Their waiting was different from ours. We wait in anticipation of resurrection celebration. They waited in despair for the Sabbath to pass so they could tend a cadaver and complete a proper entombment. Our waiting is for the completion of a cycle in a story that continues. Their story had been destroyed – pilloried on a shameful instrumentContinue reading “Reflecting on Holy Saturday…”
Tag Archives: postaday2011
Reflecting on Good Friday
“Why is it called Good when such a bad thing happened?” There’s a bit more to this question than just the etymology that says “good” comes from “God” and that some say it was originally “God’s Friday.” It’s helpful to just sit and ponder the question a while. Let such stillness take you past theContinue reading “Reflecting on Good Friday”
Reflecting on Maundy Thursday…
When I was a schoolboy somewhere back in the last millennium, there were class monitor jobs that were much sought after – cleaning the blackboard, feeding the gold fish, collecting the lunch orders. The one no-one enjoyed was emptying the rubbish. Things haven’t changed that much – I asked the school kids the other dayContinue reading “Reflecting on Maundy Thursday…”
Reflecting on Holy Wednesday…
The woman pours expensive perfumed ointment over Jesus’ head. It was worth about a year’s wages. The critics kick in: “How extravagant!. The money for that could have been used to to feed the poor.” Jesus defends her against the hypocrisy of her attackers. She knows what he’s about – they don’t. The challenge ofContinue reading “Reflecting on Holy Wednesday…”
Reflecting on Holy Tuesday…
The Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13) finds its place in the Passion narrative of Matthew’s gospel. As the storm clouds of Jesus’ coming trial and crucifixion loom and gather, it is a reminder to those following the way of the peace of the Kingdom to remain alert and vigilant. Life and its events haveContinue reading “Reflecting on Holy Tuesday…”
Reflecting on Holy Monday…
Palm Sunday Peace immediately leads to confrontation. Jesus returns to the Jerusalem Temple and starts flipping over tables. He declares, “The Scriptures say, ‘My house shall be called a place of worship.’ But you’ve turned it into a place where robbers hide.” The extortionate practices of exchanging Roman money for Temple money in order toContinue reading “Reflecting on Holy Monday…”
Palm Sunday Reflections
I found that local primary school children were very quick to link the reign of the Palm Sunday “Prince of Peace” with the values of the Sermon on the Mount – the term’s lessons on generosity, forgiveness, trust and peacefulness. I recall my adolescent “aha!” experience when linking the Vietnam Conflict Peace Marches with theContinue reading “Palm Sunday Reflections”
Saturday Shenanigans
The garage sale went off like a shotgun. Hundreds of people moved through and we sold enough to go along way to meeting our mission commitments projections. It was a warm 34º C and the ambiance, free tea/coffee, and the mouth watering sausage sizzle meant that a lot stayed around to chat and pass the time ofContinue reading “Saturday Shenanigans”
The Great Aussie Garage Sale
Today is the day before. An army of volunteers has arrived to strip down the church and set up the trestles. Poetry in motion – they’ve done this about thirty times before. Just as quickly tomorrow afternoon it will be returned to readiness for our Sunday morning communion and worship. The painstaking stuff is happeningContinue reading “The Great Aussie Garage Sale”
Universal truth or ultimate self-indulgence? (Finale)
We survived the panel! The three of us briefly summarised our previous presentations and then fielded questions, challenges and positions from the 40 or so gathered. These ranged from the philosophical to the pragmatic. 90 minutes later we had to draw a line under the energised and enthusiastic public discussion. If it had an overallContinue reading “Universal truth or ultimate self-indulgence? (Finale)”
Wondering Pilgrim 