‘Ask and you will receive’ The old Catechism definition
Category Archives: Monastic
Feast of St Augustine of Canterbury
Luke 10:1-9 ‘Carry no purse, no haversack, no sandals. Salute no one on the road.’ These words always pull me up short. I rarely travel light as I like to be able to cover every eventuality when I am on a journey. We can quickly spiritualise this text and tell ourselves that Jesus wants us …
Ascension
Luke 24:46-53 ‘And now I am sending down to you what the Father has promised. Stay in the city then, until you are clothed with the power from on high.’ I don’t think I ever really noticed this sentence from today’s Gospel. Usually by this stage in Eastertide the various Bible texts have washed over …
Wednesday, Sixth Week of Easter
John 16:12-15 When the Spirit of truth comes he will lead you to the complete truth… When I was at Primary school I remember listening to the teacher as she sorted out a playground fight. Two 7 yr old boys were standing at the front of the class, eyes fixed on the the floor. ‘Now, …
Tuesday, Sixth Week of Easter
John 16:5-11 I must tell you the truth:it is for your own good that I am goingbecause unless I go, the Advocate will not come to you. It’s fairly easy to put ourselves in the position of the disciples: the prospect of Jesus going is sad and the promise of the Advocate coming is very …
Monday, Sixth Week of Easter
John 15:26-16:4a You too shall be my witnesses,because you have been with me from the beginning. Growing up in the North East in the 70s and 80s I don’t think I ever heard the words ‘mission’ or ‘discipleship’ in relation to my own faith journey. Neither did I have any sense of having to ‘witness’ …
Sixth Sunday of Easter
John 14:23-29 The Advocate, the Holy Spirit,whom the Father will send in my name,will teach you everythingand remind you of all I have said to you. I’ve often been asked what a novice mistress might look for in someone who wants to explore Monastic Life. My answer is always the same: someone who truly seeks …
Saturday, Fifth Week of Easter
John 15:18-21 If you belonged to the world,the world would love you as its own;but because you do not belong to the world,because my choice withdrew you from the world,therefore the world hates you. These are not easy words from today’s Gospel. We naturally draw back from the word ‘hate’, especially in a Bible text. …
Friday, Fifth Week of Easter
John 15:12-17 No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friendsif you do what I command you. Few of us will be called upon to lay down our lives for our friends. Though we probably all hope that if a big sacrifice of some sort is asked of …
Thursday, Fifth Week of Easter
John 15:9-11 ‘If you keep my commandmentsyou will remain in my love,just as I have kept my Father’s commandmentsand remain in his love.I have told you thisso that my own joy may be in youand your joy be complete.’ By this stage in Eastertide we have heard a good deal of John’s Gospel. There are …