The serpent is not a bad creature – just an early ancestor of advertising which promises us the world, offering us the power and popularity of a god if only you eat this, do this, buy this, own this, wear this, shop here…
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behind closed doors
The Church was born in closed rooms. It was in these confines where Jesus broke through locked doors and fearful hearts to form and now (in these days) to re-form the church.
living the storm
The storm exposes our vulnerability and uncovers those false and superfluous certainties around which we have constructed our daily schedules, our projects, our habits, and priorities.
indulging
I’m a great fan of indulgence and I know that in these lockdown days the temptation is to over-indulge in one or many of the good options available.
hidden things
I’m writing this at the end of the first NZ lockdown day and I can already see that my life could become dangerously undisciplined
counting blessings
In these weeks we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn to live without the compulsive busyness and idol-worship that usually fills our days
survive or thrive
The reality of living in lockdown hits home for New Zealander’s today and we accept this because we are willing to do everything we can in order to stop the spread of this terrible virus.
getting real
This post is not for everyone and I have no doubt that some people will be upset with the thoughts I’m about to offer.
rethinking Lent
The games we play with projects and goals, success, ambition and achievement are powerless to deliver the stability and happiness that they promise.
confident hope
While the visible present fear is a biological virus, the fact is that we humans face fear every day.
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the rich earth
Over the years I have celebrated hundreds of funerals, many well prepared with family and friends gathering to celebrate the life of the one they love. There are efficient funeral directors, beautiful flowers, glossy brochures, photographs and video presentations, eulogies and even artificial grass and sterilised sand at the graveside.
Patrick’s day
Most people who celebrate on St. Patrick’s day today think of wearing green and enjoying good Irish music, Guinness and perhaps dancing at an Irish pub. But it’s easy to forget that Patrick was a robust disciple of Jesus Christ who brought the Good News of the ultimate and eternal liberation through Jesus Christ to the people of Ireland.
good sense
Christian faith makes sense.
And therefore living in relationship with Jesus Christ is the most sensible life of all.
This is why a spiritually mature person will be both aware of and sensitive to their environment, in touch with what they see, taste, hear, smell and touch.
an authentic life
I spent spent most of yesterday on the road to the small South Canterbury town of Albury where the community had gathered to mark the closure of their 120 year old church. While i have never served as Parish Priest of the Mackenzie region I was driver for my 93-year-old uncle Jack who was priest for the Fairlie and Albury (and later Twizel) communities both in the 1970’s and the 1990’s.
well being
I was interested to see what I have posted for this Sunday in recent years. On this third Sunday of Lent in 2011 Elizabeth Taylor had just died and I noted a link between today’s Gospel encounter with Jesus at a well and Elizabeth Taylor. While both women had been married many times that’s not the link I’m thinking of.