It has been an exciting time for supporters of Newcastle United Football Club with news of the takeover by Saudi State or is it a wealthy company from that country that made good selling rather good Pease Pudding in abundance? Anyway one of those supporters is my brother and he is delighted. Having spent 3 years at University at Newcastle in the days of Paul Gascoigne showing early signs of just how brilliant a footballer he would become, Tim fell in love with the club just as many Geordies have over the years. It is a football fanatical city and I have to say that I love the enthusiasm for the team in that fantastic city. It is a club that has had it’s fair share of superstars from ‘Wor’ Jackie Milburn, Hughie Gallacher, through Malcolm Macdonald (Supermac), Peter Beardsley, Chris Waddle, Kevin Keegan and of course Alan Shearer. Sadly despite the talent that the North East produces Newcastle haven’t really been successful since 1969 when they won the Fairs Cup. Things are about to change with the reputed huge sums of money about to be invested. Within a decade the Magpies will have won the Premier League and the Champions League with a squad of players worth 100 billion!
Now I am not a bitter Leeds United fan (Honestly) and I genuinely wish success for all those football loving Newcastle fans and even my brother but is this right for football? Simon Jordan, who reputedly knows what it is to earn large sums of money through the mobile phone industry and also knows the problems of chairmanship at his beloved football Club Crystal Palace, made some good points on Talk Sport the other week. Jordan when asked what he thought of the takeover for 305 million from the much loved Mike Ashley said that of course it’s wrong. There are terrible human rights issues (reputedly) in Saudi Arabia and it is obvious that it is the Saudi State money and not a Saudi Company that is behind the bid. The Premier League are of course worried about their brand, the other 18 Premier League Clubs are worried (Manchester City seem to have a few bob themselves) and have put a short term block on sponsorship deals for Newcastle.
Jordan in fairness highlighted the problems of not only modern football but life itself when he pointed out that we need to mention Disney, Uber Taxi’s, and of course the Government of the UK as having links. Saudi Arabia is said to be the primary trading partner of our country in the Middle East. Jordan said that of course this shouldn’t be a deal that passes the fit and proper tests of the Premier League. But this is the real world and it’s all about money. Yes it would appear that money wins over justice and rights.
The week this news broke clergy across the land had the text to preach on from Mark’s Gospel where a rich young man asks Jesus ‘What must I do to inherit eternal life?’ Jesus first talks about the commandments and the rich young man who has followed them shouts to himself ‘Bingo’ I have kept them all. Then Jesus follows this up with ‘You lack one thing, go and sell what you own and give money to the poor, then you will find treasure in heaven and you will follow me. The man goes off grieving as he had many possessions (And clearly didn’t feel able to sell them). Jesus says that it is hard for those of wealth to enter the Kingdom. In fact it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. Clearly the message is that justice goes beyond self-interest and being faithful to God will be evident in the way we live. The disciples are honest though and think but who can be saved? Jesus’s response is that it is impossible for humanity but all things are possible for God. The truth is that the wise choice is choosing God and the grace he offers us through the cross. We then receive his love and desire to offer love back. Maybe if more people centred their lives on God then we might find a less cynical world that instead seeks justice. That might be the Kingdom where we all have enough, and we value humanity and God’s creation. Will I give up everything I own though? Tough question but it is the role of small Christian communities to challenge the cynical world view presented to us in recent weeks.
Blessings,
Fr Jeremy
Father Jeremy's Journey 
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