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22 Feb 2025

7th Sunday ir Ordinary Time

We pray this weekend for the well being of our Holy Father Pope Francis as he remains in hospital.  The readings for this Sunday teach us about mercy, forgiveness, and love. These themes show us how to live like Jesus in our everyday lives. The readings call us to live a hope filled life of mercy, just like David showed mercy to Saul in the first reading. Mercy means choosing kindness over revenge. It means forgiving others, even when it is hard.  The First Reading from the first book of  Samuel tells us that David, finding Saul asleep, refuses to harm him, saying it’s wrong to strike the lord’s anointed. He takes Saul’s spear and jug, proving his mercy and faithfulness from afar. The Second Reading 1 Corinthians tells us that The first Adam was earthly, the last Adam (Christ) is a life-giving spirit. We, once earthly, will transform to bear the likeness of the heavenly man.

This weekend we think about the things the Lord asks us to do in following Him, nothing is more difficult that the teaching  “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well, and from the person who takes your cloak, do not withhold even your tunic. Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you It is much easier to sacrifice our wants for the needs of others, then it is to avoid lashing out at someone but that is what Jesus is calling us to do.  The point of this kind of prophetic speech by Jesus is to stimulate his audience (and us) to reflect on the whole pattern of behaviour in human relationships. Jesus is not really suggesting rules to be followed literally in certain circumstances. Rather, we are being invited to reflect on how we can respond to unreasonable demands and personal injuries with nothing but generosity and abandoning all claims to retribution and restitution.  What we are talking about in this Gospel is not some ethical system for the good of society or for our own self-interest but something way beyond this.

What Jesus gives us is the very principle behind the creation of the universe: God’s infinite love for us all. This is the extraordinary challenge that he lays before us: To love the people around us just as he loves us, just as he loves them.  It is not easy and we won’t achieve it often but we know that this is what God wants from us and it is something that deep in our hearts we are glad to do. The way God treats us should be the guideline for our life as Christians. God is infinitely compassionate and merciful, he is extraordinarily patient with our many shortcomings and he puts up with all sorts of foolishness on our part.  What Jesus is suggesting are responses to insults and injuries which break cycles of violent retaliation and provide pathways to peace and reconciliation. By doing this, Jesus says, we can allow the utter generosity of God to shine through us. Doing good only to those who do good to us is not enough to convey the generosity and welcome of God. Only acting with overwhelming generosity and compassion allows the mercy, generosity and compassion with which God meets each of us to be clearly seen in concrete actions It is our task as a true disciple to imitate our master, to imitate the behaviour of God himself. In the words of Micah this is what God asks of us: only this, to act justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with our God.

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08 Feb 2025

5th Sunday in Ordinary Time

This Sunday we celebrate the 5th Sunday in Ordinary time and we remember and pray for all those who are sick as we celebrate the world day for the Sick on 11th February. We ask God through the intercession of Our Lady of Lourdes to bless our sick and all those who look after them. The 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time readings highlight important themes. These themes help us understand our faith and God’s call in our lives. In the  First Reading from Isaiah  Isaiah saw the Lord on His throne, felt unworthy, but was cleansed by a seraphim. When God asked for a messenger, Isaiah offered to go. In the Responsorial Psalm I will thank and praise God for His kindness and truth. He answers me and gives me strength. All will praise Him for His great glory and enduring kindness.

The Second Reading from Corinthians tells us that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose on the third day. Saint Paul says He appeared to many, including me. By God’s grace, I preach, and you believed. Our Gospel story for this Sunday recounts the story of the of Peter’s calling to be a fisher of men. After a fruitless night’s fishing, Peter obeys the word of Jesus and catches a huge number of fish. He feels unworthy before Jesus; but he is now called to be a fisher of men. Peter recognises the hand of God in what has happened and at the same time realises his own sinfulness but Jesus comes to show us the mercy of his Father. Jesus did not come to be a hermit with an unreachable address in the desert; rather, his whole mission moves in the opposite direction, for he has come “to seek out and save the lost” (Luke 19:10). So Jesus travels into our lives not away from them.  He entertains sinners he enters their homes, meets their families, eats at their table, listens to their stories, and calls all of us to a new way of life when he says follow me. Throughout his life Jesus is never far from sinners he is not far from all of us as well for are sinners too. Jesus doesn’t write us off because we are sinners; Jesus has other plans because he knows that we sinners have a future, not just a past. Simon Peter received his call while he was doing his work. He said, “Yes,” and responded by changing his life.

Every day, in the midst of our routines, at work, home, school there are opportunities to respond to Jesus’ call to follow him. In innumerable ways our Christian vocation must guide what we say and what we do. In all  our decisions big and small, we are asked to live what we profess as Jesus’ followers; to be attentive to what God may be asking of us at that moment of our lives. This may entail being faithful to the commitments we already have; responding to a need we see, or taking the opportunity to witness to what we believe. Our responses may seem small and insignificant. They may be small, but they are never insignificant! In addition, who knows where the next “Yes” we say to Christ may lead us?  Our call as disciples is not only to personal holiness but also to partnership with Christ in transforming the world with words and actions of  justice, peace, integrity, forgiveness, mercy, tolerance, hope and love. We must allow ourselves to be caught and taught by Jesus. The response that is asked for, is to be prepared to give up everything in our quest to know Jesus. In spite of our sense of sinfulness, unworthiness and lack of faith in ourselves, we are called to trust in God’s choice of us and in God’s faith in us who are his beloved daughters and sons.

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31 Jan 2025

The Presentation of the Lord

The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord is an ancient celebration in the Church. It is also called Candlemas because, on this day, candles are blessed in many parishes. The feast is celebrated on February 2nd  forty days after Christmas. It recalls the day when Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem to present Him to God. This event is rooted in Jewish tradition. According to the Law of Moses, every firstborn son belonged to God. Jewish parents were to bring their son to the Temple and offer a small sacrifice in thanksgiving. By bringing Jesus to the Temple, Mary and Joseph followed God’s law faithfully. This act shows their humility and obedience to God.

The Church has celebrated the Presentation of the Lord for many centuries. In the early Church, people gathered in the evening for a candlelit procession, honouring Christ as the Light. February 2, exactly 40 days after Christmas, was chosen because of this tradition in Jewish law. It also marks the end of the Christmas season for some Catholic communities.   In the First Reading the text, taken from the Prophet Malachi tells us, “I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me; and suddenly there will come to the temple the Lord who you seek” (Mal 3:1). From the Gospels, we know  that the precursor was John the Baptist who was born 6 months before Jesus, we also know that God sent John to prepare His way. So, soon after the Baptist’s birth, God entered His temple. Jesus’ presentation signifies God’s entrance to His temple. God made man entered the temple, presenting Himself to those who were really searching for Him. In the Gospel reading  from Luke we are introduced to different people and events that in themselves provide numerous pointers  for  reflection. First of all, Mary and Joseph respect the Mosaic Law by offering the sacrifice prescribed for the poor: a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. Simeon and Anna were two venerable elderly people dedicated to prayer and fasting their strong religious spirit rendered them able to recognize the Messiah when they saw him.

  Simeon blessed God and said “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in the sight of all the peoples: a light to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.” We are familiar with the beautiful symbolism associated with light. Light in the spiritual sense means Christ and the supernatural life of grace. The Presentation of the Lord connects the Old Covenant with the New. In the Old Covenant, people followed the law to be close to God. But Jesus brings the New Covenant, where people are saved by faith in Him as the Son of God and what he teaches. By being presented in the Temple, Jesus shows respect for the Old Covenant while also opening a new way for the people to follow.  In the Presentation of the Lord, we see that Jesus came to bring light, hope, and salvation to the world. Through Mary and Joseph’s faithfulness, Jesus’ mission begins humbly but with great purpose. This feast invites us to embrace the light of Jesus and to trust in His saving plan for us and for the world. It also prompts us to ask ourselves how can we, as the Body of Christ be Light and Hope for others especially in the darkness of our current times.  

We are also invited to present ourselves to God, offering our lives in joyful hope filled service and love. We remember the call to live as “children of the light,” walking in hope, faith and trust lighting the path for those around us to follow the god of hope and joy.

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24 Jan 2025

3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time

This Sunday we celebrate the 3rd Sunday of ordinary time as well as Word of God Sunday. Today’s readings make an unmistakable directive that we are to seek joy that comes from faith.  They provide insight  to how we are to go about instilling joy into our the core of our being.  In our first reading from Nehemiah,  we find ourselves at the Feast of Tabernacles at a time of true revival.  God had intervened and had brought the Israelites back to Jerusalem.  Not only had they returned home from captivity in Babylon, but God had miraculously provided all the resources needed to rebuild the temple and the walls of the inner city. In the Psalm we are reminded again of the power of God’s Word as it “refreshes the soul”.  His Words bring “Spirit and Life.”  They provide “rejoicing to the heart,” “enlightenment”, a “fear of the Lord which is pure, enduring forever”. 

All of these reminders point us to God’s Holy Word, which is the ultimate source of the overflowing joy we need to not only rejoice, but to effectively point others to our Lord and Savior the reason for the hope and joy that is within us. In our Second Reading from 1 Corinthians, we see how our joy is to be lived out.  We are reminded that our church the  body of Christ is made up of many  unique individuals, all with unique talents & purposes.  We are instructed that there can be no divisions, but rather shared concern for one another.  True joy is found only when we focus upon others, allowing our joy  to flow into their lives both in their good times and their challenges. In the Gospels for this Sunday and next, Luke tells the story of Jesus’ visit to his hometown of Nazareth. Luke wants to make very clear to his readers what drives Jesus the Prophet from Galilee and what is the goal of his action. We as Christians need to know in what direction the Spirit pushes Jesus, since following him means that we are walking down the same path as he did and often times it will be in opposition to what is going on in the world.  With the Spirit poured upon him at his baptism, Jesus would proclaim freedom for captives, sight for the  blind, and help for those who are oppressed.  When Jesus spoke, hearts and minds turned to God and health of mind, body and spirit were restored.

There is an immediate life implication in this gospel passage  that is easy to overlook and that is the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jesus and the Church in order to bring the good news of hope and joy to us and we are called to bring it to the people of our time and place. The “today” of Jesus that the Gospel speaks about is not only the day he was speaking. It is our “today” as well here  right where we are in 2025. As pilgrims of hope in this Holy Year we are called to bring the joy of Christ that we have as people of faith into the lives of others. Wherever we are that is our challenge it is the challenge of hope filled joyful people who proclaim freedom for captives, sight for the  blind, and help for those who are oppressed.   

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10 Jan 2025

The Baptism of the Lord

This weekend we celebrate the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan by John. This celebration is also a reminder of our own Baptism which for many of us took place a long time ago when we were babies but I am sure we have been to a baptism of a child. Some of us  may have been to the baptism of an adult during the Easter season as part of the RCIA process where people come into the faith communities where they live after a time of preparation during Lent. In the First reading from Isaiah We hear an ancient description of the mysterious “servant” who is endowed with the spirit of God. His mission is to bring true justice to the nations, and he will accomplish this in quietness and gentleness. In the Second reading  from the Acts of the apostles Peter addresses the household of Cornelius and tells them how Jesus began his public ministry after John the Baptist’s preaching when he was anointed with power by the Holy Spirit coming down from heaven upon Jesus.

The gospel for this Sunday uses the simple phrase that “the heavens were opened,” the voice of the Father was heard saying this is my Son in whom I am well pleased and it is a powerful statement. This particular gospel story is the beginning of the journey that Jesus was to undertake and it brought him to Calvary and the cross.  Through our own baptism, each of us is asked to travel a spiritual journey of hope and faith though we won’t end up on the Cross. The sacrament of Baptism is the is the foundational sacrament key to all the other sacraments. Baptism has three essential results, firstly it wipes us clean from original sin and secondly it makes us members of the Church. It also opens up the opportunity for us to receive the other sacraments, most particularly the Eucharist which is the sacrament that we most frequently experience and which is the main way that our souls are nourished by God’s grace. We remember that John foretold Jesus  coming and he is acclaimed on earth by John and Jesus links himself to John by being baptized by him.  Jesus is acclaimed from heaven by the voice of the Father with  the presence of the Spirit.   Most of us rarely think about our own baptism, Through our baptism we died with Christ and have been reborn into a whole new life (Romans 6). We, the baptized, are made a part of the body of Christ.  We are called to imitate Jesus, who St. Paul says, “went about doing good.” We don’t need a detailed rule book to know how we should act in each situation of our lives, for in baptism, we have the companionship of the Spirit who is our wisdom, our help and our guide to do good and enable us to do what is right in all the situations we may find ourselves in.

Our personal faith journeys have one great purpose and the purpose is to try and live our lives as sons and daughters of the living God brothers and sisters of Jesus enlivened by the Holy Spirit. Today we are invited to renew that first encounter of our own baptism and look at it  in a new light. In baptism Christ has made all of us his own. He invites all of us to a deeper relationship with Him, a relationship that throws new and perhaps unexpected light on the grace of that first encounter in the baptismal font.

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04 Jan 2025

Second Sunday after Christmas

Here we are at the second Sunday after Christmas as we look forward to the arrival of the three wise men on the feast of the Epiphany which takes place on Monday 6th January.  By long standing  tradition Christians celebrate Christmas as a season, with the twelve days between Christmas and the Epiphany as one long “Christmas feast.” The season ends with the Baptism of the Lord which is also the first Sunday of ordinary time and that takes place next Sunday.  In the first reading this weekend we hear that  wisdom speaks her own praises in the great assembly, this reading tells us  how Wisdom personified as a woman speaks about her role as she glories in herself in the presence of the mighty one. The reading goes on to tell us  from eternity in the beginning he created wisdom and for all eternity wisdom will remain.

In the Second Reading Paul begins his letter to the Ephesians with a hymn which praises God for choosing us in Christ. He prays that all will be blessed with the spirit of the heavenly blessings `so that through wisdom we will get to know God, so that we can see the hope that his call holds for us. In the Gospel we hear the magnificent Prologue to John’s Gospel: how in the beginning there was the Word and through the word all things came to be and then in the fulness of time god sent his Son. When John comes to speak about Jesus notice how he goes back beyond the time of Jesus’ birth and conception to the very beginning of time itself. He sees Jesus as the Word that was with God, the Word that was God. John rejoices in his Gospel that this Word which made the beginning now comes into the world.   The Word is not only had a great power that makes all things; the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. The Incarnate Word comes among his own people in the person of Jesus the Son of God the only Son of the Father.  At Christmas we celebrate the humility of Emanuel  God with us who came to be one with us in the good and bad times that are part of our lives.

As Christians, we will very often find ourselves living in contradiction of so many things that are part and parcel of this present age.  Regrettably we have to get used to the fact that we will face conflict among friends, and even at times within families, as we seek to live out and the Christian life more generously and we know that if our words fail, the Word of God never fails. May we not be afraid in the Holy Year of Hope that has just begun to seek  and find the wisdom that God wants to give us, so that we can see the hope that his call holds for us so that we will have the wisdom to follow Jesus the light for the world the hope of all who believe.

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28 Dec 2024

Feast of the Holy Family

This weekend we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family our parish feast day as we begin the Holy Year of Hope in our diocese. I struggle with the disparity between the holiness of the Holy Family as reflected in many pictures and religious art compared to the reality of family life in the present day. In the First Reading we are told that respect and care for our parents brings great benefits, including answered prayers and a long life. In the Second Reading we are called to Embrace the virtues of compassion and kindness, and forgiveness so that Christ’s peace will rule our hearts.  In Luke’s gospel we listen to the story of boy Jesus stepping outside the family circle to engage elders in the temple. That had to be more exciting for Jesus than helping in the workshop or bringing in water from the well.

When Mary and Joseph find him in the temple 3 days later  they discover him talking with the teachers of the law busy with his Fathers work. The challenges for families today are as insistent and more intense than ever before in human history.  The drumbeat of consumerism focuses us on things you possess  instead of relationships with other people. Technology focuses us on how many “likes” we can collect as if those “likes” amounted to being truly loved and cared for which they really are not about.  Mobile phone technology removes the need to “listen” to one another in face to face conversations as Individuals control their contacts. We quickly learn how to “unfriend” people who annoy us. Even though voices from the past are loud and insistent, some parts of our world seems to be  moving towards authoritarian leadership fuelled by divisive rhetoric. On this day when we celebrate the Holy Family  we can only hope to find in the good news a way to transform our families. In Luke’s gospel, the return of Jesus to  his parents and in his listening to them is a model for not only children but also parents. In his rule Saint Benedict put it well when he said you should listen with the ear of your heart.

We need to listen to our children, to our spouses, to our extended families. If we listen with the ear of our hearts we learn from them, share with them, help them in their personal struggles as we share in their accomplishments hopes and dreams. Then when they look they will see that the road we are taking is the better road and join us along the way. As we think about the Holy Family we recognize the sacrifice that Joseph and Mary  made for Jesus, in the same way as we recognize the many sacrifices our own parents made for us  and many more  are making for their children today in our I want I get world.   Our families would find the disagreements, stressful relationships, and resentments that spoil the joy of family harmony so much easier to solve by trying to imitate the faith, love and trust of the Holy Family. So now as pilgrims of hope we pray for our families “Lord Jesus, you came to restore us to unity with the Father in heaven. May all our families find peace, wholeness, and unity in you, the Prince of Peace during this Holy Year of Hope.

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24 Dec 2024

CHRISTMAS 2024

This Christmas we begin the Holy Year of 2025 with the opening of the Holy Door is St Peters in Rome. The theme of the year is Pilgrims of Hope and Christmas is all about Hope and Joy. At Christmas the Christian Churches throughout the world celebrate the Birth of Jesus Christ,  as we remember “The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.” The Son of God became man to give us a share in that divine life which is eternally His in the Blessed Trinity. Throughout the Advent season we have waited for the coming of our Savior. Now on the 25th of December we celebrate His birth with unrestrained joy.

The readings for the Nativity of the Lord emphasize the joyous celebration of the incarnation of Jesus Christ, God becoming one of us. Christmas is all about  the saving grace of Jesus, and the light and salvation brought by the birth of our Savior. During the Christmas season there is an extensive exchange of greetings, gifts and good wishes among friends. These greetings are a reminder of those “good tidings of great joy that shall be to all the people, for this day is born to you a Savior Who is Christ the Lord” (Lk. 2:11). They are a reminder, too, that all blessings and graces come to us from Christ. With the exchange of gifts comes the responsibility to remember those who have little or nothing at all in terms of a roof over their heads and food in the cupboard. During Christmas we are reminded  of the mystery of Mary as Mother of God, mother of the Incarnate Word, and mother of His mystical body, the Church. Christmas encourages us to contemplate Jesus together with Mary and Joseph reflecting on Jesus with ‘His mother’, as recounted many times in the Gospels.

Our faith cannot neglect a profound devotion to the Mother of God, as she shows us the easiest way to reach Jesus. Christmas reminds us of the great mystery of God’s people, the Church animated by the life giving Spirit. So, why do we celebrate Christmas? It is more than the birth of Jesus. It is a celebration of God with us. It is the realization that God’s love for us and faithfulness to us dwells among us. It is a sign that we are to carry that love and faithfulness to other people. Like the Baptist, we, too, are to witness to God’s living, breathing Word and we are called to be faithful so let us adore the Lord Jesus in the manger the reason for the season and bring his love and joy to those we meet in the days ahead as we begin the Holy Year as Pilgrims of Hope.

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20 Dec 2024

4th Sunday of Advent

This weekend we light the third purple candle on the Advent wreath as the anticipation grows to a crescendo as we  draw closer to the celebration of the Christmas mysteries. Christmas is almost upon us: yet are we ready in the true sense of the word remembering that Jesus is the reason for the season? Christmas we are told is a time for so many things  yet for many it is a time of stress and pressure with all the extra work to sort out every­thing that needs to be done.  For many it is a time when we are fearful that the children won’t be disappointed or that there will be tension in relationships or there will be a breakdown in the ceasefire with the in-laws.  

In the first reading from Micah Jerusalem was under siege and Davids dynasty was in peril. The prophet said that salvation would come from an insignificant place and that was Bethlehem from there a new leader would gather the nations together into one people.  In the second reading from Hebrews the sacrifices mosaic law were unable to purify the people from sin. Only Christ himself was able to bring the reconciliation between  god and his people. We  meet Mary and her cousin Elisabeth in our Gospel reading. Mary, who herself had been prepared for the coming of the Messiah. She has heard the angel’s greeting, and his strange news, and has accepted her role in God’s plan.  Now she hurries to her kinswoman, Elizabeth, who herself bears John the Baptist in her womb. John, alerts us to the presence of the Lord, as he leaps for joy in his mother’s womb. His joy is that God has kept his promise, and is with his people.  That two women were chosen to play such a role in the story of salvation is remarkable, as women were often marginalized in the society of their time.

In all these events we see the great mission that Mary undertook as a privileged instrument in the hands of God. Mary is not only the mother of the source of grace; she is the very model of what a Christian heart should look like. We look to Mary to see our fullest Christian dig­nity. In Lumen Gentium 68, Vatican II describes our contem­plation of Mary as an act of entering our own deepest mystery, catching a glimpse of what we shall he at the end of our faith journey. Over the next few days the journey to Christmas will have many pressures for everyone especially those who are worried about so many things family and otherwise.  Mary in her calm gentle way encourages us to trust in God’s word and to believe in God’s promises as she did. The great Christmas feast is almost here. As always in Advent, what is promised in the first reading is brought to fulfilment in the Gospel reading. We began Advent with the cry, ‘Come, Lord Jesus’. We will end it at Christmas with the joyful shout, ‘God is with us!’

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14 Dec 2024

3rd Sunday of Advent

On this the 3rd Sunday of advent we light the rose coloured candle on the advent wreath and the vestments at mass may be Rose as well. This Sunday is also known as Gaudete Sunday as we rejoice that the Lord is near.  Last week we heard about John’s ministry of preaching repentance and baptism for the forgiveness of sins. The idea of repentance is about turning around and facing in a new direction. John’s call to the people was to turn away from the old ways of life and to turn towards God. The Gospel opens with the people, the tax collectors and some soldiers, having heard the call to change their lives, all asking John, ‘What must we do?” We should also be asking ourselves what must we do?

 Both John the Baptist and Paul share one belief: that the Lord is very near. God’s nearness didn’t act as a threat to them, but gave them a infectious  source of joy that no one could take away  from them. Their joy in the closeness of God gave an edge to their preaching and teaching. It gave them a vision to see the far side of disaster; it moved them to draw others into that sense of joy.  None of them was closed in his own joy they moved out going round in the hope their  inner joy would be caught by the people of their time and place and many people were caught by the joy they had to pass on to them. The picture of John the Baptist as a man of joy is not one you hear about very often. John is usually portrayed as a lonesome figure, with a weird wardrobe and weirder diet, who rants and raves at anyone with ears  to hear. But John was a character who intrigued people and as a result they would seek him out and follow him. People don’t journey into the wilderness just to get insulted; you don’t become disciples for the wardrobe and diet.Here was a man who cared nothing at all for comfort, money or fame, who could not be bought, and who would speak the truth without fear. In John people could see something of God.

John spoke in words they could grasp when he told them exactly what they should be doing.  He made such a deep impression on the crowd that word goes around that he might be the Christ. That expectant feeling is a measure of John’s effect on people around him. John did not  claim to know who the Messiah was going to be instead he tells the people that he is not that person. That role is for someone else, someone greater and more powerful than he was.  And as we know that person was Jesus the Son of the Father. We are called to be joyful witnesses to Jesus but as we know with all that is going on around us these days that is not easy. There are many things that continue to block the presence of the Lord within us. It’s time for us to answer the question what must we do and that is to  prepare the way so that we will be able to welcome Jesus  into our lives our hearts and our homes at Christmas. Let us  Rejoice in the lord always because the Lord is near.

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