Daniel was called upon to do the first reading at mass this morning at short notice. It’s still the summer, it’s all a bit disorganised. As he scuttled on to the altar clutching the missalette in his hand, I was quietly confident but then I had a quick scan and was less so. This was the reading he saw for the first time on the altar and had to read aloud.
The Lord says this: I am coming to gather the nations of every language. They shall come to witness my glory. I will give them a sign and send some of their survivors to the nations: to Tarshish, Put, Lud, Moshech, Rosh, Tubal and Javan, to the distant islands that have not heard of me or seen my glory. They will proclaim my glory to the nations. As an offering to the Lord they will bring all your brothers, on horses, in chariots, in litters, on mules, on dromedaries from all the nations, to my holy mountain in Jerusalem says the Lord, like Israelites bringing oblations in clean vessels to temple of the Lord. And of some of them I will make priests and Levites, says the Lord.
He actually sailed through it. He’s a great reader and he has a lovely deep voice and speaks slowly and clearly. No one could blame him for this but it was unfortunate that he mispronounced Tarshish as Tarnish.
In other news, we’re back. Holiday updates to follow. Hold on to your hats etc.
