COMFORTING LYRICS OF HANDEL’S MESSIAH

Last evening Christine and I attended the Bell Centre performance of Handel's Messiah with the Surrey City Orchestra and the Vancouver Bach Choir and select soloists. No doubt you are very familiar with this oratorio. The oratorio is a marvel when I think that George Frederik Handel accomplished this 53 movement, 3-Part masterpiece, musical score and theological assembly of scriptural themes in about a month. For believers the sound of the words unites us immediately to the heart of God and the history of his dealings with humanity through all of the Old and New Testament times. And now in our time, His word has not changed. Part Three is shortest, the finale and I have placed here the movement numbers and titles and the scripture used because as I listened last night my heart was so gladdened, so uplifted, so confident that my Saviour lives. I know these recitations will lean so much to you too. 

45. I Know That My Redeemer Liveth
I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day
upon the earth. And though worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall
I see God. (Job 19:25-26) - For now is Christ risen from the dead, the first fruits of them that sleep. (I Corinthians 15:20)

IN CANADA FAITH CONVICTIONS ABOUT ASSISTED SUICIDE DO NOT MATTER

Death on request or aid to suicide violates deeply-rooted moral beliefs of most faiths which deem it to be ethically unjustifiable. Those beliefs do not matter any longer. In the past these beliefs have certainly influenced civic laws in Canada that prohibited euthanasia and assisted suicide. Twelve years ago the Supreme Court of Canada ruled against physician-assisted suicide when Sue Rodriguez petitioned to end her life. Subsequent cases repeatedly challenged that ruling? Sufferers, families of sufferers, and journalists lobbied for approval of assisted death by emotionally describing the petitioners’ desire to leave their pain behind.

IT'S BLACK. IT'S WHITE, OR GREY IS OKAY

I'll clear the air immediately. This post is not a reference to E. L. James erotic romance trilogy titled, Fifty Shades of Grey. Nor am I thinking about Michael Jackson's hit song, 'Black or White' in which the refrain repeats, "but, if you're thinkin' about my baby, it don't matter if you're black or white." James and Jackson do not own basic colours. I will however, talk about blacks and whites and greys. I do this because opinions about ethics and morality and actions and attitudes emerge from one's colour commitment. That's a metaphorical allusion to the sin vs. righteousness, black vs. white association often made by principled people with a background in scripture. It's understandable. In the Bible, black is primarily associated with the negative aspects of human experience, including death, disease, famine, and sorrow, all of which are bi-results of sin. On the other hand, white is a color of purity and righteousness, refinement and health, even victory.

With that contrast from a trusted source, some people may as a default, view almost everything as either black or white.