Contents
- Scottish Parliament Wednesday 17 January 2001 (Afternoon)
- Time for Reflection
- Parliamentary Bureau Motions
- Mortgage Rights (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1
- Health and Social Care Bill
- Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Bill
- Committee Convenership
- Decision Time
- Acute Services Review (South Glasgow)
Time for Reflection
We welcome to lead our time for reflection today the Most Rev Bruce Cameron, Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church and Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney.
The Most Rev Bruce Cameron (Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church and Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney):
The beginning of a new year coincides with a season in the Christian calendar known as the Epiphany. It started on 6 January, the 12th day of Christmas, and is associated primarily with the story of the wise men visiting the child Jesus. Of course, that story—known as the story of the Magi—is not exclusive to the Christian religion. Other religions and other cultures have similar stories in their traditions.In modern-day thinking, a story about three wise men could in some way sound exclusive. A feminist theologian once wrote—probably with tongue in cheek—that had it been three wise women, they would have asked for more directions and got there sooner; they might have cleaned the stable and fed the cattle; they would have brought useful gifts; and there might then have been peace in the world.
But the story itself, whether we come from a religious starting point or not, shows in those travelling sages characteristics that I believe to be worthy of reflection. They had a searching spirit—that human spirit which, through the scientist and theologian, the philosopher and politician, does not claim to possess the truth, but searches the world and the universe to find it. They had a questioning mind—which does not arrogantly claim to know all the answers, but which is at home with questions in exploring, and sometimes exploding, the false myths that have assumed over-importance. They had a discovering nature—which will find the glimpses of truth that will enable people to live in peace and harmony with one another.
In the years of my youth, a remarkable man was Secretary-General of the United Nations. His name was Dag Hammarskjold. He was tragically killed in an air crash in the early 1960s on one of his many journeys in search of peace. I believe that he was very much a wise man of his time. From the book "Markings", a collection of his thoughts, I offer you this prayer, for you are men and women who, in the political life of our nation today, are called to search, to question and to discover.
Hallowed be Thy name, not mine
Thy Kingdom come, not mine
Thy Will be done, not mine
Give us peace in our hearts
Peace with one another
Peace within ourselves
And free us from all fear
Amen