Third Rock from the Sun – the ‘Goldilocks’ planet (Job 38.1-11 + Romans 8.18-23)Neil Millar Move to another planet? Sounds interesting! Let’s check out the other planets in our solar system. Mercury is closest but it has no air. It’s sizzling hot during the day (up to 800°F) and bitterly cold at night. Venus has … [Read more…]
(James.17-27) 29 August 2021Neil Millar If you’ve travelled in the UK, you’re probably familiar with the warning to passengers on the London Underground to take care when entering or leaving the train. ‘Mind the gap’ … it’s written on the platform of every tube station and sounds over loudspeakers hundreds of times a day; it’s … [Read more…]
Rev Dr John Squires1 Kings 8 – (22 August 2021) If you have been following the Old Testament readings offered by the lectionary since Pentecost, you will know we have encountered some fascinating characters. We started way back in May with Hannah, mother of Samuel, and then have heard about Saul and David, the first … [Read more…]
Rev’d Charles VeselyJohn 6:51-58 (15 August 2021) Opening Prayer: May the words which we hear and read, and upon which we mediate, speak to our hearts, our minds, and our souls. May God the Holy Spirit be with us here at this time and in this place. Amen As we were about to enter into … [Read more…]
(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…]
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…]