SERMON/TEACHING

St Ninians

18 December 2022

“Joseph – patron saint of step-dads”

Please turn to the picture at the front of your church bulletin. It is one of many Renaissance paintings of the Holy Family. You’ve probably seen similar pictures on Christmas cards. It is a simple family portrait; Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

But notice how old Joseph is in comparison to Mary. One of the stories that the church developed over the centuries was that Joseph was much older than his wife Mary.

This had no basis in the biblical narrative but solved a few problems for the Church. First, Joseph is not mentioned after the story of Jesus in the temple at twelve. He has no part to play in his ministry even though his mother is mentioned several times. But if Joseph has died from old age that explains it. Continue reading “Joseph – patron saint of step-dads” →

Readings

Isaiah 35:1-10

In this section the return of the exiles is expressed in terms of the transformation of the wilderness and the transformation of the environment which coincides, or perhaps is linked, with a transformation in humanity.

People transform their environment and are transformed by their environment.

Maurice Andrew remembers that his grandparents had the text ‘streams in the desert’ on their bedroom wall and he goes on to say that they lived by the Waikato River and he doubts if he could ever have imagined what a desert was like.

He thinks they had the text on the wall because everyone realises, whatever their circumstances, there are times when transformation is needed and that even people in their own country may still need to return to their land and find their way back to where they belong. ^[1] Continue reading Bring Joy To The World →