Scripture Luke 12: 1-3; 15-21 Today’s service of Evening Prayer explores some criticism by Jesus of the Pharisees. it concludes with the parable of the rich fool, who mistakenly thought that he was totally in control. Image from: https://www.acatholic.org/18th-sunday-in-ordinary-time-year-c-august-4-2019-the-danger-of-riches All of Chapters 11 and 12 of Luke’s Gospel comprise various sayings of Jesus. […]
Scripture: Mark 5: 21-43. Nigel Bunce The truth will come out — and it must That the truth will come out about injustices to Canada’s Indigenous Peoples must be our prayer and our goal as we mark National Indigenous Peoples’ Day in 2021. This is the tenth year that I have celebrated National Indigenous Peoples’ […]
Scripture: Deuteronomy 8: 7-10; Mark 16: 12-20: Rogation. Nigel Bunce Growth in our gardens and in faith. These two aspects of growth come together for us this Sunday. We celebrate Rogation Sunday; and we look forward to Pentecost next week – the coming of the Holy Spirit to the disciples. Rogation comes from a Latin […]
Scripture: Mark 8: 31- 38 Nigel Bunce The Gospels record many words of Jesus, but they are probably not all authentic. Some of them may be misleading, or worse, in today’s culture. The Gospels record many words of Jesus, but they are probably not all authentic. Some of them may be misleading, or worse, in […]
Scripture: Matthew 21: 33-46 Nigel Bunce Today we celebrate St Francis of Assisi (1182-1226). But first, I want to speak briefly about today’s Gospel. The wicked tenants This parable is the third part of a trilogy about vineyards. Vineyards represent the Promised Land and the people of Israel. Each episode has become more and […]
Scripture. Aboriginal Sunday. Genesis 21: 8-19 Nigel Bunce Today’s Scripture, about the banishment of Hagar and Ishmael, has uncomfortable parallels with the way that European settlers have treated Canadian First Nations. Abraham banishes Hagar and Ishmael By chance, today’s reading from the Hebrew Scriptures falls on National Indigenous Peoples’ Day. The background to the story […]
Scripture: Matthew 13: 3b-8; Psalm 126. Nigel Bunce The parable of the sower informs Rogation Sunday by reminding us how the COVID19 pandemic calls us to be fruitful seeds. What is Rogation Sunday? Rogation: from the Latin word rogare, to ask. It’s when we ask God to bless our crops so that we will have […]
God transcends and includes traits of male and female, We are made in God’s image and each of us has all these traits. On Mother’s Day and always, let’s celebrate the mother instincts in all of us by showing love to each other.
“I used to believe that prayer changes things, but now I know that prayer changes us, and we change things.” Mother Theresa. How can we really pray the Lord’s Prayer so that it changes us? Every Sunday at church, or while watching a live streamed service in this time of COVID-19, we say or […]
Why do I call my wife’s sister my sister-in-law? Likewise for other relatives by marriage? And, could I marry an in-law if I wanted to? Prohibitions against incest All societies have strict rules against incest; that is, sexual relations with relatives. Our Judeo-Christian tradition looks back to the Hebrew Scriptures. Leviticus Chapter 18: 6-18 identifies women […]