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17th Sunday of Ordinary Time

As we continue our journey during the year of Hope we pray for peace in the war torn places in the world. our readings for this Sunday encourage us to pray and ask God for good things and he always answers but not in the ways we might want. In the First Reading God tells Abraham He will check on Sodom and Gomorrah’s sin. Abraham asks God to spare the city if innocent people are found and ten innocent people are found, and God dopes not destroy the city. In the second reading  we are told that In baptism, we were buried and raised with Christ. The reading goes on to say that God forgave our sins, cancelled our debt, and made us alive with Christ by nailing our sins to the Cross.

 In  this Sundays Gospel  one of the disciples, having seen Jesus at prayer, asks him to teach them how to pray. In response to this request Jesus teaches them how to pray in the words of the our Father. He also encourages them to be unwearied in their prayer because the Father who loves them will hear their pleas. My experience of praying to god for something is that we often get the thing that we pray for not when we think we need it but when god knows that we really need it.  The greatest example of prayer that has been passed down to us through the generations is the Mass. Each time we gather as a community of believers to take part in the Mass we reaffirm our belief that God is made incarnate in Jesus his Son. We also bring all our intentions with us and we leave them for god to answer in his own time. Persistence in prayer is a worthwhile exercise because the God we believe in is not some sulky, withdrawn figure who is unmoved by what he hears and sees remember that our God is with us who knows us and gives us what is good. The message of Jesus in the our Father is that our God is one who cares for us as well as concerned about us and those who are close to us.

The most important part of our human life is what we become through faith in the will of God the Father. When things don’t go the way they should, we benefit from our prayers. Think of Jesus in the Garden of Olives. He prayed what was coming his way would not happen. He also added he would abide by God’s will when he said Abba, Father let it be done as you not I would have it. If we continue to look for the will of God we will grow, despite the good and  bad things that come our way we will know that God is for us our  refuge and our strength in all things. As we reflect on the readings this Sunday we are invited to engage in prayer with boldness and trust. Like Abraham, we are encouraged to pray constantly for others, persistently asking God for what is good and just, even if we do not understand why things happen the way they do especially in our world today.  Like the disciples in the Gospel, we are taught to pray with confidence, knowing that our Father will give us what we need for us to live as faithful hope filled children of God.

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The readings for this Sunday have a focus on hospitality. What are some ways we can provide hospitality for others? Do we only care for their physical needs or do we also take the time to listen to them as St benedict says with the ear of our hearts?  In the First Reading  The Lord appeared to Abraham, who welcomed three visitors with hospitality. One of them promised that Sarah would have a son within a year. In Second Reading  Saint Paul tells the Colossians I suffer for you to share Christ’s afflictions and reveal the mystery of Christ in you, our hope of glory.In our Gospel reading this Sunday we hear all about Martha and Mary. On his way to Jerusalem, Jesus led his entourage into the village to call at  the home of Martha. As the good host, she served them but, her sister, Mary, sat listening to Jesus.

Martha tried to shame Mary into helping with the work but Jesus would have none of it. Instead, he praised Mary’s choice when he said leave her alone for she has chosen the better part.  Martha loved Jesus as much as Mary did, and it is clear that he treasured them both. Her mistake was in not trying to find out how Jesus wanted to be entertained, while visiting her house. Her sister senses that when Jesus comes on a visit the last thing he wants is to have people fussing over how to feed him. So, while Martha makes the greater housekeeping effort, Mary understands better what is expected of her by him. Her contemplative intuition grasps instinctively the real reason for Jesus’ visit.  He is there not to receive but to give, not to be served but to serve. He has something he needs to say and the one thing necessary is to listen to his voice. There is a whole theology of contemplation in this gospel reading, on how to receive the Lord’s visit. It starts off from the basis that, no matter who our visitors may be, there is always something to be learned, something from them. When Jesus comes to us he wants to talk to us in the quiet of the evening or the freshness of the morning, in the quietness of  our hearts and he wants to share with us the Word that brings salvation. He comes to us in the quiet moments not because he needs us but because we need him.

We too can be “distracted with all the serving;” we also “worry and fret about so many things.” As a result of all the worry and wonder we may, like Martha, miss the better part, for all of us the one thing that is necessary, is to listen to the Word of God with the ear of our hearts in the quiet moments of life. let us not be afraid of being like Mary and be attentive to what Jesus is telling each of us today. Let us listen again to what god is saying to us in the quiet and still moments of our lives and we will be surprised by what we hear for we will know that we  have chosen the better part like Mary in the Gospel.

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time

This Sunday we celebrate the 15th Sunday of Ordinary Time. In our First Reading  Moses told the people that God’s commandments are not beyond their reach; they are close and in their hearts, ready to be followed with all their heart and soul. In the Second Reading Christ shows us God, created everything, holds everything together, leads the church, and reconciles all things through his death on the cross. In our Gospel reading Jesus is asked the question ‘who is my neighbor” and this is a good question to ask ourselves in the current situation of Immigration with the resulting opportunities and problems that arise . 

When I was a youngster your neighbors were the people that lived next door to you or those who lived in your street or road they were the families you would go to when you ran out of milk or sugar to borrow some or to share the news about the people and happenings in the area. Sadly this is not the case today as we live in a world where you might not know your neighbour or who they are.  The Gospel story tells us about the Good Samaritan it is a story that all of us are familiar with.  It was the Samaritan who stopped with the man who was lying on the side of the road it was the Samaritan who was moved with compassion to help him. The Priest and the Levite walked on and passed by on the other side of the road because they felt that it was beneath their dignity to help the man when they should have been doing exactly that. Our Gospel story tells us what we should be doing in 2025 to show our love for our neighbors. First, it tells us that we must be willing to help even if others brought trouble on themselves for whatever reason. Second, our concern to help others must be practical. And lastly, our love for others must be as wide and as inclusive as God’s all encompassing love for us.  

We remember that God excludes no one from his love and care. At all times we must be ready to do good to others just as God is good to us we must be good to others. Jesus not only taught God’s way of love, he also showed how far God was willing to go to share in our suffering and to restore our wholeness in life and happiness. Jesus overcame sin, suffering, and death through his victory on the cross on Good Friday. True compassion not only identifies and empathizes with the one who is in pain, it also takes that pain on in order to bring freedom and restoration.  Our world is moving towards ways of doing things that hurt more and more people time after time instead of restoring them. We are in this world so we cannot pretend that it’s got nothing to do with us for it has everything to do with us as we are Christians. In these days with a lot of turmoil and confusion going on around us the words  of the first reading ring in our ears obey the voice of the Lord and we ask ourselves what is the Lord asking us to do? We are being asked to reach out in order to show friendship to our neighbors and those who have come to be our neighbors as migrants from other countries.

At the end of the Gospel Jesus askes the Lawyer Which of these three, do you think, proved himself a neighbor to the man who fell into the brigands‘ hands?’ ‘The one who took pity on him’ the lawyer replied. Jesus said to him, ‘Go, and do the same yourself.’ And he says exactly the same to us today here and now in 2025, so let us go now and do the same.

14Th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time invites us to reflect on themes of peace, joy, and discipleship. The readings remind us of God’s blessings, our call to share the Gospel, and the hope we find in Christ and his message. The readings also highlight God’s gift of peace. Jesus tells His disciples to bring peace wherever they go, showing that peace is central to Christian life. This is so necessary for all of us in our very troubled world where so many countries and people are at war with each other. In the First Reading  from Issiah we hear about the joy and comfort that the Lord will bring to his people, using metaphors of a nursing mother, a comforting mother, and a flowing river. The Lord promises to extend peace to his people like a river, and his people will rejoice and be glad, with their hearts flourishing like grass.

In the Second Reading  from Galatians we are told that The cross of Christ is important as the means of salvation and new life for believers. Paul declares that he will boast only in the cross of Christ, which has made him a new creation, and he encourages the Galatians to avoid the false teachers instead urging them to embrace the new creation in Christ. This Sunday’s Gospel tells us about Jesus appointing the 72 others and then sending them out in pairs to the towns he was going to visit. As he gives his missionary instruction Jesus is under no illusion about the territory compared to the wolves roaming around, his own crowds are like lambs. He tells the 72 to lead the radical lifestyle of the wandering preacher who must face homelessness and renunciation of family and property. When they enter a house they should bless it with peace. The Gospel also tells us about the practical things to direct the seventy-two as they proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom. Jesus told them to carry no purse, no haversack, and no sandals. Proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom and rebuilding community life are two sides of the same coin. One does not exist and cannot make sense without the other there is a clear urgency about the task in hand with urgency in his voice Jesus says, “Start off now”. On their return the disciples were delighted that their mission has actually worked!  

Their joy demonstrates that the people welcome the word of God and that the word of God is their real resource for mission. There will be a time of crisis with the wolves roaming around and currently we seem to be  living in a time of crisis with so many things that are wrong in the world.  Jesus speaks to us to reassure us and tells us to hold on to all that is good. The Gospel, of course, is not about an historical 72 people being sent out. It is about the mission of every disciple of Jesus. Spreading the message of the Gospel is always done by winning over hearts and minds through the example what we say and do. The fullness of life is the message and the mission of Jesus  who empowers us in our time and place to work in his name to build up the kingdom.  Real rejoicing is not to be had in the conversion of great numbers of people, but in knowing that we  have done the will of God. Our mission where we are today  is to proclaim to others the hope that is in the good news of salvation so that the world will believe May our hearts be open to his words! May our hearts direct our minds! And may our minds direct our hands in the work of the Lord as we go forward in faith and hope.

Saints Peter and Paul

This Sunday June 29 is the feast day of Saints Peter and Paul. These were the two men that  God used to spread the gospel and lead the early Church despite terrible persecution. In the Gospels Peter stands our as apostle who most frequently took  the initiative when they were with Jesus. The Acts of the Apostles portray him as the undisputed leader of the early Church, undergoing enormous hardships and fearlessly facing persecution for the sake of Christ. He was a man of action. He spent his last years in Rome, where tradition tells us he was martyred during the persecution of Nero, in 64 0r 65 AD. St Paul who was well versed in rabbinical learning, at first persecuted the Christians, he has a vision of Christ on the road to Damascus which changed his life. After three years in solitary retirement in the dessert of Arabia , he plunged into a life of intense missionary activity, Tradition says that the was martyred in Rome around the year 67.

The Jews of Jesus’ time were not a free people. They lived under harsh Roman occupation. Yet they held fast to the belief that God would send a king to liberate them a Messiah who would overthrow their oppressors and bring justice and peace to the world. They had waited a long time, trusting in God’s promise. But no one knew exactly who the Messiah would be, what he would be like, or when he would come. Many expected a warrior-king who would lead a revolt against the Romans. Others hoped for a religious reformer who would purify the Temple and restore true worship. Some even claimed to be the Messiah, but the Romans quickly eliminated them, and their followers scattered. In the First Reading  from the acts of the apostles  we are told that Herod imprisoned Peter to appease the Jews. With the Church praying fervently for Peter, an angel appeared, shining light into his cell. Unchained, Peter followed the angel past guards, through self-opening gates, to freedom. In the Second Reading we hear that Paul, seeing his end was near, tells us  I’ve run the race, I have kept the faith. A crown of righteousness awaits me. The Lord gave me strength, protection, and he will guide me to His heavenly Kingdom.

In the reading from Matthews gospel  Jesus asks His disciples about the people’s opinions regarding His identity. Simon Peter declares that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus acknowledges Peter’s revelation, affirming that upon him, whom He calls Peter, to be the rock that he will build His Church on, and the powers of death will not overcome it. Jesus entrusts Peter with the keys of the Kingdom, granting him authority to bind and loose matters on earth and in heaven. Jesus then asks the disciples, “But, who do you say I am?” It is Peter who adds to the title ‘Son of Man’ by recognising Jesus as ‘the Christ, the Son of the living God’. Jesus names Peter as a happy man. This same Peter whose faith faltered when he was buffeted by the wind and waves of change now shows his openness to God and recognises Jesus for who he is. But this is not the end of Peter’s story. There are ups and downs in his response, as we see that in Matthew 16:21-23 when this ‘rock’ of faith becomes a ‘stumbling block’ to God’s purpose.  In spite of that, Jesus names Peter as the ‘rock’ on which he will build the church. Throughout the centuries Peter is our Holy Father the Pope , Peter the fisherman was the first pope and pope Leo is his successor as the living embodiment of Peter the  rock of faith who is called to build up the church in 2025.

Peter and Paul so different in background and temperament each met Jesus and responded in faith to what they heard and saw. Both Peter and Paul show us how to be courageous in sharing our faith. They faced prison, hardship, and death because they loved Jesus and wanted others to know Him. Their courage encourages us to think about how we live our faith. Do we share it with others? Do we trust God when things get hard?  Peter’s job at the beginning of the church is the same  as it  is today for Pope Leo that is to use the ‘keys of the kingdom’ to unlock the reign of God’s grace and send it out into the world. Are we prepared to be his coworkers where we are right now ? This Holy Year is all about hope often times we feel hopeless and helpless when we see all that is going on in the world around us. Our Prayer and support for one another and our faith leaders is always important.  Our hope filled prayer is that we will be courageous like Peter and Paul as we live and share our faith as they did at the beginning of the Church.

Ascension

This weekend we celebrate the ascension. In this feast we celebrate Christ ascending into heaven and then taking his seat at the right hand of the Father. Our lives are made up of so many different times and places of leave-taking and that is what Ascension is really about Jesus leaving the Apostles to return to the Father. Jesus has called the ragged, group of disciples, scattered after his crucifixion, back to himself to form them, fragile and doubtful as they were, into a community for mission to go out into the world  in the name of God.

The Apostles must have felt awful as  Jesus  was leaving them even though he told them that I am with you yes to the end of time.  In the First Reading  Jesus instructed the apostles to wait for the Holy Spirit the paraclete and then ascended to heaven to the right hand of the father. In the Second Reading : we are told that Christ entered heaven to appear before God for us, sacrificing himself once to remove sin. We are called to  trust and approach God with sincere hearts, holding firmly to the hope that is within us. This Gospel reading is all about the past the present and the future. Jesus has little to say, but he is definite about what he has to say when he speaks. The disciples did what he told them to do. He asked them to meet him on the mountain, and they did that. Like any gathering of people, their feelings were varied. Some of them worshipped him, while some of them still doubted.

Jesus didn’t seem to have any great problem with that, because he knew that, when the Spirit came, all of those doubts would be ended. The redemption and salvation off the world was to begin at Pentecost and continue through the generations, until the end of time. It would seem, that he was in a hurry to take his leave of them, so that his plan for  our salvation could get underway. The mission of the apostles was simple to understand; difficult to carry out. It was to teach others all that Jesus had taught them. Just as he asked his disciples to follow him, they were to ask that others should follow him as well which was so hard then and especially hard in the world of today. Over the years so many things have changed in the Church and society. However two things that have not changed are the person of Jesus himself and his message as they are ever old and always new.

At  Easter and in  the weeks since we have been remembering the great events that have brought salvation to the world as we proclaim that Jesus is alive and  with us where we are in 2025. The feasts of the Ascension and Pentecost help us to realize that we are part of a long tradition of faithful faith filled disciples. All of us have our faults and failings, but our call is to be faithful witnesses to Jesus and what he teaches us. As a result of the actions we take and the things we say the people around us will know that we are followers of Jesus who are called to be the hope filled presence of God in the world today.

6th Sunday of Easter

This weekend we celebrate the 6th Sunday of Easter and soon we will celebrate Ascension and Pentecost Sunday. At the council of Jerusalem Paul and Barnabas receive endorsement of their policy of admitting Greeks and other pagans to the Church without requiring them to observe the law of Moses. Paul sees clearly that Christs coming means freedom for us. We are no longer bound by restrictions and laws if we observe the commandment of Jesus to love, Love God and others. The love of Christ will be the light illuminating our whole lives.  

In the First Reading from Acts the Apostles decided not to burden Gentile believers with the Jewish law and what it required from them instead they asked them to avoid certain things.  In the Second Reading  from the book of Revelation we are told that the angel showed John Jerusalem, shining with the glory of god. It had twelve gates and foundations named after the tribes of Israel.  In the Gospel we continue to read the Farewell Discourse as Jesus makes a number of promises to the disciples. Throughout John’s Gospel Jesus speaks about his boundless affection for the Father and the disciples. Another favourite theme of John is that, just as the Father and Jesus abide together in love, they will also come to abide in the heart of the disciple. Jesus does not speak these words in the sense of foretelling the future, but rather to prepare the disciples for their daily ‘remembering’ of, and making his words and actions present, in their own lives. Jesus promises to send the Holy Spirit to the apostles as the advocate.  

Although Jesus had spoken to the Apostles and told them many different things, he knew them well and realized that they wouldn’t remember everything he said Jesus also knew that they would have to endure many struggles, difference and disagreement.  The Apostles would not see eye to eye on everything; they would have different memories of Jesus; they would emphasise different things. In the conflicts that would arise they would have to put their faith to work.  That is why he told them that the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in his name, will teach you everything and remind you of all I have said to you. These words are a direct pointer towards Pentecost and the gifts that the Holy Spirit would bring to them as well as us.  We don’t have the physical presence of Jesus with us the way his first disciples did when he talked with them around the table at the Last Supper, washed their feet, and gave them his reassuring promises. His farewell to them was a real farewell he was going, he would no longer be with them. But he assured them and us that he is present in a different way, through his gift of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus also promised the Apostles Peace  ‘A peace that the world cannot give.’ Sometimes we mistake this peace for our idea of quietness or tranquility, but the peace the Jesus gives is a peace that can be found even in the midst of turmoil. This peace is not something we can manufacture ourselves by our own power. It’s a gift that comes from Jesus, who doesn’t want to lose touch with us. Jesus chose his followers to carry out God’s plan of salvation. He chooses us today to do the same, he gives us a personal stake in the Kingdom of God.  We remember the great gift that the Holy spirit is it is the breath of God that unites us. If we keep on trusting in the presence of the Spirit of God in our lives we will have peace in the midst of any personal, family, or community turmoil that comes our way as well as someone who will keep us going along the right Road !

5th Sunday of Easter

This weekend we pray for Pope Leo as he begins his ministry as our Holy Father with mass on Sunday morning to inaugurate his ministry as the successor of Peter. We pray the Holy Spirit will guide him in his leadership of the Church as our shepherd and Father in faith. We also stop and say a prayer for all those who are doing exams over the next few weeks. Our world puts great store on education and often forgets the pressure that this puts on our young people especially at exam time. We pray that they may be inspired to do their best and know that there are people out there family, friends, teachers and lecturers who value them no matter how good or bad  the exam results might be.

On this fifth Sunday of Easter, the scripture readings continue to describe the growth of discipleship and the conditions for the Kingdom of God. Membership in the Kingdom comes about by becoming members of the Church. The term church comes from the Hebrew word Qahal. It comes from a verb meaning called together. So, the Church is a group of people who gather together in faith, hope and Joy. In the First Reading from the acts of the apostles we hear that Paul and Barnabas revisited cities, encouraging disciples and explaining hardships they would endure for the  kingdom of God. They appointed church leaders, entrusted them to the Lord, and shared their mission success in Antioch, emphasizing God’s outreach to non-Jews. In the Second Reading John describes a new heaven and earth, with the old gone. He sees a splendid New Jerusalem and hears God proclaim His eternal dwelling with people, erasing all pain and making everything new. In this Sundays Gospel Jesus calls us to a new way of living when he tells us to love one another as I have loved you.  At one level this is a simple call to love, at another it is a big challenge for us with all that we see going on in our world. This means that we should love as Jesus loves, in order show the face and heart of Christ to a war torn hurting world.

 The love Jesus speaks of seems to be narrow and restrictive. He is addressing his disciples when he says, “love one another.” This love may seem insular and applicable just to an inner circle of his followers. But this is not the case as Jesus wants us to be united with him and one another in love today right where we are. Jesus’ command to love one another is central to Christian life. He taught this lesson at a time when He knew He would be betrayed. Instead of focusing on His own troubles, Jesus emphasized the importance of loving others as he loved them. This teaches us that love should be the foundation of our relationships, even when life gets difficult. Helping and supporting one another in our faith and life journeys means being there for each other through both good and bad times. It means offering a listening ear, a helping hand, and a kind word. By doing this we follow Jesus’ example and build a community rooted in love and care. By loving and supporting one another, we live out the true essence of our faith and strengthen the bonds of faith within our communities. We are called as pilgrims of hope to build and  become that community of love showing the love of God to those around us especially during this Holy Year and at all other times as well.

CONCLAVE 2025

Tomorrow morning in St Peters Rome the Mass for the election of the new pope will take place at 10am local time during that mass we pray that the Holy spirit will inspire the Cardinal Electors to elect the pope. Later in the day  the Conclave to elect a successor to Pope Francis will begin at 5pm when the Cardinals will process from the Pauline Chapel into the Sistine Chapel. There they will take the oath to maintain the secrecy of the conclave under pain of excommunication. Then everyone else who is not an elector will leave when the master of ceremonies declares extra omnes which means all those who are not allowed to remain must leave. Then a Cardinal will give a reflection on what they are about begin and the first ballot will take place. Many people have said they want a more Conservative or a more Liberal pope but it doesn’t work that way as people want what they think is good for everyone else.

The way it works is that all of us should pray that the Holy Spirit will inspire the Cardinals to elect  the Pope who will be a source of unity and a bridge builder within the Church.

O God, eternal shepherd,

who govern your flock with unfailing care,

grant in your boundless fatherly love

a pastor for your Church

who will please you by his holiness

and to us show watchful care.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

3rd Sunday of Easter

We have come to the third Sunday of Easter and much has happened since Easter Sunday. The readings of the Easter Season continue to unfold for us the great Easter Mystery – the enduring presence of Jesus among us and what ‘new life in Christ’ might mean. In Jesus resurrection we celebrate the son of God who affirms that he walks with us and suffered died and rose again for us.  Jesus  resurrection assures us that life can come out of death and good overcomes evil.

It doesn’t always seem that way these days when we see the suffering people around the world with war and conflict in so many countries but for people who have faith in God nothing is impossible. After the earth shattering events of Good Friday and the empty tomb on Easter Sunday Peter and the others were ready to put the events of those days behind them and return home to do what they did before they came across Jesus and his message. But Jesus won’t let them go. The apostles courageously proclaim the Good News despite persecution, and Peter recognizes Jesus after a miraculous catch of fish. In our Gospel for this Sunday Jesus comes to the shore looking for the apostles. He gets their attention, as he did when he first called them, with a large catch of fish. He prepares breakfast for them and invites them to eat, “Come, and have breakfast.” After the meal Jesus asks Peter three times about the reality of his love. Insisting on love is something of a mark with Jesus. Three times Peter affirms his love, as three times Jesus insists on it.  

When Peter professes his love Jesus commissions him to care for his flock when he says feed my sheep. In his ministry of teaching, preaching and healing Peter gets through to many people, and the authorities become nervous at the ability of Peter and the apostles to work in the name of Jesus In spite of the opposition Peter will continue insisting on his love for Jesus and this insistence will take him to martyrdom in Rome. No matter whether the believer is new or old, a pew sitter or a leader of people, the call of Christ is the same: “Follow me.”  Following Christ means we lead a life lived in the community of faith where we are. Are we, like Peter, spreading the net for new believers and professing a true love for our Savior? Or are we on the sidelines watching others doing the work when we should really be out there doing the work with them?   This Gospel reading is so appropriate for this weekend as we pray for the Cardinals who will meet in conclave next week to elect the new pope who is the successor of Peter who was  to shepherd the flock of Christ.

As we continue our Easter journey  we remember that the God of Hope, Love and Mercy is with us and wants us to abide in him throughout our lives. There will always be things going on in the world that we have no real control over so let us go forward in faith hope and love as Easter people  as we pray in anticipation of the election of new pope the successor of Peter who was called and commissioned by Christ to shepherd the church.

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