Short Talks

This section of the website comprises short stand-alone talks and articles on different aspects of the Christian Faith, including the teaching of Jesus, the seasons of the Church’s Year and Feasts and Festivals.  More talks/sermons/homilies/articles will be added in due course.

The section of the website entitled The Christian Faith provides more extended teaching on larger content areas, such as the Creed and the Sacraments.

Ash Wednesday

This section in Holy Faith comprises material related to Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent.  Ash Wednesday is so called because services include the imposition of ashes on the foreheads of the congregation, accompanied by the words:

“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.

Turn away from sin and be faithful to Christ”. (1)

Read more: Ash Wednesday

A generous Lent

“…God loves a cheerful giver” (NRSV, 2 Corinthians 9:7)

Lent is popularly looked on as a grim and dreary season which one grins and bears for six weeks.  But nothing could be farther removed from the true spirit of Lent, and the spirit in which one’s Lenten rule is kept is as important as the rule itself.

Read more: A generous Lent

Self-denial

Jesus “called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me’ “ (NRSV, Mark 8:34)

In our modern world one may enthusiastic about anything so long as it is not religion.  You can be as dedicated as you like to politics or football or gardening, but if you take religion seriously then you have a religious mania.  This suggestion of abnormality is put forward by those who accept politics or sport or hobbies as important, but who refuse to take God seriously because to do so would make him an unwelcome intruder on their personal life and liberty.

Read more: Self-denial