Beauty of holiness...

I discovered something recently while reading Ezekiel.

I got to the bit where God is explaining what is holy (chapter 46). He goes through everything he's given Israel and says, 'This bit is mine, this is mine...' about land, people, etc. A bit like a bridal register I suppose, except that God owns already what he is saying is his.

The thing is though, God can't get through the chapter before he's already giving it away. It's not as everything he is claiming is just going to sit there unused while people go without. God takes some land, and then immediately gives it to his priests. He takes food, but gives that to his priests. And so on.

There are a whole raft of reasons why this is sociologically a good plan: priests less likely to become exploitative if they are provided for, priests less likely to depend on rich patrons and so become their mouthpiece, and so on and so forth. But this doesn't detract from God's generosity, even as it highlights his wisdom.

This has implications for us. We are supposed to be holy as he is holy (I Peter 1), and this means we belong to God and our first allegiance is to Jesus in all things. But becoming holy doesn't mean that we become distant from the people around us. In fact, as we become holy, we become better at and more willing to love others. So God imprints us with his brand, as his property, and that is then seen in our losing ourselves in the great task of loving others.

Ownership of things and people is an aspect of God's holiness. But it's not exactly capitalism, because God's way of owning things is to promptly shower gifts on any and everyone. God's way of 'doing holiness' isn't insufferable self-righteous smugness.

God makes holiness look beautiful.

Jindabyne

Jindabyne is the place of many thunderstorms. We were there last week for a holiday and we got a thunderstorm (or two!) every single day. Lots of omninous thunder, stark flashes of lightning and the marvellous sound and smell of rain - every day. We stayed at a friend's house with views like this...
We did walks around the lake and I dreamt of wind-blown galleons in full flight.

I played lots of Civilisation IV and indulged my fantasy of taking over the world; Levor played lots of Galactic Civilisations and indulged his fantasy of taking over the universe. There were many glorious victories.

And I ate chocolate every single day. (I only eat chocolate on Sundays). It was an excellent week.

Now we're back in reality. We aren't in control of our own world. There is no lake outside our window. And it's four whole days till I can eat chocolate again.

Juxtaposition

On Saturday we went to an ordination ceremony and watched while men and women in fancy dress were made deacons. It was stirring and good to see so many making promises to serve God and his church and to hold out the Gospel to all, even the 'indifferent'. It was in the cathedral, there was fabulous singing and we saw heaps of people we know and don't get to see much. It was great to see the Abp doing such good work - so many more people have come forward for ordination since he's been at the helm. And he welcomed all the families so graciously, and used the liturgy the way it should be used (IMHO - liturgy was made for man and not man for liturgy).

And then we went to church and saw what happens when those promises are broken. And we went to small church and saw what happens when those promises are broken. This is a problem which we have only started to deal with. There are so many contexts in which this situation has brought the Gospel to shame. And so many people are hurting. It was horrible.

At both services - at church and at the ordination service - the sermon was from 2 Corinthians about how ministers of the gospel are jars of clay. At the ordination service it was a reality check: these bright, beaming people are not perfect and have faults which will be all too obvious. But this will not stop the spread of the gospel, because God has set it up like that. At church, it was a message of comfort, not whitewashing what was happening, but pointing out that the bad choices of some won't destroy the gospel and that we all have this capacity: to choose evil and dishonour Jesus.

A very big day of celebration and grief. And a day to reflect on the unstoppable purposes of God in his Son.

Oxford - a great place to move cattle across a river

And, if all goes well, we're going there in a few months for three years, so that Levor can take his brain out for a good hard gallop, which will make him even smarter! I am less excited than trepidatious at this stage. There are many, many things which can go wrong! But I decided that I should list the things I know about Oxford. So, here goes:

From Inspector Morse:
1. Oxford is dangerous. It is the place of many murders. (Tho' not nearly so many as Midsomer)
2. All heads of Colleges in Oxford are either murderers or are up to something as serious as murder. They are not to be trusted.
3. Only young, female, good looking clergy are to be trusted in Oxford. The rest are either murders or seriously unhinged.
4. Any Oxford woman who is attractive to Inspector Morse has committed a felony of some sort.
5. There are a lot of pubs in Oxford, frequented by policemen. Policemen in Oxford cannot think without beer.

From Terry Pratchett (his 'Unseen University' in the Discworld series)
1. Food is the basic raison d'etre of Oxford, and falling asleep in one's pudding is a glorious moment.
2. Everything requires a ceremony. The best events are accompanied by ceremonies so ancient and so meaningless that no-one has a clue what is happening or why.
3. The most visible people are the most important, and demand to be treated with respect.
4. Achievement and learning is not encouraged; pomp and ceremony, and due regard for the honour of the university and its respected leaders is far more important.
5. Women are an interesting species not unknown to the university, but certainly not a part of its important and visible life. However without women the laundry simply would not get done.
6. There is no logic to this world. If you don't know what is going on or you don't make the appropriate response, you are clearly not worthy to be here and need to go elsewhere; to help with the laundry perhaps.

Maybe this year we'll get there. It will be like Alice falling down the rabbit hole into a whole 'nother world.