Universalis

Sunday 10 April 2011

Edinburgh Castle - 33

Deep beneath the Great Hall and the Queen Anne Building are two tiers of cavernous stone vaults. Over the centuries they have been put to all sorts of use - stores for food and military supplies, soldiers' barracks, a bakery, state and military prisons.

But their use as prisons of war capture our imagination most. The vaults' role as prisons came to a peak during the wars with Revolutionary and Napoleonic France (1793-1815).



They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.

They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.

Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”

He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”
(Mark 9:30-37)

Time for our hymn.

Jesus, good above all other,
gentle Child of gentle Mother,
in a stable born our Brother,
give us grace to persevere.

Jesus, cradled in a manger,
for us facing every danger,
living as a homeless stranger,
make we thee our King most dear.

Jesus, for thy people dying,
risen Master, death defying,
Lord in heaven, thy grace supplying,
keep us to thy presence near.

Jesus, who our sorrows bearest,
all our thoughts and hopes thou sharest,
thou to man the truth declarest;
help us all thy truth to hear.

Lord, in all our doings guide us;
pride and hate shall never divide us;
we'll go on with thee beside us,
and with joy we'll persevere!




Happy Sunday!

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