Silent in the Background

Today I start a three month sabbatical from CCC.  My main purpose during this time is to research and write the dissertation for my MA course in Contemporary Missiology, with a focus on Vulnerable Children. As I begin my studies today I start by taking time to read the Bible in One Year passages for today. In Proverbs 3:1-10, verses 5-6 stand out: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. In Matthew 16:21-17:13, verse 23b says: you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns. In many ways, reading, research and writing will be based on my own thinking and understanding.  What, however, does it mean not to 'lean on' my own understanding? In the midst of my reading around issues in contemporary foster care it will be easy to get into 'merely human concerns'.  My hope is that, as I study the person of St. Joseph, I will also keep in mind the con

A reflection on Luke 2-4, based on the talk for CCC 2 January 2022   In 2022 we’re aiming to grow in ‘living like Jesus did’ (1 John 2:6), and we’re starting the year thinking about the Bible – what it is and what does it mean for how we live? In the early chapters of Luke we see that Jesus knew the Bible, Jesus trusted and used the Bible, and Jesus saw himself in the story of the Bible. Know the Bible Chapter 2 of Luke , seeing beyond the details of the Christmas story, paints a picture of a family who knew the requirements of the Torah, the Old Testament laws, and lived accordingly.  Eight days after Jesus’ birth, Mary and Joseph named and circumcised him.  Just over a month after his birth they took Jesus to the Jerusalem Temple for the rites of purification, where they met Simeon and Anna. After returning to Nazareth Jesus grew and became strong within his family.  Over the next few years the family regularly attended the Passover celebrations in the Temple, and one