A few years ago I was visiting one of my favourite countries, Romania, and was with a friend in the city of Timisoara. The new Archbishop of Timisoara came to a service and turned out to be very nice, relaxed and humble and had none of that pompous self-importance that some Orthodox bishops have. But […]
Sermons
Render Unto Caesar – Nashua
In today’s gospel the Pharisees and the Herodians ask Jesus “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar?” Jesus says, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God, the things that are God’s.” I grew up in Zimbabwe, or Rhodesia as it was called then. It’s a country I loved, and still […]
The Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity Matthew 21.33-end
Today’s Gospel is an allegory. The various features in the story need to be interpreted to understand its meaning. The vineyard is the kingdom of God and its owner is God, who demands the grape harvest from the tenants. The tenants are the leaders of God’s Chosen People the Jews. The story is a judgement […]
For you say, ‘The way of the Lord is unfair.’ ‘O House of Israel, are my ways unfair?’
If you came to the College last Monday, there have probably already been occasions when you have heard yourself saying, ‘the way of the Lord is unfair.’ Wrenched from my family and friends, from my church, into this unfamiliar place. If not, there is time yet … The words appeared in the reading at […]
ROMANS 12.9-END, MATTHEW 16; 21-END
The texts set for today are among the most forceful in the whole New Testament, and the points they make among the most familiar. For that reason they have been taken up by preachers from earliest times, such as desert fathers. That doesn’t mean that they don’t need saying, again and again, and with the […]
You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Matt 16: 16.
Peter gets it absolutely right: Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the Living God. And yet, as we know, a few minutes later he shows he has not really understood. When Jesus speaks of betrayal, suffering and death he tries to stop him. We cannot blame Peter for that. We would have […]
Chaplain’s Letter to Companions – August 2020
Dear Companions and friends, I hope that you are all well. I feel that a Chaplain’s letter is long overdue. Life at HR has kept me very busy and certainly we have all found that lock-down has been no holiday. There has been extra domestic duties for us all – partly relieved by the willing […]
Companions Letter August 2020
After many months of lockdown it was a great joy to be able to begin the process of reopening the retreat house to guests last week. After much planning and consultation the Community welcomed a small number of individually-guided retreatants for a retreat conducted by Oswin and Nicolas, as well as a few individuals who […]
“…Which Passeth all Understanding.”
Readings: Isaiah 56: 1, 6-8; Ps. 67; Rom. 11: 1-2a, 29-32; Matt. 15: [10-20] 21-28 ‘Jesus said to them, “Are you also still without understanding’”’? God grant that I may speak to you in his name: Father Son and Holy Spirit. AMEN ‘My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.’ […]
St James’s Day 2020
“Do you seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them.” ‘unfinished’ The word has been used on at least two significant occasions in recent days. It was used about the report into Russian interference in UK politics. The report was said to be finished, and then, when it was inconvenient to the Govt […]