Category: Gospel

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Benedictine Spirituality Christ Cross Gospel Holy Week Lectio Divina Lent Liturgy Prayer Scripture Uncategorized

The scent of love

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Today’s gospel, the anointing at Bethany is a powerful story of hope in desperate times. It’s one of the Gospels that touches me most deeply. Every year I moved by its passion, its radical yet simple act of love, and its kindness. In fear and uncertainty, the disciples gather at Martha’s house which offers them an oasis of hospitality and safety in the increasingly dangerous times.

In such circumstances it is easy to understand Judas’ distrust and questioning. In times of great danger questions and doubts that we thought we’d put to rest often resurface. It’s easy to imagine that Judas was not the only disciple facing such doubts.

In the midst of the tension Mary’s action provides a fresh focus. She doesn’t deny or banish the fear or the danger, instead her action points out that those are not the whole story:

“Mary brought in a pound of very costly ointment, pure nard, and with it and anointed the feet of Jesus, wiping them with her hair; the house was full of the scent of the ointment.”

Jesus tells his disciples that she has anointed him for his burial, acknowledging that he is facing death, and preparing his disciples for that. As the scent of her ointment fills the house her simple action is a sign that love is stronger even than death. As she anoints Jesus she reminds us that our Holy Week journey ultimately leads us through death to the new life of resurrection.

As we move through Holy Week where are you aware of the strength of love sustaining you?

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Christ Cross Gospel Lectio Divina Lent Liturgy Palm Sunday Scripture Uncategorized

With a disciples’ ear

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This Palm Sunday I’m reflecting on the first reading from the prophet Isaiah. I’m especially struck by these words:

“Each morning he wakes me to hear, to listen like a disciple. The Lord has opened my ear.”

The liturgy for Palm Sunday can be a bit of a challenge. There’s so much going on that it can leave me feeling a bit distracted. So my hope is that the attentive listening Isaiah calls me to will help me find where I need to focus in order to best hear the words the Lord has for me this year.

The reading of the passion compels us to face some challenging truths. The Jewish New Testament scholar, Amy Jill Levine points out that the passion is a powerful story. If we let it, it can speak to & change our hearts, listening to it becomes a risky & uncomfortable business.

As we watch the disciples struggle through it with a mixture of failure and courage, hope and despair our own consciences are pricked. It calls us to reflect on where we have misunderstood, betrayed, or fallen asleep when we should have been awake to the suffering of those around us.

As we see Jesus condemned and moving towards crucifixion it’s hard to avoid some hard questions about the value we place on life, our own lives and the lives of others, especially the lives of those who are pushed to the margins.

As we move into Palm Sunday where is Christ calling you to wake up and listen?

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Benedictine Spirituality Christ Gospel Lectio Divina Lent Rule of St Benedict Saints Uncategorized

Learning humility

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Celebrating the feast of the passing of St Benedict has given me an opportunity to revisit the Rule. There’s so much I could reflect on, especially during Lent. I wasn’t sure which direction I should take until I listened to the story of Jacob’s dream of the angels ascending and descending the ladder at last night’s vigil, and decided on humility.

Humility is an important part of Benedictine spirituality. St Benedict dedicates a whole chapter of his rule to it. The story of Jacob’s dream must have touched him because it forms the basis of the chapter. He uses the image of the ladder to incorporate all of human experience, mind, body and spirit:

“Now the ladder erected is our life on earth, and if we humble our hearts the Lord will raise it to heaven. We may call our body and soul the sides of this ladder, into which our divine call has fitted the various steps of humility and discipline as we ascend.”

Humility calls us to acknowledge both the gifts and limitations of our lives whether of mind body or spirit. That can feel very counter cultural especially in a world that requites us to be capable and in control of every aspect of life. Learning humility is the work of a lifetime. It takes courage, commitment and practice. It calls us to be realistic and honest, admitting both strengths and weaknesses. It seems to me that Lent is an especially good time to reflect on our practice of humility.

How is Christ inviting you take steps in humility this Lent?

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Benedictine Spirituality Christ Gospel Lent Prayer Prophetic voices Saints Uncategorized

Gospel living

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Some thoughts from our archives to celebrate St Frances of Rome.

As we come to the end of International women’s Day we’ve begun our celebration of one of our congregation’s saints, St Frances of Rome. She is one of a very small number of married women who are saints. She brought up a large family and did a great deal to help the poor and the sick of Rome. This week I’ve been reflecting on the blessing of gospel living and it seems to me that she epitomises that in her life. That’s especially true in the great care she took of the poor, wrapping their clothes in lavender after she’d washed and mended them. In her role as peacemaker and reconciler shows another aspect of a gospel focussed life. It’s written of her that:

“God gave her such an abundance of loving-kindness that those who had dealings with her immediately felt themselves captivated by love and admiration for her and were ready to do whatever she wished.”

Frances dealt with many difficult and, sometimes, violent situations. Even in those situations she was able to persuade people to change their behaviour by showing them love and kindness. This is the blessing at the heart of the gospel centred life. It may have brought blessings to Frances, it certainly made her a blessing to those she encountered.

It makes her a good role model international women’s day. She reminds me of the important role women play in building communities and changing the world. Her life carries the message that even in the most challenging situations, love and kindness have the power to change hearts, minds and lives.

Where is God calling you to share an abundance of loving-kindness in the challenging situations you face?

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Benedictine Spirituality Christ Gospel Lectio Divina Lent Scripture Uncategorized

Making space

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This week’s gospel upturns our ideas about Jesus upside down. This is not the gentle, loving Jesus we feel drawn to. Instead John shows us Jesus upturning market stalls and driving traders out of the Temple. It is a challenging and disturbing image that we can struggle to accept. Reflecting on this passage Sr Verna Holyhead writes that Jesus’ action represents:

“The reclamation of the holy place from the marketplace to his Father’s house; from empty, atrophied ritual to living worship.”

It’s tempting, and maybe comforting, for us to say that we don’t need that reclamation today, either personally or as church. Yet, especially in Lent, we’re called to allow ourselves to be challenged by Jesus.

In his anger, Jesus cleared the money changers and traders out of the Temple, creating a clear space where people could once again encounter God. Challenging as his actions are they call us to look into our own hearts. He calls us to ask ourselves what clutters up that sacred inner space where we encounter God, stopping us from seeking and discovering God’s presence. He calls us to ask ourselves what practices and habits we need to let go of to rediscover that space. It’s not only a challenge for individuals, but for the community of the Church. John write:

“Destroy this sanctuary and in three days I will raise it up.”

If we are to be part of that sanctuary of living stones that the risen Christ has promised to build, we need to ask ourselves how our rituals and practices enable people to encounter the living God.

How is Christ challenging make space in your heart to encounter God this Lent?

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Benedictine Spirituality Christ Cross Discernment Gospel Lectio Divina Lent Resurrection Scripture Uncategorized

A costly risk.

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Today’s gospel is full of challenge. Jesus taking the Apostles to one side, telling them what to expect in Jerusalem. He is completely honest:

“The Son of Man is about to be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the pagans to be mocked and scourged and crucified; and on the third day he will rise again.”

In response to the sons of Zebedee jockeying for power Jesus goes on to explain what it means to follow him with another shocking statement:

“Anyone who wants to be great among you must be your servant, and anyone who wants to be first among you must be your slave, just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

We are so familiar with these words that they have lost both their freshness and their ability to shock. Having heard them repeated again and again over the years we have become accustomed to them.

We also come to them with hindsight. Unlike those first Apostles we read them through the filter of Easter, of knowing that Christ is already risen. That can make it hard for us to understand just how baffling and shocking they must have been to the Apostles. They had left everything to follow Jesus believing he was the promised Messiah. They would not have expected that to lead to death and crucifixion… Or to resurrection. They are fearful and disturbed Jesus’ talk of suffering and death.

Familiarity makes it easier for us to put them aside. We can bind them up comfortingly in liturgy and tradition, treat them as inspiring thoughts that don’t really affect our day-to-day life. Yet, as followers of Christ, we are called, like the Apostles, to let these words challenge and disturb us, and to take the costly risk of allowing them to shape our daily lives.

What costly risk is Christ calling you to take this Lent?

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Benedictine Spirituality Christ Gospel Lectio Divina Lent Scripture Transfiguration Uncategorized

Transfiguration and transformation.

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The transfiguration is one of those moments when the glory of God breaks through into life. Seeing Jesus transfigured and in the presence of Elijah and Moses the disciples can’t help but be aware that they are in the life changing presence of God. This is both a wonderful a frightening experience. This shouldn’t surprise us because throughout scripture encounters with God are disturbing for the people who experience them.

Mark tells us that it is fear that prompts Peter to suggest they build tents for Jesus, Elijah and Moses. In his panic he tries bring this startling experience under control. We should sympathise with this tendency because we’re likely to do the same ourselves when God breaks through into our lives.

But the instruction God gives them is not to try to control the situation or make it manageable:

“This is my Son, the Beloved, listen to him.”

Instead voice that comes from the cloud calls them to take the risk of opening themselves to this new experience. God calls them to listen to Jesus, God’s Beloved, and to allow what they hear to change them. Telling them not to talk about the experience, Jesus gives them time and space to reflect on the encounter and what it might mean for them before they have to share or explain it to others.

Lent gives us the opportunity to take space to reflect on our own encounters with God and how we respond when God breaks into our ordinariness.

How are you being invited to respond to God’s startling presence in your life this Lent?

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Benedictine Spirituality Christ Gospel Lectio Divina Lent Monastic Life Scripture Uncategorized

A time of promise.

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Since we started Lent the word that’s been going through my mind is promise. I look this year Lent seems to be offering a promise, reminding me that God is calling us back into a covenantal relationship that is based on love in today’s first reading God makes a covenant with Noah, promising never again to sweep everything away in a flood:

“Here is the sign of the Covenant I make between myself and you and every living creature with you for all generations: I set my bow in the clouds and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.”

St Peter talks about the waters of baptism that lead us to the promise of resurrection. In the gospel we see Jesus driven into the wilderness by the Spirit. His time in the wilderness is a time of testing:

“The Spirit drove Jesus out into the wilderness and he remained there for 40 days, and was tempted by Satan.”

As I look back at Jesus’ wilderness experience I find there is hope and promise as well as struggle. As he is driven into the wilderness he carries with him the promise of his baptism, when the clouds were torn open and God reminds him that he is God’s beloved son. Even in his experience of temptation there is hope and a reminder of the promise carried in those words of God. Jesus doesn’t only face temptation in his wilderness time, as Mark tells us:

“And the angels looked after him.”

Lent is a time for us to face our own wilderness and the temptations it brings. It can be easy to lose sight of the promise that is also there. Yet, as we face the temptations and challenges of Lent we are also offered the promise of God’s everlasting love.

As you begin your Lent journey where are you aware of the promise of God’s love sustaining you?

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Christ Discernment Gospel Lectio Divina Scripture Uncategorized

Bridging the Gap

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I’ve been reflecting on Jesus’ encounter with the Syrophoenician women. It turns all my expectations on their heads, and each time I revisit it it offers me a new challenge to reflect on. I expect Jesus to be kind loving and accepting of those who ask his help regardless of their backgrounds, to welcome the outsider and the stranger. In this passage Mark presents a different Jesus, at least at its beginning. When the woman, clearly a foreigner, first approaches him his reaction is to turn her away in a manner that must have caused offence, saying to her:

“It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the house-dogs.”

The woman could have gone away at that point, hurt and rejected, but she didn’t. Courage or desperation compelled her. She stayed and argued with Jesus until she changed his mind:

“‘Ah yes, Sir, she replied, ‘but the house-dogs under the table can eat the children’s scraps.'”

Her courage in standing her ground and arguing her case is transforming for her and for Jesus. She makes him see things from a new perspective and he changes his mind, saying to her:

‘For saying this, you may go home happy: the devil has gone of of your daughter.’

It’s left me reflecting on how we respond to people who we perceive as “other”. Our temptation is generally to turn away, to block them or disregard their opinions and experience. This gospel suggests another way, that we take the time to bridge the gap between us, to listen to their perspective, and to risk allowing that to change us.

Where are you being challenged to listen to another’s perspective today?

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Benedictine Spirituality Christ Gospel Prayer Presentation Scripture Uncategorized

Bearers of Light

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Apologies for the lateness of this post. I’ve been having technical issues. Today we’re celebrating the feast of the Presentation. It strikes me as a feast that looks both backwards and forwards. Its liturgy resonates very much with the Christmas liturgy, as we revisit Christmas hymns and antiphons. Yet, it also compels us to look forward to the new beginning heralded by the coming of the Messiah. Like Simeon and Anna, we are called to draw hope from our heritage and move forward into the unknown bearing the light of Christ for our world and our times. The second reading last night at the vigil was from St Sophronius. Today I have found myself reflecting on these words:

“Let us all go together bright with the light to welcome with old Simeon that everlasting shining light. Rejoicing with him in our souls, let us sing a hymn to the Begetter and Father of the light, who has sent the true light and driven away the darkness and made us all shine with that light.”

It’s not the first time I’ve reflected on them, and each time I revisit them they remind me that, in these last dark, cold days of winter we are called to be bearers of the light of Christ to each other and to the world. This year I’m very aware of the many darknesses that the world faces. It can feel overwhelming and we can easily feel hopeless.

Yet the opposite is true. In these dark times it’s even more important that we become bearers of that light for our suffering world. As well as looking back to the coming of the Light at Christmas I find myself looking forward through the pain and suffering of these times to the new light and life that Easter promises, trusting that, however small the light may sometimes feel, it will not be overcome.

As we celebrate the feast of the Presentation where is Christ calling you to be his light bearer today?