Service

This evening, after a day of preparation, I attended an Ordination service in the Cathedral. There were a total of six deacons ordained, among them Tim, who is the Archbishop's Secretary.

I had been talking to one of the other Ordinands, Mark, who had stayed in the guesthouse last week and who was also at breakfast this morning. he asked for any advice I could give him. 

Apart from keeping his day off strictly as a day off, I told him about the importance of maintaining a healthy daily prayer time, despite the many demands and crises of daily ministry!

It has stood me well!

I arrived about ten minutes before the service was due to begin, and settled myself in a pew with a good view. 

As the service started, and as the procession made their way to the Sanctuary to be seated, I could see Canon M motioning to the Dean, frantically pointing tohis throat (obviously his clerical collar) and looking in my direction.

And after a minute or two, my suspicions were proved correct and the Dean came down and asked me to join everyone in the Sanctuary! I wasn't wearing robes, annoyingly, as they were hanging up thirty feet away in the Vestry!

No matter. I took my place with the clergy, wearing black clerical shirt, of course, as it it was a formal occasion!

The service was in Arabic, although I could follow the Liturgy, which was very familiar, and there were many hymns (in Arabic) which I unfortunately didn't recognize!

Still, it was a really lovely service and it was heartwarming to see even the smallest kids clamouring for a place at the communion rail! It really felt like a family meal!

Afterwards, in the balmy night air, there was a chance to meet and greet out on the steps. Altogether a really lovely service!

However, as I sit here thousands of miles away in Egypt, the situation at home is concerning. 

This desert country has welcomed refugees for thousands of years, despite being far from wealthy in itself. It is a country made up of many races, faiths, and ethnicities, and it is all the richer for it. Of course it has its problems too, but its trying hard!

I am ashamed to be Irish reading many of the remarks from people I know on social media these past days. We are a nation that has relied on the generosity of other nations for many, many years...and how quickly we forget.

Lest the Christians among us also forget, the Holy Family too sought refuge...in Egypt...and we would all do well to remember that.

This latest iteration of anarchy, masquerading as protest, is nothing more than thinly veiled, evil, opportunistic racism. Period.

We rely on immigration to fill the vital jobs in healthcare, hospitality and other industries that these heroes wouldn't ever consider doing.

Having spent 31 years in hard policing in Dublin, I can assure you that the majority of criminal acts, including some which were truly horrendous, were committed by native Irish people.

And its quite obviously being driven by right wingers from our neighbouring nation, augmented by an unhealthy sprinkling of those who fail to see that they're being used to push an ultra-nationalist agenda.

Lest we forget, Article 2 of our Constitution states:

'It is the entitlement and birthright of every person born in the island of Ireland, which includes its islands and seas, to be part of the Irish nation. that is also the entitlement of all persons otherwise qualified in accordance with law to be citizens of Ireland.'

Every person. And those that call themselves 'Christians' are reminded that their duty is to the least of their brothers and sisters, whatever their skin colour, nationality, language, sexual orientation, faith....and so on.

To quote Matthew, 'And whatever you do for the least of these, you do for me.'