Reflections

This weekend as we celebrate ‘Good Shepherd Sunday’ – we ask you to pray for vocations to our Irish Capuchin Province. We, like all religious orders, depend upon the power of prayer to sustain us and to inspire others to follow the way of St Francis as a Capuchin Friar. There are men out there…

Vocation of all Christians (John 10:11-18) Today’s Gospel is about Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who is willing to lay down his life for his flock.  This Sunday we are encouraged to pray that all who are baptised will respond to their vocation to be active members of his flock. A new way of being Church…

A Mission of Mercy (John: 19-31) In the bible, the number forty is usually associated with a period of preparation.  Following the forty days of Lent preparing for Easter, there are forty days between the Resurrection and Ascension.  My very young grand-nephew asked me a deep question one day.  “Where was Jesus in the time…

Rising with Christ (John 20:1-9) When we are invited to proclaim the mystery of faith, one formula expresses it as an event of past, present and future.  “Christ has died,” an event of past history: “Christ is risen,” in present tense: “Christ will come again”, looking with hope towards the future of joining Christ in…

  Dying and Rising with Christ (John 12:20-30)   At the wedding feast in Cana the mother of Jesus asked him to do something about the embarrassing shortage of wine, but he replied “My hour has not come yet.”   In today’s Gospel some Greeks have expressed their desire to speak with Jesus. This indicates…

Rejoice in the Lord (John 3:14-21) “Rejoice, Jerusalem, and all who love her.  Be joyful, all you who were in mourning; exult and be satisfied at her consoling breast.” Lent may be a penitential season but that does not mean it is all doom and gloom.  As Jesus said, “When you are fasting, do not put…

  A Touch of Kindness  (Mark 1:40-45) We will commence Lent next Wednesday.  During Lent we are encouraged to give up and to take on.  Giving up means denying oneself something we like.  Taking on means acts of kindness and generosity.   The Gospel for this Sunday (Mark 1:40-45), the story of Jesus healing a leper,…

  The Quiet Power of Jesus (Mark 1:21-28) Many scholars say that Mark wrote his Gospel for the Christian community in Rome when Nero began the persecution of Christians there.  Mark wrote in the form of a drama as this was the most popular form of writing at that time.   It’s a drama of battles…