(Matthew 20. 20-28) Feast of St James (Santiago)1 August 2021 As most of you will know, pilgrimage is close to Neil’s and my heart! A couple of weeks ago, and for only about the 15th time, we watched the movie, The Way. Directed by Emilio Estevez and starring his real life father, Martin Sheen, the … [Read more…]
25 July 2021Neil Millar During July, with the exception of last week, we’ve been reflecting on habits of mind that typically disrupt our lives and diminish our freedom. Fourth century desert monk, Evagrius Ponticus, discerned eight of these besetting thoughts (logismoi), and to date I’ve talked about five of them – gluttony, lust, avarice or … [Read more…]
(Mark 6.30-44) 18 July 2021Neil Millar When you think about it, we do a lot of eating in our lives. In the wealthy West, most of us dine three times a day. By the time we’re 70 we’ve consumed approximately 76,650 meals. Most are quickly forgotten (Can you remember what you ate last Thursday??). But … [Read more…]
11 July 2021 Neil Millar In his list of logismoi or debilitating patterns of thinking, it is anger that Evagrius writes most strenuously about. Evagrius Ponticus, fourth century desert monk and diagnostician of the soul, uses the Greek word orge to name this thought; it has the sense of festering resentment, rage or wrath. ‘The … [Read more…]
Saturday 24 July 2021 9am –1pm Indoor winter sale includes: Treasures, jewellery, winter jackets, craft, fabrics, yarn, haberdashery items, white elephant, plants, cakes & cookies, jams & relishes and more… Morning tea and lunch will be available. St Ninian’s Uniting Church Cnr Mouat and Brigalow St Lyneham
4 July 2021Neil Millar ‘Why are you cast down, O my soul; why so disquieted within me?’ You may recall, back in Lent, that our reflections focussed on words that open Mark’s gospel – on Jesus’ call to repent, to change our mind (way of thinking) and believe the good news’. We pondered what in … [Read more…]
(Mark 5.21-43) 27 June 2021Neil Millar In Greek mythology, Antaeus, son of Gaia (earth) and Poseidon (sea), was a Libyan giant whose strength appeared invincible. He challenged all passers-by to a wrestling match, and invariably won. That is until he met Hercules. Hercules had gone to the garden of the Hesperides for an apple, and … [Read more…]
(Mark 5.1-20) June 20 2021Neil Millar Okay, so apart from the smell, and perhaps a bit of noise, what did those ever pigs do to deserve this fate? And what about the poor swineherds, losing their livelihood in one foul swoop? And the villagers, who seem terrified? Clearly, this encounter was profoundly settling for the … [Read more…]
13 June 2021 – Mark 4.26-34Neil MillarSarah Bachelard Mark chapter 4 is full of stories – parables to be precise. All told by Jesus, and all seeking to convey something of the nature of ‘the Kingdom of God’. To tell a parable is to put one thing beside another for comparison, and this method of … [Read more…]
6 June (Mark 3. 19b-35)Neil Millar After weeks of special celebrations in the liturgical calendar (Easter, Ascension, Pentecost and Trinity), we return to what the liturgical calendar used to call ‘the season of Ordinary time’, and with it, to readings from Mark on the ministry and teaching of Jesus. We might assume this will be … [Read more…]