Ancient Anglican

The Church does not begin with Love or Justice or Good Works, rather our journey must begin with a deepened relationship with God and each other in Christ.  For only beginning with a God who humbles himself in the Incarnation and Death does the world appear upside down.

Curry reminds us that, on this side of the resurrection, we will be tossed as if on a wild and restless sea. Think through how we are called to follow Jesus despite (and often because of) the restlessness and controversies of the present age. 

A mountain, in the biblical narrative, is that place where the firmament between the heavens and the earth becomes thin and translucent.  It is where we encounter the Father, learn from the Son, and are renewed and transformed by the Spirit. Where is your mountain?

Curry points out that discipleship is more than simply following Jesus with your feet but is intrinsically holistic. Discipleship is about becoming one with the one we follow. In becoming like Jesus, all other issues fall into place.

As part of being a crazy Christian in the world today, these two chapters lay out that our support lies in the reciprocal nature of the two-fold commandment of love. Ultimately, it is God and our neighbor who return that love and support us in our walk.

Curry speaks of the dream of a God who seeks “reconciliation, reunion, and communion” between all of us whom he created in his image.

Read the Passion and Resurrection narrative in Matthew 27-28 to see how Mary demonstrates what it means to be crazy for Jesus within this drama.

We need some Christians who are as crazy as the Lord. Crazy enough to love like Jesus, to give like Jesus, to forgive like Jesus, to do justice, love mercy, walk humbly with God― like Jesus.

Mary’s hymn is not a wholly original composition but draws heavily on then-existing scriptures, and particularly the Song of Hanna and various Psalms.

How does your soul magnify the Lord? How does your spirit rejoice in God our Saviour?  In what ways does God cast down the mighty and lift up the lowly in your life?

Mary is mentioned by name more times in the Quran than in the Bible and she is the only woman mentioned by name in the Quran. 

Fr. Gabriel brought out two points concerning the role of Mary. First, Mary always points to Jesus. The second point is to see Mary as the personification of the Church.