An intense, yet tender exchange takes place between two estranged friends in next Sunday’s gospel.One has gone in search of the other, who, guilt and grief-ridden, and not knowing what to do, has returned to his former work. The searching one draws him forth to a fire he has set on the beach and overContinue reading “Restoring a damaged relationship”
Tag Archives: Easter
Lectionary Haiku 21 April 2022
How often is striving against the odds a context for reaching for resources beyond ourselves? Today’s texts, following the Psalm, portray some contexts. Psalm 150 Last Psalm in the bookFull of praise and thanksgivingSing it out loudly! ************************ 1 Samuel 17:1-23 Shaping up for warBig giant ‘gainst scrawny kidWhat could go badly? ************************ Acts 5:12-16Continue reading “Lectionary Haiku 21 April 2022”
Lectionary Haiku 20 April 2022
Ancient Hebrew texts reveal both the terror and joy of being known as God’s people – a possibility that is transformed through the Easter story Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 Steadfast love enduresSummoning deep devotionof eternal worth. ************************* 2 Samuel 6:1-15 Ark of the PresenceFull of danger and promiseJoyful king dances ************************* Luke 24:1-12 Tomb of theContinue reading “Lectionary Haiku 20 April 2022”
Lectionary Haiku 19 April 2022
If one is in any doubt over gender equity in the sacred texts, let today’s passages put your mind at ease. The tumultuous age of the Judges sees strong initiative by female wile. The feminine principle is equally powerful in the visions of Revelation Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 Now is the momentEach day divinely decreedRejoice! BeContinue reading “Lectionary Haiku 19 April 2022”
Lectionary Haiku 18 April 2022
Implications of Christ’s resurrection swap old ways for new, as seen in today’s contrasting texts, Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 Rejected by buildersAnd now the chief cornerstoneHow the tide has turned! ***************************** Joshua 10:16-27 Ancient tribe warfareYields neither ground nor quarterEven under God. ***************************** 1 Corinthians 5:6b-8 Hubris does no goodThe old malice is best dumpedChrist isContinue reading “Lectionary Haiku 18 April 2022”
Easter where the rubber hits the road
In the closing phrases of his first letter to the Christians in Corinth, the Apostle Paul delivers what biblical scholars call the kerygma – the announcement of the good news of Easter. From the content of the letter, we can tell that the fledgeling church had some serious issues, and the apostle’s frustration mingled with love inContinue reading “Easter where the rubber hits the road”
8 days B4 Good Friday
Today the lectionary gives us Mark’s terse account of the crucifixion. Why so early? We haven’t even engaged the joyful and celebratory Palm Sunday celebrations yet. Worship planners are often flummoxed when coming to the Revised Common Lectionary to plan Palm Sunday celebrations. They are confronted with a choice – Palm Sunday or Passion Sunday. EitherContinue reading “8 days B4 Good Friday”
Easter choices…
Parker Palmer is someone I enjoy immensely – not the least for his reflection on our choices in response to Resurrection Sunday!
Easter, Passover, Refugees & Memory Loss
This excellent article by Andrew Hamilton in Eureka Street speaks so much to the themes of this past week as well as being a timely reflection on the long Aussie weekend about to begin: Easter memory loss makes plastic of the present – Eureka Street.
Terror at the Empty Tomb
“So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.” Mark 16:8 So ends the earliest gospel narrative, describing the reaction of the women who, on arriving at the tomb where Jesus’ crucified body was laid, and expecting toContinue reading “Terror at the Empty Tomb”