Husband. Father. Anglican Priest.
May 1: Feast of Philip and James. Philip asked the question that drew the greatest Christological declaration in John’s Gospel. James left no recorded word at all. Both are honored as apostles. Both shapes of witness belong to the Church.
"I am the gate" — a claim to divine identity. One narrow gate, wide open to anyone who enters. The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. The Shepherd comes for abundant life. The gate was opened at a cost. Only the one who died to open it can say "I am the gate."
Good Shepherd Sunday invites us to behold Jesus as the loving, sacrificial Shepherd who knows us by name and lays down His life for the sheep. Exploring John 10, Psalm 23, Anglican liturgy, and the call to follow Him, this reflection offers encouragement for every believer this Easter season.
April 25 is the Feast of Mark the Evangelist. He was not one of the Twelve. He turned back from the first missionary journey. He was restored and made useful. And by his hand, God gave the Church the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The earliest. The most urgent. The one that shaped all the others.
Two disciples walked away from Jerusalem on the day of the resurrection — grieving, confused, hopes shattered. Jesus drew near and walked with them before they knew who he was. He opened the Scriptures, broke the bread, and their eyes were opened. The road to Emmaus did not end in that village.
On Easter evening, the disciples hid behind locked doors — not just afraid, but crushed by guilt and grief. Jesus came through anyway, spoke peace, and breathed new life into them. He is still doing exactly that today.