Category Archives: Jesus’ Teachings

Reflections on the Syrophoenician Woman and Holy Communion

As I read the account of the Syrophoenician woman’s plea for Jesus to heal her daughter, I was led to ask myself some hard questions about the meaning of the sacrament of Holy Communion. Jesus’ Ministry and Prejudice Jesus’ ministry was marked by His preaching to pious, religious, Jewish people, who, by Biblical accounts, heldContinue reading “Reflections on the Syrophoenician Woman and Holy Communion”

LIFTING THE VEIL.  LETTING LOVE PREVAIL.

This is the text of a sermon presented at Saint John the Baptist Anglican Church on Sunday 2 March 2025, the Feast of the Transfiguration. The Transfiguration message encourages us to let love guide us beyond legal requirements.  This message is highly relevant to Black Heritage Month.  Our Bible readings present clear messages about liftingContinue reading “LIFTING THE VEIL.  LETTING LOVE PREVAIL.”

Black Canadians: The narrative and the vision

Systemic racism persists, even though there is no explicit racist intent and there is no contravention of anti-discrimination laws and anti-racist policies.

Act intentionally to dismantle systemic racism

As we celebrate Black History Month, the transfiguration calls upon all of us to examine the legacy of history and to act intentionally to surpass the limitations of anti-discriminatory laws in Canada.

When the student is ready, the teacher appears and disappears.

When the student is ready, the teacher will appear. When the student is truly ready, the teacher disappears. Whenever we understand what we have been taught, we become teachers. This is the essence of discipleship and the great commission, two inextricably linked responsibilities that Jesus fulfilled and calls us to fulfill.

Maundy Thursday Reflections

Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem started with the adoring, cheering crowds on Palm Sunday, who then decried him on Holy Thursday, witnessed His cruel death on the cross. But Holy Week ends with Jesus’ glorious resurrection on Easter Day, which is our hope that the will to love, when empowered by the grace and mercy of God, will always, always, always triumph over fear.

Lenten reflections: Jesus’ 3 temptations & social justice

Our reflections on Jesus’ temptations and his responses should lead us to acknowledge that the fulfilment of our human needs is a legitimate pursuit, but not at the expense of others.  The best way to do this is to be advocates and active participants in the quest for social justice. 

Lifting the veil.  Living in love.

The transfiguration is the literal depiction of how love, personified in Jesus, rises above the limitations of the law, and removes the veil of political correctness, racial tolerance, indifference, race, religion, gender, and all the other things that influence the way we view and treat ‘other’ people. That, dear sisters and brothers in Christ, is the connection between Jesus’ transfiguration and the stories we tell during Black History Month.

STORYTELLING & RECONCILIATION

Storytelling can be hard.  It is uncomfortable to recount the acts of injustice, the cruelty of slavery and the complex issues of race relations.  It is important to tell the story of Black people as it is intertwined with the story of all of us here in North America.  And yes, telling the story of slavery is still relevant as we are living with the legacy of slavery.