Tag: Ian Banks

How different would things have been if the church had taken the towel and the bowl from the foot washing as its sign rather than the cross?

This week it’s a vine, branches – and an Ethiopian in a chariot. We’re still in Easter Season and still getting a sense of who this Jesus is.

In the Wilderness, God showed up – and if he didn’t, the people perished. But people soon forget. They did then – and we do now.

There’s a theme today of listening for the shepherd’s voice… the nearest most of us get are woolly jumpers, shepherd’s pie and Countryfile.

Is your least favourite time of the church year Maundy Thursday? And for no other reason than because it’s the ‘Washing of Feet Day’?

Did you notice something un-expected in our Gospel reading today from Mark? Frankly, Jesus acts like he’s a day-tripping tourist.

Jeremiah isn’t often known for hope and consolation. Indeed he has a reputation for being a miserable so-and-so, mournful and sorrowful.

Noah got out of the ark, gave thanks to God, had a barbecue, where he burnt everything and then he got drunk. Maybe it was on a Friday night?

Sometimes that’s all we are asked or called to do. To simply say to someone: ‘come and see’. I wonder how often we do it though.

He takes time to talk about being ‘beloved’ – but there’s no loitering in fields with shepherds or journeying in search of a wandering star.

Where are you from? What are the places, the people, the experiences that formed your path? How does it help you understand who you are?

Any fans of Strictly will be familiar with people going on a journey. Or trying not to say that they’re on a journey, but it slips out anyway.

Blessed are all during this time who have pure hearts; all who still hunger and thirst for justice; all who work for peace and who model mercy. May you know comfort.

Jesus was ‘doing’ God. And we are called, challenged, purposed to do the same. We should be ‘doing’ God too. If Jesus wombled, then God wombles – and we should be wombling too.

“Is the Lord among us or not?” We know that the answer should be yes but sometimes it just doesn’t feel like it.