She was a critical piece of the puzzle. And she truly is what makes Christmas Christmas. She was the original Madonna and she put the word “Virgin” in songs two thousand years before “Like a Virgin” became a hit. Through the years she’s been called The Holy Mary, Saint Mary, The Blessed Mother, The Mother…
Come on Ring that Bell
I said I’d do it and I did it. This week I volunteered with the Salvation Army to tend a kettle in the mall. I was a little disappointed that I didn’t get a bell, so I downloaded an app for my smart phone. What says Christmas like a bearded fat man , wearing a…
Hark the Herald Mall Muzic
I heard it amongst the hustle and bustle of the season, in the commercial clamour of a shopping mall. My mind was a million miles away as I rushed about my day, and I really wasn’t prepared for it, but I heard it anyway. Above the busyness of the day, and through the fog of…
A Reflection of Sacrifice
He’s always the forgotten one at Christmas. Oh we remember the Christ child, how could we forget him, even in the shopping malls they sing about the birth of Christ and his name is even included in the very word Christmas. Without Christ there would be no Christmas and so he’s remembered. And his mother,…
As Dependable as the Weather
Penn of DennAwesome weather last week. On Wednesday we were digging out from 35 cms of snow and on Saturday I was in the city doing hospital calls and I had the roof down on my car. Gotta love Nova Scotia weather. If nothing else, it certainly gives us something to talk about. In one…
Discover Anger
Not what we would expect at all. We are closing in on the final act of the gospels and Jesus has come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover, the greatest of all the Jewish feasts. On Sunday he arrived in Bethany and from there he rode a donkey into Jerusalem fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah. …
Yesterday ended last night at midnight
I am reading a novel about a man’s attempt to change the past. In this case he is trying to prevent the assassination of JFK. I know that time travel isn’t possible but it is just a novel. Although sometimes I wonder if we are on the bank, while the river of time flows by…
Discover the Name
Do you like your name? And if you do now did you always like your name? As a teenager how did you feel about it? I heard two Jr. High girls talking in a mall once and one asked “Do you like your name?” To which the other replied, “No I hate my name” and…
Discover your Place
It was a party, everyone was there, it was a celebration, the video clip you just watched was from Jesus Christ Super Star 2001 and I love the Palm Sunday scene, it captures the excitement and joy of that day. From the excitement of the crowd to the animosity of the religious leaders and the…
Poor Me
What a bummer of a day it was. First, when I was at Tim Hortons to finish things up for my Sunday message, I discovered I had lost my USB key that my nearly completed message was stored on. Then, as I made my way in the torrential rain, I pushed the wrong button on…