March 2023

Jesus was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved (John 11: 33)

In the early stages of his life, Rembrandt (1606-69) produced grandiose paintings full of flamboyance. After a period of great anguish, including deaths in his immediate family, and imprisonment for debt, his style changed, showing great sensitivity to human suffering. Many of his numerous paintings on biblical themes, including “Christ Healing and Preaching” (c.1648) reflect this humanity and openness to human pain.

We cannot but be deeply moved and even disturbed in spirit when we see someone in pain and anguish – let alone when a tear is...

The wee boy was only just five years old. He had been at school for about six months. That Friday afternoon he and the rest of the class had spent a good hour sticking tissue paper petals onto a card. In his best handwriting, he had inscribed the legend:

‘To mummy, Happy Mother’s Day love Dean xxx’

At the end of the afternoon, full of excitement, and trying to remember to keep the card hidden until Sunday morning; he ran across the playground to where his mummy stood. As he got to her, he thrust out his hand with the...

In many ways John 4:1-41 is a very radical piece of scripture. For a start what is Jesus doing in Samaria?

Jews travelling between Judah and Galilee as Jesus was doing usually went around Samaria not through it, despite the fact that going round it adding six days to the journey.

Secondly, Jews and Jesus was a good Jew, did not normally associate with Samaritans. In fact they hardly acknowledged them let alone talk with them. Because as the Jews saw them the Samaritan version of the faith was compromised, somehow not quite right.

Thirdly who is this woman and...

One of the television programmes we have enjoyed over recent years is Britain’s Lost Masterpieces. The concept is a very simple one. Art Historian Dr Bendor Grosvenor picks out a neglected painting which he thinks might be the work of an important artist and hands it over to Simon Gillespie, a picture restorer. We watch as Simon uses solvents and cotton wool swabs to remove layers of dirty varnish and inept overpainting, before carefully touching up any damage. Once the painting has been restored to something very close to its original state, Dr Grosvenor and other experts are able...