Today is the wonderful feast of Pentecost, the day when we commemorate the coming of the Holy Spirit upon God’s people. To hear many Christians talk about it, what this looks like in practice is the founding of the Church. Theologically speaking, there’s no doubt that that is correct. But it feels more than a … Continue reading Many Gifts, One Spirit: A Reflection for Pentecost 2026
Christianity is many things, but contrary to what some false teachers today might tell you, it’s not and has never been a religion that claims that good things will happen to good people or that we get what we deserve. No, it's far too realistic about both the world and the human condition for that. … Continue reading When All Around Has Fallen: A Reflection on 1 Kings 19.1-15
In the Western tradition, today, the Sunday after Pentecost, is known as Trinity Sunday. It’s one of the few Church holy days that commemorates a concept rather than an event in the life of Christ or great saint of history. The doctrine of the Trinity as we know it was formalized in the fourth century … Continue reading From Before the Foundation of the World: A Reflection on Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31
I’m often reminded of (and mention here!) that old The Onion cartoon about the Trinity downsizing, laying off the Holy Spirit because of a lack of clarity on its role. It’s funny because it’s sadly true. Many Christians have only the vaguest idea about what the Holy Spirit does. Last year, I wrote a whole … Continue reading Life in Many Colours: A Reflection for Pentecost 2025
[Note: The post I wrote three years ago on today's Gospel reading ties in too perfectly to this week's posts in my series on the Sermon on the Mount not to re-post it today.] "All the world’s a stage, / And all the men and women merely players." These words of William Shakespeare from As … Continue reading Jesus and the Problem of Performative Religion: A Reflection on Mark 12.38-44 [Repost]
Matthew Root 