Video Series: ‘Til death do us part…
Tag: featured
The Epistle of Joy – Episode #3 (Video)
Sorry in the delay with today’s episode, I’ve been having all kinds of issues with iMovie… :-/ Anyway, in today’s episode I look at the first two verses of Paul’s epistle to the Philippians:
Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
– Philippians 1:1-2
Pour yourself a nice cup of tea and listen to me whittle on about these words of St. Paul:
As always, to keep the episode under ten minutes I had to omit some things. If you’re interested, here’s another top-up episode:
For an audio-only version of this video, please click here.
Sunday Lectionary: You called, I answered
Since JP2 is now meeting again, I will be resuming my “Sunday Lectionary” posts for the coming week’s Sunday Mass Readings. I did begin one last week but I didn’t finish it in time :-(. So, from now on I’m limiting my writing time to two hours – I do tend to get a bit carried away… 😉
3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time: 22nd January 2012
Last week’s Readings focused on God’s call to us. In turn, this week’s Readings focus upon our response to Him.
In the First Reading we hear of how Jonah (eventually) responded to God’s call and then how the people of Nineveh responded to God through the message of His Prophet.
In the Gospel we hear Jesus’ message: repent and believe for the Kingdom is at hand. He calls four fishermen to come and follow him, simple men who, later when He is gone, will become great pillars in His Church.
Having before you many examples of sinners who repented and were saved, be you also earnest in confessing to the Lord, that you may receive pardon for past sins, be made worthy of the heavenly gift, and inherit the kingdom of heaven with all the saints -St. Cyril of Jerusalem (c. AD 386)
Sunday Lectionary: It’s all you need
Sixth Sunday of Easter: 13th May, 2012
The Readings this week start to wrap up our Easter Season prior to the Feasts of Ascension and Pentecost.
In the First Reading we read about that great moment in Church History when the first Gentiles received baptism and entered the Church. In our Second Reading, we conclude our study of St. John’s First Epistle by hearing about the love of God. Finally, in the Gospel, Jesus unpacks His teaching concerning His metaphor of “the vine and the branches” which we heard last week.
As we come to the Eucharistic table this week let us come with thankful hearts. God’s love is so great that He came to redeem us, call us His friends, pour His Spirit into our hearts and make us members of His family.
Top Five Tips for Parish Websites
Yesterday I wrote a post about the importance of parish websites and how they can play a key role in attracting people to your parish and integrating them into parish life.
Today I would like to follow up on this topic and speak a little bit about some of the thought which should go into the construction and structure of your website. Having a website is not enough. It must also be functional and engaging.
With that in mind, here are my top five tips for parish websites:
1. “When’s Mass?”
If I’m going to a parish’s website, chances are I’m looking for the Mass and Confession times. Please don’t make me have to click around for five minutes and dig into submenus before finding them.
Things that make me happy
The other day I was thinking about things which make me happy. It’s actually quite a difficult exercise – if you don’t believe me, give it a go. What are the things which make you really, truly happy? Where are the places you can always find joy?
After sitting down and writing the list I’ve concluded that I’m actually quite easy to please. Although in many ways I’m extremely demanding of myself and others, it doesn’t actually take a whole lot to make me happy:
The Great Divorce: Chapter 2
Summary
The Tousle-Headed Poet explains that his parents never appreciated him. The schools he attended, the education system in general and capitalism all failed to recognize his genius. During the War, he was a conscientious objector and moved to America. After money troubles and poor treatment by a girl, he jumped under a train. He is convinced that, while all the others would return, he would stay at their destination and finally receive the recognition he deserved.
A fight breaks out in the bus. Nobody is hurt, but when it is over, our protagonist finds himself at a different seat with a new companion, an Intelligent Man with a large nose and bowler hat. His new companion explains to him why the town seems so empty, that everyone there is so quarrelsome that they keep moving further and further away from each other.
Some residents of the town are identified: Tamberlaine, Genghis Khan, Julius Caesar, Henry the Fifth and Nepoleon. Some had gone to visit Napoleon, a journey which took fifteen thousand years. They found a huge house in the middle of nowhere with Napoleon “Walking up and down-up and down… never stopping for a moment…muttering to himself all the time. ‘It was Soult’s fault. It was Ney’s fault. It was Josephine’s fault…’”
At this point, the Intelligent Man shares his plan. He says “there’s no proper economic basis for any community life. If they needed real shops, chaps would have to stay near where the real shops were… It’s scarcity that enables a society to exist”. His solution is to “come back with some real commodities” which he could sell, forcing people to live nearby. This would also provide “safety in numbers”, particularly when the dusk eventually turns to night… The Big Man and the others tell the Intelligent Man to shut up, under threat of violence.
A nearby passenger, “A fat clean-shaven man”, tells Lewis that “there is not a shred of evidence that this twilight is ever going to turn into a night. There has been a revolution of opinion on that in educated circles”, arguing instead that it is a precursor to the dawn. He rejects the Intelligent Man’s “earth-bound” desire for “real commodities”.
The greyness outside begins to subside and the bus is fulfilled with light. Our protagonist goes to open the window, but it is forcefully shut by the Intelligent Man. The Big Man encourages him to hit Lewis. The cruel light reveals the “distorted and faded” faces. Then Lewis then sees his own reflection in a mirror…
Questions
Q1. What is the sin of the tousle-haired poet? What is he expecting to find in Heaven?
Q2. According to the Intelligent Ghost, why does The Grey Town seem so empty?
Q3. What solution does the Intelligent Ghost present?
Q4. What spiritual lesson can you draw from the way houses are constructed in The Grey Town and their poor function?
Q5. How would you describe the outlook of the “fat clean-shaven man”?
Q6. What does the light reveal?