Dear Friends and Colleagues,

During the current Easter season (which in our older Calendars lasts until Ascensiontide and in some other versions goes on until Whitsunday-Pentecost) we have been guided to think about important contrasts: fundamentally, the contrast between death and life because of the Resurrection of Jesus after His dying on the “tree” for us. In some way connecting to that contrast are many others: for example the degree of faithfulness of our own discipleship, whether or not or to what degree we are “walking the talk” - or indeed, “thinking the talk”, because the key to maintaining faithfulness to Christ (and to maintaining the contrasting Worldview of Christ to all other worldviews in our walk) is to maintain “the mind of Christ” in our view of the world. 

Having the “mind of Christ” in our view of the world is needed to maintain the Imago Dei, the "Image of God” in our personhood as individuals and indeed as continuing a Christian civilisation. One of the grave deficiencies in our time that challenges the "mind of Christ” in those called to be His is the public neglect of the *family* (the nuclear family of husband, wife and children as still expressed in our Health Services Agency logo) in the many concerns expressed for the wellbeing of children. This morning I was listening to a well-known radio show that listed a great number of government agencies that exist to safeguard the wellbeing of children in a “child-centred” society. Or so they said. And I am not at all suggesting that these bodies are inherently harmful. However, when we are encouraged to think of institutionalising the lives of children while at the same time effectively throwing out the natural family unit from any part of our consideration I am saying we are running counter to God’s design for the safety and wellbeing of children. 

This is not anything new. The perils of designing the abandonment of the natural family unit in bringing up children can be thoroughly backed up with historical worldwide evidence. What perhaps is new is the extent to which historically Christian societies and individuals have forsaken the truth, forgotten it and (as it is said) “lost their minds”. It is our responsibility as Christian disciples to think separately, within the guidance of Christ, to “think the Christian talk” and so avoid the fate of the herd of Gadarene swine (Mark 5: 1-20).

In this connection may I urge you to consider again the entire short document www.truthwithlanguage.com/BOTletterissue1.html  from our website www.truthwithlanguage.com . Ponder its implications. 

The Collect for the Fifth Sunday after Easter - called also Rogation Sunday - is

O Lord, from whom all good things do come: Grant to us thy humble servants, that by thy holy inspiration we may think those things that be good, and by thy merciful guiding may perform the same; through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

It seems that there is a perfect congruence between the thoughts already expressed and the simple and direct words of this prayer. Do we want “good things” for our future? Then attend carefully to the Lord, “from whom all good things do come”. (Did He not send into our fractured world His Son to grant us “at-one-ment” with Him? Did not the Son show Himself to those who witnessed to us the Resurrection that we are called to share?) So let us by the Lord’s “holy inspiration … think those things that be good, and by [His] merciful guiding perform the same; through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 

For directions about the services this Sunday the 22nd May 2022, the Fifth Sunday after Easter, please see the website www.TruthWithLanguage.com . 

In faith in the holy Name of our Lord Jesus, who will continue to provide guidance by the Holy Spirit to all His people.

+ Nicholas