The Easter mystery
Third Sunday of Easter Acts 2.44-47; Psalm 34 (CH4 27); 1 John 3.1-3; Luke 24.36b-48 Church of Scotland, Geneva, Auditoire de Calvin, April 14 2024 As a boy growing up in Catholic Ireland, I was always puzzled when teachers or priests, nuns or Christian Brothers, spoke about the mysteries of our faith. It took me …
All his meals, all of ours
Holy Thursday, March 28 2024 1 Corinthians 5.7b-8; John 13:1–17, 31b–35 Scots Kirk, Lausanne On the side of a hill, on the shore of a lake, in the home of an outcast, at the end of a journey, Jesus in food and drink offered to his followers fellowship with himself and a foretaste of the …
A life of forgiveness and repentance
First Sunday in Lent Genesis 9.8-17, Mark 1.9-15 St Andrew’s Scots Kirk, Colombo, February 18 2024 Our Christian faith can be summed up in three simple sentences: In practice, of course, it is never so simple. God’s love may be perfect. Our love is not. We are not the human beings God would like us …
The good news of Jesus Christ
Second Sunday of Advent Isaiah 40.1-11; Psalm 85.1-2, 8-13; 2 Peter 3.8-15a; Mark 1.1-8 Church of Scotland, Geneva, Auditoire de Calvin, December 10 2023 In the fifth century, Patrick brought the gospel – the good news of Jesus Christ – to Ireland, before there was Ireland. A century later, Columba and his Irish monks brought …
Christ comes many times
Advent Sunday Isaiah 64.1-9; Psalm 80.1-7, 17-19; Mark 13.24-37 Scots Kirk, Paris, December 3 2023 Advent means coming, and Christ comes many times. * In the book of Isaiah, we read: “We have all become like one who is unclean,and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy clothWe all fade like a leaf,and our …
We are God’s people, by God’s grace
Homily at Cursillo #76 team-commissioning service Holy Trinity, Geneva, October 30 2023 I am the church! You are the church! We are the church together! All who follow Jesus, all around the world, yes, we’re the church together! A favourite children’s hymn in the Church of Scotland, Geneva and perhaps in some of your congregations …
It’s God’s party. We need to respond
20th Sunday after Pentecost Exodus 32.1-14; Psalm 106.1-6, 19-23; Philippians 4.1-9; Matthew 22.1-14 Church of Scotland, Geneva, Auditoire de Calvin, October 15 2023 Jennifer’s party Jennifer had a birthday: she was nine years old. Her mum and dad organized a birthday party. Tom, Dick, and Harry all came. Tom gave her a present of a …
Blessed are the poor in spirit
Fourth Sunday after Epiphany Micah 6:1-8; Psalm 24; 1 Corinthians 1:20-25; Matthew 5:1-12 Church of Scotland, Geneva, Auditoire de Calvin, January 29 2023 The Black Knight King Arthur is on a quest. He comes to a bridge. The bridge is guarded by the Black Knight. “None shall pass,” says the Black Knight, in a tone …
The church, the world, and the Spirit
Fourth Sunday after Pentecost Galatians 6:2-5, 7-10; Luke 10.1-11, 16-20 Church of Scotland, Geneva, Auditoire de Calvin, July 3 2022 Two daughters What do you think? There was a woman who had two daughters. She was busy making lunch on a hot July day, so she found her first daughter and asked, “Can you help …
But their minds were hardened
Transfiguration of the Lord Exodus 34:29-35; Psalm 99; 2 Corinthians 3:12-4.2; Luke 9:28-36 Church of Scotland, Geneva, Auditoire de Calvin, February 27 2022 We are the church Long, long ago, before the pandemic turned all our lives upside down, if I had asked you where is the church, you’d probably have looked at me a …