Christmas Cards - Dec 23

Ever wondered why the Shepherds were the first to see the newly arrived Jesus?

Now you know ;-)

Easter 3 and . .

the response, 'He is Risen indeed!' is beginning to sound a little hollow.

Just like those who live in places where tourist attractions are to be found (and I can plead guilty to this having had a bridge, a pier, cathedrals, museums and more bedsides) and yet see nothing special in  them, some are beginning to forget Easter Sunday and the joy it brings.

The Pascal candle is lit (and?); the greeting, 'He is Risen!' is proclaimed (yeah, we know!); the Eucharist is celebrated (we do that EVERY week?).

In the readings today we have Saul 'still' breathing out murderous threats encountering the risen Christ and losing his sight that he might see more clearly.  The Angels proclaim the truth about Jesus, the Christ and all created things worship Him - without ceasing! Peter takes up a new role as shepherd, walking in the footsteps of the Good Shepherd.

Three passages from the Bible that challenge, inspire and demand.

How can we be anything but caught up in the One who died and rose again from the dead?

How can we be anything but caught up in the love of those in whom the invisible God is made visible?

How can we not shout the words, 'He is Risen indeed!' and get loud when we come to the 'Hosanna in the highest' bits?

On this, and every mini-Easter Sunday we can stand and excitedly respond to the proclamation:

Jesus, the Christ, is Risen!

Cant' we? 

I love animals (especially with sauces)

Stumbled across this and really liked it, so here it is:

But where do you draw the line I wonder?

Have to admit I've eaten everything in the picture above  and more besides (although the restaurant that served cat and pigeon was closed and the owner sent to prison and I didn't know it was cat at the time).

Perhaps this is a good image to send supermarket bosses and food processors!

Christmas Card (2012) - 6

Well it certainly made me chuckle (and that has to be a good thing):

Thought for the day - All we like sheep

Some time back the above image (or one very much like it) appeared on the screen in front of us as a graphic in a lecture on Christ as the Good Shepherd. After the lecture I asked the lecturer where he'd got the image from and it transpired it was one of the research students who had put the powerPoint together for him. Amazingly only a few of those present were aware that the image which had been one the screen before them was one of naked people not sheep!

So here's a fuller image and with the reality that 'naked we come into the world and naked we leave' a thought voiced so well in that image:

Happy Friday