Thought For The Day
Thought For The Day · 05. April 2021
‘Let him easter in us.’ - Gerard Manley Hopkins ‘Christ is Risen! There’s ecstasy for a moment, sheer, wild, abandoned ecstasy. And then we have a Bank Holiday.’ John Pritchard ‘If anyone is in Christ there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!’ 2 Corinthians 5:17 After Christmas there come the 12 days of Christmas that take us to Epiphany. We continue eating, seeing relatives and friends, partying at New Year and celebrating the birth...
Thought For The Day · 03. April 2021
St Mary Magdalene at the Sepulchre (Giovanni Girolamo Savoldo) (Getty Center) Reading: John 20.1-18: “Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb” John 20.1 During the periods of lockdown over the last year, I have got even more used to rising early. Along with many parents of school-aged children, home- schooling during the pandemic, I have struggled to find times for peaceful working without their (smiling, enthusiastic, but sometimes...
Thought For The Day · 03. April 2021
Holy Saturday Matthew 27:57-end; c.f. John 19:38-end; Matthew 28; John 11:25-26. “Crucified, dead and buried. He descended into Hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven.” - The Apostles' Creed. “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.” - Jesus, in John 11:25-26 (NRSV) The Easter Triduum – that is, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter...
Thought For The Day · 02. April 2021
Bearing of the Cross (Albrecht Dürer) (Museum of Fine Arts, Houston) Reflection for Good Friday Isaiah 52.13-53.13, the Suffering Servant ‘Surely he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases; yet we accounted him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions... Upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises weare healed.’ (Isaiah 53.4-5) Today we come to the heart of Holy Week, to the action of God, in his Beloved Son...
Thought For The Day · 01. April 2021
Maundy Thursday John 13:1-17, 31-35, Luke 22:14-23; c.f. Matthew 3:13-17; Philippians 2:5-11. “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should loveone another.” - John 13:34 (NRSV) There are many titles we can use to describe our Saviour, Jesus Christ. To name a few, we may call Him Lord; the Messiah; Teacher; Healer; Emmanuel, or God-with-us; Cornerstone; the Son of Man; the Son of God; Servant; King; and, of course, the Servant King. All...
Thought For The Day · 30. March 2021
St Peter’s Denial (Rembrandt ) (Rijksmuseum) Wednesday in Holy Week Luke 22. 54-62: Peter denies Jesus ‘The Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times.”’ (Luke 22.61) It is one of the most poignant and sad moments in Holy Week, when Simon Peter – as Jesus predicted – wilfully denies knowing Jesus. It is difficult for us to imagine the heat of the moment, with Jesus...
Thought For The Day · 30. March 2021
Tuesday in Holy Week Luke 22: 47-53 – The betrayal and arrest of Jesus (Mt 26:47–56; Mk 14:43–52; Jn18:1–11) 47 While he was still speaking, suddenly a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him; 48 but Jesus said to him, “Judas, is it with a kiss that you are betraying the Son of Man?” 49 When those who were around him saw what was coming, they asked, “Lord, should we strike with the sword?” 50 Then one of them...
Thought For The Day · 28. March 2021
Monday in Holy WeekLuke 22: 39-46 : Jesus’ prayer on the Mount of Olives (Mt 26:36–46; Mk 14:32–42; Jn18:1) 39 He came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him. 40 When he reached the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not come into the time of trial.” 41 Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done.” 43...
Thought For The Day · 27. March 2021
Palm Sunday (Mark 11.1–11) 'Hosanna in the highest heaven! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ‘Mum, Mum, I’ve had such an exciting day; my ears are still ringing from all the noise – “Hosanna in the highest”.’ ‘Tell me about it; I’ve missed you.’ ‘Those men, who asked to borrow me, took me to that preacher man, Jesus. They put their cloaks on my back and Jesus asked me to carry him into Jerusalem.’ ‘Wow, what an important job!’ ‘Was it? I felt...
Thought For The Day · 26. March 2021
Rose of Jericho – Resurrection plant The Rose of Jericho is a fascinating plant, it can live without water or any care for years but give it a little water and it comes back to life within hours and this fits perfectly with my thoughts today. I’ve been musing again……..I’ve been in the garden this morning, working on the flower beds and clearing way for the bulbs and perennials to flower anew. It got me thinking about the time of year it is, the resurrection in particular, and the...