Clarendon Park Congregational Church
11th May 2025
The violent God of the Old Testament
Over the past weeks we have encouraged each other to listen to the voice of Jesus, to gain strength and courage from our Lord, but todays message is far broader. It perhaps encompasses everything. That is to say the logos. For, in our search for the truth, we have to look at the whole; to attempt to expand our minds perhaps into the unknown. The truth is found in Scripture, but our Bible runs from Genesis to Revelation. Within is extreme violence, the deepest joy, the darkest night, the brightest sunshine, clarity and confusion, fact and symbolism,… none exist on their own. Without dark there is no light. All combine to guide us to the truth.
And so to today’s key text from 1 Samuel. A testing passage, but far from the only one in the Old Testament. Mark my words. The story of the Israelites seems to be a continual cycle of goodness, fall, punishment, and redemption. And then there is the reference to the treatment of other nations. The Book of Joshua alone can read as and angry attack on all who oppose God. This darkness reaches a low point perhaps at the end of the Book of Judges. So how do we make sense of it all?
Before we start, and may we always bear this in mind, there is a danger always of reading passages, especially short passages, in isolation and without context. That said, without doubt the Old Testament contains some dreadful images. Why do we rarely use Psalm 137? Perhaps the final line puts us off,… Happy shall they be who take your little ones and dash them against the rock! (Psalm 137:9). The running through of the Canaanites and Amalekites continues through several books, the Book of Joshua alone, as I said, can be seen as a blitzkrieg against nations. But, it is all in here (LIFT BIBLE), and if this is the word of God, let us not shy away. Let us instead wrestle with our discomfort.
And so to today’s key text, which is seemingly calling for genocide. Utterly destroy all that they have; do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.. Not just soldiers, but non-combatants, not just non-combatants, but all even their animals. Obliteration. How do we interpret this? Well, there are perhaps a number of ways we can approach it.
Firstly, we can take it literally as the truth. This is difficult to accept, but it certainly is one way of looking at things. If any oppose God, wipe them out.
Secondly, as pointed out by Thomas Aquinas, God, being the creator, has a right to take life. Is it this we struggle with? Or is it the fact that He, in this passage, uses humans to do so? Is this worse, for example, than wiping whole nations out using plagues? Are human soldiers worse than microbes? The same number end up dead, after all.
Another argument would be that the passage is not literal, but rather exaggerated warfare rhetoric, written centuries later with the purpose of underlining the fact that the Israelites should have nothing to do with pagan influences. This may explain why Scripture sometimes gives two seemingly contrasting accounts of the same event. For example, in one case Joshua refers to ‘slaughter all’ whereas in Judges we read ‘tear down their idols and drive them from the land’. These are not the same by any means. Also, hyperbole may be at play, in the same way as we sometimes use it. I may say that hopefully Leicester City will slaughter Nottingham Forest this afternoon. Slaughter as a turn of phrase, although a somewhat crass one.
Some churches, and this is not new (Marcian in the second century proposed this) find a way around things by ignoring the Old Testament entirely and concentrating solely on the New. Accept the goodness of Christ without the darkness that has preceded. This I stand firmly against. I imagine you do too. For, as humans we are sinners, and if we are to learn from the past, we have to learn from the darkness, however unsavoury that may be.
Yet another explanation is that the Old Testament contains some ‘holding passages’, which may be seen as imperfect until a time when we reach a fullness in God, offered through Christ. The notion of ‘Verbum domine’ points to this.
But we are perhaps no nearer.
I, personally, perhaps read the Old Testament as ‘this is how it had to be’, but still with an ambiguity. We will never understand fully, we cannot, but we must at least attempt to learn something from it all.
This brings us to our complimentary reading today, the passage from Revelation 5. Our Christian story is not that of Jesus, the first century human, but rather that of God Himself, taking responsibility. God created the world, that was the only way it could happen, and on the cross He is bearing it all Himself. This is not comfortable, but the cross is not meant to be. Christ is a fulfilment. Yes, we have in the Old Testament the slaughter of Canaanite women, but at the foot of the cross stands Mary. A sword will pierce her soul. Can you picture the imagery? And as we move into Acts, we are again encouraged to pull on the armour of God, but with the literal swords of the Old Testament replaced with the sword of the Spirit. We need to open our minds to the whole. Perhaps one of the most rounded views was proposed by Origen of Alexandria, way back in the second century. For Origen said that the Bible has to be read as a whole, from the standpoint of the final book, John’s Revelation. Only then does it become whole. In the passage we heard earlier, from Revelation 5, the scroll stands for the whole Bible. It seems that no-one can unseal it. But there lies a little lamb, a lamb that appears to have been slain. He appears in honour and meekness. He alone can open the scrolls. The lamb, of course, is Christ crucified. Only through Him do we find the truth. We have to look through the standpoint of Christ crucified. For if we read the Bible in such a way that we see God as capricious and cruel, or in a way that encourages us to be violent, then ipso facto, by that very fact, we are misreading it. We have to, instead, read the whole Bible as a witness to the true God, from the standpoint of the lamb slain, though whose blood we are all saved. That is how we interpret the Bible. So let us pray to Him for guidance. For, in the words of Origen, He makes Himself known to those who, after doing all that their powers will allow, confess that they need help from Him.
May we be forever thankful to the lamb, and may we go forth and tell of His glories.
Amen.
4th May 2025
The road to Emmaus
I stand before you today on the third anniversary of my being called to ministry at this great church. As I enter my fourth year, I can say that the honour is greater than ever. We have had good times, and bad, but we stick together. We have each other, and we have Jesus.
Now, there are many texts that provide solid foundations for ministry, today’s text is one.
The passage from Luke begins with two disciples on their way back home to Emmaus. They have just left Jerusalem, and are walking back home. They are sad and confused. Sad because their hope died on a cross, and was buried in a tomb. Confused, though, because they have heard reports that the tomb was found empty by the women who went there, and that there were angels telling them that Jesus was alive. Although no one had yet seen Him. So, you can imagine their conversation as they walked back home that day.
And while they were talking about all these things, Jesus himself joined them but, we are told, their eyes were kept from recognizing Him. And what did Jesus do when He joined them on their journey? First, He listened to them. He asked them a simple, open-ended question, and then He listened to their answer. ‘What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?’ He asked. Of course, Jesus knew what they were discussing. But He still wanted to listen to them. Jesus wants to know what is happening with all of us. In our own words. And so, in this story, Cleopas and his friend share what is in their hearts. Standing still, looking sad, they share their story. This reminds us, first of all, that the risen Jesus is walking with us through this life, even when we don’t recognize Him. But it also teaches us about how to share our faith with others. Because we can learn from Jesus. The best teacher. It is all in here.
Jesus teaches us that it all starts simply by joining someone on their journey: Walking with them. Talking to them. Listening to them. It starts there. To be present to them. Before we ever share our faith, we listen. As Jesus did.
When commencing ministry, I sought advice from many people. Two, Delia O’Halloran and Alan Argent, both gave the same advice in two simple words, ‘Be there’. Isn’t this what the Bible is telling us too in this passage?
After Jesus listened to Cleopas and his friend, He then opened the Bible. Not literally, as we do, but He began to interpret what Scripture had to say about His death and resurrection. As He spoke, their hearts burned. Their hearts burned with a fierce joy. Why? Because He helped them to see their story wrapped up in God’s story. And He helped them to understand that the cross was necessary. That everything Jesus did in His life and in His suffering was done out of love for us. And that it was all necessary to bring forgiveness, healing and hope to our sad, broken and sin-filled world. Oh how we wish the words of Jesus here were recorded! What a lesson that would have been. But even by hinting at what Jesus said, we can not only see our own lives, but can help others to see their lives through the lens of God’s grace and mercy. We can help them to better understand their place and purpose in this world, by helping them to see that they walk through this world with Jesus, who died for them, and is with them now. What a privilege it is to do this.
Now, it is also important to notice that Jesus does not just offer them those two disciples a pat on the back and a gesture of love. He also rebukes them for their lack of faith, ‘How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe,’ He says to them. Sometimes, in other words, when we look at our life through the lens of eternity, we don’t like what we see. We have wandered off the path. Or a friend has wandered off the path. Sometimes we need to hear, from our Lord or from a friend, a word of rebuke. Reminding us how foolish we are, and how slow of heart we can be to believe. And sometimes we might need to say that to another.
So, what is next? Well, Cleopas and his friend are nearing their home in Emmaus. Jesus walked ahead, as if He were going on. They still don’t know it is Jesus, but they urge him strongly, saying, ‘Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.’
So, let us think about that: Jesus doesn’t invite Himself into their home. He waits for an invitation. He teaches us to do that. And He does that for us. Jesus joins us on the journey without our asking, that’s true. But at some point, and maybe at a lot of points, He waits to be invited in. ‘Listen, I stand at the door, knocking,’ Jesus says in Revelation. ‘If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me.’ Jesus comes to the doors of our hearts knocking, but He waits to be let in.
Now, once the disciples in Emmaus did invite Jesus in, they broke bread together. And this simple meal becomes holy. Jesus takes the bread, blesses it, breaks it, and gives it to them. And then, their eyes are opened, and they recognize him. In the breaking of the bread. To some, the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, is the summit of the Christian life. It is arguably the most important thing that we as Christians do. We worship the living God. It is amazing, when you read the Old Testament, to see how much of it is dedicated to proper worship, and to the building of the temple, or the restoring of the temple. In the New Testament, we learn that Jesus is the temple; and that proper worship is all about gathering in Jesus’ name to do what we are doing today: To confess our sins, to hear God’s Word, to pray for our world, and then to bless and break the bread in remembrance of Him. And there really is nothing more important that we do than this. It may not always feel that way. But we trust that it is true. And we can pray that our eyes will be opened when we worship Jesus; and that we, like those disciples in Emmaus, will have Jesus made known to us in the breaking of the bread when we join in communion with Jesus shortly.
So let us never reduce the importance of faith and the ways in which Jesus reveals Himself to us, even when we are facing doubt and despair. He constantly encourages us to remain hopeful, even when we can't see Him clearly.
And let us not be too hard on ourselves for, as we know, sometimes the disciples themselves didn’t recognise Jesus. They knew Jesus as a person but were still often confused. But ultimately, they had faith.
So, do we realise and appreciate that Jesus is with us? Yes, we call out for Him when we are in need. Yes, we probably give thanks when things go well (although maybe not as much as we should). But ordinarily do we appreciate His presence? For He is with us.
So, may our eyes be opened, so that we can recognize Jesus in our midst. May our hearts burn with joy as we see our story wrapped up in His. And may we always be eager to share the joy of His resurrection and presence among us.
To the glory of God. Amen.
27th April 2025
St. George’s Day
When we think of George, the patron saint of this great land, we often bring to mind his slaying of the dragon. St George, perhaps more than anyone, not only epitomises England, but binds together our history, our legends, our ways, and our very psyche, with Christianity. The story of England, the story of Britain, is formed in Christianity. The Bible. And what traits come to mind when we think of George? Perhaps above all others, strength and courage. Therefore this morning’s readings are relevant to the day, especially the words we heard from Joshua 1.
For, this morning’s key text, taken from the beginning of the Book of Joshua focuses on the themes of leadership, obedience, and God's faithfulness. It emphasizes the importance of courage, strength, and trust in God, even when facing new and challenging circumstances. The passage highlights God's promise to be with Joshua and the Israelites, urging them to be strong, courageous, and obedient to God's law.
The book begins with the death of Moses and God's subsequent call to Joshua to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. Joshua, being human, has doubts. God reassures Joshua that He will be with him, just as He was with Moses. The importance of Joshua's obedience to God's instructions, particularly the law given by Moses, is emphasised, and may be used to encourage us all to trust God's promises and to meditate on His word for guidance and strength.
At the heart of the text is the repeated command to Joshua to be strong and courageous. As with all Scripture, we can transfer the message to our own lives. We can use this passage as encouragement to face challenges with faith and boldness, knowing that God is always with us. Be strong and courageous.
The setting for the passage signifies a new chapter in the Israelites' journey. We can all align this to new beginnings in our own lives. We, like Joshua, may too be doubtful and nervous, but when God calls us to new beginnings and challenges He encourages us to trust in His guidance and strength. Gain strength through His strength.
For God is faithful. He was faithful in fulfilling His promises to Joshua and to the Israelites. He will be faithful to us too. This alone should build our strength. May we all trust in God's reliability and faithfulness in own lives.
For, as the Bible often states, courage isn't necessarily the absence of fear, but the ability to act despite it, fuelled by faith and the strength of God. Scripture highlights the importance of being strong and steadfast, especially in challenging times, and reminds us that they we not alone in their struggles, as God is with us. For we all at times experience fear. Fear is a natural human emotion and true courage is the ability to move forward despite it, not to eliminate it. Let us not forget that even Jesus, despite His divine nature, experienced fear and doubt, as evidenced in the Garden of Gethsemane. In such times we must never forget God’s promises of protection, guidance, and provision, and know that we can find strength in His presence. The Christian journey is often not about speed or grand achievements, but about faithfulness until the end. We must never ignore the importance of persevering through trials and difficulties. One only needs to read about the exploits of Christian in The Pilgrim’s Progress to understand this. But what fuels Christian’s courage? What fuels our courage? The same thing that fuelled Josua’s courage. Faith. For we need faith. We need faith to trust in God's goodness and promises, even when facing adversity.
And we must never forget, when speaking of courage, that it can be expressed in various ways, including speaking up for what is right, forgiving others, admitting mistakes, and seeking help when needed. Often small gestures still require courage. I would put to you today that it takes courage to witness our faith to others, to share our faith, and to live lives that reflect our beliefs.
And when we have courage to do these things, to inspire and encourage others, we can help to motivate those around us to overcome their fears and embrace their potential. So, even small acts of courage can have a ripple effect, leading to positive change in communities and families.
So let us all gain courage through God. Let us all put on the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and let us all wield the sword of the Spirit. For when we do this with faith, our strength rises and our courage grows.
Let us all attempt to face life's challenges with faith, strength, and perseverance, knowing that we are not alone and that God's strength is available to us. Available to us as it was to Joshua. As it was to George.
So let us conclude by returning to George. Instead of concentrating on the tale that we all know, that George slays the dragon and becomes a hero, may we continue the story to the lesser known ending in which the dragon returns in another form and, knowing his limitations, George strips naked and faces the dragon, accepting defeat and dying a martyr. This is a very Christian story, and highlights the message that there are different forms of courage; bravery in facing the dragon, but also standing up for what you believe, or stoically facing one’s problems quietly. Today we have heard and sung the words of John Bunyan who was imprisoned for his belief. John Penry, Henry Barrowe, and John Greenwood were martyred for standing for their dissenting beliefs. People died to allow us to continue our ways. We spoke a few weeks ago about Western civilisation and how it is built upon the twin pillars of Scripture and reason, Jerusalem and Athens. There are many forms of courage, but they all combine to form the core of our ways. Our unique ways of truth and myth, Scripture and imagination. Past, present, and future; the great new Jerusalem of William Blake of which we shall shortly sing.
And so, let us strive for that common place which brings together all the nations and peoples of this world into one. That common place of love built upon the Bible. Let us seek a kindred understanding and heart that loves our distinctive character as English, or Welsh, or African, or Romanian, or Bermudian, or whatever… That we stand for what and who we are. That we stand as one as individuals called to be neighbours, brothers and sisters. That we stand as one united in Jesus.
Because for George, for us and for all believers, it is Jesus first.
In His everlasting name.
Amen.
Easter Message
On this Easter Sunday, before a mixed crowd, I shall deliver a sermon of two halves, or at least approach the conclusion from different directions. One aimed at the believers, and one aimed at the curious, but the message of which applies to all. A sermon formed upon ambitious imagination and hope.
Firstly, what is this? (LIFT BIBLE). To believers, it is the word of God. But what about non-believers? Of those, I would ask, do you have a love of literature, of poetry, of thought? If so, you surely accept the notion of the Western canon. That is to say, some works of literature influence others. Yes? It could therefore be argued that there is a hierarchy of work and that therefore the most important works are those that influence the most. If so, it is difficult to argue against the Bible being the most important. Therefore this (LIFT BIBLE) is either the word of God, or it is the greatest, most influential work of literature. Either way, it commands respect. In this church a few weeks ago we spoke of how Christianity is so entwined with the history of our great nation, that they are hard to separate. This is the power of this book.
For believers, this is quite simply the greatest of days. If the story had ended on the cross, Jesus would have been remembered as only as a prophet. Perhaps the greatest of the prophets, but simply a prophet nonetheless. But the cross was not the end. As we heard from our gospel reading, on this day, Jesus arose. Jesus was not simply a prophet, but the Son of God. God in human form. In rising from the dead He gave us, us, eternal life. In words documented by John, words we heard at Brian’s funeral on Monday, I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die (John 11:25-26). So, on a day as joyous as this, it is easy to only see the light. But the light is made brighter by contrasting it against the dark, the dark of Good Friday, when Christ was nailed to a cross. It is this freeing us from death to eternal life, from darkness to light, that pushes us forward as Christians. As human beings. This is our message of hope.
But what about the non-believers, the curious, those wondering what the story may mean to them. Those who do not consider the Bible to be the word of God, but are all the same interested in story, narrative, and the development of thought and ideas.
Firstly, let me briefly recount the events of the past week or so. Why, you may ask, was Christ crucified? Well on Palm Sunday He entered Jerusalem in triumph. He was cheered. Many thought that He had come to overthrow their Roman oppressors. In a way He had, but not in the way they thought. Alongside this, the high priests of the time, the Pharisees, Sadducees and Scribes, were against Him, as He was drawing people away from their power. Some things don’t change. People will do almost anything to cling to power. Then, as now. In a tumultuous turn of events, showing how fickle the human psyche, the feeling swung away from Jesus, those who cheered now jeered, so much so He was tried and, on the insistence of the Jewish leaders, executed. Executed in the most hideous fashion. Our word ‘excruciating’ is taken from ‘ex’ from, and crux, ‘cross’. From the cross. So, the Passion is the lowest of the low, the sum total of all fears. We spoke of this on Good Friday, using the analogy of a snake as Satan, and that we may conquer a single snake but there will always be others. We can’t stop the snakes. What about the metaphorical snake within other people. What about the snake within ourselves? I shall recount some of our words from a couple of days ago. Some of this is difficult to hear, but me must never shy away from the truth. It is from the darkest day that hope eternal springs.
We may then ask, what is tragedy? When something bad happens to someone? Is this always bad? What if that person deserves it? What then is the worst possible story? It is the worst possible thing happening to the person who least deserves it.
That is what we had on Good Friday.
And let us not seek to make it less monstrous, for our own convenience. For this is as monstrous as it gets. For, Christ is innocent. He is not merely innocent but He is good. Not just good, but as good as it gets. Yet he receives the most hideous punishment. But it gets far worse. A terrible torture, torture designed by Romans to inflict the most severe pain. He died at a young age, with foreknowledge, was betrayed by a friend, at the hands of a mob of His own people who are under the thumb of a regime that is persecuting Him, who persecute Him knowing He is innocent and good, and still choose to punish Him rather than someone they know to be a criminal. The sum total of all possible fears. The darkest of the dark. For our sin.
This happened on Friday. When dead He was entombed. But on the third day, the day we know as Easter Sunday, the tomb was found open. The stone was rolled away. Christ had risen.
Now, some of us may be experiencing darkness. We all have fears. Worried about an upcoming operation, worried about exams, worried about work, saddened by the loss of a loved one, poor health, loneliness, anxiety, there are many, many reasons. The modern solution is to perhaps either hide away or blame others. To use excuses. But I put to you that, metaphorically, the stone sealing the tomb is our own self-doubt. In rising from the dead, Jesus has shown us that we can rise from the dark. So gain strength, have confidence. Feel the strength and love and support of those around you. Feel the love here today. Allow the love to strengthen your heart. Roll the stone aside and step into the light. We can do it. We can all do it. In our lives, we all attain a mere fraction of our capability. May we all attempt to do more. May we all, on this Easter Sunday, gain strength, look forward in hope, advance ourselves, and in doing so, make the world a better place for all around us.
Because, as I said, this is a sermon of ambitious imagination and hope. In the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we have a hope that is surer than stone; than any architecture.
Even in the darkest of days we can feed on hope. We can dream of what our country and what our world and what we will one day look like.
There will still be wickedness and war, poverty and persecution, greed and grasping. There always has been; always will be. We cannot rid ourselves of all the snakes. We cannot rid ourselves from them, but we can overcome them.
For, in the resurrection of Jesus, God lights a fire which calls us to justice, to live in humble generosity, to advance ourselves, and in doing so transform our societies. There is always darkness, but through so much suffering, we must be lifted by those, both whom we know and strangers, who are committed to kindness and are dedicated to helping others.
There needs to be a resurrection of our common life, something that links to the old, but is different and more beautiful.
We must dream it because it is the gift of God. Then we must build it in partnership with God.
In the new life of the resurrection of Jesus, we dare to have faith in life before death. We hope, because of the resurrection.
We must trust that our God will do all of this. How will he do it? We don’t know, and that is one reason we believe in the resurrection. If there were no mystery, we could not believe it. We don’t want a God who only does things we understand. We want a God who loves us all and gives us hope. Luckily, that is what we have.
All of this in the name of Christ Jesus, our risen Saviour. Amen.
Good Friday Message (2)
We all experience darkness. We all do things we should not.
But let us think of the Last Supper. Jesus knew He was going to be betrayed. He knows Judas will turn against Him. He knows He has been sold. Stabbed in the back, as it were, by one He poured life into. Yet in that room, merely hours before the crucifixion, Judas ate too. Jesus prayed for Judas as He did all the disciples. Jesus washed Judas's feet too, as He did the others. It is hard to comprehend that depth of love. A love that feeds the mouth that betrays. A love that washes the treacherous feet of the traitor. A love that forgives the vilest of betrayals.
A love that overwhelms us all.
On this saddest of days, let us all remember this love.
And may this love embrace us all and give us peace.
Amen.
Good Friday Message (1)
Good Friday is the day we remember the crucifixion of Jesus, but there’s more to it than remembering; our task is to be people of the cross and to call people to the cross.
Jesus calls us to the cross in order to embrace the resurrection. The famous sermon says, ‘It’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming!’ More properly, the point of the story is that Friday is the road to Sunday. There’s no Easter Sunday without Good Friday. There is no resurrection without the cross. Our job is to tell the truth. For there is darkness, a Good Friday, within us all.
The Passion is the sum total of all fears. If we use the analogy of the snake as Satan, as we did a few years ago when considering the story of the bronze serpent from Exodus, we are reminded that we may conquer a single snake but there will always be others. We can’t stop the snakes. What about the metaphorical snake within other people? What about the snake within ourselves?
We may then ask, what is tragedy? When something bad happens to someone? Is this always bad? What if that person deserves it? What then is the worst possible story? It is the worst possible thing happening to the person who least deserves it.
That is what we have here.
And let us not seek to make it less monstrous, for our own convenience. For this is as monstrous as it gets.
Christ is innocent. He is not merely innocent but He is good. Not just good, but as good as it gets. Yet he receives the most hideous punishment. But it gets far worse. A terrible torture, torture designed by Romans to inflict the most severe pain. He died at a young age, with foreknowledge, was betrayed by a friend, at the hands of a mob of His own people who are under the thumb of a regime that is persecuting Him, who persecute Him knowing He is innocent and good, and still choose to punish Him rather than someone they know to be a criminal. The sum total of all possible fears. The darkest of the dark. For our sin.
The very idea of Good Friday causes us concern. The problem is that both Christ’s power and wisdom led Him to the Cross, a brutal denial of everything He had done before.
Those who had seen His power wondered why He seemed powerless at his greatest need. Those who saw His intelligence wondered how someone so understanding could miscalculate so badly.
Both sides missed what Jesus and His Father were saying: Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it abides alone, but if it dies, it produces many (John 12:24).
Not just His words, His very life is a parable.
It wasn’t just the people of Jesus’ day who had a problem with the cross.
We too have a problem with the cross. Religious-minded people want miracles and power. Intellectually minded people want wisdom and truth.
But what God offers us instead is first the cross. The earliest believers called the cross the wisdom of God and power of God (I Corinthians 1:23-24). This is a stumbling block for us to consider today: that both His power and wisdom led Him to the cross. For we prefer not to dwell on such things. After all, who in our modern world, respects suffering?
But if we want a story worth telling this is it: Things are always darkest just before they go pitch black. And then, in the blackness of the truth, the truth that our own power and intellect are never enough, we discover that we need to rely solely on the promise of the Father. That is all we need. That is it. We need no more.
Amen.