A busy start to the week so I’m a little late with posting last Sunday’s sermon, but here it is now! We kept All Saints Day. The gospel reading for Year C is Saint Luke’s version of the Beatitudes, from the Sermon on the Plain. Here’s what I said.

Luke 6.20-31

First lines – whether in a novel, or a film, or even a piece of music – are so important. They can grab our attention – or put us totally off. A classic first line in a novel will immediately draw the reader in. It may give a very clear hint as what the rest of the book will bring, or be so enigmatic or intriguing that you just have to read on to find out more. The same is true of first lines in cinema, and while heard rather than read, a classic first line will make you immediately look forward to seeing how the film unfolds. Take this one, which I think is one of the best ever:

I never knew the old Vienna before the war, with its Strauss music, its glamour and easy charm – Constantinople suited me better. Anyone know? Yes -that’s from The Third Man with Orson Wells. Continue reading →