Sermons

Until now[…]I have spoken to you in figures… In the name of the Father… Today’s gospel is taken from what has come to be known as the great “High Priestly Prayer” of Jesus at the end of Chapter 17 of St John’s gospel. It comes at the very end of the so-called “Farewell Discourses” of […]

Jenny kiss’d me when we met,    Jumping from the chair she sat in;Time, you thief, who love to get    Sweets into your list, put that in!Say I’m weary, say I’m sad,    Say that health and wealth have miss’d me,Say I’m growing old, but add        Jenny kiss’d me What is it is it that we remember about people that we […]

I had a rather surreal experience on Thursday night. As some of you know, I’m a member of the General Synod – which means that I’m also part of the “Vacancy in See Committee”, who are part of the process which will appoint the next Bishop of Leeds (I’ll spare you the details, other than […]

“Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’” ************************************************* “A week later his disciples were again in the house”. And here we are, a week after our varied experiences of celebrating the one universal mystery. And what is this Easter life, this life lived by the Resurrection of Christ, supposed to […]

Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal son is like a folk tale, and like most folk tales it bristles with questions. Why did the father just give the money, no questions asked? Surely he knew his son, and what he would do with it. Why did the son get his inheritance early? The father must know […]

Luke 4, Temptation in the Wilderness  + Romans 10.8b-13 The Word is near you. It is in your heart and on your lips. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. The Temptation in the Wilderness is the story of a journey home. It’s a journey interrupted by […]

And we who with unveiled faces behold the Lord’s glory[…]are being transformed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another. In the name of the Father… “And we who with unveiled faces behold the Lord’s glory[…]are being transformed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another.” Is there a more splendid […]

“Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word” **************************************************************** Malachi 3: 1-5;   Hebrews 2: 14-18;   Luke 2: 22-40 The opening line of Simeon’s song of praise is so familiar to all who pray Compline. Some days it seems to come with its own sigh of relief – or even groan […]

Sermon on Luke 4: 14-21 and 1 Corinthians 12: 12-31a A few weeks ago I needed to call the customer service of my bank, which I shall not name here. I am convinced that Dante, had he known about customer services, would have used it to illustrate the concept of purgatory. It started nice enough: […]

The Wedding at Cana in Galilee 19/1/25  One dark night,fired with love’s urgent longings– ah, the sheer grace! –I went out unseen,my house being now all stilled. In darkness, and secure,by the secret ladder, disguised,– ah, the sheer grace! –in darkness and concealment,my house being now all stilled. On that glad nightin secret, for no […]