Episodes
Friday Jan 25, 2013
If you like Dr. Who, you'll love this Time Lord...
Friday Jan 25, 2013
Friday Jan 25, 2013
Something here about the mystery of priesthood.... and something you may not have realised about miracles. The references are Genesis 14:17 and the Letter to the Hebrews 5:1-10
Monday Jan 21, 2013
Heaven will be fun.... guaranteed
Monday Jan 21, 2013
Monday Jan 21, 2013
A few weeks ago our boiler was serviced, and the engineer said to my wife, "Wasn't there a jovial vicar here last year?" She said, "Oh no, what did he say?" - she knows I have a quirky sense of humour. Ha! I was delighted. It sometimes annoys me when people think I'm deadly serious all the time. Why shouldn't I just "be me"? Obviously there's a time and a place for everything - I'm 'respectful' and hopefully unnoticed in my role on the sanctuary, but it does sometimes get a little wearing when people automatically assume that my clerical attire means I am ALWAYS deadly serious. So I liked being described as 'jovial' (apart from the origins of the word, which are pagan... but OK, let's not get too serious). If Jesus could have fun at a party, why shouldn't I chill out occasionally? That's my point in this homily for the Second Sunday of the Year. The gospel reference in John 2: 1-11 [You can read this homily on my blog at www.deaconphilip.com ]
Saturday Jan 19, 2013
What would you think if someone claimed to be a poached egg?
Saturday Jan 19, 2013
Saturday Jan 19, 2013
Thursday Jan 17, 2013
If you can resist anything but temptation, let me tempt you to listen....
Thursday Jan 17, 2013
Thursday Jan 17, 2013
Saint Antony is the guy who started the first monasteries in Egypt in the fourth century. It's his feast day today (17 January). And he is the patron saint of those who are tempted. After the Church had existed for about only 35 years, some of the new Christians were getting nostalgic for the 'good old days' when they had practised mainstream Judaism. The problem for them was that Christians were beginning to get persecuted, and so their initial enthusiasm, their faith in Jesus, was beginning to fade a bit. How to encourage them? How to persuade them not to abandon Christianity? Someone wrote them a letter telling them the error of their ways. It's called 'The Letter to the Hebrews'. Today's extract is Hebrews 3:7-14. Here's what I had to say.....
Wednesday Jan 16, 2013
Capernaum - a busy day
Wednesday Jan 16, 2013
Wednesday Jan 16, 2013
My homilies are like buses - you wait ages for one to come, then two arrive together [it's because our priest is on holiday, so I'm preaching at our weekday services]. Today's gospel is Mark Chapter 1, verses 29-39. This is a bit of background information, and a couple of reminiscences about my own pilgrimage to Capernaum.
Tuesday Jan 15, 2013
Wobbly faith
Tuesday Jan 15, 2013
Tuesday Jan 15, 2013
Here's a simple fact that seems to alarm a large number of church-goers.... (which is faintly worrying) Christians believe Jesus is God. Yet it is not unusual to hear people nowadays say things like, "Oh, there's no doubt that Jesus was a good man - I try to base my life on his mortal code - but I don't think he was God." So think many good people nowadays. Such people may be very moral, fine, upstanding and good, but if someone doesn't believe Jesus is God, they can't claim to be a Christian. The fancy way of putting is to say that such people 'deny Christ's divinity'. In a funny sort of way it's quite reassuring that the first Christians had many of the doubts that people have today. The beginning of the Letter to the Hebrews was written to put people right. People started saying the Jesus might have been an angel......... [Our parish priest is away this week, so we're having a daily 'Liturgy of the Word with Holy Communion' instead of celebrating the mass, So I have the privilege of giving a short homily each day this week - I thought I'd share this one with a wider audience.]
Wednesday Jan 09, 2013
Too embarrassed to ask what "redeemed" means?
Wednesday Jan 09, 2013
Wednesday Jan 09, 2013
We seem to just grow up with certain "religious" words. If you don't know exactly what they mean it can be a bit embarassing to ask anyone. There's always the dreadful fear that some 'holier-than-thou' person will feign shock that you don't know precisely the meaning of such a basic Christian concept. Oh well, I'll just have to take that risk on your behalf. You needn't admit to anyone that you learnt it here..... [I wrote these notes at the beginning of this week as part of a talk I gave in a church here in Birmingham about the work of Restore - a project I chair that supports asylum seekers and refugees, We basically need more support if we are to be able to help those who desperately need our help. If you can help, please do contact me!)