Names matter. I discovered the other day that one of my all-time favourite stories, the Earthsea Cycle by Ursula LeGuin, had been bought by a TV channel and made into a min-series and in the process butchered beyond redemption. And the thing that most outraged me was that they had muddled up the hero’s name. …
Yearly Archives: 2004
Sunday Week 4 of Advent
“Do you know what my mummy’s got in her tummy?” That’s what my three-and-a-half year old niece asked me yesterday. Well, I tried, ‘chips’ which Becky was sneaking of her mum’s plate. “NO”. Then we moved onto worms, fish, and other squeal-producing ideas, before she informed me with all the magisterial condescension only someone her …
Immaculate Conception
We are chosen Chosen before the world began Chosen in Christ Chosen in Christ to be holy and spotless Chosen to live through love Chosen to live in his presence Chosen from the beginning Chosen to be for God’s greater glory Chosen to be the people who would put their hopes in Christ I think …
Monday Week 2 of Advent
There are two unanswered questions in today’s gospel and one that isn’t even asked. ‘Who can forgive sins but God alone?’ and ‘Which is easier: to say, “your sins are forgiven you” or to say “Get up and walk”?’ ‘Who can forgive sins but God alone?’ You’d think the answer was obvious but to this …
Sunday Week 2 of Advent
Something is coming. Two voices proclaim the same thing. The voice of a desert herald: Prepare the way, something is coming. The voice of an ancient prophet: A dead stump is sprouting, something is coming. Two voices, as different as day and night, agree: something is coming. Isaiah soothing his people: things are going to …
Wednesday Last Week Year II
‘Your endurance will win you your lives’. That hardly seems a cheery prospect—tough it out, head down, carry the cross and bear the pain and it’ll all work out in the end. And that maybe what we have to from time to time in our lives—we all hit rough spots, and maybe we land up …
Monday Last Week Year II
It’s a day of anniversaries—at least two people have reminded me so far today of what happened on November 22nd … whenever. A year ago England won the Rugby World Cup. Do you remember? I remember uproar in the team room and much rowdy drinking … of strong tea. This is a harder one: do …
Sunday Week 33 Year C (Remembrance Sunday)
It was, with hindsight, asking for trouble to call it the war to end all wars. It became only the foretaste of a century of slaughter that left 110 million dead in combat, not to number the quiet millions murdered by war’s camp-followers: poverty, plague and famine. So many dead! ‘At the going down of …
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Monday Week 32 Year II
I must admit to feeling let down whenever we come round to read Titus. It feels so buttoned-up, so institutional, so dull. Whatever else you might say for the Paul in the missionary letters you can’t call him dull. He can be enthusiastic, argumentative, quarrelsome, bold, stubborn, brilliant, eloquent, touching, controversial but not dull. So …
All Saints of the Society of Jesus
The word is already in our mouths and in our hearts—our mouths and hearts. Our mouths are full of words—we taste them bitter or sweet; we watch them find their target; we hear them echo in silence; we squander them in the rush and bluster of lives tumbling downriver. Our mouths reveal our hearts, betray …