Jesus has had a busy day as Luke tells it. First there’s the rising thing—whatever that was like—then a seven mile hike-cum-bible-study to Emmaus, a brief pause to break bread, and back to Jerusalem and this strange encounter with its awkward mood and fish supper, before another trek, this time out to Bethany to part …
Category Archives: Homilies
Tuesday Week 5 of Lent
It looks like both Moses and John accept the homeopathic principle—that like cures like, that a hair of the dog that bit you does you good. If you’ve been bitten by a fiery serpent—whatever that is—what you need is another serpent that has been through the fire—cast from molten bronze—and lifted up on a standard. …
St Joseph, Husband of Mary
There’s been an interesting protest march today in the North East—from Chester-le-Street to Durham Cathedral. The Northumbrian Association is marking St Cuthbert’s Day by also unveiling a petition demanding the return of the historic Lindisfarne Gospels, which were written by monks on the island, and are currently held at the British Library in London. They …
Tuesday Week 1 of Lent
Once upon a time Jesus was sitting there praying, looking out from closed eyes over the sun-scorched hills of his homeland. The fellows who followed him from place to place were all there watching him, impatiently, maybe wistfully. They could see the look that came upon his face. They could see … something in the …
Sunday Week 1 of Lent Year B
Jesus came to Rainhill, message in hand: “It’s time”, he said, “Things are changing. So change your outlook. The news is good.” I remember my first trip to the swimming baths from school, all excited, heart racing, aged maybe 5 or 6. The sharp stink of chlorine and disinfectant and wet changing rooms. Actually I’m …
Thursday Week 7 Year II
I was hoping the missile launched by James today might whiz by me and skewer some other hapless target. After all who’s rich? Bill Gates. David Beckham. Queen Elizabeth. Not me. Not you. But here’s James’ description of the rich: they have stuff enough to store; they have enough to live in comfort; they have …
Wednesday Week 6 Year II
There have been several cases of people blind from birth who in adulthood have been cured—or at least the physical impediment to their sight is removed. Sometimes it’s a tumour removed or cataracts, sometimes new corneas grafted in. But even though the cure is complete in one sense the person still has to learn to …
Sunday Week 6 Year B
We’ve been talking about discernment today, about the way experience moves us and about the risk in that, the risk and the joy and the freedom and the cost. It’s all on show in the gospel too, in Jesus. It’s all too easy to imagine a Jesus who is a little above it all, who …
Friday Week 5 Year II
I wonder, after today’s piece from Mark’s gospel, what it would have been like if Jesus’ self-imposed secret had been kept? If the silence he asked for, and kept asking for, had, in fact, been respected? Could it all have turned out differently in the end? Would the crowds have been more loyal at the …
Candlemas
In the pagan calendars Candlemas is a halfway feast—halfway between solstice and equinox—halfway between winter and spring—halfway between darkness and light. The Celtic name for the celebration says it perfectly, Imbolc, meaning something like “in the womb”. Today we are in the womb and celebrating it—we are not yet fully alive but by no means …