Reflections

Stay awake, praying at all times The First Sunday of Advent marks the beginning of the liturgical year.  The Gospel of the day is about the end of time (Luke21:25-28.34).   It might seem odd that Advent begins, not with preparation for the coming of Christ at Christmas, but his coming for us at the end…

Jesus Christ, the Universal King This is the last Sunday of the liturgical year when we celebrate Jesus Christ, the Universal King.  The end of the year anticipates the end of time when “the Kingdom of God will come in all its fullness.  Then the just will reign with Jesus Christ for ever, glorified in…

Purgatory: Therapy of Divine Love November is the month when we remember those who have died and we pray for the souls in purgatory.  Purgatory is not specifically mentioned in the bible but the doctrine of purgatory is a beautiful development which holds in unity two ideas that might appear to be contradictory. The doctrine…

The Greatest Commandment One of the scribes, who were recognised as the experts in the laws of religion, put a question to Jesus.  “Which is the first of the commandments?”  This was a question frequently debated among those legal scholars.  Was there any particular law that summed up the whole meaning or intention of religion? …

Bartimaeus and the Jesus Prayer On the last seven Sundays our readings from Mark’s Gospel gave moral instructions on how to follow the way of Jesus.  In today’s extract, Bartimaeus is a modal of discipleship.  Initially he is blind, stopped on the roadside, going nowhere.  He is desperate for the restoration of sight.  He has…

The Rich Young Man Jesus was setting out on a journey, a road that would ultimately lead him to Calvary as the suffering, serving Messiah.  Are his followers prepared to overcome self-centred ways to follow him?   Today’s Second Reading tells us that the word of God is alive and active, as sharp as a sword,…

Christian by name and in deed The Sunday Gospels these weeks are about Jesus on the way to Calvary and how his followers are to take up their crosses also.  Today’s Reading (Mark 9:38-43. 45.47-48) is a challenge to be Christian not only in name but also in the way we live.  Do I belong…

Take up your cross and follow me In today’s Mass we reach the halfway point of Mark’s Gospel (Mark 8: 27-35).  The first half develops the identity of who Jesus is and it is time to ask the question, “Who do people say I am?”  The second half will deal with the question of the…

Taste and see that the Lord is good This is the fifth and final Sunday when the Gospel Reading is taken from John Chapter 6.  It began with the multiplication of the loaves and fishes to feed the hunger of the physical body.  This was a sign to move on to the second bread: Jesus…