Dear Friends,
I am very fortunate, while I am attempting to write these letters, to be looking out to a view (attached) of colourful blooms and shrubs in grow-boxes, and two quite enormous wild trees. The trees have been settled on the property from before my family settled on it and it is my wish they will continue to be here for years after we are here no longer. Our neighbour’s house as I look in this direction was erected at a comfortable distance from our house and there is nothing wrong with its appearance, but it is still better to be able to just glimpse part of it through the leafy trees than to have it front and centre of view.
The trees grow quite prolifically and I am from time to time reminded that a branch needs to be pruned. I prefer this continuing duty to following the bluff instructions of a workman years ago that if I really wanted fruit trees to grow on the property “those trees” would have to be cut down and rooted out.
After all is said and done, I argued, whether or not carbon dioxide really is a “greenhouse gas”, the trees will be doing their part anyway by soaking some of it up in photosynthesis.
The bearing trees of various sorts that we also have in limited earth over sedimentary limestone seem to be unaffected.
The moral of the above? I think it is: don’t be too easily discouraged by what other people say (“the narrative”) from what you have come to believe is the true and right course.
The Collect for the Tenth Sunday after Trinity is
Let thy merciful ears, O Lord, be open to the prayers of thy humble servants; and that they may obtain their petitions make them to ask such things as shall please thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Collect begins with the prayer that the Lord will hear mercifully our “prayers”, including our “petitions”. This does not indicate any doubt on that matter, but rather aligns our own minds to recall the Lord’s listening mercy. Such is consistent with the character of the petitions we offer: for them be “obtained” they must “please” God, “through Jesus Christ our Lord”.
In terms of our covenant relationship with God, we may not ask only for what we believe to be our rights, if we are not willing also to commit to our responsibilities.
For directions about the services this Sunday the 21st August 2022, the 10th Sunday after Trinity, please see the website www.TruthWithLanguage.com .
In faith in the holy Name of our Lord Jesus, who will continue to provide guidance and joy by the Holy Spirit to all His people.
+ Nicholas