• Sermon – the Maker, Troublemaker, Peacemaker

    Here’s what I said on Sunday in the pulpit about that tricky gospel reading.

    Not peace, but a division

    Sometimes one reads the Gospel in church and everyone nods knowingly. You can tell that people think that what is being said is wise and good.

    When we tell the story of the Good Samaritan, perhaps. Or the Prodigal Son. Or the stories of his response when people brought him those who were sick.

    We hear Jesus being clever, holy and gracious. We see him healing and enlightening and blessing.

    And we approve.

    We approve of this Saviour for he is made in the image of all our hopes and our dreams.

    This is a God whom we can like. He would not be out of place in our company. We would be honoured to take him home for tea.

    But the truth is, Christianity is about something a little more than this. It is about following a Saviour who sometimes turns around and says things that we find tricky, difficult or bewildering. (more…)

7 responses to “Liturgical news”

  1. PamB Avatar
    PamB

    Apart from the outbreak of throat-blessings, I noticed none of this, despite being about three yards from it. Had the Shoes been other than black, however, I’d have spotted them from a mile away. #pedantalert.

    1. kelvin Avatar

      Proof positive that some time spent in a good liturgical finishing school early in a clerical career pays dividends later on.

  2. Revruth Avatar

    I don’t know why but the phrase ‘flailing jellyfish’ has made me laugh so much that I nearly had an accident. We’ve all done it and now it will be made worse by thinking of that phrase each time. Thank you.

    1. Fr Dougal Avatar
      Fr Dougal

      “Provost turns into a flailing jellyfish”? It’s like an episode of Dr Who! Blue Book instead of blue Tardis but otherwise….

  3. PMo Avatar
    PMo

    And it’s claimed that I’m ‘special’!!

  4. Rhea Avatar
    Rhea

    i got a good chuckle out of this. Thanks for sharing 🙂

  5. Andrew H Avatar
    Andrew H

    Sounds par for the course at our Sunday 1030 masses… such events and little mishaps keep us all on our toes. And, of course, invariably performed with due reverence, and in the best possible taste….!

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