Here’s a prayer book with a difference – it certainly arrested my attention. It’s called “Common Prayer: a liturgy for ordinary radicals” and you can see a daily on line version at http://commonprayer.net/ An excerpt from today’s offering demonstrates the true meaning of radical (“from the root”) Frederick Douglass [1818-1895] wrote in his autobiography, “Between theContinue reading “The real deal”
Tag Archives: postaday2011
Ball-eating tree
Move over Charlie Brown. Can you see it? Easy to get the ball lodged in the arboreal heights – not so easy to get down. My son’s Sunday afternoon project.
Hereafter – Film Review
The unknown matter of death continues to fascinate us, whether or not we form our view from a religious, spiritual or nihilist perspective. This film, directed by Clint Eastwood, weaves together the disparate stories of three characters, all intimately touched by death in different ways. Rising French career journalist, Marie Le Lay, survives the 2004Continue reading “Hereafter – Film Review”
Compassion – a “spiritual technology”…
Krista Tippett: Reconnecting with compassion | Video on TED.com. Compassion has become a cliché through overuse and overexposure, contends journalist Krista Tippett. With story and lateral thinking, she explores new ways to reclaim and implement a sorely needed collective value. By linking it with everyday expressions such as “kindness,” “curiosity without assumption” and “beauty”, she invitesContinue reading “Compassion – a “spiritual technology”…”
Turning the other cheek is not for sissies
Yep – it’s up for preachin’ this Sunday (Matthew 5:28-38) Turn the the other cheek to the one who strikes you, give your cloak also to the one who sues you for your coat, go the extra mile. What’s the rationale? According to Walter Wink: Turn your cheek, thus indicating to the one who backhandsContinue reading “Turning the other cheek is not for sissies”
It’s now three years since saying sorry…
What has it meant? If it has been a grudging acknowledgement in order to relieve the pressure of a collective nagging and vague sense of guilt, not much at all. If it has been an empty vocalisation in order to finally silence, irritating and scolding voices we’d rather not hear – then zilch. If itContinue reading “It’s now three years since saying sorry…”
When the circus accentuates tragedy…
I’ve just been listening to politicians conscientiously “questioning” the rationale for flying bereaved asylum seeker detainees the long distance from Christmas Island to relatives’ funerals in Sydney. These are the victims of the shipwreck off Christmas Island late last year. “Why not lay them to rest on Christmas Island?” they opine. Forget the fact thatContinue reading “When the circus accentuates tragedy…”
Celebrating the Unthanks
Festivals of arts always give us the opportunity to dip into a smorgasbord of genres we may not otherwise take the trouble to encounter. Jenny and I celebrated belatedly her birthday by having a night out with the Unthanks, a unique folk group blending traditional and contemporary music from the north east of England –Continue reading “Celebrating the Unthanks”
Singing for flood relief
I often grab a snack in this food court and have thought how well it might lend itself to a “flash mob” performance. Well, now it has! And it’s for flood disaster relief. http://www.youtube.com/user/StorytellerMedia (For some reason I’m unable to directly embed the video here.) Edit: Ahh – good reason – it’s on a pageContinue reading “Singing for flood relief”
Praying with the Coptics…
Many of Perth’s Egyptian community endured a sleepless night as the dramatic events of their homeland unfolded and the seat of government changed. Such was the background for the 40th day commemoration of those who died in the Alexandria bomb blast on New Year’s Day following midnight prayers. It was my privilege to attend theContinue reading “Praying with the Coptics…”
Wondering Pilgrim 