Where else would I be?
Yesterday, we saw how Matthew records that the young Jesus and his parents fled from clear danger in their homeland as refugees. Herod was seeking to kill this child who had been recognised by...
Monthly Archive: December 2017
When walking away is the right response….
When faced with a threat, instinct kicks in with one of two responses: fight or flight. Take a look at the animal world if you need some examples. It’s a survival thing: all living...
Halfway out of the darkness
It’s Christmas! Come and join the celebration. It’s a very special day. Come and share the jubilation. There’s a new king born today. Of course, we all know that that’s not strictly true, don’t...
What can I give to the one who has everything?
What can I give to the King? Give to the One who has everything? What can I give? What gift can I bring? What can I give to the King? What can I give...
When you don’t have much to bring….
This one’s for you if you’re so emotional that you cry at every Christmas ad on TV. This one’s for you if you feel like you haven’t done enough to create the perfect Christmas...
What shall I bring?
What shall I bring? That’s the first question we ask when we get invited to someone’s house, isn’t it? It really isn’t the done thing to turn up at someone’s door empty-handed. Unless specifically...
Guided by a star
‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.’ Matthew 2:2 The Magi were guided by a star....
It’s the turn of the Magi to get to the heart of this subversive message
Today we leave Luke’s account of the Christmas story to return to Matthew’s. Matthew makes no mention of the shepherds visiting the baby Jesus. Instead, he gives a detailed account of the visit of...
Wishes for a child
When Mary gazed into the eyes of the baby Jesus, I wonder what she wished for for him. I’m imagining she did, because Mary was an ordinary woman and isn’t that what every new...
Recognising an encounter with Jesus for what it is…
Let’s move on. We’ve spent quite a bit of time with the shepherds, haven’t we? On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the...
