This Gospel contains the heart of John the Baptist’s preaching. His message of repentance in preparation for the coming of the Lord resonated with the crowds who flocked to see him. Just as it stirred his hearers to long for the coming Messiah, so it moves us to worship. We might think that John had […]
Message for the Third Sunday of Advent Read More »
Luke carefully sets the historical scene at the start of John the Baptist’s ministry. Pontius Pilate, Herod and his sons, and the high priests Annas and Caiaphas all failed to respond to God’s word and its messengers. None of them welcomed Jesus; some were implicated in his death. Yet it was precisely into this unwelcoming
Message for the Second Sunday of Advent Read More »
Take heed, watch; for you do not know when the time will come. During Advent we naturally focus on the birth of Jesus – his first coming. The Church, however, asks us to look beyond his birth at Bethlehem and reflect on his coming again at the end of time in order that we might
Message for the First Sunday of Advent Read More »
The imagery of darkness, falling celestial bodies and the heavens shaking is disturbing to the modern mind – as it doubtless was in Jesus’ time, even if the language was more familiar then. Such events, we are told, will precede the glorious appearance of the Son of Man who will come, with his angelic cohort
Message for the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Read More »
Jesus had great sensitivity towards widows. He looked beyond the hardships of the poor widow’s situation, beyond what the human eye could see, and saw into her heart: ‘out of her poverty {she] has put in everything she had, her whole living.‘ He saw her faith-filled generosity, giving to the treasury not from her abundance
Message for the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Read More »
Desperate people do desperate things. Pride, self-consciousness and ego are less important when we are in need! Bartimaeus was in such need. Unperturbed and undaunted by those who try to silence him, he shouts even louder. He is full of determination. Despite his blindness, he recognizes clearly who Jesus is: ‘Jesus, Son of David, have
Message for the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time Read More »
There is no mystery about the ways of this world. Selfish ambition, self-advancement and self-promotion are often hallmarks. James and John approached the Lord, seeking pride of place in the kingdom. The thought of power, prestige and position revealed their folly and misunderstanding of the gospel. They wanted affirmation and promotion. His rebuke is not
Message for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time Read More »
Jews in Jesus’ day believed that divorce was lawful — the only debated issue was the proper grounds for it. Jesus explained that Moses permitted divorce because of the hardness of human hearts: in other words it was a concession to the human condition and contrary to God’s plan for us. This accommodation to divorce
Message for the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time Read More »
Possessiveness is not an attractive characteristic. It’s uncharitable, inward-looking and ultimately selfish. It prevents us from seeing the good in others. Eventually it can corrupt and destroy. Yet unfortunately this kind of attribute is something we’re all too familiar with. In the encounter in today’s Gospel, Jesus reveals the dangers of exclusivity even among his
Message for the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time Read More »
As He leads his disciples to Jerusalem for the final Passover, Jesus teaches them about the true meaning of discipleship. Today we hear the second of His three predictions of His passion in Mark’s Gospel. Mark presents the disciples as being in such a state of confusion that they can’t grasp what Jesus’ teaching means.
Message for the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time Read More »