Our sermons/reflections on January have focussed on three episodes in Jesus' early life as recorded by the writer of Luke (circumcision/redemption of first born; visit to the Temple around the time he became bar mitzvah; baptism at around the age of thirty) alongisde some speculation on what filled the very obvious silences... we looked at games children played one week, synaggoue eduction another, and synagogue and temple worship today.

In a sense, we did what preachers always do when confronted by scriptural silence - we extrapolated from other sources and from old traditions, made guesses and even read-in our own thoughts shaped by our own time and place. 

In a sense, we did what preachers always do, even when there is no obvious silence - we padded out bland descriptions with colourful details in our attmept to discover the truth hidden within.

I've certainly enjoyed thinking about the stories, and about about the gaps, and what any of it may have to say to us. I also think that God's Spirit inspired at least some of it - especially as today's intercessory prayers had an unusually high 'hmmm' count!