Ragamuffin ramblings

Mark 10:17 - 27 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. ‘Good teacher,’ he asked, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ 18 ‘Why do you call me good?’ Jesus answered. ‘No one is good – except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: “You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honour your father and mother.”’ 20 ‘Teacher,’ he declared, ‘all these I have kept since I was a boy.’ 21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. ‘One thing you lack,’ he said. ‘Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’ 22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. 23 Jesus looked round and said to his disciples, ‘How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!’ 24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jes...

I read a quote the other day, you know the ones that people have on their fridges? It read, "The fondest memories are made gathered around the table."   The power of simple table is often overlooked and neglected. During lockdown it's absence has probably been the greatest battle to overcome. By the way, I totally agree with that quote...my fondest moments have been made around a table as well as my most painful ones too. Usually pain flows from a table that has been created to reinforce who's 'in' and who's 'out' and boy have I had a few of those over the last few years.   I can't remember who said it but I do recall the quote, "If you've not been invited to the table it's usually because you're on the menu."   Being a divorced former church leader who decided to live rather than die has provided a rich menu for many. I remember as a small boy the laughter, the jokes, the stories that used to fly around as my older br...

MPB (7 Years on) I had no words back then, only sounds. Deep groans to my dad, twisted down a phone line Knotted-up with unfathomable rage. I had no strength back then, just flesh dumped on a living room floor. Numb. Grief-stricken...dumb! I had no peace back then. Regrets. Words said! Unsaid! A foreign field has held in its primal soil, my warrior*. My conflicted heart has kept its vigil, anxiously straining to recognise that voice tell that ludicrous story, that tall tail, that opinion, that rant. I have such peace today. Memories. Legacies left. Beloved. I have such strength today. My champion, my thorn, my brother. I no longer need the words. I look within a deep repository of being loved by him .  *My brother is buried near hills called 'The sleeping warrior' in the Rift Valley.

The events of this week have left a deep, uncomfortable ache in many of us.  How long oh Lord? How long? Earlier this week I'd read a quote from Dorothy Day the founder of The Catholic Worker who had reflected on the miracle of the loaves and fishes.  Without the willingness of the one who had the loaves and fishes to share what little he had then the miracle could not have taken place.   I feel as a white privileged male I have very little to offer or contribute that will bring about the change that's needed to end the chronic injustice that is the daily reality of so many.  However, if I can offer it to God and plead with him to somehow transform this and all our individual responses then maybe, just maybe we could see a miracle take place.  Dorothy Day went on to write, "We have all known the long loneliness and we have learned that the only solution is love and that loves comes with community." Today in the liturgical calendar is Trinity Sunday.  ...

I remember one Pentecost Sunday at church I felt prompted by a still small voice to write a resignation letter and stand up and declare it.  I didn’t tell anyone I was doing it and you can imagine the look on the faces of my friends and co-leaders as I opened up my sermon with it.  This wasn’t a gimmick or an illustration, I was on a journey and I desperately needed to do this. I recently found the letter from 2012.  Here’s an excerpt.  Dear church, I’ve thought long and hard about this announcement today.  It comes on the back of probably one of the most challenging and difficult seasons that I’ve faced as a leader and certainly the last 12 months have probably been the most challenging of all.  I can honestly say that I have tried my very best to act with integrity, to serve you and to hear and discern what the father has in store for us. But the last few weeks there has been a dawning realization on me that I can’t d...

A Pilgrim Song 131  God , I’m not trying to rule the roost,      I don’t want to be king of the mountain. I haven’t meddled where I have no business      or fantasized grandiose plans. 2  I’ve kept my feet on the ground,      I’ve cultivated a quiet heart. Like a baby content in its mother’s arms,      my soul is a baby content. 3  Wait, Israel, for  God . Wait with hope.      Hope now; hope always! What a song to sing while on your pilgrimage to the temple.  What a confession to make while you're ascending up to the temple.  I hope by the end of this blog you'll see why it's been so important to me. We all know too well how events can take over our lives.  Nothing prepares you for 1 in 100 year pandemic bringing months of isolation, financial uncertainty and a very real threat of catching a highly dangerous virus.   Add to this...