Tag Archives: Jesus

Christmas 1

Tomorrow is children’s day at Epiphany – the children are leading us, as in “a little child” etc. For me, poetry is timeless and ageless. The Prologue of St John might be a little obscure to the 6-year-old mind, but … Continue reading

Posted in sermon preparation | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Sermon for a Christmas Eve with pick-up pageant

This sermon was written for a Christmas Eve on which the Church of the Epiphany hosted a pick-up pageant, invited any and all children to come and pick out a costume to join in the play as they arrived in … Continue reading

Posted in holy days, homily, sermon | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Blue Christmas 2013

There is a scene in the extended poem by W.H. Auden, For the Time Being, that has never left me since I first read it. The language is so visual I can almost see it. Transplanted into contemporary England – … Continue reading

Posted in homily | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Year A Advent 3

John sends a message from prison. Whether he is worried, depressed, or angry we don’t know; but he asks, through his disciples, “Are you the one, or are we still waiting for somebody else?” John has already told the whole … Continue reading

Posted in sermon | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Year A Advent 2: Snakes and other stories

There are a lot of snakes in today’s readings. In Isaiah, a small child plays over the nests of asps and adders. In Matthew, John the Baptizer calls the Pharisees a brood of vipers. Now, a quick survey of biblical … Continue reading

Posted in sermon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

John of Damascus

A homily for Evensong at Trinity Cathedral, Cleveland. In a characteristically involving novel, Kazuo Ishiguro broached the subject of souls. I don’t want to give too much away, in case you still want to read the book or see the … Continue reading

Posted in holy days, homily | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Christ the King

The honest thief Don’t tell me you are saving me while we hang here side by side in searing pain under a searing sun; don’t talk to me of gardens of ease where mercy falls down like a river when … Continue reading

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

Year C Proper 27: No such thing as a stupid question?

You know how we always tell each other, and especially our children, that there’s no such thing as a stupid question? I have to think that the Sadducees were pushing the envelope on this one. It wasn’t because they were … Continue reading

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

Year C Proper 25: Stand closer

Have you ever read the brilliant dystopian novel, Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley? I won’t give the whole game away, but one of the themes in the book is social engineering, which is achieved by a mixture of genetic … Continue reading

Posted in sermon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Year C Proper 24: On the need to pray always and not to lose heart

The days are coming, says the Lord, says Jeremiah, the days are surely coming when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. I will be their God, and they shall be … Continue reading

Posted in sermon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment