This morning’s readings at first glance seem to have little in common with each other but taken as a whole they speak of new life in different forms. We have Joseph meeting his brothers. The same brothers who thought him dead, now have him restored to them but in a very different form to the boy they tried to get rid of. St.Paul is discussing what resurrection is all about and in Luke we have Jesus encouraging his audience to to follow new ways. All in all they echo the resurrection and what it might mean when we use the...

I wonder how many of you, many decades ago, were caught out in some naughtiness and heard one of your elders saying “Woe betide you if you do that again!” Don’t worry - I’m not asking for a show of hands. That recollection came to me when I turned to today’s Gospel, in which Luke has Jesus use the word woe several times.

The next thought that struck me is that it isn’t at first clear how our three Bible readings fit together. There’s clearly a link between the curses and blessings of which Jeremiah speaks and our Gospel passage...

Fishing and landing a catch is no picnic. By fishing I don’t mean the gentle sport of angling I mean fishing deep at sea by trawler men. Deep sea fishing is hard graft, scary at times, dangerous even perilous but it can bring rewards. A good catch of fish can bring in a good price at market, although every penny made is well earned. 

Deep sea fishermen deserve our respect, for they are ordinary people (usually but not always men) who daily leave the security of home and the land for the insecurities of the sea; braving and battling all...