The Narrow Path

  Thursday, 4 December, 2025 Psalm 80 Isaiah 41:17-29 1 Thessalonians 3 Observance: Nicholas Ferrar, deacon, man of prayer (d. 1637) None Who Knew (Isaiah 41:26) Who declared it from the beginning, that we might know,     and beforehand, that we might say, “He is right”? There was none who declared it, none who proclaimed,     none who heard your words. Australian Rugby Union is in a funny place at the moment. Our teams seem to be right about the “above average” line when it comes to leading in games. But their special skill is to pull victory out of the jaws of defeat. I have had more than a few moments in the past months with my heart in my mouth during extra time as I watched the replay on a Sunday afternoon! When something unexpected happens, there is this almost physical shock to the system. It makes one pay attention, and it also causes not a little discomfort. In today’s first lesson, the proph...

  Wednesday, 3 December, 2025 Psalms 28; 62 Isaiah 41:1-16 1 Thessalonians 2:13-20 Observance: Francis Xavier, priest and missionary (d. 1552) God Alone (Psalm 62:1) For God alone my soul waits in silence;     from him comes my salvation. How many of us can honestly say that we wait for God alone – and in silence, at that? Christmas is approaching, and with our senses bombarded with the petty trinkets of the world, we learn to love the tradition more and more that teaches us that these weeks are to be spent in the reflection and quiet of the penitent. We wait for God alone, that is, God only. It is a shocking thing to consider, that one would, to their utmost, try to empty their thoughts and desires of everything apart from God. Offensive, even. Yet that is the path he has laid before us, if we want to find him. Our God is a jealous God. And we wait for God in silence. “How long will all of you attack a man, to...

  Tuesday, 2 December, 2025 Psalm 77 Isaiah 40:18-31 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12 Observance: Frances Perry, founder of the Royal Women’s Hospital, Melbourne (d. 1892) Eyelids Held Open (Psalm 77:4) You hold my eyelids open;     I am so troubled that I cannot speak. There is a prayer of confession in the old prayer book with a certain line that is so miserably accurate to the human condition when faced with their own sin, that it is a shame that it has been left out of our modern translation: We do earnestly repent, and are heartily sorry for these our misdoings; the remembrance of them is grievous unto us, the burden of them is intolerable. St Augustine of Hippo suggested a way of approaching memories that can lead to a real healing of the soul, when used to bring personal sins before God for forgiveness. I wish now to review in memory my past wickedness and the carnal corruptions of my soul – not because I still lo...

  Monday, 1 December, 2025 Psalm 74 Isaiah 40:1-17 1 Thessalonians 1 Observance: Andrew, apostle and martyr [ Transferred from November 30 ] Not In Word Only (1 Thessalonians 1:5a) ...because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. What kind of men must they have been? What is St Paul talking about, when he says that he came not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction? There is a type of religion that is all head. We know the doctrines; we know the meaning behind the phrases of the ancient creeds. But if it has not penetrated into the heart; if it does not have what St Paul describes as “full conviction”, then it is nothing. Too much mysticism is much the same thing. If we are all about feelings, emotions, spiritual experiences, and wanderings of the imagination, then there is...

    Saturday, 29 November, 2025 Psalm 69:1-16 2 Kings 25:21-30 Mark 3:20-35 Out Of His Mind (Mark 3:21) And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.” There is a lot of rivalry between Christian denominations that can be safely ignored. Things like who puts on the best spread at functions (Anglicans, obviously), or who has the richest musical tradition (again, Anglicans). But there is one that does cause me to shuffle uncomfortably in my seat – the accusation of religious stuffiness. We don’t seem to have much time for religious enthusiasm. There is the benefit that we have this cultural safety-guard in place; we do want to marry zeal to wisdom, after all. But in today’s second lesson, Jesus has obviously gotten a little too enthusiastic. His family tries to drag him home, claiming he is “out of his mind”. When it comes to religious zeal of our own, what are we worried about? ...

  Friday, 28 November, 2025 Psalm 71 2 Kings 25:8-21 Mark 3:7-19 Observance: Ember Day He Gave The Name (Mark 3:16-17) He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder) Nicknames can be fickle things. Usually they are fairly dull and harmless; perhaps a reduction of syllables, and maybe a “zz” or “za” stuck on the end, depending on your gender. Two places, completely opposite in every other respect, provide the best nicknames: English grammar schools and Australian construction sites. Nicknames from those places tend to be both creative and humorous. On top of this, they are usually pretty accurate, too. St Mark gives us a list of Jesus’ apostles, and adds in a couple of nicknames. St Peter gets a pun for “rock”, while Saints James and John are “sons of thunder”. We can immediately form an image of what type...