The Archbishop of Canterbury reflects on Holy Week on Youtube

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, gave these reflections on Holy Week last year, they are well worth watching again if you can spare 8 minutes...


...The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, gives his thoughts on Holy Week, which took place between 16th and 23rd March (2008). Holy Week is 'a week when we discover in a way we don't at any other time just who we are and just who God is'.

Henry Nouwen: "You are not what the world makes you"

During our short lives the question that guides much of our behavior is: ‘Who are we?’ Although we may seldom pose that question in a formal way, we live it very concretely in our day-to-day decisions.

The three answers that we generally live—not necessarily give—are: ‘We are what we do, we are what others say about us and we are what we have,’ or in other words: ‘We are our success, we are our popularity, we are our power.’

Jesus came to announce to us that an identity based on success, popularity and power is a false identity—an illusion. Loudly and clearly he says: ‘You are not what the world makes you; but you are children of God.’

Henri Nouwen, from Here and Now: Living in the Spirit

I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly - John 10:1-18

John 10:1-18 (NRSV)

1 "Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers." 6 Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.


7 So again Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.


11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away-and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father."

Psalm 128

Psalm 128 Beati omnes

1	Happy are they all who fear the LORD, * and who follow in his ways!
2	You shall eat the fruit of your labor; * happiness and prosperity shall be yours.
3	Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine within your house, * your children like olive shoots round about your table.
4	The man who fears the LORD * shall thus indeed be blessed.
5	The LORD bless you from Zion, * and may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life.
6	May you live to see your children's children; * may peace be upon Israel.

noncooperation with everything humilating

The first principle of nonviolent action is that of noncooperation with everything humiliating.

- César Chávez

hat tip to "God's Politics" blog