Exodus 12:1-8,11-14John 13:1-15 Each year I am stuck by how much the liturgy invites us to engage our senses during Holy Week. We wave a palm branch, we hear the story of the anointing and can imagine the smell of the perfume filling the house, we picture the silver coins of betrayal and the darkness …
Author Archives: Turvey Nuns
Women of Holy Week, Susannah’s Story (4)
Listen to Susannah’s Story Read Matthew 26:6-13Mark 14:3-9Luke 7:36-50John 12:1-8 When Susannah’s father gives her an alabaster jar he says: ‘Something precious for the most precious person I know. Open it on a special occasion, dear one.’Have you ever been given something precious? Have you ever kept something for a special occasion? When you picture …
Wednesday In Holy Week
Isaiah 50:4-9 Matthew 26:14-25 Today we have Matthew’s telling of the Last Supper. Once again Judas is in full focus and his actions seem inevitable. Those thirty pieces of silver are lodged in our collective imagination through art, poetry and hymnody. Stories of betrayal are always uncomfortable. Betrayal can happen in a matter of seconds. We …
Women of Holy Week, Anna’s Story (3)
Listen to Anna’s Story Read Luke 2:22-38 and Mark 12:38-44 Anna talks of visiting her great aunt and listening to old stories of her faith.Who are the storytellers in your own life? Her great aunt tells her ‘It’s your story, too- never let them paint you out.’Which Biblical women have inspired you? Image © Ally …
Tuesday in Holy Week
Isaiah 49:1-6John 13:21-33,36-38 While at supper with his disciples, Jesus was troubled in spirit and declared, ‘I tell you most solemnly, one of you will betray me. In today’s Gospel the mood intensifies. We can easily imagine the scene of Jesus sharing a meal with his disciples. When film producers portray this they build the …
Women of Holy Week, Sarah’s Story (2)
Listen to Sarah’s Story Read Mark 11:27-12:34 What do you hear in Sarah’s description of being in Jerusalem for Passover?Have you ever made a pilgrimage? What did you learn about yourself.? When Sarah listens to Jacob’s experience in the Temple she shares his love of the Law and the debates that are had. What the …
Monday in Holy Week
Isaiah 42:1-7John 12:1-11 The anointing at Bethany stops me in my tracks each year. For much of the liturgical year the lectionary leads us through the teaching and miracles of Jesus. From time to time we have a personal encounter: Zacchaeus, the Syro-Phoenecian woman, the Samaritan woman etc. Each encounter is life-changing. Today’s text from …
Women of Holy Week (1) Miriam’s Story
Listen to Miriam’s StoryRead Ps 118 and Mark 11:1-11 Imagine that you are part of the crowd.What do you see? What do you hear? Miriam sings Ps 118, longing for the Messiah to come.What do you long for as Holy Week begins? Image © Ally Barrett (www.reverendally.org) and used with permission.
Palm Sunday
Isaiah 50:4-7Philippians 2:6-11Luke 22:14-23:56 Each morning he wakes me to hear,to listen like a disciple.The Lord has opened my ear. As we begin Holy Week the Church invites us on a journey. This week is like no other in the year. The Church tells her story in words and images, in ritual and drama, and …
Saturday in the Fifth Week of Lent
Ezekiel 37:21-28John 11:45-56 I shall make a covenant of peace with them, an eternal covenant with them. I shall resettle them and increase them; I shall settle my sanctuary among them for ever. We have met the prophet Ezekiel already during Lent. Woven together with warnings and reminders of just how much Israel has …