Reflections

The theologian Hans von Balthasar wrote a controversial treatise called ‘Dare We Hope That All Men Be Saved?’ Having explored this profound theme, he concluded that ultimately all judgement is God’s and God’s alone. The Catholic Church has never made any declarations about whom it thinks will be finally dammed but prays that every human […]

We have received, through the grace of baptism certainly but also through the grace of revelation, a knowledge or awareness of the mystery of the kingdom of Christ. Giving us this grace and blessing was the Father’s good pleasure. In other words, God the Father delights to give us knowledge, insight and revelation into the

Catholic social teaching has largely owned the Parable of the Good Samaritan and in a way rightly so, because it highlights the care and solicitude we owe every human being, but particularly those in dire need physically, emotionally or spiritually. However, ask yourself, if you will, whether there is a deeper meaning to the parable?

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

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

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