It's Good Friday - but there is Light at the end of the tunnel...

Disused Railway tunnel, Bedgellert, Snowdonia, North Wales

Year 2004, Olympus C310, F2.9, 1/30 sec, ISO 320, 35mm equivalent

This week, we have been journeying towards the Cross of Christ. We have looked at Jesus’ last day and hours before he gave His life. Today is Good Friday, a day which for the Christian is full of mixed emotions. On the one hand we weep and despair at what Jesus went through, we see that we too are responsible for betraying him and putting him upon a cross, we see that there is no room for us to wash our hands of the situation like Pilate tried to. Jesus went to the cross because of our sin. On the other hand Good Friday is not all bleak. When we take on board what Jesus did for us, we realise just how much He loves us, the pain that He was willing to endure for our sake, we cannot help but be overcome with joy at the realisation of what the cross actually does. By his death we are forgiven, by his death we are free from the consequences of our sin, of our rebellion against God and by his death we are given eternal life. Yes for those who believe that Jesus is who He said He is, eternal life is a free gift. As Tony Campolo puts it “its Friday now…. But Sunday’s coming.” In other words the events of Good Friday viewed on their own in isolation would be utterly bleak and without hope, but when we remember that Easter Sunday is just round the corner, when Jesus rose from the dead, it’s puts things in a whole new and wonderful perspective.

Wild Goose Chase

Film: Fuji Neopan 400, Camera: Pentax P50, Lens: SMC Pentax-A 50mm f1.7

I now know why Geese make such excellent "Guard Dogs". These ones in Fota Wildlife Park give the impression of being, while not friendly, just more sort of ambivalent about your presence on their territory. Get too close or get distracted by taking a photo (as I did) and you are likely to be pecked. I'm sure that the high-pitched yelp that I let out upon being pecked was very amuzing, not just for my fellow humans but for these feathery creatures too - from whom I will now keep a more respectable distance!

And God said, "Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky." So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:20-21)

The food of love ...

The Chocolate Shop, English Market, Cork
Panasonic LX1, f2.8, 1/30 sec, ISO 80, 28mm equivalent

Shakespeare said that “If music be the food of love …”. Of course, I’m sure he’s right, but I would like to also put forward the case for something else … chocolate!

Eat … delicacies that melt in your mouth. Likewise knowledge, and wisdom for your soul— Get that and your future's secured, your hope is on solid rock.

Proverbs 26:13,14 (Abbreviated from The Message)

Palm Sunday - March for Jesus 1993

The picture above is a scan from an old photograph taken at the "March for Jesus" in London about 1993. I like the old Police riot control van in the background!


(Excerpt from yesterdays sermon for Palm Sunday)

What would you do if you heard that Jesus was coming to town this afternoon, that He would be making a grand entrance and there was going to be a huge celebration? I’m sure we’d be straight on down there wouldn’t we? We would cancel any other plans that we had for the day and we would try and get as close as we could to where the action was happening. Not only would it be simply breath taking to see Jesus, but wouldn’t it be interesting to see the crowd too? I’m sure that the crowd today would be bigger than a year or two ago when the “Celtic Tiger” was in full swing and many would have been “too busy” to spare the time. But why would people go and what would they want of Jesus? What sort of things would the crowd be calling out, what would they be asking the Lord Jesus to do? I’m sure it would be chaotic, the Gards would be severely stretched trying to control the crowds, people would be shouting out “Jesus, Jesus”, some people would be worshipping Him, some would be shouting abuse, others would be shouting at other people because of what they in turn were shouting! Or perhaps it would be completely different, perhaps there would be a sense of awe and quiet holiness, perhaps there would be such a hush over the crowd that the donkeys hooves could clearly be heard on the road, treading on the hundreds of coats and jackets that had be strewn there to make a carpet. Everyone would have different expectations – to bring about peace, to sort out the economy, to bring wrongdoers to justice, to heal the sick and so on. Everyone, maybe even us, would have their own agenda for Jesus.

Crowds are a funny lot. In the original Palm Sunday, many of the people cheered the Lord because they thought that He was going to liberate them from Roman occupation. Indeed when it turned out that He had no such earthly ambitions, many of the same crowd only a few days later would be shouting “crucify him”. They had little or no understanding that the Lord’s mission was not to be an earthly conquering king to free them from the brutal regime of the day. He was going to do far more than that. He was going to free people from themselves, from their own selfish ambitions and desires, He was going to free people from the chains and the slavery of sin. Something far more important and of greater significance, the effects of which last not just for a lifetime, but for all of eternity...

Old Toll Gates

Panasonic LX1, f3.6, 1/125 sec, -0.33 EV, ISO 80, 55mm equivalent (Click to enlarge)

I came across these yesterday near Watergrasshill. Apparently they are the old Toll Gates for entry into Cork city from the North. (This road continues on eventually linking up with the "Dublin Road" into the city.)

I don't suppose they had any problems with "Eazy Pass" back then ;-)

Sunday Kairos

Panasonic LX1, f2.8, 1/60 sec, ISO 80, 28mm equivalent (Click to enlarge)

There is a time just before I leave the Vestry to take a Sunday Service. It is a special, hallowed time, what the Christian intelligentsia might call Kairos time: (Time as a moment, time as occasion, time as qualitative rather than quantitative, time as significant rather than dimensional).

It seems to always be different and yet in so many ways the same. Some weeks I may be more nervous than others, sometimes I may feel more prepared than others. Sometimes I picture myself like St. Peter about to step out of the boat and walk in faith towards the Lord Jesus, sometimes I feel compelled to kneel on the floor with my head bowed in submission. Often I experience a huge, almost overwhelming sense of my own inadequacy to say or do anything worthwhile for God, unless somehow in some way He is able to work in me and through me. Sometimes I feel inspired, strengthened and energised, other times I feel heavy-hearted, tired and would rather still be in bed, but usually I am fluctuating somewhere between the two extremes.

God is good.

The Great Glasshouse

Nikon D70s, 5 images at: 1/100 sec, f5, ISO 200, 36mm equivalent (click to enlarge)

We are just back from visiting family in Wales for a few days (availing of the recession-friendly ferry prices)! One of the highlights of our trip was a visit to the National Botanical Garden of Wales. The Glasshouse is very impressive: Designed by Norman Foster, it is the worlds largest single span Glasshouse measuring 110m long by 60m wide. The internal landscape covers 3500m square metres. The dome consists of 785 panes of glass, most of which are 4m x 1.5m and weighing about a tonne each!

With all the talk about the bad stuff we are doing to our planet it's great to see an example of us being the "co-creators" that we were made to be.

Anyway, I highly recommend a visit to these gardens if you ever find yourself in South Wales - even the drainage channels are interesting...

Nikon D70s, f5, 1/100 sec, ISO 200, 60mm equiv. (Click to enlarge)