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Mark tells us that Jesus is immersed in the water [at his baptism], and as he

comes up, he sees heaven being “torn open” (1:10). The Greek word used here

is schizomenous, the present participle of schizo, which means “to tear or cleave

open.” It is from this Greek root schizo that we get schizophrenia (i.e., “a torn

mind”).

Other than at Jesus’ baptism, Mark uses schizo only one other time:

And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema

sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”) …

With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two

from top to bottom. (Mark 15:34, 37–38)

Two tearings: the first so that Jesus’ mission to reconcile the world to God would

be founded on the Father’s love; the second so that we would have access to

God and know his extravagant love for us. In both instances, God disrupted

reality to reveal his personal, loving nature.

Jeff Strong

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A beggar sees a golden carriage approaching from afar 'like a gorgeous dream'.

Realising that it is the carriage of the King, the beggar prays for riches. This, he

believes, is the greatest opportunity of his life.

The carriage stops where the beggar stands and the King climbs out with a smile.

But then the strangest thing happens: the King stretches out his empty hand and

asks the beggar, "What have you to give me ?" Confused and uncertain, the

beggar reaches into his bag and takes out a grain of corn - only one, and the

smallest. Is this a joke ? Slowly, he places it in the King's palm.

At the end of the day, when the beggar empties his bag on the floor, he is

surprised to discover a single grain of pure gold - only one, and the smallest.

"I bitterly wept," the beggar said, "and wished that I had the heart to give my

all."

(Rabindranath Tagore, "Gitanjali", New York: Penguin Classics, 2005, p272 -

quoted in "God on mute" p 285)

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Matthew 25:14-28New International Version (NIV)

The Parable of the Bags of Gold14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted

his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to

another one bag,[a] each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man

who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained

five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the

man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s

money.19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with

them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he

said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with

a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s

happiness!’22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with

two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with

a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s

happiness!’24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that

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you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have

not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See,

here is what belongs to you.’26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have

not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put

my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it

back with interest.28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags.

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John 12:24New International Version (NIV)24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains

only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.

Warm, safe, secure, neatly bounded by it’s outer casing, nestled in a bag with other

seeds, content

Taken, pressed into strange, dark, damp place

Outer shell rots and falls away

Exposed, feels change, doesn’t understand

Instinctively heads for the light

VERY different existence !

Realised the packet was not reality, just a starting place

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“Orthodox Heretic” Peter Rollins, Page 3

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Matthew 25:31-46New International Version (NIV)

The Sheep and the Goats31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his

glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the

people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will

put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my

Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the

world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave

me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and

you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit

me.’37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you,

or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite

you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and

go to visit you?’40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these

brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the

eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me

nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and

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you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in

prison and you did not look after me.’44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or

needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these,

you did not do for me.’46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

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I’m Flying

Once upon a time there was a little boy who was raised in a orphanage.

The little boy had always wished that he could fly like a bird. It was very difficult

for him to understand why he could not fly. There were birds at the zoo that were

much bigger than he, and they could fly.

"Why can't I?" he thought. "Is there something wrong with me?" he wondered.

There was another little boy who was crippled. He had always wished that he

could walk and run like other little boys and girls.

"Why can't I be like them?" he thought.

One day the little orphan boy who had wanted to fly like a bird ran away from the

orphanage. He came upon a park where he saw the little boy who could not walk

or run playing in the sandbox.

He ran over to the little boy and asked him if he had ever wanted to fly like a bird.

"No," said the little boy who could not walk or run. "But I have wondered what it

would be like to walk and run like other boys and girls."

"That is very sad." said the little boy who wanted to fly. "Do you think we could be

friends?" he said to the little boy in the sandbox.

"Sure." said the little boy.

The two little boys played for hours. They made sand castles and made really

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funny sounds with their mouths. Sounds which made them laugh real hard. Then

the little boy's father came with a wheelchair to pick up his son. The little boy who

had always wanted to fly ran over to the boy's father and whispered something

into his ear.

"That would be OK," said the man.

The little boy who had always wanted to fly like a bird ran over to his new friend

and said, "You are my only friend and I wish that there was something that I could

do to make you walk and run like other little boys and girls. But I can't. But there is

something that I can do for you."

The little orphan boy turned around and told his new friend to slide up onto his

back. He then began to run across the grass. Faster and faster he ran, carrying the

little crippled boy on his back. Faster and harder he ran across the park. Harder

and harder he made his legs travel. Soon the wind just whistled across the two

little boys' faces.

The little boy's father began to cry as he watched his beautiful little crippled son

flapping his arms up and down in the wind, all the while yelling at the top of his

voice, "I'M FLYING, DADDY. I'M FLYING!"

Source: unknown. Found at heartwarmers4u.com

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Clench your fists, tight as you can

Be aware of the tension in your hands, your wrists, your arms

Know that you’re holding on to safety, security

Whatever that means for you

Your sitting here, before God, in prayer

But your attention is not on him

It’s on your hands, your grip, holding on

Now, slowly, relax your hands

Turn them gently palm upwards

Be aware of God pouring his presence, his love, HIS protection

Into your waiting hands

Into your life

And in this place of stillness, of quiet

Held by your loving Father

Bring to your mind the thoughts you’ve had this morning

The words, or phrases, or stories that you sense God has highlighted for YOU

And in the stillness

In the presence of almighty God, Father, Son, and Spirit

Respond

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Commit

Engage

Wrap up with Lord’s Prayer ?

Share – neighbour – what can they pray for you this week (in light of this morning).

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