(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…]
30 May 2021 (Ezekiel 37.1-14Neil Millar Over the past few weeks, we’ve been reflecting on the presence of the Holy Spirit in the early church. Our readings, all from the book of Acts, have recounted how God’s Spirit transformed the vision and animated the witness of these first Christians. There was something new about this … [Read more…]
(Acts 10.44 – 11.18) 23 May 2021© Sarah Bachelard Today we celebrate the feast of Pentecost – the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the body of Jesus’ disciples. Often the bible text we focus on for Pentecost comes from Acts, chapter 2 – where the Spirit descends with a ‘sound like the rush of … [Read more…]
(Acts: 8:26-40) 16 May 2021Neil Millar During the liturgical season of Easter, as we noted last week, the lectionary suggests readings from two New Testament books – the gospel of John and the book titled The Acts of the Apostles, two texts that have a strikingly different feel. The passages from John’s gospel (such John … [Read more…]
(John 15.1-8) 2 May 2021Neil Millar The Tournament of Roses is a famous parade connected with New Year celebrations in Pasadena, California – a stream of colourful, flower-covered floats sponsored by different groups and companies. For over a century, visitors have experienced its beauty. Some years ago, the Standard Oil Company, now known as Chevron, … [Read more…]
Easter Sunday (Mark 16.1-8)Neil Millar The reading we just heard constitutes the end of Mark’s gospel – at least according to oldest manuscripts. The story introduced so confidently as the ‘good news (proclamation) of Jesus, the Son of God’, concludes abruptly with a tale of confused women fleeing an empty tomb; afraid to say anything … [Read more…]
Good Friday (Mark 15)Neil Millar A lot has happened in the story since last evening. According to Mark, after his betrayal and arrest in the Garden, when his disciples fled, Jesus was taken to the high priest’s house for ‘questioning’ by a coterie of priests, elders, and scribes. Their enquiries were vicious and relentless, with … [Read more…]
Maundy Thursday (Mark 14.26-42)Neil Millar In April 2015, almost six years ago, Australians Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran were executed in Indonesia, after spending almost 10 years in a Bali prison. You may remember the story – how they were convicted of attempting to smuggle heroin into Australia, how they matured and changed during their … [Read more…]