Category: ‘Sermon’ like material

  • What are you looking for?

    Jesus said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi, where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. (John 1:29-42) What are you looking for? Well, I could write a list and it…

  • Solstice Pilgrims

    Emmanuel, come. Mary. Emmanuel. This fourth Sunday of Advent at the solstice, the shortest of days in the year when we yearn for the the light to return as others suffer the dire consequences of too much heat. The injustice of it all. And I feel like switching it all off and not knowing, but…

  • Time to let go

    “Pour out, I will pour out my Spirit. Earth shall be much more that it seems. Both sons and daughters shall prophesy. Young and old shall dream dreams.” Arrangement by John Bell of the Prophet Joel, quoted in Acts Pentecost is when the church story suddenly gets messy. Our church year has been very ordered…

  • Shaking off the dust on The Way

    Knowing when to stay, knowing when to leave is one of the most challenging invitations for discernment that we will ever encounter and no this is not about the politics shenanigans surrounding the dreaded ‘b’ word.  When is it time to move on, to shake the dust from your feet and to continue on the…

  • The Way and the Transfiguration

    If you expect me to tell you to get out and climb a mountain this week in order that you’re face shine enough to suggest to those around you that you have been face to   face with God, as Moses and Jesus have in the Bible story of the Transfiguration then you’ll be disappointed. …

  • Courage to Love

    It’s easier to hate than to love, so they say.  Love takes hard work.  Though I’m not so sure about this for some people put a lot of effort into their hate and some are lazy in Love.  It takes great courage to love. For as we hear from St. Paul, Love is patient; love…

  • Ordinary – extraordinary

    Before indulging in the Johannine wedding feast we ought to set this story in its January context, why it is told during epiphany.  We begin to celebrate the Epiphany on 6th January, a festival which arose in the second century, largely in response to Greek and Hellenic festivals noting the position of the star Sirius,…

  • Shadows in the stars

    I won’t claim to be able to explain that beautiful, mystical reading we hear from the gospel of John at Midnight Mass except to say that if we listen closely to the lyrical tones of that haunting poetry attempting to describe one of the most perplexing moments of this earth’s history we might just catch…

  • Self Image – Creation Time

    On the First Sunday of Creation time we begin with ourselves.  For our good intentions to come to fruition we must take responsibility for our heart. In Mark’s Gospel we read:  “This people honours me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me”     James reminds us not to forget the self image…

  • Gathering Hope

    RS Thomas’ poem The Bright Field is over quoted perhaps, but maybe with good reason.  It touches on the nerve endings of faith, the places we are anxious to itch, but are unable to scratch with conventional religion.  So when the sun broke through the clouds to illuminate the small field on which the Coda…