Every year at Passover, the Roman governor would travel up from the coastal capital at Caesarea Maritima (literally, ‘Caesar’s City by the Sea’) to Jerusalem. It was a symbolic reminder of Rome’s mastery as much as a practical reinforcement of local troops. And no wonder. It’s hard to imagine anything more unsettling for an occupying … Continue reading The Stones Would Cry Out: A Reflection for Palm Sunday 2022
There's a longstanding joke (of sorts) in Christian circles that the Gospels are essentially passion stories with extended prologues: Close to forty per cent of the Gospel according to Mark covers the week between Palm Sunday and Easter morning. As Jesus' earthly life nears its end, events speed up, and the narrative slows down accordingly. … Continue reading A Case of Mistaken Identity: A Reflection for Palm Sunday 2021
We are in a time of crisis. The toll of the COVID-19 pandemic on our health, on our healthcare systems, communities, and economies is going to be immense. We don't know what is going to happen or when this is going to end. The old battle between faith and fear is being waged in all … Continue reading Crisis: A Reflection on Palm Sunday
Matthew Root 