Plenary,
Meeting date: Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Official Report
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Time for Reflection
Good afternoon. The time for reflection leader this afternoon is the Right Rev John Cunningham, the Bishop of Galloway.
The Right Rev John Cunningham (Bishop of Galloway):
On his way home from Sunday mass, a man unexpectedly met some friends he had not seen for years. One thing led to another and they finished up having a drink together. When the man eventually got home, he was confronted by his wife. "What on earth kept you?" she demanded. "It was the priest," the man replied. "He preached a very long sermon about sin." "What did he have to say about it?" rejoined the wife. "I think he was against it," answered the man.
There are a number of things in this life that we can safely assume everyone is against: poverty, famine and disease, for example. However, for the most part, we do nothing to eliminate them. It is not that we do not care. We do care and we show that we care in the generosity with which we respond when we are confronted with television pictures of diseased and starving children, for example. However, deep down, we do not believe that there is anything that we can do personally to change the circumstances that cause these things.
I would like to read you a short passage from the book of the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 2, verses 42-47:
"Those who were baptised remained faithful to the teaching of the Apostles, to the community, to the breaking of bread, and to the prayers. The faithful all lived together and owned everything in common; they sold their goods and possessions and shared out the proceeds among themselves according to what each one needed. They went out as a body to the Temple each day, but met in their houses for the breaking of bread; they shared their food gladly and generously; they praised God and were looked up to by everyone."
By remaining faithful to the beliefs and practices of their faith and by working together as a community, the early Christians had a tremendous effect on the world in which they lived. Last year, the make poverty history campaign captured the imagination of the public. The response was impressive. People of many different faiths and none turned out in their thousands to demonstrate here in Edinburgh. They literally put a ring around the city.
I will conclude with a prayer for justice and peace.
God our Father, you reveal that those who work for peace will be called your sons. Help us to work without ceasing for that justice which brings true and lasting peace. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.