4 rockets, 2 children

Went to Cambridgeshire to see some friends. At short notice I was invited to preach at an Ascension Day service that evening. There is a tradition there of setting off a rocket into the late evening sky -- this year four rockets had been donated. We marched from the church to the graveyard, and watched them go up one after another to at least a hundred and fifty feet. Each of them split open into a set of flares, and because it was still light we could see the long sticks plummeting back to earth.

As I watched I was reminded of the four beasts of empire from the reading set for the day from Daniel chapter 7 which are overcome and destroyed before Daniel’s vision continues with

what looked like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven, and he was presented to the Eternal God. He was crowned king and given power and glory, so that all people of every nation and race would serve him. He will rule for ever, and his kingdom is eternal, never to be destroyed.

I was glad after all the nonsense of imperialist election fever overnight to spend Friday with my god-daughter, her younger brother and their parents.