Guy Fawkes

Thursday 5th November, 2020

This is Guy Fawkes day! I do not think with the lockdown that many fireworks will be going off nor many bonfires lit, at least not in public places. But metaphoric fireworks and bonfires are everywhere. The Presidential election seems to be causing legal explosions and appeals. The lockdown in England is causing some angst and a few fireworks also. I just wonder how terrorism and murder can be justified, even celebrated? A Roman Catholic wanted to blow up Parliament and had many sympathisers. Terrorists have murdered in Vienna and Nice and Paris. Those terrorists are considered martyrs. In the USA we see fierce and angry and even violent exchanges between Trump supporters and Biden supporters. I hope they will go to law not to violence. These are divided times with divided people. We need to keep peace without selling out but I firmly believe violence never succeeds. Yet we had to enter the Second World War, we had to resist and to fight and to destroy. It is never easy to decide the right course, even whether lockdown should happen or not. What do I say to the themes 'turn the other cheek', to ' love your enemy',  'walk two miles if made to go one', ' give your cloak if asked for your clothes' or words to that effect?

What was Guy Fawkes's reasoning, his faith, his purpose, his aim?

I attended an Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament this morning. Many might not accept it or know what it means but to me it is the presence of God. To some that would be a blasphemy, to others a superstition, to others a mindless conceit and pagan ritual but to me a time to be quiet, to humble oneself, to ask for the inspiration to be human, to be kind, loving and selfless, to realise one is not a god.

I then went with a friend to Cupar in the County of Fife. A lovely market town. I went to look to the possibility of finding a home. It is a long hard story and I am in a quandary and dilemma. A friend, the one who drove me, is helping. I want to simply trust in God but that is beyond the silly, beyond the Christian virtue of prudence. I do not think out of the blue a miracle will happen and someone will give me a house. So I work to an end with the means and intelligence I have and with the help of friends.

Whatever, it was a glorious day. The sun shine bright. The journey was through the most beautiful countryside, unseen by me before but majestic, gracious, alluring and uplifting.

Then to a hearty breakfast of scrambled egg, black pudding, mushrooms, tomatoes and followed by divine smoked salmon all with boiling strong black coffee. Some might use the expression that it was ' to die for'.

Life is sacred and holy. Yes, one can sacrifice it for a cause bigger than oneself but the judgement as to that is hard. Are the terrorists of today justified in giving their lives or taking the lives of others? Was Guy Fawkes? What of the anger over the election in the USA? Is it worth even one life?

These are hard decisions. These are hard times morally, politically and socially. As ever the question is how to do the right thing? God help us.