Jul 11, 2024 | EXPLORING THE BIBLE, NEWS
A processional Psalm of David, pilgrims are in procession ‘with the King of Glory’ from the provinces of his realm to the central height and the city at the summit. Possibly written for a ceremonial occasion, an enthronement event, or the delivery of the Holy Ark to...
Jul 3, 2024 | EXPLORING THE BIBLE, NEWS
Zion, Jerusalem, the City of God or is it that strife ridden, seat of conflict, spot on the planet which has caused more trouble than any other? Psalm 48 probably emerged in an atmosphere of elation after a great deliverance. We cannot know the story of that event...
Jun 26, 2024 | EXPLORING THE BIBLE, NEWS
Both of these stories – with one, as it were, enfolded in the other – reveal Jesus as the source of life and healing. As the First Reading says today, God: does not delight in the destruction of the living. And it goes on to say: For he created all things so that they...
Jun 17, 2024 | EXPLORING THE BIBLE, NEWS
After days of healing, and now a long day of teaching by the seaside, Jesus and his friends sail off, leaving the crowd behind. Jesus is beat. He goes to sleep while the accomplished fishermen sail the boat. There is a storm. They wake him up. He stills the wind and...
Jun 17, 2024 | EXPLORING THE BIBLE, NEWS
Grief comes in many forms: grief at the death of a loved one or respected leader; grief as we watch illness rob someone of precious abilities; grief as we discover that we will never reach a cherished personal goal or grief when someone for whom we had high hopes...
Jun 5, 2024 | EXPLORING THE BIBLE, NEWS
All three passages contrast human ‘common sense’ and ‘pragmatism’ with God’s wisdom and vision. 1 Samuel 8: 4-20. Samuel is getting old and the sons he appointed as judges are corrupt. Israel is surrounded by enemies. A strong leader is needed to restore law and order...
May 30, 2024 | EXPLORING THE BIBLE, NEWS
Writing about his experiences, Paul proclaimed in the reading from Second Corinthians, “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the...
May 22, 2024 | EXPLORING THE BIBLE, NEWS
I wonder if you’ve ever thought about how strange it is that we can’t see God. We believe in God. We come to church to worship God. But sometimes it seems like loving God would be so much easier if we lived back in Jesus’ time. As Christians we believe that Jesus is...
May 16, 2024 | EXPLORING THE BIBLE, NEWS
It was fifty days since Jesus had risen from the dead on Easter morning and fifty days after the Jewish celebration of Passover. For the Jewish people, this was another big holiday, called Pentecost. People had come to Jerusalem from many different countries to...
