May I speak in the name of God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. So Jesus tells another parable. This is his final parable recorded in Matthew, which perhaps, you might be relieved to hear. Parables are those tricky tales aren’t they, intentionally confusing, those stories which lodge within us, and refuse an easy answer, …
Continue reading On telling stories. The parable of the talents. A sermon for 2 before Advent
Sermon preached at Lincoln College, Oxford. Evensong. Matthew 22:34-end. 1 Thess 2:1-8 May I speak in the name of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.The Pharisees are incredulous, outraged, and perhaps a little scared - they have heard how Jesus has silenced the Sadduccees, and are feeling increasingly desperate. They ask one of their party, …
We continue, in our Gospel reading this week, to see the world, and to see discipleship and travelling with Jesus through the eyes of Peter – that particularly human figure, courageous (remember his walking on water), sharp (last week he saw in Jesus what others could not), yet impulsive and doubtful as well. And yet, …
Continue reading On love and crossbearing. Trinity 12. A sermon.
Walk virtually through our lovely new prayer path, designed to help people to slow down, and to experience a moment of peace in their daily lives. Inhale Pause here for a moment and take notice of your surroundings - the breeze, the warmth, the ground beneath your feet. Allow yourself to come into the presence …
In blazing light you grasp new freedom found, Now steady spirit finding tasting rest. You walk away from all that which has bound, But still the same old voices cry possessed. In candle light you sit and weep and wait, Stinging salt meets fragrant oil, out poured Patched up Heart, words wasted come too late, …
I have had the most remarkable year being a deacon. I wrote these four sonnets to try and express some of how it’s been, they originally formed some of my portfolio this year. They are based on the metaphor of water. Sonnet 1 – Water Flows ‘Out of the believer’s heart shall flow streams of …
Good morning everybody. May I speak in the name of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, This week the Church enters the long period known as ordinary time, weeks and months which stretch out before us and will carry us back around to Advent. You’ll notice that our priests have green stoles on today, and …
Continue reading Cast out demons – a homily for ordinary time
After he left usWe ran, knees bruised with blessing,dust and joy spilling out of us.We ran to the temple,The only place we knew to go.Where lamps were lit and the prayers already ascending,Chasing him up.Our home.Our place of consolation, of rising, falling,Of all our ageless story.We joined old men, and prophets who’d followed Anna,And we …
A reflection for Good Shepherd Sunday. Thanks to all the sheep!
Lockdown begins and I am glum. I feel cast off and out of my depth. Sunday mornings pass and I sit at home, in the Deacon doldrums. I sit in all the doldrums. I’m not sure how to move through the week without the sustenance of Sundays. My spirituality is centred on receiving God in the …
Continue reading ‘Wine to remember’ – sacramentality and lockdown
