Poems, Sermons and Writings

Matt 2:13-23 (NRSV) Matt 2:13-23 Christmas is great isn’t it? Family get togethers, wonderful feasts, giving and receiving Christmas cards & gifts, carols, soppy sentimental movies on tv… Last Sunday I spoke of Jesus our salvation and God-with-us. On Christmas day we heard of the word made flesh, the word that is love. We read John’s magnificent hymn to the incarnation. We were off to a great start.  It’s a bit like one of those cartoons, there’s a dog and he sees a cat go flying past and then he’s off - gleaming eyes, pointed ears, enthusiastic barking…. only to be brought up short by the collar and chain he’d forgotten about. That’s how today’s reading feels for us. Matthew’s gospel starts a bit slowly with the genealogy, then the excitement builds - we have the story of the birth of Jesus, mysterious dreams of angels, the exotic visitors from the East. Then “crash bang wallop” (if you went to the all-age Christmas service) the holy family is in danger, they’ve become

Matthew 1:18-2 “God friended me” is the name of a recent tv programme. On facebook one can receive “friend requests” and our hero receives a friend request from God. After he accepts this friend request, he receives “friend suggestions” from God and they turn out to be people in need, people that he can help.  In the 90s, the pop song “What if God was one of us?”  inspired a tv programme called “Joan of Arcadia”; in it a teenage Joan experiences strangers talking to her as God’s voice, giving her messages about her life, family and friends.  Wouldn’t that be great? If God could “friend us” on facebook and send us messages? We could respond with the “like” button and give a thumbs up, heart, laughing face, a sad face or angry face. It would be so much easier to understand what I should do and how I should live. Or if, as in Joan of Arcadia, a stranger would turn to me and say “Sue that conversation you had with Joy was important - make sure you phone her and follow it up”

Matthew 3:1-12 Marie Harvey had a beautiful soprano voice; with the clarity we associate with a boy soprano. Year after year in advent we would hear her lovely clear tones,  “On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry announces that the Lord is nigh”.  A moment of exquisite beauty. And yet when we look at our text this morning it is less than pretty. It’s downright uncomfortable. Our grubby prophet in the desert wearing a camel’s hair coat - I feel itchy just reading it! And, while Matthew references beautiful poetry from Isaiah, John’s words include confrontation, name-calling and violent images of fire, axes and winnowing forks. The Baptist’s message is clear “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near”.Repentance these days is often a synonym for regret or “saying sorry”. Both the Hebrew and the Greek words translated as repent have the clear meaning of change direction – it’s not an emotion, it’s an action and its very intentional. A turn towards God.  The measles epidemic

1 Thess 4:13-18  The Message I have a beautiful teapot that I don’t use every day - it’s white with blue flowers. When I make a cuppa for myself I put a teabag in the cup. But when I get a text from family or friends on the way to visit, I respond with “ I’ve put the kettle on, smiling emoji” and I smile and warm up the blue and white teapot. Time with family and friends brings joy.  The Thessalonians were going through a difficult time. With the recent persecution people had died. They had looked forward to Jesus’ return, so sure it was imminent that they believed it would happen in their lifetime. So when those among their number died, it rocked their faith. How could Jesus meet those who had died? Perhaps Jesus was never coming back, maybe he never even rose from the grave in the first place?  Paul speaks to this group, stricken with grief, wracked with doubt and he brings words of comfort. He speaks of the end times. When we come to talk about new creation and end times,

Was it anonymity you sought when first you changed your name? Did that first encounter with the One change you? was it then you became a shrinking violet? But no, we know your wild ways temperamental, unpredictable not tame at all I have seen your beauty,  cobalt and emerald, serene, shalom Shrinking now when once you were so plentiful nourishing all who sojourned there refreshing waters teaming with life What tales could you tell of times gone by? there was talk of fishermen leaving their boats to follow a stranger his words still echoing on your shores his presence stirring you as he passed by you and wind playing your games, him sleeping in a boat atop you the power of his breath commanding gigantic waves to peace his footprints skimming your surface  the enormous weight of his presence not sinking into you at all The toes of the risen one paddling as he ate on your shores what does risen feel like? Your many names roll off the tongue

You walked the hard yards for me you were the ones told they couldn’t do it “women aren’t supposed to be priests” “it’s against the Bible - a sin” “men must have authority over women” “you’re not welcome” “when they ordain women - I’ll leave the church” Those were the messages you heard Bravely you walked your truth, Kia Kaha You held your head high, trusting in your calling. you walked a lonely path against the crowd. Because of you I walk this path Words of encouragement in my ears Smiles and hugs greeted the news of my upcoming ordination Women walk before me, beside me, behind me.  I too have been called and will make my vows. You fought the battle of prejudice that is not required of me.  To all my ordained sisters Thank you for this gift of joy It is your shoulders which bear me We are a community of love and justice. I will walk my truth I will hold my head high, trusting in my calling I will walk in your company Because