Sermons

“Who do you say that I am?”  This is not just a question directed to the twelve, and a turning-point in their understanding of Jesus.  It is also a question for the Church in every age, and for each of us today.  In its original context, Jesus began by asking what “people” in general...

Woody Allen once quipped: “More than any other time in history,mankind faces a crossroads. One path leads to despair and utterhopelessness. The other, to total extinction. Let us pray we have thewisdom to choose correctly.” That line exposes how many of us quietly view “the end.” The comicvoice often highlights...

In today’s Gospel reading we learn how Jesus walked on water to rescue his disciples, who were being tossed about in the boat that he had ordered them to get into to reach the other side of the Sea of Galilee which was Gentile territory. Even though the disciples had...

I don’t know if there are any Archers fans in the house. I am not a devotee but like for many people it’s been part of the background noise of my life with different members of the family over the years being ardent fans, and it being on at the...

In today’s Gospel reading, we hear the parable of the Sower. Some seed fell on the path, where birds ate it. Some fell on rocky ground, where the shallow soil made it spring up quickly; but because it had no roots, it withered under the sun. Other seed fell among...

The theme of my sermon today is ‘grace’.  As the words of the hymn give it to us: ‘Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see’. What powerful words are these.  They...

‘But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd’. This image of Jesus seeing the crowds that flocked to him, whilst he went about the cities and villages, as ‘fainting’ and ‘scattered abroad’ is...

Today’s Gospel reading begins with the call of Matthew, as told by St Matthew in his Gospel. Many people think it was a sort of signature. Years ago, I did a class in the primary school in my previous parish on the call of the disciples, and I rather majored...

On this day, Trinity Sunday, we rejoice in the Trinity of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Three in One and One in Three, holy, blessed, Trinity. The Trinity is the triumph of light over dark, and good over evil.  In our liturgical cycle it is the culmination of...

On Thursday, Ascension Day, I invited as our preacher the new vicar of St Saviour’s. Reflecting on the mystery of the Resurrection and the Ascension, he naughtily observed “It is little wonder that some clergy mysteriously arrange guest preachers around this time of year!” He was gracious enough to say...

Laudabo Nomen Domini + The Parting of Friends The season between Easter and Pentecost can be a dangerous time for preachers. Throughout most of the year we can manage with stories, parables, miracles, perhaps the occasional sheep. But suddenly, in these few weeks, we are expected to explain the Ascension...

John 14 Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit On this Rogation Sunday, it is fitting to hear these words from Paul to the Athenians, “the God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth.” (Rogation comes from the Latin ‘rogare’ – to ask or...

One of the features of the early, 1st century Church we can’t have missed as we’ve heard the readings in our worship over these weeks of Eastertide is uncertainty. The disciples continued to meet together for prayer and fellowship, but firstly, they were chastened by the memory of their Lord’s...

From the First Epistle General of John: “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear” Welcome to St. Mark’s on Low Sunday. It is particularly good to have your company following ‘the week of Sundays’ comprising Holy Week through Easter Day. Also known as Divine Mercy...

This Easter, has its backdrop several unique items of news, on earth a concerning international conflict, closer to home, a new Archbishop of Canterbury, and in space a voyage to the dark side of the moon. When I was 9 years old, Robert Runcie was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury. I...

On this day, Good Friday, when we remember and reflect upon the death of Jesus on the Cross, I am going to imagine that I am standing near the Cross and gazing in sorrow at the body nailed upon it. A body that is close to death.  It is the...

About 20 years ago, the son of a friend of mine had to do a school project on “My Hero.” His father, my friend, also a clergyman was proud but somewhat surprised by his son’s choice of topic, so he asked him “Alex, why did you choose Jesus as My...

Good morning and welcome to the first Sunday in Lent, as we prepare for the Eastertide Feast of our resurrected Saviour, shining on a hill some 40 days away. With prayer and offerings on our regular Christian menu, the speciality Lenten plat du jour is fastingusually by “giving up” something...

What is sin? This important question on Ash Wednesday goes to the heart of the matter. Words from the Miserere – Psalm 51, a broken and contrite heart O Lord thou shalt not despise, hint at the anxiety that people of conscience have over the morality of their actions and...

What did the caterpillar say to his friend as he saw the passing of an iridescent butterfly? “You’ll not catch me going up in one of those things!” – Metamorphosis. From: Alice Through the Looking Glass ‘There’s glory for you.’ ‘I don’t know what you mean by glory,’ Alice said...

Thanks to Father William for the invitation to preach, and it is lovely to be here and worship in St. Mark. From today’s passage, we see Christ is hurt when the Church is hurt Christ comes down from heaven to meet Saul God does not take away Saul’s passion but...

‘I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain .’ Those strikingly negative words stand out for me from our readings today.  We heard them read as the words of God’s servant in Isaiah’s 49th chapter, after the Lord’s claim that he formed and...

“Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.” “Epiphany” means manifestation—the unveiling of God’s hidden purposes. Today’s Gospel isn’t so much a tale of exotic visitors Theology as drama, a show: “Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the...

Today, Gaudete Sunday—the Church says rejoice. In the midst of Advent’s quiet longing and sobriety, a note of joy, rose-coloured and unexpected. Yet the readings set before us are not obviously joyful. They speak of waiting, of suffering, of imprisonment, of questions emerging from the darkness of prison cell. And...