Here I have put together a selection of homilies. The Word of God is ‘alive and active’ says the Letter to the Hebrews. That is not to say that it lives a hidden organic life we can trace through a microscope, as if it were a virus; but that it is inspired, a bearer of God’s eternal Spirit. Therefore it resounds to this day with quite as much force as when it was first spoken. It ever has something new to say. The preacher’s first task is to listen intently to this Word at once ancient and new, then to make his own, necessarily limited words its vehicles. I have not been able to provide translations of texts in other languages; but if you rummage around a little you will find a fair amount of material in English.
We think of the ox as plodder: to call someone bovine is not to pay a compliment. Earlier civilisations perceived the ox differently.
Continue reading Into whatever darkness we carry—be it enmity or strife, guilt or shame, hurt or resentment—the light of Christ will shine if we let it.
Continue reading From within this private, secret space he greeted others with courtesy and unfailing kindness, but also with the unequivocal instruction: ‘Do not enter.’ He had a genius for bringing conversations to an end with enigmatic monosyllables.
Continue reading Br Gabriel's energy was irrepressible. We all know how he could spontaneously burst into song at any time, anywhere – and in voice production he was not, to cite his own phrase, ‘backward in coming forward’!
Continue reading Amanda saw herself as someone to whom a particular, arduous work had been entrusted. With the courage for which she was outstanding, she assumed that work, certain that it would bear fruit, even though she could not see precisely how this would come about.
Continue reading For oss som vet hvorledes historien går videre, er opptrinnet i Jairus’ forgård som en profetisk kaldgufs. Det får oss til å tenke på en annen folkemasse som, ikke så veldig mye senere, på et blunk vil stemme sine hosannarop om til “Korsfest ham!
Continue reading Noah trådte ut i en ny verden, hvor alt måtte tilskikkes på nytt. Og i møte med denne tvingende nødvendighet, var det ikke primærnæring han dyrket, ikke kål, men vin.
Continue reading I have followed the unfolding of your respective lives in two brilliant mosaics of very different character, though they share certain key features. In either case, the immense integrity that marks you both has ensured a rigorously defined, pure outline.
Continue reading A lecherous king, a jealous queen, a fickle child: should these bring the Old Testament to a close?
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