Dear Son,Thank you for your letter dated March 21. It was good to hear about what you have been up to. You’ve always had a knack for telling a good story. Once again, you are doing everything being asked of you, and doing it so well, under such trying circumstances. Keep it up, my boy! I suspect that things are going to get more difficult, as you seem to be putting a fair few powerful...
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As I read around the gospel text this week I ache for the Incarnation of Jesus Christ to be visible in my life, in our lives. What is the Kingdom of God nurturing inside you? What is God storing away and hoping for you in secret? Whatever it is, you can be sure it is good, productive and abundant because the Father is pleased to give it to you.Read the whole story in Luke 12:1-34. Below is my...
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In the gospel Lectionary this week, we see Jesus returning from prayer and answering the request, "teach us to pray". I wonder what we would receive if we risked the same request of Christ today? Read the whole story in Luke 11:1-13. I have especially enjoyed the The Message translation. Below is my meditative poem. Jesus, God-in-work-boots When do you ever stop teaching? When do you ever cease listening for our good? Give us faith in asking, persistence in...
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This week the gospel Lectionary text comes from the end of Luke chapter 10. It is a rather clipped story of Jesus accepting hospitality at the home of Martha and her sister Mary. Often I am left wanting more information of what is actually going on in this scene. What is the significance of Luke's inclusion of this account? Why is there silence from the disciples, who are usually so quick to jump into such...
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The story of the Good Samaritan is one of Jesus' best known parables. It has become part of the fabric of western culture. It is held up to celebrate high ideals of humanity, brotherhood, sisterhood and community. Somehow though, we've stopped listening. We've heard that one before. We get it. Thanks.I wonder then, might Jesus want to use such a story to show us something new of himself today. With this in mind I revisit Luke 10....
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The Lectionary gospel text this week is from Luke 10:1-11, 16-20. In it we read that Jesus was making his way to Jerusalem. In the preceding chapter Luke describes Jesus' mood as resolute. He then sends 70 of his followers ahead of him, with very specific instructions. As I drew some meditative sketches about this scene, I was struck Christ's care for his followers. He had discerned that the time was right, so deliberately and carefully he sent...
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I have continued reading Henri Nouwen's book, 'The Return of the Prodigal Son - a story of homecoming' a reflection on the Rembrandt painting on the same subject. The latest chapters consider the younger son in the story. What I found most interesting to learn was that other sketches and paintings from earlier Rembrandt's life on the subject of the prodigal son had a whole lot more movement in them. They were dynamic - the Father...
Read MoreRead More The reading from the psalms this week includes beautiful imagery of the touch of God. Psalm 104:31&32:May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works - he who looks at the earth, and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke.This week is the end of the series I have entitled 'Season of Light'. As I reflect on the meditations of this season that spans from Resurrection Sunday to Pentecost, I...
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Sometimes the right word will carry a whole lot of weight. It will cut right to the heart of the matter. For me, one such word is surely. It is a word for light in dark times; a word that forms a hinge in prayer, turning the pray-er toward God.Two of the Lectionary texts this week involve dark and uncertain places for real people. Jesus prays for his disciples around the table before he is...
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In Acts 16:9-15 we read that the Apostle Paul and friends go on a journey to Macedonia. After a few days they go outside the city gates to the river where they "expected to find a place of prayer." Unexpectedly, they end up being invited to eat in the house of a Gentile woman, Lydia. I wonder if her home became that place of prayer. I can imagine the aroma of freshly baked bread and...
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