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Still in the season of Epiphany - the season of seeing and feeling how the coming of the light is both a beacon of hope and a disturber of those who do not want change or righteousness or mercy to come - still the readings come that speak into our conflicted experience at this time. (Fourth Sunday after Epiphany. Matthew 5:1-12; Micah 6:1-8; Psalm 15; and 1 Corinthians 1:18-31.) Sentence: “For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us wh

Many of us have heard, or even preached, a stirring message on being called to discipleship based on these texts (Third Sunday after Epiphany. Matthew 4:12-23; Isaiah 9:1-4; Psalm 27; and 1 Corinthians 1:10-18.). Mostly suggesting that it is personal darkness and sin that we are called out of. And yes, many persons have found the light in response to being called and answering that call. And many more individuals are still in need of the light and repentance and redemption. B

At this precarious moment in history it is comforting and challenging to be reminded that we are called into partnership with Christ. (Second Sunday after Epiphany. John 1:29-42; Isaiah 49:1-7; Psalm 40:1-11; and 1 Corinthians 1:1-9.) So often we hear the story of being called as about beginnings, the moment we first hear our name called. Which for many of us was an exciting moment – and may generations to come also feel the excitement and respond – but now we find ourselves

In the blink of an eye, a turn of the page, one Sunday to the next, we move from acknowledging the arrival of the magi and their kingly gifts for the baby, and turn to celebrating the Baptism and commissioning of Jesus as a mature and fully formed preacher, healer and saviour! (Baptism of our Lord. Isaiah 42:1-9; Psalm 29; Acts 10:34-43; and Matthew 3:13-17.) And the theme of disturbance that we explored last week continues this week. Last week we considered the disturbance t

Happy New Year. Happy Epiphany. And Merry Christmas – as it is still Christmastide until January 6th, the actual date for Epiphany and the traditional end of Christmas as we remember the magi arriving with their gifts for the Christ child. (Epiphany. Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14; Ephesians 3:1-12; and Matthew 2:15-21.) There is a lot going on in our readings and probably in our hearts and minds as we continue to enjoy Christmas and all its joys, as we start another new

Love was born long ago in Bethlehem. The love of God was born in an unlikely place, at an unlikely time, to unlikely parents.  Love is always seeking to be born among us and within us. And we need love to come more than ever into our tired world.  If you are wanting to celebrate Christmas Eve you may wish to read this. We have come to believe that Christmas should be a wonder filled time of unbridled joy, peace, hope and love. And I do hope that you have had Christmases like

To speak of joy while keeping company with imprisoned John the Baptiser seems too great a stretch of the heart (and very un-Christmas like!) and yet this is where the season of Advent and faith leads us! (Advent Three. Isaiah 35:1-10; Matthew 11:2-11) For if joy is more than holiday happiness (nothing wrong with happiness but it is very fleeting!) then joy is also for those who are limping from exile to home, and those who are reflecting on their life in prison. Sentence: “An

At this moment in history, as many times before, we can identify with the yearning and hope for a world of justice and mercy. The words of Isaiah, the psalmist, and St Paul all stir that longing for a world that lives as creatures of the Living God. And we also quicken with recognition of the need for the prophet John the Baptists words that cut through whatever disguise and distraction we may have colluded with! Sentence: “This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke whe

The challenge to awaken sounds both inviting and alarming – depending where we are in our lives and our part of the world. Many spiritual traditions have the theme of awakening as part of the path of faithfulness and the getting of wisdom. And so, in some ways, we can understand it to be part of the perennial path. However, given the focus on salvation in the Christian tradition some may be shocked to hear St Paul tell those who are already believers that they/we need to awak

Many of us are uncomfortable with the title of "King" for Jesus, for myriad reasons, hence the festival of Christ the King can seem problematic. Some of us are a little more comfortable with the naming of our festival as the Reign of Christ. I encourage you to read what I wrote previously on these set texts (The Reign of Christ. Jeremiah 23:1-6; Song of Zechariah; Colossians 1:11-20; and Luke 23: 33-43. ) as background. This year I want to explore what it might mean if the

What terribly confronting readings this week which for many of us seem to describe the times we are living in, or at least witnessing! These readings (Twenty Third Sunday after Pentecost. Proper 28 (33). Luke 21:5-19; Isaiah 65:17-25; Isaiah 12; and 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13.) not only describes the fearful situation of the first century world in which the disciples would find themselves in but also describes the brokenness of our world! And the prophet Isaiah still speaks to ou

Jesus refers to God as the God of the living not of the dead. And in doing so Jesus claims the ever-living presence of God as the one in whom we, and those who went before us, live and move and have our being. And because of this we can dare to be a people of hope and justice and new beginnings. (Twenty Second Sunday after Pentecost. Proper 27 (32). Luke 20:27-38; Haggai 2:1-2:9; Psalm 98; and 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17.)   Jesus spends a considerable amount of time in Luke