Category Archives: lectionary reflection

Year A Proper 15: send her away

Matthew 15:21-28: the Syrophoenician/Canaanite/canine woman. Some problems for the preacher. What’s in a name? You can’t teach an old dog new tricks. You old dog. Sly old dog. Dirty old dog. Dogged. Hot dog. Dog eat dog. Why keep a … Continue reading

Posted in lectionary reflection, poetry, sermon preparation | Leave a comment

Ye of little faith

It feels less like walking on water than drowning in mid-air; the perfume of your presence is too heady to bear. I make myself thin to slip from your embrace; breathe once more the comfortable air of an ordinary, little faith.

Posted in lectionary reflection, poetry, sermon preparation | Leave a comment

Leftovers

One made bread pudding. Another, croutons for soup. One mashed them in milk for the tomorrow baby’s breakfast. The important  thing was, they got to keep the crumbs; no more maggots in the manna; they got to bring it home, … Continue reading

Posted in lectionary reflection, poetry, sermon preparation | Leave a comment

The patient God

This Sunday, we read the pinnacle of Paul’s poetry: I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation can separate … Continue reading

Posted in lectionary reflection, poetry, sermon preparation | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Early week wordplay

Let tares grow, let tears flow; there is no justice without tearing our selves apart; Until life’s ending, we are left tending weeds tenderly as the wheat field. alternatively Let tares grow, let tears flow; there is no judgement without … Continue reading

Posted in lectionary reflection, poetry, sermon preparation | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Wormfood

Whilst musing over this Sunday’s parable (the sower and the different soils), I hit upon the Dummies.com article, “How to Improve Soil Quality for Healthy Plant Growth,” by Sven Wombwell. Sven suggests that “Worms really are a gardener’s best friends. … Continue reading

Posted in lectionary reflection, poetry, sermon preparation | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Crossover

A crossover from today’s Bible Challenge blog, just because Leftovers: Readings for today were Isaiah 7-9, I Thessalonians 5, Psalm 28, OR Judith 15 The day of my graduation from seminary was supposed to be the Rapture (according to the … Continue reading

Posted in book review, lectionary reflection | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Year A Proper 9: Little Donkey

When I was growing up, a trip to the seaside meant buckets and spades, sandcastles in the sand, fishing nets, for catching shrimps in the rockpools, ice cream, and late in the afternoon, before loading up the car for home, … Continue reading

Posted in lectionary reflection, sermon preparation | Leave a comment

Independence Day

It feels like a good day to be contemplating Sunday’s sermon. Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey, on a … Continue reading

Posted in lectionary reflection, sermon preparation | Leave a comment

Things I can’t imagine doing this week

Going out for a beer with a corporation. Telling a woman that her choice of contraception is against my religion. Bellowing “no one wants you” to a bus load of children. Carrying an assault rifle into a department store. Carrying … Continue reading

Posted in current events, lectionary reflection, other words, sermon preparation | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment