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13/05/2017
A reading, reflection and prayer, with Jonathan Rea.
Last on
Sat 13 May 2017
05:43
ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
Prayer for the Day Script with Jonathan Rea
Good morning.
The composer Sir Arthur Sullivan was born 175 years ago today. You may know the operas he wrote with W S Gilbert, but his output was actually very varied. Ballets, orchestral works, and even the famous hymn tune for Onward Christian Soldiers.Β
Sullivan once showed great foresight when attending a demonstration of Edisonβs phonograph. Mesmerized by the potential of recorded music. He said
βI am astonished at the wonderful power you have developed, and terrified at the thought that so much hideous and bad music may be put on record foreverβ.
This made me reflect on how social media is now used. So many of us are preserving and publicizing the momentous and the mundane events of daily life β often with little sense of discrimination about what has value and what doesnβt.Β
And once something is on the web, it becomes nigh on impossible to retract. Itβs a real concern for parents protecting children or indeed for anyone who wants to protect their privacy.Β
But worrying about our data is not a new phenomenon. Aware that his own life contained things that were best forgotten, the ancient Psalmist didnβt want God or anyone else to have a big file listing all his misdemeanours. He asks βLord, if you kept a record of sins, who could stand?β
But he is not without hope. He continues βΒ βbut with the Lord there is forgiveness, so that we can serve you with reverence β with the Lord is unfailing love and full redemption.βΒ
Lord God, You made us in your image, and your understanding of our propensity to sin is comprehensive, but you show mercy instead of holding a grudge. And when we are honest about our failure, you forgive and redeem us with Your unfailing love. We place our hope in you.Β
Amen
The composer Sir Arthur Sullivan was born 175 years ago today. You may know the operas he wrote with W S Gilbert, but his output was actually very varied. Ballets, orchestral works, and even the famous hymn tune for Onward Christian Soldiers.Β
Sullivan once showed great foresight when attending a demonstration of Edisonβs phonograph. Mesmerized by the potential of recorded music. He said
βI am astonished at the wonderful power you have developed, and terrified at the thought that so much hideous and bad music may be put on record foreverβ.
This made me reflect on how social media is now used. So many of us are preserving and publicizing the momentous and the mundane events of daily life β often with little sense of discrimination about what has value and what doesnβt.Β
And once something is on the web, it becomes nigh on impossible to retract. Itβs a real concern for parents protecting children or indeed for anyone who wants to protect their privacy.Β
But worrying about our data is not a new phenomenon. Aware that his own life contained things that were best forgotten, the ancient Psalmist didnβt want God or anyone else to have a big file listing all his misdemeanours. He asks βLord, if you kept a record of sins, who could stand?β
But he is not without hope. He continues βΒ βbut with the Lord there is forgiveness, so that we can serve you with reverence β with the Lord is unfailing love and full redemption.βΒ
Lord God, You made us in your image, and your understanding of our propensity to sin is comprehensive, but you show mercy instead of holding a grudge. And when we are honest about our failure, you forgive and redeem us with Your unfailing love. We place our hope in you.Β
Amen
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- Sat 13 May 2017 05:43ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
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