Virtual Methodist

This morning the lectionary readings contained what might be said to be an over-familiar passage, so I decided that instead of reading it and then preaching on it at Belfast South this morning, I would retell it as a monologue by Jairus in the light of the leactionary Psalm. So here it is... Old Testament Reading Out of the depths I cry to you,   Lord ;   Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive   to my cry for mercy. If you,   Lord , kept a record of sins,   Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you. I wait for the   Lord , my whole being waits,   and in his word I put my hope. I wait for the Lord   more than watchmen wait for the morning,      more than watchmen wait for the morning. Israel, put your hope in the   Lord ,  for with the   Lord   is unfailing love  and with him is full redemption...

We tried a number of times earlier in the run to get to see "The Man Jesus" with Simon Callow at the Lyric Theatre, but in fine Campton fashion, only managed to see it on the last night. Given the show is now over I won't offer any sort of comprehensive review, except to say that I enjoyed it, but was not bowled over by it. The sparse staging and lighting allowed the audience to focus on Callow's performance which offered differing perspectives on the life and death of Jesus from various men and women around him. The mission-hall-type wooden seats which Callow constantly shuffled throughout the performance were sufficient to suggest the temple clearance or the Last Supper. Callow's range of accents and characterisations were superb... his Billy Connolly-esque John the Baptist and his Ballymena Bible-belt disciple were particularly appropriate (even more so given this was Northern Ireland and the Big Yin was actually performing in the Waterfront Hall last night)...

Today's Gospel reading in the lectionary is from John 6: 1-21; the Feeding of the 5,000. In John's version the people completely miss the deeper significance of the miracle and focus on filling their bellies. The following dialogue has a sense of this. It is my adaptation of an older CPAS skit called "Nice Rolls" which I adapted to add a little local colour. For the uninitiated "baps" in Northern Ireland are bread rolls, and a slang term for a significant part of the female anatomy. (Young man and an older woman are standing eating baps) Man: Nice baps Mrs! Woman: I beg your pardon young man!? (folding arms over chest) How dare you !? Man: No, sorry… (holding out bap) I meant these… They're great... I'm on my second one... Woman: Sorry… I thought you were being rude… Man : No… Not at all… Have you any idea what’s in them, Mrs? Woman: I’m not sure. Fish I think... Man: Do you know what time it is by any chance? Woman: (Looks at watch, then holds it ...