From the Very Rev. Dr. Michael Higgins Readings for the Week: Exodus 17. 1-7 Philippians 2. 1-13 Matthew 21. 23-32 The sermon this week is the first of two talks on St. Paul’s Epistle to the Philippians. It is the shortest of Paul’s letters, and well repays study. Why not take time during the week […]
Archive | September, 2014
JaFfA – September 2014
Once upon a time, there was a farmer … … led us to the telling of the Parable of the “Foolish Farmer” (Luke 12:13-12:21); then we acted out (and sang) the “Apple Song”, in its three versions: step one, one person keeps all five apples; step two, two friends share the apples; step three, by […]
Theme for the Week – 21 September 2014
Scripture for the week: Exodus 16:2-15; Psalm 105:1-6, 37-45; Philippians 1:21-30; Matthew 20:1-16 “It’s not fair!” These words ring out between and about siblings in most families. They also seem to apply to members of the Christian family, brothers and sisters in Christ. This is the manifestation of the age-old battle raging within us all: […]
Hildegard von Bingen, abbess
Hildegard was the tenth child to be born to a noble family in the Nahe valley, in the Rhineland. From early childhood Hildegard was the recipient of supernatural visions and experiences. At the age of eight she was put by her parents into the care of Jutta, a female recluse who lived close to a […]
Theme for the Week – 14 September 2014
Scripture for the week: Exodus 14:19–31; Psalm 114; Romans 14:1–12; Matthew 18:21–35 The death of the Rev. Ian Paisley this week has been rather a gift to preachers, coming as it does between a gospel message last week about reconciliation and today’s gospel about forgiving. A man with a vitriolic tongue, who directed fiery invective […]
11 September – Recollections from the Camino de Santiago
It is 11 September. Three years ago, on the tenth anniversary of the attacks in New York and Washington, we were walking along the Camino de Santiago. I wrote this reflection. As we approach the week of prayer for peace, it seems appropriate to ponder upon this again. I was acutely aware, as we began […]
Binding and Loosing
In the gospel passage appointed for Sunday, 7 September (Matthew 18.15-20), Jesus talks to his disciples about “binding” and “loosing.” This is language whose meaning is easily lost in translation. I suspect that Jesus anticipated that his followers would face questions and difficulties in understanding his teaching on how to live, which was not about […]
Theme for the Week – 7 September 2014
Scripture for the week: Exodus 12:1–14; Psalm 149; Romans 13:8–14; Matthew 18:15–20 Conflict and division seem to be ever-present aspects of human nature: everyone wants to play “heroes and villains!” Jesus encouraged his followers to be faithful to the principles of respect and loving one another, and to follow careful, caring steps of escalation in […]