Colourful Dreamer

Last week, I compared our current uncertain church climate to the disciples battling a storm at sea. Our readings this week invite us to trust in God's abundance in all this uncertainty. Matthew 15:10-28 looks back to Jesus living God's abundant generosity in feeding the 5000+. It begins with Jesus teaching that keeping rules for their own sake or to receive a reward is not what those rules are about. but what they reveal about our hearts. This is put to the test when an outsider Gentile woman approaches Jesus. Despite not being a Jew her persistent love for her daughter drives her to confront Jesus with her unwavering trust that he could heal her. And many would say she taught him that there is more than enough grace for both the House of Israel and those seen as dogs, and he was more than he realised. Meanwhile, Paul explores how the split Gentile and Jewish churches in Rome can work together by trusting God’s faithfulness. He confronts two competing groups who each belie...

This Sunday offers a moment of deep reflection on divine glory and global peace. On Thursday, we marked the Transfiguration. N.T. Wright describes this as the moment Jesus becomes the new Temple. God’s shekinah/glory, filled with mercy, justice, and aroha settles entirely on him. Flanked by Moses (law) and Elijah (Prophets), Jesus fulfils the historic covenants and offers a vivid preview of creation flooded and renewed with God’s redeeming presence. In stark contrast, Thursday was also Hiroshima Day, making this Peace Sunday. We remember all the victims of the atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. We also acknowledge our Pacific neighbours impacted by decades of unwanted nuclear testing. Today, we hold in our hearts a deep sadness for people still facing violence and war worldwide, especially in Ukraine and the Middle East. We are encouraged to live the Transfiguration hope, joining with others longing for the peace that passes understanding, that turns swords into ploughshare...

Here are some of my thoughts on the reading from Matthew 14:13-21, the Feeding of many more than 5,000. Jesus hears his teacher, mentor, and close friend, John the Baptist, was brutally beheaded at one of Herod’s depraved Epsteinlike banquets. In response, Jesus retreats to grieve John’s, but finds a massive, grieving crowd searching for hope. There is a powerful contrast here between Herod's birthday party—and Jesus, who meets the poor masses with healing, generosity, and deep compassion. Despite the story’s impossibility all were fed until they no longer wanted or were hungry.   Their prayer – “give us today our daily bread” was answered. God is bringing in a new age where all have enough to eat. Tradition places this event at Tabgha on the Sea of Galilee, where a famous fifth-century floor mosaic beneath the church altar shows two fish and four loaves. With the communion bread—the fifth loaf—on the altar, the mosaic invites all who gather at the table into this and other sto...

  Ōtūmoetai – Year A - 17 th Sunday of Ordinary Time -2026 By Tony Wills - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0,  https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=61356567  Readings:  Psalm         Psalm: 105:1-11,45b  First Reading:       Gen 29:15-39     Second Reading:   Rom 8:26-39  Gospel:       Matt 13:31-33, 44-52  What I want to say:  What is the kingdom of heaven like?   A gorse bush?   Yeast hidden is cast quantities of flour?    What images would we use   and how do we make sense of these images? What I want to happen: People to tell their own stories The Sermon      1.     Introduction: A couple of weeks ago used Jewish author Amy Jill Levine help us put these parables back into -         geographical -    ...