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Here is this morning’s Thought for the Day for BBC Radio Scotland.

The really good one, if you heard it, was John Bell on Radio 4. He was talking about why you don’t get into selective apologies – just model the new and move forward.

I couldn’t quite tell you why – but the Queen’s visit to Ireland is very moving. As always, she says little – but that seems more than enough to do what is necessary. Whover ‘they’ are, ‘they’ have been very brave in their planning. Not content just to welcome her to Ireland, they have set about bringing her to the most sensitive and evocative places – as if to lay ghosts, heal memories, etc.

The scale of the bad history which is being laid to rest is quite extraordinary – everything from the Easter Rising and the cold-shouldering of Irish men and women who fought in the First World War to the more recent suffering of the Troubles. One thinks of the burning of the British Embassy in Merrion Square after the Bloody Sunday killings in Derry in 1972 – I was a student in Dublin and watched it happen – and the murder of the British Ambassador, Christopher Ewart-Biggs – and the killing of Lord Mountbatten. The weight of history is enormous. This visit will have done much to enable both parts of Ireland to move on.

The Bishop of London said that every wedding is a royal wedding … so here we are. Simon and Hannah got married in Christ Church, Morningside. The landau and the horses seemed to have gone off elsewhere – so they hailed a taxi to get to Dovecot Studios. And for some reason a fire engine appeared in the middle of the Reception. So they hopped in and were photographed in that as well.

A very happy day and a good time was had by all – the young at heart returned to their flat at midnight and the party continued.

Sometimes one sets experiences side by side and wonders ….

I went to London last Thursday/Friday to preach for the Patronal Festival for St George’s, Campden Hill – because one of the clergy there grew up in my parish. I took a certain pleasure in being there as an Irish person, representative of a Scottish church, preaching for St George’s Day.

On Sunday, we went to Dublin for the enthronement of Michael, the new Archbishop of Dublin. Times move on in Ireland – the Gospel was read by the Catholic Archbishop and of course they are preparing for the visit of the Queen later this month. But what is really striking in the Dublin which we know so well is the sense of desolation which hangs around. The financial crisis has hit people individually in a way unlike anything we have seen in Scotland. There is a deep cynicism about the political class who have by their incompetence and corruption destroyed the country and its future. And of course the position of the churches has been very difficult for some time. There isn’t much in which people can put their trust and respect.

I couldn’t help but feel the contrast when I took part in the Kirking of the Parliament in St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh last night. There was life, colour and optimism – Mario Conti, Catholic Archbishop of Glasgow, was the preacher; we had Christian material; an Imam read from the Koran; a rabbi from the Hebrew scriptures … Scotland is still coming to terms with the extraordinary scale of the victory of the Scottish National Party. It has led to the resignation of the other three party leaders in Scotland. Afterwards I was able to wander around among the MSP’s and the church and community representatives. We are all working out how to share in shaping this new Scotland and where we place our own identity in the midst of it.

Brechin Electoral Synod heard presentations today from five candidates. I feel for them – it is a crucible experience. Our Canon 4 process feels like a ‘bit much’ at times – but at least everybody knows where they are ..

This was my Homily at the Eucharist. I feel strongly about these things – from personal experience. So you may wonder how I got the word ‘abusive’ in.

It had to come eventually .. the Passat has been declared terminal this week. As they used to say in the parish, it’s the Water-Works. It’s done over 209000 miles with never a new clutch, water pump, alternator, wheel bearing or anything else very much.

As I’ve gone around this week tipping copious amounts of coolant into it, I’ve thought about some of the places we’ve been together. Countless late-night journeys home from all over Scotland … red-eye journeys to the airport .. journeys towards Perth and consecration … journey towards interview the time McMahon’s took the suit trousers in rather than ‘easing’ them ..

I’m afraid that I view car salesmen rather as Jack Russells used to view me when I was pastoral visiting. I need wheels and they want to sell me APR’s – they assume a pained and surprised expression when I reject their figures. But fortunately … I have found a car salesman who approaches his task with all the joie de vivre of a Presbyterian Elder – forgive me. No doubt he will eventually succeed in uniting me with something red and flirty. But we shall be able to reassure one another that this is a necessary evil and certainly not something from which one should derive any pleasure.

Well it was wonderful of course. How could it be otherwise? There was enough in the service to remind us that this was two young people – like any other couple – on a momentous day in their lives and deserving of all the good wishes and prayers we can offer them.

I pondered all these things as I sat on the 7.23 am from Gatwick and listened. Four ladies were struggling to exchange mobile numbers in case they got separated – and then ‘I’ve got a three-legged stool with folding legs … we can take turns in standing on it.’ Some of the papers have been asking themselves about the state of republicanism in Britain. On this evidence, there is very little future for it. Monarchist feeling is at the level of symbol and feeling – things may happen which damage trust and affection. A diverse society may find it harder to gather round single ideas and identity. But it was hard to see that in London today.

Meanwhile back at the Abbey, Kate walked past me on her date with destiny. It was a moment of history – one ponders the impact which William’s great-grandmother had on the monarchy and whether Kate may have a similar calling for different times. But all that is for other days and other times – for now I took comfort from their nervous smiles. It suggests that William and Kate may be people who are not sure of the way forward and who may have been gifted with the wisdom to seek for new times new expressions of an ancient institution. All of us involved in the task of church leadership understand that challenge

Well here at the Travelodge Gatwick, the excitement is mounting. Quick trip from Blogstead Na Mara in Donegal and here we are.

You probably know that I pretend not to like weddings – but of course I am putty in their hands. Always the lump in the throat and the tear in the corner of the eye – particularly as I get older. So I’m looking forward to a good day tomorrow. One slight regret is that ‘Be thou my vision’ hasn’t made it onto the list – but you can’t have everything.

Press interest in my attendance at the Royal Wedding has been patchy to say the least. The Portadown Times – in the form of my old friend Victor Gordon – got in touch and did an in depth interview – ‘Former Seagoe Rector, etc., etc. Premier Christian Radio wanted a blessing for the happy couple. Blogstead of course will be en fete – but sadly we won’t be there …

As I said, I was a bit light on Holy Week this year .. so here is my ‘Holy Week in half an hour’ – Prayer for the Day for BBC Radio 4

And The Scotsman published this Good Friday piece today.

Given that I am always muttering about how secular Scotland is, I was surprised to find myself at the traffic lights at the South Inch today looking at a random Roman soldier and a Golgotha scene. Given Perth’s remarkable history, it probably wasn’t the first time he had been there.

So why is the Chrism Mass one of the most moving moments of the year? Well there could be all sorts of reasons for that. But it seemed to me as we gathered in the Cathedral today is that what makes it moving is the vulnerability – the fact that the clergy who gather have committed themselves in the most wonderfully idealistic and passionate way. At Chrism Mass, we revisit the roots of that commitment. This is what I said this morning.

This evening, I’ve been in our Cathedral in Dundee. We had institution of the eucharist and feet washing and vigil ….