Taken together, the readings from Isaiah 66 and Luke 10 used on Trinity 5 present us with a picture of a river of peace flowing out from the Lord, mirrored in the Gospel as the flowing of the disciples as they are sent out in pairs on their first mission. From the Lord of Peace, … [Read more…]
During the early weeks following Trinity Sunday, the church remembers several important participants in the Gospel story. On 24 June, we celebrate the birth of John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin and the ‘forerunner’ in preparation for the coming of Jesus Christ. And no fewer than three of Jesus’ twelve disciples (learners or followers), whom Jesus … [Read more…]
This month we celebrate Pentecost, the event that marks the start of the explosive growth of the early church. Forty days after He rose from the tomb, Jesus ascended into heaven, as we read in Acts 1. Ten days after that, the disciples were gathered together in Jerusalem for the Jewish harvest festival that was … [Read more…]
The Paschal or Easter candle is an ancient symbol of the risen Christ and commonly used in churches during the Fifty Days of Easter. It is a very large white candle, the largest and tallest of all sanctuary candles. Paschal candles are always inscribed with a cross, the current year, and the Greek letters Alpha … [Read more…]
Christ’s redeeming death on the Cross took place at a particular place and at a specific time in history, but it is an event with roots in humankind’s beginnings, and with continuing consequences. A crude and brutal Roman cross of wood, yet one that has been described as “casting a shadow that reaches as far … [Read more…]