In the story of the journey to Emmaus there’s something going on. Yes, the disciples, like Mary Magdalene in John’s account of the Resurrection, were in Jesus’ presence and didn’t know he was there. That says something about the Resurrected life: it’s the same life, the same person – but there’s also something profoundly different. The previous life is blurred, at first unrecognizable. But, I think there’s also more here. Here in the later chapters […]
For several years now I’ve been intrigued by the hypothesis of Dr. Elaine Pagels that the Gospel of John was written as a critique of the Gospel of Thomas. In many of her works, but especially in “Beyond Belief: The Secret Gospel of Thomas” she paints the picture of two rival Christian communities; Christian believers who rallied around the apostle Thomas, and another group of Christian believers who rallied around the apostle John. Looking at […]
I’ve recently been re-reading sections of N. T. Wright’s “Surprised by Hope,” in search of some Easter-homily inspiration. One of the points which he makes early on in the book is that in none of the accounts of the Resurrection in the gospels is there a single mention of what it means for us. There is no meta-analysis. No commentary. There’s no “Jesus is Risen…and so we shall be raised too.” No, “Jesus lives…and just […]
This version of the Prayers of the People has been written with the Christ Hymn from Philippians in mind, and would be appropriate for use on Palm Sunday. You may feel free to use and adapt as would be most helpful to you and your community. Officiant Christ, we pray that you would hear our prayers, and graft in our minds the same mind that is in you, that we might be vessels of your […]
The event is so wrenching that even the creation experiences the pain, as rocks are split, the earth shakes, and the sun darkens. It's so terrible that the barrier in the Holy of Holies in the Temple is torn in two. It's so wrenching to the sacred order of the world that tombs open up and the dead walk out.
These prayers are inspired by the great Psalm of contrition, Psalm 51. These prayers are designed to be used each week in Lent, except for the closing prayer which will reflect each week’s Gospel lesson. These prayers will work best if a brief pause is observed before the couplet. All churches have express permission to use, modify, or adapt these prayers in a way that best serves the individual community. Celebrant Have mercy on us, […]
Here we find that Sacred Confluence of humanity and divinity commingling in our world and waking a dear friend from the deep sleep of death.
Martin Bashir would be better off sticking to Michael Jackson and leaving theology to the theologians.
These prayers are inspired by the great Psalm of contrition, Psalm 51. These prayers are designed to be used each week in Lent, except for the closing prayer which will reflect each week’s Gospel lesson. These prayers will work best if a brief pause is observed before the couplet. All churches have express permission to use, modify, or adapt these prayers in a way that best serves the individual community. Celebrant Have mercy on us, […]
I don’t know why, but human nature is consumed with building ourselves up and tearing others down. Part of the reason why Christianity, as Jesus taught it, is so at-odds with the world is that Jesus was all about building the ‘other’ up, and willing to be torn-down himself. That’s the Way of Christ. It’s the Way of the Cross. It’s the Way of Lent. It absolutely startles me that when the disciples see a […]