Month: October 2023

LOVE IN 3DExodus 22:20-26; 1 Thessalonians 1:5-10; Matthew 22:34-40 At the entrance to the harbour at the Isle of Man there are two lights. One would think that two signals would confuse the pilot. No! The pilot must keep both in line for the ship to safely enter the channel. It is the same with life. We need to keep the three dimensions of love—love of God, love of others, and love of self—in line; then we remain safe in the channel of life.The Sunday readings challenge us to learn and practise these three dimensions of the “greatest commandment”. In

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DIFFERING LOYALTIESIsaiah 45:1, 4-6; 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5b; Matthew 22:15-21 Two puppeteers were arguing over who should control the strings of the puppet on the stage. As they argue, one tries to wrest the strings from the other. The puppet is pulled this way and that as each puppeteer pulls the string to an arm or leg, hand, or foot. Our varied commitments can do the same to us. Family, school/ workplace, church, government: to a varying extent, these determine the way we spend our time, energy, and resources. We feel pulled in different directions and helplessly out of control. Who

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FIRST CATCH THE RABBITReading 1 Isaiah 25:6-10a, Reading 2 Philippians 4:12-14, 19-20, Gospel Matthew 22:1-14 A nineteenth-century recipe for rabbit pie begins with the injunction: “First catch the rabbit.” The writer knew how to put first things first.That’s precisely what the guests in this Sunday’s gospel parable did not do!It was Jewish custom to send out invitations and to prepare food according to the number who accepted (like the modern RSVP!). When the meal was ready, the host would send servants to summon the invitees. In the parable, the king sent servants twice to summon the guests, but they “made

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TENANTS, NOT OWNERSIsaiah 5:1-7; Philippians 4:6-9; Matthew 21:33-43 The angel Gabriel returned from surveying the earth and reported to God: “You own a choice piece of real estate called earth. But the tenants to whom you’ve leased it are destroying it. They have polluted your rivers; fouled the air; degraded the soil; destroyed rainforests… In another few years, it won’t be fit to inhabit. By any rule of sound management, you have one option.” Raising his trumpet to his lips, Gabriel asked: “Shall I sound the eviction notice?”God said: “No, Gabriel! Not yet. You are right, but I keep thinking

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