We were walking to Christmas Midnight Mass when my son insightfully asks, “We’re celebrating Jesus’ birth – right? So why are we having communion and so thinking about his death?” The question hung with me throughout the Eucharist. At the blessing of the crib, a mistranslation of Luke’s Gospel was read that may be a
There was no inn at Bethlehem Read More »
These are some of the celebrations around this time: Christmas, Kwanzaa, Eid al-Adha, Hanukkah, Al-Hijira. If there’s one on that list you don’t know much or anything about, how about doing a bit of online research? Or read about it in a book? Or step out of the non-virtual world and go and meet some
Christmas, Kwanzaa, Eid al-Adha, Hanukkah, Al-Hijira Read More »
You have your say: How long is Christmas? ( surveys)
How long is Christmas? Read More »
What do you bring as a “hello” gift to an enclosed, contemplative Roman Catholic nun? The September edition of the Christchurch magazine Avenues had produced a splendid article on the Christchurch Carmelite Monastery of Christ the King (I cannot locate an online version of the article – sorry). A lot was written about Sr Cushla,
Christchurch Carmel Read More »
An interesting response to my series of badges, one for each week of Advent, has been a request to continue producing badges – one for Christmas, and in fact through the seasons. Many people like, from time to time, to add a badge to their website or blog. If you like the idea – send
O Emmanuel, our King and Lawgiver, hope of the nations and their saviour: come and save us, O Lord our God. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. O Emmanuel, Rex et legifer noster, expectatio gentium, et Salvator earum: veni ad salvandum nos, Domine, Deus noster. Isaiah 7:14; 8:8; Matthew 1:23; Haggai 2:7 O come, o come, Emmanuel!
O Emmanuel – December 23 Read More »
O king of the nations, you alone can fulfil their desires: cornerstone, binding all together: come and save the creature you fashioned from the dust of the earth. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. O Rex Gentium, et desideratus earum, lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum: veni, et salva hominem, quem de limo formasti. Jeremiah 30.7-11a; Revelation
O Rex Gentium – O sovereign of the nations – December 22 Read More »
December 20, 2008 To the people and communities of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa New Zealand and Polynesia Te Hahi Mihinare ki Aotearoa ki Niu Tireni, Ki Nga Moutere o te Moana Nui a Kiwa Dear Friends, Tena koutou katoa, Ni sa bula vinaka, Malo elelei, Namas’te, Talofa lava, Warm greetings. The three of us
A Christmas Message from the Co-presiding Bishops Read More »
