Moses and the Acts
So what did Rhodri Morgan offer Ieuan Wyn Jones at their meeting this morning?
Anything? Something worth having?
Mr Jones won't say until he's met his group this evening but what he will say is that the First Minister's comments immediately after their talks - that only a Labour government in Cardiff can negotiate with a Labour government in Westminster - are "the height of arrogance". He's challenged Mr Morgan to clarify his remarks which were "anti-democratic in tone" and "not helpful".
Pretty helpful to a Plaid leader who wants to persuade his group to push ahead with a rainbow alliance though don't you think? I wonder how long the Plaid rebels will take to find out what was - or may be - on the table.
As one of the lobby muttered this morning: "oh no, not ANOTHER historic day."
Incidentally what led CYTUN - the Churches in Wales Together group - to choose the following readings for the four party leaders to deliver at the service held last week?
I'll leave you to guess who was given what to read ... and why. Oh go on, you know you want to.
A READING FROM SCRIPTURE
On the following day, Moses took his seat to administer justice for the
people, and the people were standing round him from morning till
evening. Seeing all he did for the people, Moses’ father-in-law said to
him, ‘Why do you do this for the people, why sit here alone with the
people standing round you from morning till evening?’ Moses replied to
his father-in-law, ‘Because the people come to me to consult God. When
they have a problem they come to me, and I give a ruling between the
one and the other and make God’s statutes and laws known to them.’
Moses’ father-in-law then said to him, ‘What you are doing is not right.
You will only tire yourself out, and the people with you too, for the work
is too heavy for you. You cannot do it all yourself. Now listen to the advice
I am going to give you, and God be with you! Your task is to represent
the people to God, to lay their cases before God, and to teach them the
statutes and laws, and show them the way they ought to follow and
how they ought to behave. At the same time, from the people at large
choose capable and God-fearing men, men who are trustworthy and
incorruptible, and put them in charge of them as heads of thousands,
hundreds, fi fties and tens, and make them the people’s permanent judges.
They will refer all important matters to you, but all minor matters they will
decide themselves, so making things easier for you by sharing the burden
with you. If you do this – and may God so command you – you will be
able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfi ed.’
Moses took his father-in-law’s advice and did just as he said. Moses chose
capable men from all Israel and put them in charge of the people as heads
of thousands, hundreds, fi fties and tens. These acted as the people’s
permanent judges.
Exodus 18 13-26
A READING FROM SCRIPTURE
The whole group of believers was united, heart and soul; no one claimed
for his own use anything that he had, as everything they owned was held
in common.
The Apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus with
great power, and they were all given great respect.
None of their members was ever in want, as all those who owned land
or houses would sell them, and bring the money from them, to present
it to the Apostles; it was then distributed to any members who might be
in need.
There was a Levite of Cypriot origin called Joseph whom the Apostles
surnamed Barnabas (which means ‘son of encouragement’). He owned a
piece of land and he sold it and brought the money, and presented it to
the Apostles.
Acts 4 32-37
A READING FROM THE SCRIPTURE
On him will rest the spirit of the Lord,
the spirit of wisdom and insight,
the spirit of counsel and power,
the spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord:
his inspiration will lie in fearing the Lord.
His judgement will not be by appearances,
his verdict not given on hearsay.
He will judge the weak with integrity
And give fair sentence for the humblest in the land.
Uprightness will be the belt around his waist,
and constancy the belt about his hips.
The wolf will live with the lamb,
the panther lie down with the kid,
calf, lion and fat-stock beast together,
with a little boy to lead them.
The cow and the bear will graze,
their young will lie down together.
The lion will eat hay like the ox.
The infant will play over the den of the adder;
The baby will put his hand into the viper’s lair.
No hurt, no harm will be done,
on all my holy mountain,
for the country will be full of the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea.
Isaiah 11 2-9
READING FROM SCRIPTURE
Jesus knew that the father had put everything into his hands, and that he
had come from God and was returning to God, and he got up from table,
removed his outer garment and, taking a towel, wrapped it round his
waist; he then poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’
feet and to wipe them with the towel he was wearing.
He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, ‘Lord, are you going to wash
my feet?’ Jesus answered, ’At the moment you do not know what I am
doing, but later you will understand.’ ‘Never!’ said Peter. ‘You shall never
wash my feet.’ ‘If I do not wash you, you can have nothing in common
with me.’ ‘Then, Lord,’ said Simon Peter ‘not only my feet, but my hands
and my head as well!’ Jesus said, ‘No one who has taken a bath needs
washing, he is clean all over. You too are clean, though not all of you are.’
He knew who was going to betray him, that was why he said, ‘though not
all of you are.’
When he had washed their feet and put on his clothes again he went back
to the table. ‘Do you understand,’ he said, ‘what I have done to you?
You call me Master and Lord, and rightly; so I am. If I, then, the Lord and
Master, have washed your feet, you should wash each other’s feet. I have
given you an example so that you may copy what I have done to you.’
John 13 3-15
I'm Betsan Powys, 91Èȱ¬ Wales' political editor. I'll be blogging the inside track on .
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