-12T22:54:00.003+01:00

LIVING PROOF

This remarkable picture shows a beaming unborn baby breaking into a broad grin at just 17 weeks ,while in the UK an abortion can legally be performed up to 23 weeks. The remarkable scan surely suggests that a baby experiences feelings and emotions much earlier than previously thought. Professor Stuart Campbell who took the scan said that while the image did not necessarily show the child had feelings, it was a display of recognisable human behaviour. It seems to me to be another significant finding indicating what many of us have contended all along , that the unborn life is sacred and should not be aborted or interfered with. The obvious Scripture that immediately comes to mind is Psalm 139...~GOSh.~

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother's womb.
Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvellous—how well I know it.
You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed.

ALL AT SEA

2010-10-10T12:10:00.003+01:00

Luke 8:23-25

Clair de Lune compiled by Enigma

2010-10-05T01:55:00.002+01:00

BEING STILL

These are without doubt stressful times we are living in and it is easy to get caught up in the madness and the anxieties that seem to assail us with such frequency. So good then to withdraw from the maelstrom and seek the Lord in the stillness, drawing from Him those resources which we lack in ourselves that enable us to ‘overcome’ this world. Music is also God’s gift to still our fears and our rages and De Bussy’s ‘Claire de Lune’ is one of the most beautiful compositions for piano. Take five minutes away from whatever is bothering you right at this moment and make this a time of listening not just to the calming notes of the music but to another Voice, of One who cares for you and who longs to comfort and restore you. ~GOSh.~

BLACK THURSDAY

2010-09-30T22:19:00.008+01:00

YOU JUST HAVE TO LAUGH

The economic prospects for our beleaguered little island continue to alarm, today the government announced that we, the citizens will have to raise 50 billion Euro to bail out the banks ! Henceforth today shall be known as Black Thursday and we still have the dreaded Budget in December to look forward to ! Yikes ! Here at Dew HQ we can only look on and wonder and while we can't add to the National debate in any meaningful way, we can at least try to provide a little light relief for our overburdened countrymen and women. To this end I have trawled the Net and found these little tokens of light relief from the crushing realities of an economy in crises, While they will not raise a cent to ease matters, I hope they may raise a smile and lighten the mood somewhat. I apologise in advance to anyone who is in dire circumstances because of the downturn for whom this is no laughing matter.~GOSh.~
Resolving to surprise her husband, an investment banker’s wife pops by his office. She finds him in a compromising position, with his secretary sitting on his lap. Without hesitation, he starts dictating, “…and in conclusion, gentlemen, credit crunch or no credit crunch, I cannot continue to operate this office with just one chair!”

I talked to my bank manager the other day and he said he was going to concentrate on the big issues from now on. He sold me one outside Boots yesterday.

The credit crunch is getting bad, isn’t it? I mean, I let my brother borrow a tenner a couple of weeks back, it turns out I’m now Ireland’s fourth biggest lender
A man went to his bank manager and said: ‘I’d like to start a small business. How do I go about it?’
‘Simple,’ said the bank manager. ‘Buy a big one and wait.’

THE INTERVIEW

2010-09-28T00:47:00.002+01:00

CRAZY JOB

The employer asked the applicant, "I see you were last employed by a psychiatrist,"
"Why did you leave?"
"Well," she replied, "I just couldn't win.
If I was late to work, I was hostile.
If I was early, I had an anxiety complex.
If I was on time, I was compulsive."

SOW SOW POEM

2010-09-27T15:05:00.005+01:00

KINGDOM SLIPPING

‘Alas for those who are at ease in Zion…’

Amos 6:1

In his thirties Jesus knew a thing or two
About the human heart,
When He told the story of the Sower,
And the tender seed of faith
Being choked by life’s weedy cares.
He knew how the concerns of this world
Creep up and stop us in our tracks
And we let the Kingdom slip us by.

Should have listened better
To the Master,
Could have known a thing or two
About this wicked heart.

Gerard O'Shea

SPURGEON'S PRAYER

2010-09-25T13:11:00.006+01:00

Charles H. Spurgeon

COME, HOLY SPIRIT

Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892) is still known today as the ‘Prince of Preachers’ as his skills of oratory and exposition in that department were legendary. It has been estimated that in his lifetime Spurgeon preached to 10,000,000 people, often having 10 speaking engagements a week in several different locations, where congregations of 10,000 were not uncommon. Some while ago I picked up a copy of a book of Spurgeon's Prayers and became transfixed as I read these gems of worship and intercession from the great Preacher. There is more solid Biblical exposition in these recorded utterances than you might find in many modern sermons, and the man’s passion for the living God and his thorough familiarity with the Scriptures leap off every page of this collection. I find the best way to read these pieces is aloud and at least two or three times, to allow the power of the prayer to seep into the innermost chambers of the spirit, and then to spend some time in quiet reflection on the words as one is led in to the very presence of God. From a perusal of Spurgeon’s prayer collection it is easy to understand why he was such an anointed preacher, his pulpit performances being firmly undergirded by a deep and passionate secret life of waiting at the Throne. ~GOSh.~

LORD, we would come to Thee, but do Thou come to us. Draw us and we will run after Thee. Blessed Spirit, help our infirmities, for we know not what we should pray for as we ought. Come, Holy Spirit, and give right thoughts and right utterance that we may all be able to pray in the common prayer, the whole company feeling that for each one there is a portion. We are grateful as we remember that if the minister in the sanctuary should not be able to pray for any one of us there is One who bears the names of all His redeemed upon His breast, and upon His shoulder, who will take care with the love of His heart and the power of His hand to maintain the cause of all His own…
Dear Savior, we put ourselves under Thy sacred patronage. Advocate with the Father, plead for us this day, yea, make intercession for the transgressors. We desire to praise the name of the Lord with our whole heart, so many of us as have tasted that the Lord is gracious. Truly Thou hast delivered us from the gulf of dark despair, wherein we wretched sinners lay. Thou hast brought us up also out of the horrible pit and out of the miry clay, Thou hast set our feet upon a rock, and the new song which Thou hast put into our mouths we would not stifle, but we would bless the Lord whose mercy endureth for ever.
We thank Thee, Lord, for the love without beginning which chose us or ever the earth was, for the love without measure which entered into covenant for our redemption, for the love without failure which in due time appeared in the person of Christ and wrought out our redemption, for that love which has never changed, though we have wandered; that love which abideth faithful even when we are unfaithful.

O God, we praise Thee for keeping us till this day, and for the full assurance that Thou wilt never let us go. Some can say, “He restoreth my soul,” they had wandered, wandered sadly, but Thou hast brought them back again. Bless the Lord, our inmost soul blesses the Lord. Blessed be the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the Triune; blessed be the Lord for every office sustained by each divine person, and for the divine blessing which has come streaming down to us through each one of those, condescending titles worn by the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Lord, keep us right, true in doctrine, true in experience, true in life, true in word, true in deed. Let us have an intense agony of spirit concerning the many who are going down to the everlasting fire of which our Master spoke. Lord, save them! LORD, SAVE THEM! Stay, we pray Thee, the torrents of sin that run down the streets of London; purge the dead sea of sin, in which so many of the heathen are lying asleep. Oh! that the day were come when the name of Jesus shall be a household word, when everybody knew of His love, and of His death, and of His blood, and of its cleansing power. Lord, save men, gather out the company of the redeemed people; let those whom the Father gave to Christ be brought out from among the ruins of the fall to be His joy and crown. “Let the people praise Thee, O God, yea, let all the people praise Thee.” Let the ends of the earth fear Him who died to save them. Let the whole earth be filled with the glory of God.
This is our great prayer, and we crown it with this: Come, Lord Jesus, come Lord and tarry not. Come in the fullness of Thy power and the splendor of Thy glory! Come quickly, even so come quickly; Lord Jesus.
Amen.

(abbreviated)

THE OLD SEA DOG

2010-09-24T21:54:00.003+01:00

CAPTAIN AT SEA

Once upon a time there was a famous sea captain. This captain was very successful at what he did; for years he guided merchant ships all over the world. Never did stormy seas or pirates get the best of him. He was admired by his crew and fellow captains.
However, there was one thing different about this captain. Every morning he went through a strange ritual. He would lock himself in his captain's quarters and open a small safe. In the safe was an envelope with a piece of paper inside. He would stare at the paper for a minute, then lock it back up. Afterwards, he would go about his daily duties. For years this went on, and his crew became very curious.
Was it a treasure map? Was it a letter from a long lost love? Everyone speculated about the contents of the strange envelope.
One day the captain died at sea. After laying the captain's body to rest, the first mate led the entire crew into the captains quarters.
He opened the safe, got the envelope, opened it and...
The first mate turned pale and showed the paper to the others. Four words were on the paper; two lines with two words each:
Port Left
Starboard Right

ORIGINAL THOUGHT

2010-09-21T16:22:00.005+01:00

RETURN OF THE THOUGHT POLICE

Most people nowadays subscribe to the grand philosophy of ‘live and let live’, and western democracies allow for freedom of religious thought and expression. For decades now so called ‘liberal’ minded folks have ranted and raved (correctly in my view) against the stultifying influence of the ‘church’ in our country, accusing it of being a negative influence in the free exchange of ideas and the open debate of issues often conflicting with ‘church’ teaching. Now that this influence is well and truly on the wane some of these liberal voices are showing the same disdain for freedom of ideas that do not conform to their own. On subjects such as the origins of life on this planet there is one accepted ‘scientific’ orthodoxy and to demur is to invoke the wrath of the new ‘church’ on one’s head.

The Professor

The latest outpouring of ‘liberal’ finger wagging comes from the militant atheist Oxford scholar , Professor Richard Dawkins who has published widely his contempt for all expressions of religious belief. John J May has written a book attacking the sacred text of evolution called ‘The Origins of Specious Nonsense’ in which he proposes the creation model as the explanation of how life came to this planet. According to newspaper reports Mr May invited Science Minister Conor Lenihan to launch his book, but withdrew the invitation after it embroiled the Minister in some controversy. Leading the posse against Lenihan is Professor Dawkins who made his feelings known through this statement, “ If Mr Lenihan is indeed a Creationist or an anti-evolutionist then he has no business being the Minister for Science.”

The Minister

So the thought police whom we thought had almost disappeared raise their heads again, this time in the form of an Oxford academic. The issue here is no longer the rights and wrongs of creationism or evolution, but the freedom of an individual ,even a government Minister to believe either. Evolution may be the widely held explanation of life’s origins amongst scientists but it is not universal. A sizable minority of science experts would subscribe to Intelligent Design or Creation as alternative models to explain how it all began. If the Professor and his friends have their way an elite of academics will decide what the rest of us should or should not believe. Lord deliver us from the extremes of right wing reactionaries and the emphatic certitude of the left wing liberals. Both groups would have us conform to their slanted worldview and if we’re not careful the precious jewel of individual freedom gets swallowed up along the way !

Gerard O'Shea

DEW OF LITTLE THINGS

2010-09-21T09:07:00.004+01:00

'Friendship' ~ Picasso

FRIENDSHIP

Your friend is your needs answered.
He is your field which you sow with love and reap with thanksgiving.
And he is your board and your fireside.
For you come to him with your hunger, and you seek him for peace.

When your friend speaks his mind you fear not the "nay" in your own mind, nor do you withhold the "ay."
And when he is silent your heart ceases not to listen to his heart;
For without words, in friendship, all thoughts, all desires, all expectations are born and shared, with joy that is unacclaimed.
When you part from your friend, you grieve not;
For that which you love most in him may be clearer in his absence, as the mountain to the climber is clearer from the plain.
And let there be no purpose in friendship save the deepening of the spirit.
For love that seeks aught but the disclosure of its own mystery is not love but a net cast forth: and only the unprofitable is caught.

And let your best be for your friend.
If he must know the ebb of your tide, let him know its flood also.
For what is your friend that you should seek him with hours to kill?
Seek him always with hours to live.
For it is his to fill your need, but not your emptiness.
And in the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures.
For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.

Kahlil Gibran ~ The Prophet