Can we sing the Easter Alleluia when we aren't feeling like it?

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A reflection on welcome and the practice of gladness.

The Palm Sunday readings are here.

You can read Malcolm Guite’s reflection and sonnet for Palm Sunday, which speaks of the ‘Jerusalem of the heart’, here.

I find this prayer, a litany of the disciples of the servant, a helpful meditation for Holy Week.

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A reflection for Passion Sunday on the meanings of passion.

Readings for the Sunday are:
Isaiah 43. 16-21
Philippians 3. 4b-14
John 12. 1-8
You can read them here.

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Lent's invitation to take a fresh look at ourselves.

The checklist for self-examination, referred to in the podcast is from St Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth, chapter 13 verses 4 - 7:
 14 ways to recognise love.

• Love is patient, 
• Love is kind. 
• Love does not envy
• Love does not boast
• Love is not proud. 
• Love does not dishonour others
• Love is not self-seeking
• Love is not easily angered
• Love keeps no record of wrongs
• Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 
• Love always protects
• Love always trusts
• Love always hopes
• Love always perseveres.

How many do you score well on and where do you need to improve?

The readings for this Sunday are
Isaiah 55.1-9
1 Corinthians 10. 1-13
Luke 13. 1-9
You can read them here

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Thoughts on Mothering Sunday about God as Mother.

The readings for Mothering Sunday are:  
Exodus 2. 1-10 or 1 Samuel 1. 20-28  
Psalm 34. 11-20 or 127. 1-4  
2 Corinthians 1. 3-7 or Colossians 3. 12-17  
Luke 2. 33-35 or John 19. 25-27

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Reflection on trusting God prompted by the readings for the second Sunday in Lent.
Genesis 15. 1-12, 17, 18
Psalm 27
Philippians 3.17 -- 4.1
Luke 13. 31-35
This Sunday’s readings are here.

A poem by Charles Causley, I am the Great Sun, from a Normandy crucifix of 1632 echoes the mood of the gospel. You can read it here.

A helpful prayer of trust from Thomas Merton starts:
 My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going.
 I do not see the road ahead of me. . .
 and the fact that I think I am following your will
 does not mean that I am actually doing so.
You can read it in full here. 

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A reflection on Jesus's temptations and two attitudes which can help defend us in times of temptation.

The Bible readings which prompted the reflection are:
Deuteronomy 26. 1-11
Romans 10. 8b-13
Luke 4. 1-13
You can read them on https://www.alisteningspace.org.uk/yearc/lent1c

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Thoughts on the Sunday before Lent.

The links referred to are:

From 2022 https://www.alisteningspace.org.uk/illan2022-02-27/

From 2023 https://www.alisteningspace.org.uk/i-llan2023-02-19/

and you can read the bible readings for this Sunday before Lent here

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At the end of a stormy week, a reflection on the story of Jesus calming a storm and asking, 'where is your faith?'

The Sunday readings referred to are:
Genesis 2. 4b-9, 15-25
Luke 8. 22-25
They, and the full text of the collect prayer, can be found here.

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A reflection on the week's collect:

Almighty God,
 who alone can bring order
 to the unruly wills and passions of sinful humanity:
 give your people grace
 so to love what you command and to desire what you promise,
 that, among the many changes of this world,
 our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found;
 through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord.

Readings for the week are

Jeremiah 17. 5-10

1 Corinthians 15. 12-20

Luke 6. 17 - 26

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