News  »  Monkhill Chapel newsletter 17th April 2021

Good evening everyone,

Hope you are enjoying our new found "freedoms" and this lovely weather too.

A large part of this afternoon has been taken up by the funeral service of Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh. Perhaps you, like me, watched in on TV. I'm so glad I did. It was very moving. The whole ceremony, both outside and inside, although "low key" following Covid guidelines, was wonderful as was the music that was played and sung. All chosen and planned by the Duke himself. I was particularly taken by the1st lesson read by the Dean of Windsor from Ecclesiasticus ch. 43 v.11-26. I am not aware of hearing it before so have done some research. Sirach, or Ecclesiasticus, is found in the Catholic Bible and the Orthodox Bible. The Protestants excluded it because no Hebrew version was found and it was considered a product of Greek culture. It was included in the original King James Version.

This is the reading:-

Look at the rainbow and praise its Maker; it shines with a supreme beauty, rounding the sky with its gleaming arc, a bow bent by the hands of the Most High. His command speeds the snow storm and sends the swift lightning to execute his sentence. To that end the storehouses are opened, and the clouds fly out like birds. By his mighty power the clouds are piled up and the hailstones broken small. The crash of his thunder makes the earth writhe, and, when he appears, an earthquake shakes the hills. At his will the south wind blows, the squall from the north and the hurricane. He scatters the snow-flakes like birds alighting; they settle like a swarm of locusts. The eye is dazzled by their beautiful whiteness, and as they fall the mind is entranced. He spreads frost on the earth like salt, and icicles form like pointed stakes. A cold blast from the north, and ice grows hard on the water, settling on every pool, as though the water were putting on a breastplate. He consumes the hills, scorches the wilderness, and withers the grass like fire. Cloudy weather quickly puts all to rights, and dew brings welcome relief after heat. By the power of his thought he tamed the deep and planted it with islands. Those who sail the sea tell stories of its dangers, which astonish all who hear them; in it are strange and wonderful creatures, all kinds of living things and huge sea-monsters. By his own action he achieves his end, and by his word all things are held together.

I am sorry to report that my mum was taken into hospital earlier in the week with an infection. She seems to be doing well when I spoke to her on the phone earlier. She is being well looked after but, needless to say, looking forward to coming home again. I have been catching up with gardening jobs that I normally have no time to do. Thank goodness the weather has been kind to me.

We have been watching a lovely programme earlier this evening on Scottish Railway journeys. One man on the programme was talking about the spectacular scenery and said there is no need to go abroad or do cruises, just go to Scotland! Which got me thinking about people having to holiday at home post-Covid and if everyone remains careful and follows current guidelines, it hopefully should go some way to getting all of our country "back on track" (excuse the pun!)

God bless and Hands, Face, Space, Grace and Fresh Air (while the good weather lasts!)

Lynne