3.A child of Abraham? I had betrayed my own to aid our conquerors and fill my pockets. But here came one who could humiliate the proud and righteous, the sons who never set a foot wrong and stuck their feet out for no-one. Here came one who could turn rocks into his children. Could IContinue reading “Christmas with St Matthew 2”
Category Archives: Devotional
Christmas with St Matthew 1
1.Why do I begin this way? I, a Levite, turned tax collector for the Romans, turned apostle. Why do I begin with this family tree? Because I know about faithfulness. I know the way that His faithfulness pursues, points the finger of grace and calls, in spite of everything. And because I know about shameContinue reading “Christmas with St Matthew 1”
Advent 2: Such bright morning
This morning’s church service began with words that we would never associate normally with Advent: the beautiful closing words of Zephaniah 3, with their image of a God who rejoices over us with singing. But they only seem out of place in Advent if we see the end point of Advent to be Christmas. IfContinue reading “Advent 2: Such bright morning”
Sisyphus, Niggle and the Resurrection
Earlier this year, for no apparent reason, I started writing a series of poems in which the mythical Greek king Sisyphus has conversations with various historical and fictional characters. I was probably inspired by teaching Albert Camus to my Year 11 Literature class, who made the figure of Sisyphus into a powerful metaphor of humanityContinue reading “Sisyphus, Niggle and the Resurrection”
Didymus: An Easter poem for the Doubting Thomas in us all
Having grown accustomed to my garden’sentropy, its law of diminishingreturns, I saw no reason why this morningshould be any different, less barren.For years this corner had yielded nothingsave failed rhubarb, withered silverbeet.This cycle of death, I reasoned, should repeatuntil soil should die and sun should shrink.My friends reported miracles; I smiledin vain solidarity – atContinue reading “Didymus: An Easter poem for the Doubting Thomas in us all”
On the twelfth day of Christmas…
Today was the first proper summer day of the year in my home city, and the first in several weeks, so I and many other Victorians migrated to the beaches to enjoy it. And the beach is not a bad place to see in the last day of Christmas, particularly if you want Shakespeare’s TwelfthContinue reading “On the twelfth day of Christmas…”
On the eleventh day of Christmas…
We’re nearly at the end of Christmas season, and, if we’ve managed to stay focused on the season and not on all the busyness of the new year, we may be beginning to wonder where to put our attentions now. Traditionally tomorrow would be the time for the big party (the Twelfth Night that’s mostlyContinue reading “On the eleventh day of Christmas…”
On the tenth day of Christmas…
At first there’s nothing especially Christmassy about the story of Ruth from the Old Testament. It doesn’t have the messianic promises of Isaiah or Hannah’s song. There’s nothing about kingship or a promised saviour. So why is it one of the readings for today, the tenth day of Christmas? Ruth’s is a story where mostContinue reading “On the tenth day of Christmas…”
On the ninth day of Christmas…
Fittingly, after yesterday reminded us that Jesus was – and is – fully God and fully human, today we remember one of the early church leaders who did much to ensure the church held on to that truth. January 2 in the western church calendar remembers two of the Cappadocian Fathers, Basil the Great andContinue reading “On the ninth day of Christmas…”
On the eighth day of Christmas…
Possibly one of the more awkward moments in Christmas season is the feast of Jesus’ circumcision. If like me you grew up in the 90s and your view of circumcision has been somewhat influenced by Robin Hood: Men in Tights, that won’t help. But it’s historically a fact that Jesus, like all Jewish baby boysContinue reading “On the eighth day of Christmas…”
The Consolations of Writing 