St Photine, as the ancient church has named her, continues to guide this part of our Lenten journey. Yesterday I was invited to conduct a house blessing on a women’s and children’s shelter. It was a multicultural context and included a smoking ceremony conducted by a Noongar elder (a smoking ceremony involves using the smokeContinue reading “Prayers & Smoking Ceremonies”
Category Archives: Personal
Well, well, well…
The nameless woman at Jacob’s Well is our Lenten guide today. Read her story at John 4:5-30 One spectrum of Christian tradition dwells on the early part of the conversation – Jesus offering “living water” to one parched by errant ways. Another spectrum of the tradition celebrates the outcome – this woman becomes the firstContinue reading “Well, well, well…”
Lent partners International Happiness Day???
Having dipped my lid to International Happiness Day and listened to the top ten pop “happy”songs, I now turn my attention to the phase of the Lenten journey that draws alongside. Today’s sacred text is Romans 5:6-11 – often interpreted as the necessity of the sacrifice of Jesus as appeasement to an angry god toContinue reading “Lent partners International Happiness Day???”
What’s the use of suffering?
An old criticism of the Christian way is a perceived emphasis on suffering. Gaunt pictures of self-flagellating, hair-shirted, monks and nuns in cold, dank cells lend credence to the view that the Christian faith appeals to the masochistic spirit that seeks ecstasy in pain and self-degradation. While anyone can employ a religious motif to theirContinue reading “What’s the use of suffering?”
March in March & Moses
While we are travelling with Moses it would be interesting to draw some comparisons between this two-man (himself and Aaron) movement and the March in March of the last weekend that saw thousands of the disaffected gather nationwide in protest against Government policies that have been swift and draconian in their implementation. Both were bidsContinue reading “March in March & Moses”
A strange parley
The conversation between an ageing shepherd and the voice of the Holy One manifested in a burning yet unconsumed bush in the desert is not what one might expect. Moses emerges as our next Lenten guide… and he does not hang back when called to account by the same urge that pulled his ancestor AbrahamContinue reading “A strange parley”
Falling behind in Lent…
This is a catch up post for three missing days of Lenten reflections. No-one said this would be easy. The gentleman to the left typifies the kind of journey we are contemplating. He can be seen as part of Sculptures by the Sea at Cottesloe. So we quickly pass by the Apostle Paul and hisContinue reading “Falling behind in Lent…”
That Born Again Meme
Today’s Lenten text (and Sunday’s Gospel for those churches on the Revised Common Lectionary) is John 3:1-17 What does being born again really mean? Maybe Nicodemus knew all along – maybe he was just playing dumb. Jesus says “You’re a teacher of Israel, and you don’t know what I’m talking about?” Some commentators note theContinue reading “That Born Again Meme”
Missing woman unwittingly joins search party looking for herself
Sometimes newsfeed headlines grab your attention. This one just did. Apparently a tourist left her group to change clothes while in the midst of a stop. She was deemed missing and joined the search looking for herself, quite unaware she was the subject, even after hearing the description of herself. No-one from her party recognisedContinue reading “Missing woman unwittingly joins search party looking for herself”
Father Abraham: today’s Lenten host and guide
We first meet him in Genesis 12:1-4a, under his old handle, Abram. Already a senior citizen of Ur, he sets out for places unknown at the age of 75. Today, we would probably report him as a missing person, fearing that he had gone wandering off in a haze of dementia. Abram’s journey, however, is the common touchContinue reading “Father Abraham: today’s Lenten host and guide”
Wondering Pilgrim 