Scripture Notes – Easter Sunday – 17th April 2022
“I have seen the Lord” Welcome Alleluia! Christ is risen. He is truly risen. Alleluia. Two passages from Paul stand out for me when we reflect on the resurrection. Not, this time, the obvious ones from Romans or 1 Corinthians. Instead, these two: For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not “Yes and No”; but in him it is…
Scripture Notes – Sunday 3rd April 2022
See, I am doing a new deed! The thread running the readings for the fifth Sunday of Lent should appeal to us all: we need not carry the burden of the past, whether it be moral or existential, our whole lives long. We “do” forgiveness, as we should! It really is possible to start again. PS: I’ve tidied up the drop-down menu on my website to make it less cluttered. I…
Scripture Notes – Sunday 20th March 2022
I am who I am Welcome The readings for the middle Sunday of Lent take us to the heart of the season: conversion to God, “whose name is mercy” (Pope Francis). The revelation of God’s name as “I am who I am” (whence YHWH) is foundational for the faith of Jews and Christians, especially as expanded in Exodus 33: “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will…
Scripture Notes – Sunday 13th March 2022
This is my Son, the Chosen One. Listen to him. Welcome “This is my Son, the Chosen One. Listen to him!” The transfiguration (Luke does not use the term) invites us to recognise ourselves as “hearers of the word.” That is who we are simply as human beings: we listen out for a potential word from God. It is also who we are as people of faith: God still speaks…
Lent Bible Study
Lent Bible Study For the season of Lent, the Sunday readings are especially helpful and they repay exploration. Here are some ways to access the resources. 1. Zoom Topic: Bible Study: Lent 1C22 Time: Mar 3, 2022 07:30 PM Dublin https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84744042882?pwd=RzZRTjFyUnJad3VBaHg3ZTdmTURVUT09 Meeting ID: 847 4404 2882 Passcode: 396524 NB: if you would like to join this each week, please send me an email and I’ll add you name to the…
Foundational Leadership Programme
Teen Synod Gathering – 31st March
Pilgrimage to Knock – April 23rd
Eurovision Winners’ Concert – ProCathedral
Scripture Notes – Sunday 27th February 2022
Building your house on rock According to the geographer and traveller, Pausanias, the Temple of Apollo, the home of the Delphic oracle, had three teachings on display: “know yourself”, “nothing to excess” and “certainty leads to insanity.” The first of these is not a bad summary of this Sunday’s conclusion of the Sermon on the Plain in Luke. Welcome The third and final part of the Sermon on the Plain…
Exploring the Bible
Exploring the Bible Since 2012, a group of parishioners has been meeting each week, to explore the Bible and to ask ourselves, how it might relate to our lives today. Before the Pandemic, we met in Shalom, beside St Mark’s church, each Monday. Some people come weekly, others less frequently. All are welcome! When the Pandemic hit, we had a gap of a few weeks. However, we discovered that…
Scripture Notes – Sunday 23rd January 2022
Jesus said, Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing Sunday 3C is dedicated to the Word of God. Already in the Reformed tradition, Bible Sunday celebrates the importance of the Scriptures (usually on or near Reformation Sunday). Pope Francis established this Sunday in 2019, to mark the 16th centenary of the death of St Jerome, the brilliant, hard-working, holy and irascible bible scholar. More importantly, it serves to…
Scripture Notes – Sunday 9th January 2022
‘You are my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on you.’ Welcome From a calendar point of view, the Christmas season is over. Nevertheless, the continuous reading from Luke does not start until the third Sunday of the year (19 January 2022). We pause for an extended Epiphany season. This started with the Epiphany proper on the 6th of January. The following Sunday is dedicated to the Baptism of the…
Scripture Notes – Christmas Season 2021 (to 9th January 2022)
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. This is our second Covid Christmas, but it doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy the feast. The readings are inspirational and it is a great season for music. To adapt a prayer of St Augustine: You have spoken, O God, and shattered our deafness and we can hear you in one like ourselves. Let celebrate the feast,…
Exploring the Bible
Exploring the Bible Since 2012, a group of parishioners has been meeting each week, to explore the Bible and to ask ourselves, how it might relate to our lives today. Before the Pandemic, we met in Shalom, beside St Mark’s church, each Monday. Some people come weekly, others less frequently. All are welcome! When the Pandemic hit, we had a gap of a few weeks. However, we discovered that…