Category Archives: Personal

Next Sunday celebrates Pentecost. The Christian faith story left the season of Easter last Thursday by marking the Ascension of the risen Christ – launched out of the midst of the disciples who were still getting used to seeing him around in resurrected form. They are bereft all over again. He’s no longer there? CouldContinue reading “In between…again!”

Over the weekend it became apparent that the national conversation, unimaginably, has become more and more polarised. Many of a conservative bent, it seems, have been deemed not conservative enough and been pushed aside. Similar rhetoric has taken place on those on the progressive side of the coin. God help those who are conservative inContinue reading

In post election Australia, eyes will be on the diligence of the successful party in keeping the promises they have made. The unsuccessful party will be under similar scrutiny. How disposable are the radical policies not bought by the public in maintaining the vision of an alternative way of governing our national affairs? How feasibleContinue reading

Today is “democracy” day in Australia, the official polling day that comes around every three years or so. I dutifully set out for the 2 km walk (and a scaled fence!) to the nearest polling booth (generally closer but our suburb is still being established.) It was a marvellous opportunity to reflect on our process,Continue reading

In the midst of the bright glow of the Easter season, this Sunday’s text from John’s Gospel takes us back to the eve of Jesus’ darkest hour, where he farewells his disciples and leaving a legacy in his words, … I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I haveContinue reading “An Easter Back to the Future”

I recall a moment, not much reflected upon, from a time long ago, sometime in early adulthood when I was in formation for ministry, where I stood atop a ridge in the Grampians, Victoria. The moment comes back in a flash from time to time, a kind of instantaneous remembering that is somehow in theContinue reading “Whose voice is that?”

Okay – I’m inviting some pushback here. I confess to dissatisfaction with the word “hope” engendered by the Easter story. Notions of resurrection, to my understanding, point to a state that is beyond hope – let’s try “certainty!”  Hope points to something yet to be realised; certainty points to a reality that already exists. TheContinue reading “The Short-change of Resurrection Hope”

Easter Sunday prevails. The image of live greenery bursting through the cracks of cold hard stone illustrates, not the hope, but the certainty of conviction for those wedded to the way of Christ. It is a much more powerful image than that of the bombed churches of Sri Lanka, for as tempting as it isContinue reading “When Good Friday attacks Easter Sunday?”

Universal horror unfolds this morning as news arrives of one of Christendom’s ancient and iconic structure’s destruction by fire. That the 800-year-old Notre Dame cathedral in Paris should fall in the days of Holy Week – the dramatic re-living of trial leading to the climax of crucifixion and resurrection – should not escape the noticeContinue reading “Notre Dame & the Easter Triduum”

Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan would have us choose between the military procession following Pontius Pilate in triumphant might through one gate of Jerusalem, reminding the Passover crowds that it is Caesar who is really in charge around here – or the more modest procession entering another gate, the one led by a countryContinue reading “Palm Sunday Choices”