Too often religion is presented as the answer to questions that no-one is asking. At The Meeting faith is presented as the adequate response to human existence.
friendship
in pairs
The one who fears to be alone will never be anything but lonely, no matter how much they may surround themselves with people
just living
In recent years I have had the privilege of being a part of an annual week-long vacation of friends in the north of Italy. This year 250 people of all ages took part...
friendship
With yesterday's gospel highlighting the new family of those living in friendship with Jesus, today's Feast of St. James the apostle reminds us that Jesus spent most of...
family & friends
In today's gospel Jesus really blurs any clear distinction between family and friends when he asks "who is my mother? Who are my brothers?" We often have unrealistic...
ultimate strength
Don't miss this encouragement in the heart of the second reading of today's liturgy. "My grace is enough for you: my power is at its best in weakness" 1 Cor 12 Our...
Monday morn
The gospel readings of each Sunday are a central part of the nourishment given in the liturgy which sets us up for the week ahead. Too often the gospel is not heard or...
meet Peter
I have a deep affection for St. Peter. I think I understand him well and I have a strong sense that he gets me too. This is why as a teenager I chose Peter as my...
on friendship
This month began with news of the Las Vegas tragedy with the loss of 58 lives and the wounding of almost 500 people A number of commentators have reflected that while...
i can’t not
Don’t get down when you hear this Sunday’s first reading. Jeremiah is having a bad day. He's a bit overwhelmed with the negative response he is getting when he passes...
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Annunciation
A couple of thousand years ago, a young Jewish woman was going about her normal morning routines, perhaps with a mixture of house and garden work, chatting with parents and neighbours, aware of the local drought, the sickness of a neighbour and annoyed by the neighbourhood’s lack of sleep caused by the Romans’ noisy party the night before, when God broke into her routine and entered her life in a new and powerful way.
the real centre
Over the last month I have had the opportunity to work with many people across Aotearoa and further afield. In every retreat and seminar I have been with committed and faith-filled people who often feel as though they are on the periphery of the Church
the adventure
It’s easy to make the mistake of seeing life as a treadmill, day after day ups and downs, a movement through time from youth to old age, then death and beyond.
Too often if feels as if we are helplessly captive carried along by the momentum of all that is expected of us and demanded from us, and we risk falling into an existence mode, a daily rhythm of survival, enduring, coping and so the treadmill rolls on.
the bigger picture
Over the years, and even in recent months, weeks and days, I’ve prayed many prayers which have not been answered as I had hoped.
You’ve probably had the same experience: praying and wondering if and when or how your prayer will be answered.
moving waters
Bible questions still pop up regularly in quiz shows and they often cost otherwise sharp players much needed points.
I’m ready for a question asking for the two names for the last book of the Bible. The book often known as Apocalypse is perhaps more often referred to as the Book of Revelation.
It’s common (thanks to movies) to think of an apocalypse as a devastating and unwelcome time of destruction.