Reflections

Loneliness, Hunger of the Heart Today’s Gospel (Matt 14:13-21) throws light on loneliness which is another name for the hunger of the heart.  A popular film years ago was called “The Heart is a Lonely Hunter”. One form of loneliness is the grief experienced after the death of a loved one.   On hearing of the…

Treasure in the Heart In today’s gospel (Matt. 13:44-52), Jesus continues the seven parables about the kingdom of heaven in our lives.  What is this kingdom?  In the gospels the kingdom of heaven has several different shades of meaning.  In today’s parables it refers to the hidden treasure in the heart.  “The kingdom of God…

Taskforce of the Kingdom The mission of Jesus was to establish the rule of God, the kingdom of God, on earth.  The taskforce for the continuation of his mission would be the community of believers known as the Church. Today, in Matthew 13:24-43, three parables show how this Church is a mixture of human frailty…

Seeds of Wisdom   “The reason that I talk to them in parables is that they look without seeing and listen without hearing or understanding”.   Jesus knew that people would listen to stories and remember them.  Parable sounds like parallel.  A parable is a story that runs parallel to life, like a mirror that…

I will give you Rest “I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for hiding these things from the learned and clever and revealing them to mere children.”  It’s easy to return thanks when things are going well and we are aware of God’s favours but it takes great faith to give thanks when…

Be not Afraid Once upon a time … not too long ago … it took courage of a sort not to go to church in holy Ireland.  People who did not go to church were regarded as odd, or maybe worse.  They swam against the social tide which equated church attendance with respectability.  How things…

A God of Relationships A diseased bird was sold in the market place and months later every country in the world is suffering.  If ever we needed to be reminded that everything in this world is related to everything else, we’ve got the message.  Nine hundred years ago a mystical nun, Hildegard of Bingen, wrote…

Birthday of the Church Pentecost celebrates the birthday of the Church.  Jesus once compared himself to a seed dying in the earth so as to produce multiple grains.  In Saint John’s account of the death of Jesus his last words were “It is accomplished”.  Job done.  Then bowing his head, he “gave up his spirit”,…

The Ascension of the Lord Some of the doors that have kept people locked in have been opened in recent days.  But there is still a long wait until all doors will be opened.   Religion has a huge role to play in sustaining hope by remembering the bigger picture of life. We are celebrating…