The way of imagination

  INTRODUCTION: WHAT’S THIS ALL ABOUT?      As St. Luke (an early Christian and author of 2 New Testament books: Luke’s Gospel & Acts of the Apostles) tells the story, this was precisely the reaction of those who were on hand that day in Jerusalem when the first followers of Jesus “received the Holy Spirit”: “All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” ( Acts of the Apostles 2.12) Jesus lives?   You may have experienced similar perplexity after having spoken to Christians.   You might have noticed that they have a way of talking about Jesus as if he was still alive .   They talk about Jesus in the present tense, as if they spoke to him on a regular basis, as if he was a part of their daily lives.   That might have struck you as a bit weird.   I mean, everyone who has been to the movies in the western world knows that Jesus’ life ended with him being nailed to a Roman cross.   Strangely enough, Christians seem to celebrate Jesus’ crucifixion

Introduction      In recent years, Mary Magdalene has become something of a sensation, even among those who don’t consider themselves to be “religious”.   Though she is not mentioned frequently in the Bible, in recent “Jesus movies”, she is portrayed as a kind of “13 th member” of the group of Jesus’ closest followers.   Considering how women were viewed in the Jewish culture of the time, the fact that the Gospels mention the women in Jesus’ life is quite remarkable in itself.      It’s important to realize that the Bible was written in a time and place very different from our own.   It is completely normal that the Bible strike us – people living in modern, liberal democracies – as being misogynistic, patriarchal, old fashioned and often, just plain weird.   This is a natural reaction to have when reading a 2,000-year-old text from the Middle East.   However, this reaction might make us feel a bit guilty; we’ve been taught that the Bible is the “Word of God”.   Surely, we should

ALPHA COURSE HOLY SPIRIT ONLINE WEEKEND RETREAT INTRO VIDEO What is this?   The Alpha Course is a 12-week introduction to the major beliefs of the Christian faith (www.alphacanada.org). The Holy Spirit weekend is an opportunity to learn about the person of the Holy Spirit and to experience God in a personal way.   It is not necessary to have followed the Alpha Course from the beginning to attend the retreat.   Everyone is welcome, regardless of (non)religious background. The retreat is 100% FREE and carries absolutely no obligation to join a community, purchase anything or be contacted by the organizers after the end of the retreat.   You’re welcome to join us for this powerful weekend!   How to Register: v send an email to farrugia.samuel@gmail.com v Once you register, you will receive the “10-day Holy Spirit Challenge” booklet, which will guide you from Ascension (13 May) to Pentecost (23 May) with daily meditations.   Basic info: v Saturday-Sunday,