Tags: Sunday Reflection
Sunday Reflection - 5th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year B)
Posted: Fri, 2 Feb 2024 09:49
In Mark's gospel today, we see Jesus bringing wholeness and healing. First, we see Jesus visiting the home of Simon Peter—as a side you can see the extent of his sacrifice in following Jesus. Peter, along with his colleagues, is prepared to give up the close ties of family relationships. It is interesting to note, in the light of current debates on priestly celibacy, that the very first Pope... Read More »
Sunday Reflection - 3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year B)
Posted: Wed, 17 Jan 2024 15:17
Last week we saw how the evangelist John dealt with the call of Andrew and Peter. On this Sunday of the Word, we are introduced to Mark's Gospel and his version of the call of these early followers. I like to see the evangelist Mark as a person who is in a hurry. He is not interested in birth and beautiful stories of shepherds, Kings, and cribs - he wants to present the 'good news' of Jesus. He presents... Read More »
Sunday Reflection - 2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year B)
Posted: Wed, 10 Jan 2024 21:48
Today our readings are about calling. In our modern western society, there is a danger that we can become discouraged when we do not see more vocations to the priesthood and religious life. However, I tend to see it in a different light: I firmly believe God is calling, but are we prepared to listen? We heard about the young Samuel who mistakes the voice of God for Eli, his mentor. God is trying to... Read More »
Sunday Reflection - Feast of The Epiphany of the Lord
Posted: Fri, 5 Jan 2024 11:26
Today we remember Matthew's reflections on bringing the Gospel message to a broader world through the visit of "the three kings". On Christmas Day, Luke presented the story of the poor shepherds visiting Jesus as they followed the instructions of the angels, the messengers from God. Today we see that "social bubble" of Jesus expanding to include these non-Jewish foreigners - an indication of the universal... Read More »
Sunday Reflection - 4th Sunday of Advent (Year B)
Posted: Thu, 14 Dec 2023 15:20
Well, here we are, ready to light the fourth candle; this day is that opportunity to complete your needed last-minute shop—but hurry as today is also Christmas Eve. In previous years, your parish might have had a Christingle Service, or a nativity play with the children. This has been a rushed Advent as we have had to squeeze so much in. I will miss the traditional carol service at the local... Read More »
Sunday Reflection - 3rd Sunday of Advent (Year B)
Posted: Wed, 13 Dec 2023 09:50
The Prophet Isaiah gives us the theme for reflection today: "In my God is the joy of my soul." When that is true in our lives, we are walking the road and we know the truth of these words from the same Prophet: "He has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor, to heal the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners, to announce a year of favour from the Lord."... Read More »
Sunday Reflection - 2nd Sunday of Advent (Year B)
Posted: Thu, 7 Dec 2023 10:07
Today our gospel from Mark introduces the one who prepares the way for Jesus; he is presented as one who is different - something that we are not always happy with. John the Baptist is seen preaching in the desert wearing camel's hair and a leather belt. His food is desert food, locusts, and wild honey. He does not have anything sophisticated in his desert life. Yet this man, living a primitive lifestyle,... Read More »
Sunday Reflection - 1st Sunday of Advent (Year B)
Posted: Fri, 1 Dec 2023 09:46
I wish you all a very happy and blessed new Church year; I know that 2023 has been hard with the economic downturn, and the horrors of war in Ukraine and the Holy Land. More than ever we now need this sense of hope that this new Advent brings us. The new Church year kicks in on this day so we move from reflecting on the gospel of Matthew (Year A) to begin reflecting on the gospel of Mark (Year B).... Read More »
Sunday Reflection - Christ the King (Year A)
Posted: Fri, 24 Nov 2023 09:07
On this feast of Christ the King we are invited to look seriously as what true leadership looks like. I suppose that kings are a little bit out of date. But any of us who have grown up in recent times remember, especially as a child, the tales of the kings and King Arthur and all these wonderful people. Today, kings and queens tend to be merely a figurehead, a sign of a national loyalty, a reminder... Read More »
Sunday Reflection - 33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time
Posted: Fri, 17 Nov 2023 10:35
It is important to reflect on the second parable in the great Mathew 25 trilogy: the parable of the talents. If I was celebrating a family liturgy today, I would bring up the children so we could act the story out for the congregation. I always found that it was the children who 'taught' us their insights into using their talent. It was always very uplifting. They displayed their skills in music, drama,... Read More »