When Will and Kate came to Montreal in 2011– that’s Prince William and Catherine the Duchess of Cambridge,  I waited for three hours for just a glimpse of the royal couple.  At first the police separated the crowds into two distinct camps –  sheep and goats – as it were –  the pro-royalists to the […]

May the words of my mouth, and the meditation of our all our hearts be acceptable to you, our God, that I may speak and we all may reflect in your name, one God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Amen. Something great and terrible is about to happen. On this, the Bible passages are especially […]

One hundred years ago – almost to the month – the Princess Pats – Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry – landed in France to fight.  Other Canadian soldiers would join them in 1915.  Eventually 66,000 Canadians would die in the First World War out of a Canadian population of 8 million. On Tuesday we will […]

Today marks the last day of a very brief season – three days for contemplating that which is unseen – both the dark and the light. The season began with Hallowe’en, the eve of All Saints Day, which technically was yesterday, and ends today with All Souls Day. It’s a season for facing down fear […]

SERMON—ALL SAINTS’ SUNDAY—2 November 2014 Fear the Most High, you that are God’s saints, for those who fear God lack nothing.  In the name of the undivided Trinity, one God now and forever.  Amen. The young man stood alone in the centre of the town square.  All around him, people were gathering—jeering and mocking, unsure […]

On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. May I speak in the name of God ….. Whenever the Church gets itself into heated arguments about who can get married in church, who can take communion – when, where and how, and who can be ordained, today’s Gospel is never far away: […]

“Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said.” One of the things worth thinking about in the Gospel that we just heard is this dynamic of entrapment and the clever way Jesus springs the trap without getting caught. It speaks to the narrative of Jesus’ ministry and its consequences.   It […]

‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ Although […]

Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom.   Only S. Matthew – of all the evangelists – could have written that. Both Mark and Luke’s have the same parable of the vineyard in their Gospels, but […]

A Sermon Preached at Christ Church Cathedral, Montréal St. Matthew’s Day 2014 The Rev. Canon Eric Beresford, D.D. While I was a theological student, one of the “characters” around the university was a faculty member called Dennis Nineham. In addition to his well known if controversial commentary on the Gospel of Mark he was famous […]