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…Personal blogs from the Brothers
Br Roger and Br Scott think that personal blogs should be fun. Br Daniel is on sabbatical for the next several months may want to have a place to post thoughts from being on sabbatical. So they asked the webmaster to create a space for their personal reflections. Br Scott in particular has had a personal blog for years. His well loved personal reflections will now find a new home and will integrate well with the content on this website.
Where to find these? In three places:
- They will display on the Blog summary page together with the other blogs such as the sermons held regularly at St. Ben’s.
- In the menu bar, they will display as subcategories under ‘Blogs’.
- In the sidebar (on desktop) just click your choice under ‘Categories’. On your phone the sidebar moves to the bottom. There you will find ‘Categories’ and will be able to select the personal blogs.
We hope that you will find these reflections enriching.
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Sermon for Proper 11C
This morning we meet Martha and Mary – two sisters who turn up in various Gospel stories along with their brother Lazarus. Or do they… Luke tells us only about Mary and Martha, the brother is unknown to Luke. And Luke doesn’t mention the name of the town… Some scholars think it could be Bethany, home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus in John’s Gospel, but others are certain that it cannot possibly be Bethany. So, we cannot be sure if these are the same Martha and Mary we meet in John’s Gospel.
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Sermon for the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
This morning, we are invited to consider again what must surely be one of Jesus’ most familiar parables, one which allows us to imagine ourselves in the role of any of the characters. It is a very rich story, with many subtle aspects, and Jesus tells it in response to a question from a teacher of the Jewish law. It seems that the test the lawyer sets before Jesus is an opportunity for Jesus to prove himself, rather than being some sort of trap intended to undermine his authority. The interaction feels mutually respectful.
In reply to Jesus’ probing response to his initial question, the lawyer seems to say something quite innovative. He combines the two great laws of love into one law, saying effectively that you cannot love God without loving your neighbour, and vice versa. Jesus approves of this, but points out that the challenge is to actually do both, and that doing so is the way to fullness of life.
This just leaves the question of who qualifies as neighbour. Those listening to Jesus might have been taught to define their neighbour quite narrowly as one of those within the community of their kinship group, that is, those who were like them. Jesus challenges any such assumption with his parable involving an anonymous man, that is, any person.
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Fourth Sunday after Pentecost
A sermon preached by Br Luc, OHC
We meet again this morning to celebrate the Resurrection and to be fed by our loving Lord through Word and Sacrament. With suffering and injustice sorrounding us, at times on an overwhelming scale, it is easy to feel helpless and powerless.
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Feast of saints Peter and Paul
Yesterday the Church observed the feast of Saints Peter and Paul. These are two interesting figures in Church history because they are so flawed… Peter, faithful disciple, denies he knows Jesus… not once, but three times. And Paul, also known as Saul, was one of the most enthusiastic persecutors of the Church – throwing folks in jail and worse, for being followers of Jesus.
These two are among the most flawed and destructive folks in the early Church. So, it makes sense that they share a feast day… but why are they honored at all, let alone with a major feast?
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Sermon for the Third Sunday after Pentecost
For freedom Christ has set us free. What a remarkable thing for the apostle Paul to say. I wonder what he meant by it.
Monastic formation is a formation into freedom. What do we mean when we say that?
Keep these questions in mind as we continue …
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Feast of the Ascension
I want to begin by acknowledging that this week is the sixtieth anniversary of the consecration of the “new” Coventry Cathedral. The “old” cathedral was destroyed by Nazi bombs in the Second World War. Nails reclaimed from the ashes have been formed into crosses – one of which hangs on the wall of this very church. It is a profound story of death and resurrection and of the power of the Holy Spirit to help us rise from the ashes. And so, it is extraordinarily relevant to this Ascencion Day – which completes the story of Jesus’ Crucifixion, Resurrection, Ascension, and the sending of the Holy Spirit to us. Hold that in mind as we consider this feast…
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Fifth Sunday after Easter
For much of Eastertide we hear stories of things that happened in the time between Jesus’ resurrection and ascension – which really makes sense as we are between those two events… But the Gospel for today relates more to Holy Week, rather than in the events after Easter. It is the scripture that gives us the name Maundy Thursday... So why are we hearing it now?
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Sermon for the 4th Sunday after Easter
What to make of this reading from John’s Gospel… Jesus is wandering about the Temple in Jerusalem and seems to be causing a bit of a stir. “Tell us plainly if you are Messiah” the Jews want to know. And Jesus gives a not terribly helpful answer: “I have told you.”
There are a number of details that almost escape notice – but let’s take a few moments to notice them.
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