BRF - Stephen W. Need
52 Reflections on Faith - Becoming Real: Loved into life
52 Reflections on Faith - Becoming Real: Loved into life
by BRF - Stephen W. Need
7 Becoming Real: Once upon a time there was a velveteen rabbit. He woke up one Christmas morning to find himself in a little boy’s stocking with a pile of other toys. He was brand new and wondering what was going to become of him. When the little boy opened his presents, he was d…
52 Reflections on Faith - Jesus Christ today
52 Reflections on Faith - Jesus Christ today
by BRF - Stephen W. Need
8 Jesus Christ today: ‘Who is Jesus Christ for us today?’ This is the famous question asked by Dietrich Bonhoeffer from his cell in Tegel military prison, Germany, during the last 18 months of his life. Bonhoeffer had been arrested and imprisoned by the Nazis in April 1943. He wa…
52 Reflections on Faith - God and the world: Separate or together
52 Reflections on Faith - God and the world: Separate or together
by BRF - Stephen W. Need
God and the world:Separate or together? William Blake’s best-known painting is probably The Ancient of Days. Originally done in 1794 as the frontispiece for one of his illustrated books, it’s now in the British Museum. Often reproduced as a popular art poster in recent decades, t…
52 Reflections on Faith - Emmaus: the eyes of faith
52 Reflections on Faith - Emmaus: the eyes of faith
by BRF - Stephen W. Need
Emmaus: The eyes of faith During the last couple of decades or so, a series of fascinating coffee table books called Magic Eye have appeared in the shops. The books contain what, at first sight, look like fairly boring two-dimensional wallpaper patterns, but if you hold the pages…
52 Reflections on Faith - Growth and renewal: good soil
52 Reflections on Faith - Growth and renewal: good soil
by BRF - Stephen W. Need
Growth and renewal: Good soil: It’s amazing how things grow, isn’t it? The story is told of a young couple who bought a house with a large garden, including a lawn and an apple tree at the front. They decided they needed to ‘clear the garden’ and, in the process, chopped down the…
52 Reflections on Faith - Faith and Doubt: seeking understanding
52 Reflections on Faith - Faith and Doubt: seeking understanding
by BRF - Stephen W. Need
Faith and doubt: Seeking understanding: Richard Holloway’s autobiography Leaving Alexandria: A memoir of faith and doubt tells the story of the author’s life, from his birth and upbringing in Scotland, through his training for the priesthood at the Society of the Sacred Mission a…
52 Reflections on Faith - Jesus the good shepherd: the door of the sheep
52 Reflections on Faith - Jesus the good shepherd: the door of the sheep
by BRF - Stephen W. Need
Jesus the Good Shepherd: door of the sheep When I worked in the Holy Land with St George’s College, Jerusalem, we often took groups to the Sinai desert to camp overnight under the stars on the way down to St Catherine’s monastery. It was an amazing experience. Quite often I would…
52 Reflections on Faith - Ascension day: Presence not absence
52 Reflections on Faith - Ascension day: Presence not absence
by BRF - Stephen W. Need
Ascension Day: Presence, not absence Ascension Day is one of the most important days in the Church’s calendar. It has been celebrated since the fourth century and has played a significant part in the life and culture of many Christian countries. It forms a fundamental part of the…
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)…
52 Reflections on Faith - Easter Sunday: transforming lives
52 Reflections on Faith - Easter Sunday: transforming lives
by BRF - Stephen W. Need
Easter Sunday: transforming lives Once upon a time, a small caterpillar popped out of its egg and found itself sitting on a leaf. It had striped fur and was called Stripe. As Stripe made his way slowly along the branch of the tree and down the trunk, he looked into the distance a…
52 Reflections on Faith - Good Friday: access to God
52 Reflections on Faith - Good Friday: access to God
by BRF - Stephen W. Need
Maundy Thursday: washing the feet Maundy Thursday is the first of the three holy days leading up to Easter. Christians usually think of it as the day when the Eucharist was instituted. Jesus ate a meal with his disciples in Jerusalem the night before he died, thereby inaugurating…
52 Reflections on Faith - Maundy Thursday: washing the feet
52 Reflections on Faith - Maundy Thursday: washing the feet
by BRF - Stephen W. Need
Maundy Thursday: washing the feet Maundy Thursday is the first of the three holy days leading up to Easter. Christians usually think of it as the day when the Eucharist was instituted. Jesus ate a meal with his disciples in Jerusalem the night before he died, thereby inaugurating…
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 - Passion Sunday: responding to God
52 Reflections on Faith - Passion Sunday: responding to God
by BRF - Stephen W. Need
5 Passion Sunday: Responding to God In the summer of 2010, the famous Passion Play at Oberammergau in Bavaria, Germany, was performed for yet another very successful season. The residents of the village have presented their play of Christ’s suffering, death and resurrection every…
52 Reflections on Faith - Ash Wednesday: depending on God