Pilgrim

I would like to talk today about those two words power and authority and how they have been used, are used, and should be used.   Last Tuesday, it was National Holocaust Day, a day when we are invited to remember and consider the atrocities carried out on people in the name of a   particularly evil form of power and authority, a totally opposite form of the use of power or authority associated with the kingdom of God.   What we saw and what millions of Jews, Eastern Europeans, Travellers, Homosexuals and disabled people experienced under the rule of the Nazi’s was power and authority based on a rejection of God where the state   - in the example of the Third Reich a single human – sought to take the place of God.   Of course this is not the only example in history of this sort of madness.   Indeed history is sadly replete with dictatorships, expires and occupation forces delivering their own variations on torture and legalized murder on populations.  ...

I have just finished a rather good book I got for Christmas called “Revelation Road”.   It is a book by one of my favourite authors who attempts to unravel the book of Revelations, and to make some sense of it.   The author, Nick Page, decided that he would visit the towns of the 7 churches mentioned in Revelations and also spend some time in the island of Patmos, listening to local people, talking to the monks who live the monastery built on the site where legend has it that Revelation was authored.   The main idea behind this seeming extreme way of looking at a book was to get to know the environment, some of which on Patmos has possibly remained virtually untouched.   As an aside, it seems that the author wasn’t John the Apostle, but another John, John the elder – something for another day. The bottom line message appears to be that when stuck in bad times, we need to hold on to the truth that all bad times are temporary, even though when we are in them they ...

Father, we are sorry. Sorry for being selfish.   Sorry for not being proactive enough for your word.   Sorry for being afraid that others may laugh at us or do worse.   Sorry for hiding in churches when your commission is to spread the Good News to all. Sorry for all the infighting that occurs in your Churches.   For the snide put downs, for theological bullying, for academic prejudice. We come to you today knowing that we are all in need of your Grace.   Whatever our status, we are all equal in your eyes, equally needy and sinful. In this moment of silence then we bring before you our private confession…………………….. Holy Father, we are so aware of Jesus’ example to us and we pledge again today to come back to you.   To be obedient to your commandment to love one another as you loved us.   For who else can we turn to Lord, except you.   Only you have the words of eternal life. We therefore gladly accept your judgement, and re...

The Lord is my saviour, I shall not hide he saves me from my nightmares, my self doubt, my anxiety. From demons in the night, from destruction of anger, mistrust and fear. He is the restorer of my soul He guides me through the darkness of my mind. Even though I still get scared, even though I sometimes find it hard to pray. He provides me with all I need. He sends Angels to walk by my side and fills me with his Spirit. I fear no evil when God is with me, holding me in his arms, surrounding me with his love. Surely I will rest in the wings of the Lord, my saviour all the days of my life.

This week saw the horror of terrorism on the streets of France.  Today, we saw a city united in strength of resolve to stand against terrorism, against fear, against violence and for the freedom of speech and thought.   http:// instagram.com/p/xuVtR5HRDU/   # JeSuisCharlie pic.twitter.com/nsPjn7MVLj No doubt while many seek to work for an inclusive peaceful society, there will still be the scaremongerers, especially those with a axe to grind, those who fear equality, those who require that their version of reality is the version that is played out. The trouble with forcing views on others, is that it simply doesn't work, and for me that is the essential appeal of Christianity.  I am not talking about some of the abuses everyone knows about in the history of Christianity, rather I am talking about the radical message that Jesus brought to the 1st Century.  To a Roman Empire that new nothing of the concept of mercy, he spoke of loving our enemy.  He pro...

Well here we are in a new year.  I must say I never fully understand the interest around the new year as really it is just another day.  Perhaps more important from my perspective is the birthday celebration of one of my daughters.  The news is the same, the US adding more sanctions against N Korea over that odd incident surrounding what I hear is just a poor film.  Another ship is rescued in the mediterranean, full of people seeking refuge in the EU. Air Asia continue to find bodies of people lost on flight  QZ8501. I have just finished reading Revelation Road by Nick Page, great book again and so refreshing to read Christian material by someone with the freedom of expression to allow for humour.  For perhaps the first time, I may just be able to understand Revelations a bit when I next read it, it is on my list of "to reads".  It is really very relevant just now with an election in the offing in the UK this year.  No doubt we will be bombard...