Category Archives: Spirituality

Advent Voices – Peter

In a world that is growing increasingly dystopian, the realisation of the realm of shalom ushered in by Jesus seems to be getting further and further away, or perhaps being driven further underground. “Patience!” counsels Peter to his persecuted community: “with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years areContinue reading “Advent Voices – Peter”

Advent Voices – John’s cousin

John could not go around saying the things he was saying without attracting the attention of the authorities and he ends up in Herod’s dungeon. By now the one to whom he had been pointing, his cousin, Jesus of Nazareth, is traveling the land, teaching and healing in the manner that John had predicted. EvenContinue reading “Advent Voices – John’s cousin”

Advent Voices – John the Baptizer

Zechariah’s son certainly made up for his father’s speechlessness before John’s birth! John’s call is to repentance – an intentional reorientation of heart, soul, mind and action. Zechariah’s silence had been the stillness before the storm that sweeps clean. Such was John’s magnetic appeal that crowds went out into the wilderness to hear him. HisContinue reading “Advent Voices – John the Baptizer”

Advent Voices – Mute Zechariah

Can the voiceless speak? Zechariah was struck mute when he questioned the veracity of an acutely personal Advent vision while he was performing his set priestly duties in the temple. Luke 1:5-17. (Never say serving on a church roster is boring and humdrum!) Apparently so. We read on and find that when he emerged from theContinue reading “Advent Voices – Mute Zechariah”

Advent Voices – Elijah the Tishbite

‘Tis the season of obscure voices from long ago that speak into our contemporary scene – voices that call us to wake up and pay attention! The Hebrew reading set for today is 2 Kings 1:2-18 – a confronting tale of a prophet, Elijah, who exacts some considerable collateral damage in awakening a king. The haplessContinue reading “Advent Voices – Elijah the Tishbite”

Holy Week Action

The story of Holy Week sometimes begins with Jesus “cleansing the Temple” – turning over money trading tables and driving out sacrificial animals being sold under extortion. An arresting offence, no doubt, and certainly would have been a factor in his eventual capture and trial a few days later. In Perth we see Holy WeekContinue reading “Holy Week Action”

Divergent at Easter

Matthew 27:11-31 is loaded with drama. Jesus stands silently before Pontius Pilate – both men are under judgement. Where will the gavel fall in favor – maintenance of the status quo, control and order; or the brazen, divergent reign of the Prince of Peace, a reign that is not of the current scheme of things? DivergentContinue reading “Divergent at Easter”