Colourful Dreamer

Merry Christmas! After the three long years of dealing with Covid and all that has done to us, merry Christmas. After this year of war in Ukraine, high inflation, covid tinged normality, merry Christmas. In the simmering confusion and stress, impatience and frustration, weariness and longing, merry Christmas.  We have spent the last four weeks in Advent reflecting on the themes of living in hope - believing in spite of the evidence, and then watching the evidence change (Jim Wallis); centered in God’s peace – shalom - when all is as God desires for this world; knowing God’s love for all creation while nurturing the divine gift of joy. For the great Franciscan theologian John Duns Scotus, this is what Christmas is all about. The coming of Christ was not to fix anything or to save anyone, but God’s first thought. Christmas is God being born in a food trough not in a palace. Shepherds are the first witnesses, not the powerful. This is a statement of God’s commitment to the poor, the b...

Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! I wonder what looks like this year. Too many of us are tired. Delta shifted the goal post and the rules changed. This has left many feeling confused and stressed. People are increasingly frustrated, impatient, annoyed, even angry with those they disagree with, and those they blame for what is happening. It can be hard to even find ways to talk. And still covid rages on and the future remains very uncertain. Merry Christmas! I recently read Daniel Ladinsky’s poem “God Would Kneel Down” [1] .  I think God might be a little prejudiced. For once He asked me to join Him on a walk through this world, and we gazed into every heart on this earth, and I noticed He lingered a bit longer before any face that was weeping, and before any eyes that were laughing.   And sometimes when we passed a soul in worship God too would kneel down. I have come to learn: God adores His creation. For the great Franciscan theologian John Du...

  Christmas 2020 So here we are Christmas 2020 After a year of COVID-19 Which has reshaped our lives And for some Too many Their hopes and dreams for the future A year that has left us at best feeling that whole Christmas thing just seems a little bit harder this year amidst the weariness and grief and guilt – for some but there it is and here we are.   This little piece of RNA   this scrap of genetic material   that needs a host to be alive Has changed our world For better and for worse We have watched the bumbling of so many governments around the world With so many paying the price with their health Their mental health Their lives. We have seen economies suffer And so many, women in particular out of work Struggling to pay the bills. And we have seen so many live sacrificially for others Medical people around the world Those in essential services working on despite the risk We saw neighbours looking out for eac...

each year our path is littered with moments events that bring great joy gnawing frustration deep sadness and crippling fear may you rest this Christmas in your path knowing God’s goodness in each hear the invitation to not be stuck in these moments lost in the what ifs and if only know that it is! so get up go   take all that you are your joy and sadness your wonder and frustration your hope and fear into the world share it in the street find others who too are filled  treasure these moment let go of these moments and embrace the next for there you may live love May this Christmas bring a renewed sense of God’s joy, and the New Year God’s peace and goodness for all creation.