Tag: Ian Banks

He dazzles in his white T-shirt with two mortals who are now residents of heaven. And a voice from heaven says: “This is my Son, the Beloved”

The encounter of Jesus with Simeon and Anna is one such moment. Our author is Luke, the master storyteller, and he’s setting his stall out.

Our readings are about being called and known. Our Gospel has Jesus telling Nathaniel to ‘come and see’. Our Psalm tells us that we are known from the womb. In the OT, Samuel is repeatedly called.

We’re all meant to be mothers of God. What good’s it to me if this eternal birth of the Son takes place unceasingly but doesn’t within myself

Along with our friends from Strictly, what journey are you taking? What do you find along the way that helps you create the road as you go?

Let’s think too of our own lost loved ones. Some old and full of years. Others whose time was cut-short. Because we will remember them.

On this Bible Sunday, all these ancient and modern thoughts of remembering and reverence, of re-building, repair and restoration…

For those of a certain vintage, our parable is like a Roald Dahl ‘Tales of the Unexpected’. Or one of those Zombie horror movies on Netflix.

The chief priests were not the landowners at all but the tenants, tenants who’d be replaced. Then they remember the vineyard represents Israel.

I almost said that it broke in despite Jonah, not because of him. But, on reflection, it still needed Jonah to turn up, despite his misgivings.

Not seven times or seventy seven or even seventy times seven but countless times during our lifetimes. We are continually being set free.

The forgiven, restored and repaired. Perhaps, just as in The Repair Shop, we might find that each one of us gets transformed in the process.

One commentator describes it as: “Jesus with his compassion down”. Another: “Beware the dog”. Perhaps we call it: “Small crumbs of comfort”.

Elijah might well have sung along to “hello darkness my old friend” but unlike Simon & Garfunkel’s silence, God’s silence is a place where people are able to love each other.

May the same be true for us and Psalm 67. May this Song of God’s Blessing come back and meet us to heal us when we need it most.