Colourful Dreamer

You can listen to this sermon here   Gate Pa –  4 th Sunday in Advent - Year A - 2022 Readings: Psalm -                         Psalm: 80:1-7,17-19 First Reading -              Isaiah 7:10-16 Second Reading -       Romans 1:1-7 Gospel:                        Matthew 1: 18-25     What I want to happen: Let’s read Matthew on its own terms and not in Luke’s shadow Today we read the stories of two men, one faithless and untrusting (Ahaz in Isaiah) and one faithful and trusting (Joseph in Matthew). When I read this, I am reminded of John Dun Scotus – Francisan theologian of high middle ages - "The Incarnation is caused simply by God's generous and free love,...

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...

We made it. Christmas is here. Whatever route you took – through the invitation of Advent to take time each day to prepare in peace, love, joy, hope; or the busy route and frantic finishing in time for holidays and preparation for the big day – we are here at last. What is Christmas for you – there are no right answers. For most it is a time to celebrate family, giving and generosity, kindness and peace. For others it is a hard time of sadness, loneliness, grief. For me it is all that and more. In Christmas we are invited to enter into the wonder and mystery of the incarnation – that God is among us. Franciscan priest Richard Rohr describes this as God's pre-emptive strike for love. Not a rescue mission. Not a response to anything humanity had done. But, as John Dunne Scotus says, the coming of God’s self in Christ in love as God's first self-giving thought. Christmas is a joyous shout of praise for God’s eternal faithfulness. It is knowing, despite the evidence, t...