52 Reflections on Faith - Palm Sunday: little donkey
52 Reflections on Faith - Palm Sunday: little donkey
by BRF - Stephen W. Need
Palm Sunday: little donkey Sometime in the late 1990s the local municipality of Jerusalem denied all donkeys access to the walled Old City. The decision was made primarily on health grounds but it changed the landscape of Jerusalem immediately. Somehow the donkey was a feature of…
52 Reflections on Faith - Pentecost: a deep fire inside
52 Reflections on Faith - Pentecost: a deep fire inside
by BRF - Stephen W. Need
Pentecost: A deep fire inside One of the most moving songs in the popular musical Billy Elliot by Lee Hall and Elton John is ‘Electricity’, sung by Billy at his audition at the Royal Ballet School in London. Set during the 1984 miners’ strike in England, the musical is about a yo…
52 Reflections on Faith - Prayer: Listening to God
52 Reflections on Faith - Prayer: Listening to God
by BRF - Stephen W. Need
21 Prayer: Listening to God Prayer is sometimes defined as ‘talking to God’ and, on the face of it, that sounds as if it might be a helpful definition. What we’re doing when we’re talking to God is praying. The Oxford English Dictionary defines prayer as ‘a solemn and humble requ…
52 Reflections on Faith - Mothering Sunday: the motherhood of God
52 Reflections on Faith - Mothering Sunday: the motherhood of God
by BRF - Stephen W. Need
Mothering Sunday: The motherhood of God Mothering Sunday is a day for celebrating motherhood and giving thanks for our mothers. On this day we reflect on the place and importance of our mothers in our lives and thank them for everything they’ve given us. Everyone has (or has had)…
Traces of Glory Year B - Proper 19 - Year B
Traces of Glory Year B - Proper 19 - Year B
by SPCK - David Adam
Proper 19 O Lord, as Peter confessed you as Christ, give us boldness to proclaim your redeeming love and saving power in the world; may we be ready to beat the cross and give ourselves for others and the advancement of your kingdom; we ask this in your Name, Jesus our Lord, who w…
Traces of Glory Year B - Proper 20 - Year B
Traces of Glory Year B - Proper 20 - Year B
by SPCK - David Adam
Proper 20 Holy Father, give us the spirit of contentment and peace, that we may enjoy who we are and what we have. Help us not only to appreciate what you have given us, but to be gracious and generous to others. May the world’s goods be neither hoarded nor squandered but used fo…
Traces of Glory Year B - Proper 21 - Year B
Traces of Glory Year B - Proper 21 - Year B
by SPCK - David Adam
Proper 21 Lord our God, On the way of goodness, if we stumble lift us up; On the way of holiness, if we stay bring us back; On the way of kindness, if we toughen soften our hearts; That we may draw others to you and your saving power, By our words and our example; Though Jesus Ch…
Traces of Glory Year B - Proper 22 - Year B
Traces of Glory Year B - Proper 22 - Year B
by SPCK - David Adam
Proper 22 Good and Gracious God, your love is never-failing, Your heart is open to us, your presence never leaves us; Strengthen our faith, deepen our love for you and keep us in your ways; Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God,…
Traces of Glory Year B - The Third Sunday of Advent - Year B
Traces of Glory Year B - The Third Sunday of Advent - Year B
by SPCK - David Adam
The Third Sunday of Advent Year B Isaiah 61.1-4, 8-11 Ps. 126 (or Magnificat) 1 Thessalonians 5.16-24 John 1. 6-8, 19-28 Come, Holy Spirit of God, come upon us, that you may send us out in your power. Fill us with your grace and goodness, that we may be able to bring the Good N…
Mark The People's Bible Commentary - The Arrival of the King
Mark The People's Bible Commentary - The Arrival of the King
by BRF - Dick France
The ARRIVAL of the KING Passover time It is important to remember that in the week or two leading up to Passover large numbers of pilgrims would be arriving in Jerusalem, which at this time of the year had to accommodate something like six times its normal population. Jesus and h…
Mark The People's Bible Commentary - Startling Symbolism
Mark The People's Bible Commentary - Startling Symbolism
by BRF - Dick France
STARTLING SYMBOLISM The Passover meal consisted of a series of courses interspersed by cups of wine (four in all), and for each course and each cup there were appropriate words of blessing and explanation repeated by the head of the family. Jesus, as head of the ‘family’ of his d…
Mark The People's Bible Commentary - Setting the Scene
Mark The People's Bible Commentary - Setting the Scene
by BRF - Dick France
SETTING the SCENE ‘The wilderness’, mentioned four times in verses 1–13 and never again in Mark’s Gospel, is a pointer to the different focus in these introductory paragraphs. They are set not among human society in Galilee or Judea, but in the uninhabited land around the Jordan.…
Mark The People's Bible Commentary - The Priests & Judas Iscariot
Mark The People's Bible Commentary - The Priests & Judas Iscariot
by BRF - Dick France
The PRIESTS & JUDAS ISCARIOT We have had plenty of indications of how the religious authorities are reacting to Jesus. Even as far back as 3:6 they were plotting his death. Now he is in Jerusalem, within their grasp, and the time has come…
Mark The People's Bible Commentary - The End?
Mark The People's Bible Commentary - The End?
by BRF - Dick France
The End? The death of Jesus Most victims of crucifixion lingered on in pain for many hours, and gradually lost consciousness. Jesus’ death is very different. Now that he has borne the ultimate horror of his Father’s withdrawal from him, his work is done, and his death comes sudde…
Mark The People's Bible Commentary - Peter Declares his Faith