Reflections from Turvey Abbey
On Saturday, in the Fifth Week of Lent, the Breviary reading for Office of Readings is from a sermon by Saint Gregory Nazianzen. We are invited to take part in the Passover in a personal way: If you are a Simon of Cyrene, take up your cross and follow Christ. If you are crucified beside …
Continue reading “Listening to the Silences: the Women of the Passion”
Isaiah 50:4-7 As we begin Holy Week the Church invites us on a journey. This week is like no other in the year. Spread before us in the liturgies each day is the story of our salvation. We are invited to find ourselves in the scriptural stories. The First Reading for today from Isaiah can …
Saturday Fifth Week of Lent Ezekiel 37:21-28 We’ve met the prophet Ezekiel already during Lent. Woven together with warnings and reminders of just how much Israel has strayed are some of the most memorable prophecies of hope in all of the prophetic literature. Today we hear a promise of gathering together and of unity. Israel …
Thursday Fifth Week of Lent John 8:52-59 ‘The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.’ Using the responsorial psalm verse as a repeated prayer or mantra can often be a very helpful way into the Liturgy of the Word. It’s especially helpful today as the theme of covenant links our readings. God’s faithfulness to us and …
FRIDAY Fifth Week of Lent John 10:31-42 As we get closer to Holy Week there is a sense of growing tension in every encounter that Jesus has. He is challenged on every level and his responses only add to the confusion of his hearers. Today he makes a very simple appeal: if you don’t believe …
JOHN 8:31-42 In much of John’s Gospel Jesus speaks to people who struggle to understand him. He speaks figuratively and his hearers assume he is being concrete. We are so used to quotations from the Gospels and usually can grasp their meaning. ‘If you make my word your homeyou will indeed be my disciples,you will …
It’s not always easy to think yourself into the mindset of those who set themselves against Jesus in the Gospels. We’ve heard the texts for years and through our baptism we are fully committed to Jesus. We have no other frame of reference. The Pharisees are studiers of the Law in all its beauty and …
JOHN 8:12-20 As we move towards Holy Week there is a sense of growing tension in our Gospel texts. Jesus’ actions are being watched very closely and every word of his teaching is being scrutinised. Vigorous debate and cross questioning were an important part of the faith world of Jesus. It’s easy to forget this …