And if the tree fell in a forest and...

The quotation about the "tree falling in the forest with no-one to hear it" (or tweet about it) finds its origin with Bishop George Berkeley. Apparently he wrote about this as he grappled with logical positivism, better him than me. And it seems he mused about all this sitting on Hanging Rock facing Second Beach in Middletown, Rhode Island. For many years I drove past the rock to and from church in Middletown to home in Newport. No, I never saw him on the rock. Now to update all this - if an alarm has stopped ringing but I continue to assume it is ringing, is it ringing? Berkeley in reverse. Today, choosing to come around 9am - not too good a choice for us all, the alarm system company arrived to test yet aghain the alarms and one of them in particular. Though I was not as near to the noise as the Parish Administrator I could still hear the alarm; I was fascinated to observe that several times I just assumed the alarm was ringing but it actually had stopped. Maybe there's one, if not many, spiritual lessons here. With guilt and shame it may well be that God has done a profound and psychic work within us and yet the angst continues for a while until we are jolted into realizing it really, really, relly has stopped. And the comparisons could continue at length... The other thing about this alarm company is why is it that they keep opn returning and cannot repair the wretched device - ah well.

The Silence - yet another successful UK mini-series

A few days ago I was asking one of my routine questiosn of friends and,to be honest, of anyone who would listen- "Are you watching, have you watched, any good TV shows recently?". A good friend pointed me in the way of "Parade's End", I think it's HBO. It's a sort of scandalous and provocative version of the almost sacrosanct "Downton Abbey". "Parade's End" describes so well and so engagingly the plight of Christopher Teitjens as he struggles to hold on to the expectations, the patterns, the standards of the past in a world that has been radically changed by World War I. The acceptance of the vocation to change is given to each of us and it's not always easy. We may pride ourselves on being adaptable, flexible, open and yet there will be some areas in which we stake our claim and refuse to change. Sometimes in the midst of change that we cannot control or manage, we are driven to control the petty, the minor and the almost ridiculously insignificant. Only recently I have accepted that I am resisting a change to our church website for really no good, no intelligent, no reasonable cause! Anyway... in yet another search, I discovered "The Silence", a British four-part series that I found on Netflix. First there is the stunning acting of Genevieve Barr who plays the lead role of Amelia. But as always it is the portrayal of conflict, both inter- and intra-personal, that seduces the viewer to watch and watch and watch again. "Mia" often retreats into a silent world which is none too difficult for her because all she needs to do is remove a most sophisticated hearing device. This past Saturday I led a workshop called "Just Listen"; one challenge to good listening is the temptation to remain aloof and apart from the troubles and tensions of the world and those near to us. These are good viewing; and... Are you watching, have you watched any good TV recently?".

D.I.G. and "please can you help"

The glorious collect or prayer for last Sunday contains these three phrases - "Drive far from us all wrong desires, incline our hearts to keep your law and guide our feet into the way of peace". Given my inordinate love of acronyms, I saw it as the prayer was being read thus morning... "D.I.G." - got it? Suring the Second World War, the British people were encouraged to DIG FOR VICTORY; I am persuaded that if I can use this acronym often during my days I will be truly "digging for spiritual victory". And... a huge television screen had to be moved fromthe front of the church here to the parish offices for a workshop. It was darned heavy to carry and, probably, more than slightly unwise. So today during Morning Prayer, I'm thinking about the task of moving the screen back. I mused with the idea of asking for help but feel disinclined so to do... but I came to my sesnes and asked and it was done. Why is asking for help so difficult?

Sermon "The Power of Illusion" - Alan Neale

Sermon Preached at The Church of the Holy Trinity, Philadelphia The Reverend Alan Neale “The Power of Illusion” This is the second of five Lenten sermons based on the novel “The Buddha in The Attic” by Julie Otsuka; this book was chosen for the 2013 One Book One Philadelphia Program and this is the ninth consecutive year that we have participated in this profound, inspiring program. The title for the sermon series is “The Satanic Illusionist”; last week ‘The Seduction of Illusion’, this week ‘The Power of Illusion’. In our novel, mail-order brides are bought and brought from Japan to live in California. With sometimes stark and often compelling prose Ms. Otsuka confronts the reader with the wretched horror of their lives, the duplicity of the men that brought them and the society that closed its eyes and turned its attention from this human trafficking. It seems that all the actors in this social drama manage to survive through the use of illusion, pretense and downright denial; it seems they manage to survive… but we know, don’t we, that the land of illusion takes no captives, its atmosphere is tainted, and its existence is always threatened. We know that… yes? In today’s first reading from Genesis, Abram (soon to be named Abraham) finds himself living in an illusion. It seems (now there’s language from the illusion dictionary), it seems that though God is present… He has reneged on His promises, deserted His follower and ignored their pleas. It seems thus to Abram; Abram has bought his passport to the land of illusion and there he is living. But there he lives none too well. The power of illusion is such that Abram feels drained of energy, personal resources – “You have given me no offspring”, I remain as impotent and feeble as ever. The power of illusion is such that Abram moves to a place where he feels alone, isolated, displaced – “A slave born in my house is to be my heir”, there will be no family, no descendants to surround me and my name. This is the power of illusion – it bleeds us dry, it debiltates and incapacitates, it enfeebles and enervates, it drains the life out of us and saps our energy. This is the power of illusion – ultimately it will set us apart, alienate us from others, separate us from friends, isolate us in our misery. [Now sometimes the isolation is of a small group rather than an individual; here is a classic delusional pattern where two or three find themselves separated from the mass, the community – it can happen in family, at work and, would you believe it, even churches! But the effect is the same.] In today’s Gospel some Pharisees (for reasons unknown) come to Jesus and urge him to flee before “that fox Herod”. Jesus will not isolate himself and he commits to acting with power as he casts out demons and performs cures and, finally, completes his work. Under, in, the illusion that God is constricted and constrained the Pharisees urge Jesus to flee but Jesus will not be intimidated and remains in connection with his God and people and discovers abundant strength and power to do his work. As they sailed to California, the brides dreamed, “We dreamed of our husbands,\... of new wooden sandals and endless bolts of indigo silk and living, one day, in a house with a chimney”. But these dreams were pathetic illusions and so, we read, “when we woke we were gasping for air”. This is the power of illusion – it chokes us! In service as housemaids and cooks and even temporary confidantes, the Japanese women bought into the illusion that they were of significance, that they mattered, were essential. And yet, “Most of them took little notice of us at all. We were there when they needed us and when they did not, poof, we were gone” – isolated, alone, bereft. Before the novel ever begins we read these words, "Barn's burnt down -- now I can see the moon”, an evocative Haiku written by Mizuta Masahide, a seventeenth century Japanese poet and Samurai. As barns burn, we see the moon; as illusions shatter, we see the truth; as illusions shatter, we are empowered; as illusions shatter, we are reconnected with those around us. Many years ago, Charles Haddon Spurgeon (the great eighteenth century Baptist preacher) was approached by a church member who told Mr. Spurgeon he was leaving his church. “Why?” asked Spurgeon. The man replied, “I am looking for the perfect church!”. To which Spurgeon retorted, “If you find it, don’t join it… you’ll spoil it”, The illusion of perfection, generally ascribed to and expected from others, the illusion is innately devilish in its power to disempower and to isolate. In the words of our motet today, “Brother, Sister, Father, Mother… will you pray for me, and help me to drive old satan away’. AMEN

Books: Elizabeth the Queen & The Age of Miracles

"Elizabeth the Queen - Life of a Modern Monarch" is written by Sally Bedell Smith. It's really the first "real non-Nook" book I've read for a long time and I will admit that it was a special turning the pages, smelling the print though holding a 500 page book at night was none too easy.

The book is a magnificent study of Queen Elizabeth. Many of the details were not new to me and yet Ms. Bedell Smith composed them with such good writing, sensitivity, affection for her character and new insights that the book was a "thoroughly good read".

The Queen is unique as she carries in herself the lore of international and national histories for over 60 years - imagine it!

The book was made more attractive for me as it described the many Prime Ministers who have made the weekly journey for the royal audience. The book also is not part of the "Diana - totally sinned against and never sinning" brigade - another plus for me.

It is not uncommon for me to be asked, "What do you do during the week?" or to told with stunned shock, "You mean you're not available now... when I want to visit you...why?". "Elizabeth the Queen" is an attractive, informative and amusing read!


And, "The Age of Miracles" by Karen Thompson Walker. I definitely did not buy the book because of its title, I promise. I bought it because of the lure of its theme - the world is gradually slowing down, maybe part of some apocalytic ecological disaster. The impact upon nature is alarming but so is the impact on the human spirit and the human community.

A puzzle why this should be named one of the best books of the year unless it is because of the unique story line but... the tension between clock time and real time is engaging and is thoroughly an Advent theme and resonates with the difference between 'kairos' and 'chronos'.

Consistency... for our erstwhile assistant priest Diana and her wife Sarah

Ralph Waldo Emerson is supposed to have said, "Consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds"... actually he wrote, "A foolish consistency..."... sort of makes a big difference.

As a little digression, this business of someone taking our words and intentionally or carelessly altering the meaning is irritating and, at times, downright diabolical. I think of the times when Jesus was tempted by the Devil in the wilderness - Jesus uses Scripture as written, but Satan has his own particular twist.

Anyway... the link below shows you an interview between Diana Carroll (recently assistant priest at the Church of the Holy Trinity) and her wife Sarah. I hope 'wife' is correct; I'm still trying to learn and get it right.

http://video.foxnews.com/v/2075274330001/maryland-woman-faces-deportation-despite-marriage/?intcmp=obnetwork

They married in UK according to the laws of the land but the Church of England would not bless their marriage - inconsistency #1.

Their marriage was blessed in the Episcopal Church in US but they could not be legally married in Philadelphia - inconsistency #2.

Now, living in Maryland, they have been legally married but it seems that Sarah might face deportation in 2014 despite being married to an American citizen - inconsistency #3.

Surely all this is a "foolish inconsistency"? What do you think, Ralph?

I want... to be alone

As long as I can remember I have associated the phrase "I want to be alone" with Greta Garbo. Not quite whence nor how it came to lodge in my mind but then many things are like... at least in my mind.

Here's a link to the scene in the 1932 film 'Grand Hotel' - Grand Hotel - "I want to be alone"

Later in her life, Ms. Garbo declined ownership of the memorable phrase and opined that she said, "I want to be let alone".

I never said, "I want to be alone." I only said, "I want to be let alone! There is all the difference.

• Quoted in John Bainbridge, Garbo (1955)

At the beginning of Matthew 5, Jesus separates himself from the crowd and then removes the disciples from the crowd. It was not the wishf of Jesus nor his friends to be alone but rather to be "let alone" for a while from the rightful (and not so rightful) demands of ministry, people, life. Once renewed, Jesus and his team can return with new energy and vision.

I think it is significant whether Jesus spoke the Beatitudes and the ensuing Sermon on the Mount to the disciples or to the disciples and the crowd... do you see why?

Here's a reflection I gave on this theme earlier today at our 12:15pm Eucharist (every Tuesday!).

"I want to be... let alone" - Alan Neale