Jesus often asked direct, upfront and personal questions. ‘Who do the people say I am?‘ was just such a question (v. 18). It invited the disciples to focus not on others but on themselves. Others had their views and opinions on who they thought Jesus was: John the Baptist, Elijah, one of the prophets. The […]
Message for the 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time Read More »
Prostitutes appear a lot in the Gospels and in Jesus’ life. That thought may offend you — it certainly offended a lot of people in Jesus’ day, especially the Pharisees, teachers of the law and scribes, who didn’t like prostitutes very much at all. Indeed, it is very clear that Simon the Pharisee, whom we
Reflection for the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time Read More »
What could be more heartbreaking than to witness the tears of a mother (a widow) mourning the loss of her only son! Luke does not make specific reference to her weeping but we can be assured that it was the grief of the widow (and how else is grief expressed if not through tears?) that
Message for the 10th Sunday in Ordinary Time Read More »
It is common knowledge that many clergy struggle to prepare a sermon for Trinity Sunday. It is as if they collectively throw their hands up and say in frustration: ‘The Trinity – it’s a complete mystery to me.’ Well, I guess that is the point: the Holy and Blessed Trinity is a mystery which is
Message for the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity Read More »
On Pentecost we celebrate the birth of the Church. The first believers were in Jerusalem awaiting the coming of the Holy Spirit – the gift from on high, which Jesus had promised. It is sobering and noteworthy to realize that, until the coming of the Spirit and despite having witnessed the Risen and Glorified Lord,
Message for Pentecost Read More »
The Christian faith is rooted in the revelation of God’s intervention in human history. The times when God has intervened in human history have become the central doctrines which form the cornerstone, the bedrock of our faith. They are the incarnation, the resurrection, the ascension and the final one, which we look forward to, the
Message for the Seventh Sunday of Easter Read More »
Two things dominate the human condition: war and fear. The opposite of war is peace; the opposite of fear is courage. Jesus taught that two significant fruits of being his disciples would be peace and courage. We can know these two blessings in our lives in a real and tangible way. This must be true
Message for the Sixth Sunday of Easter Read More »
If you are a Christian you really have to get your mind around sheep! The reason for this is because the Bible, and especially the New Testament, often refers to us as sheep. The French poet Jean de La Fontaine reflected amusingly, ‘A certain fox, it is said, wanted to become a wolf! Ah! Who
Message for Good Shepherd Sunday Read More »
Do you believe in the resurrection of the body? Every time we say the Creed we are asserting that we do. Today we encounter a risen body, the first fruits of Christ’s resurrection from the dead. The risen Lord moves among his disciples, initially hidden from them and then cooking and sharing breakfast with them.
Message for the Third Sunday of Easter Read More »
Jesus knew and loved Thomas in all his unbelief — just as he loves everyone, even those who don’t believe in him. Thomas is a kind of modern patron saint — we too can be skeptical and cynical and often demand proof and evidence. This is not a bad thing because God has given us
Message for Low Sunday Read More »