Showing everything tagged as Revd Richard Carter

Our Gospel today begins with Jesus’ prediction to his disciples that he will undergo great suffering and be rejected. Rejected. Think about that word for a moment.

The Chinese artist Ai Weiwei has spent four years making a film called Human Flow. In order to make it he visited 23 nations and 40 refugee camps.

This week I was part of two services of thanksgiving for two people who had died. I did not know either of them though I felt I knew them after.

I have always loved this opening scene in John’s Gospel part of which we heard read today. Chapter one of John begins as we know, with the Prologue, that epic poem establishing the pre-existent Word at the very beginning of all things.

In the flower shops you can already buy yellow spring daffodils. But I never buy them in winter. Not because I don’t like them but because I believe deep down you have to go through the winter waiting before you can reach those yellow and golds of spring and appreciate them for what they are.

Have you ever met someone who you thought was holy or even a saint? Following this last week in British political and national life it seems hardly surprising that we have all grown a little wary of those who set themselves up as role models or representatives of virtue.