In Ireland, people seem to be able to get into a temper for little or no reason, from Malin Head to Mizen Head and from Dublin to Doolin. When things aren’t going to plan – the car won’t start, there is traffic being held up because a tractor is on the road, the children are whining or if something just won’t work. The blood boils and we let out a big “Fuselage”, “Botox” or “Gesture”. While this elevates a bit of stress and we feel better afterwards, it creates a big problem down the line.

The Scribes and Pharisees of Jesus day had preconceived notions and ideas on who is a sinner. They thought that if you were wealthy you enjoyed Gods’ favour and if you were poor, it meant that you were disapproved before God, that you had committed a sin or transgressed his law in some way. So they used to welcome with open arms the rich and despise the poor. With all this wealth floating around them, they became lovers of money themselves – Luke 16:13 – 15. They observed the law to the letter and yet they forgot the weightier matters such as justice, mercy and faithfulness – Matthew 23:23. You just need to look and the account of Zacchaeus to see this – Luke 19:1 – 10.

In The gospels we read of Jesus telling the parable of the good Samaritan. This seems good to us today but when it was first told to the people of the first century it would have been received with shock and dismay. In the minds of the Jews the Samaritans were considered to be a nation of mongrels.

Have you noticed in the past while there has been phrase doing the rounds in the scientific community and in popular culture? It’s called “the big bang theory”. It is related to the evolution theory – the thought that billions of years ago there was a big explosion out of nothing and gradually over time it became the universe we know today.

In the first book of Samuel Chapter 4, we see the Israelites being defeated by the philistine army, there were four thousand men killed. They were used to The Lord fighting their battles for them and when they lost, usually God was angry with them because one or more of them had done something wrong. On this occasion, instead of asking God what was wrong and looking for him, they got what symbolised his presence among them and NOT his actual presence, which was the Ark of the Covenant. They sent and bought into the camp.