Jesus tells us that He is the Good Shepherd who is prepared to die for His sheep. It is quite easy to distinguish between a good and bad shepherd: the latter has no commitment and runs away as soon as danger threatens. In Jesus’ day, shepherds were commonly regarded as disreputable, isolated groups of men […]
Good Shepherd Sunday – April 29, 2012 Read More »
This Sunday the Gospel helps us to deepen our faith in the meaning of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead and is intended to strengthen our response. We hear the ending of the Emmaus story in which the two disciples walk with downcast hearts from Jerusalem to Emmaus. A stranger, in fact Jesus whom they do
III Sunday of Easter – April 22, 2012 Read More »
Today’s Gospel, told by St. John, is a powerful telling of the appearing of the risen Jesus after the cruelty of His death on the cross. The person who appears is real. The disciples see the wounds that were made on His body; then they listen to the command that He gives to them sending
Low Sunday – April 15, 2012 Read More »
Were we to stand on Main Street and ask passers-by, “What do you think is the greatest festival in the Christian calendar?,” the majority would probably say, “Christmas.†Few, if any, would answer, “Easter.†It is like living in two worlds: the world of Main Street and the world of our Christian faith. Coming into
Resurrection of the Lord – April 8, 2012 Read More »
“It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.†This, people say, is an ancient Chinese proverb. Wherever there is oppression, we will light a candle and scatter the works of darkness. In the darkness of this night, we light a fire, and from that fire, a candle; and we proclaim the
Holy Saturday – April 7, 2012 Read More »
In St. John’s Gospel, the meeting of Jesus with Pilate takes centre stage. We hear their conversation at some length, as well as Pilate’s negotiations with the crowd outside. To our minds, the trial of Jesus seems quite clearly unfair and unjust, but life is not so simple. To the Jewish elders this man was
Good Friday – April 6, 2012 Read More »
The drama of the Last Supper is full of unforgettable action, none more so than when Jesus washes His disciples’ feet. Many artists through the years, have painted scenes from the Last Supper, and many have taken the episode of the washing of feet as their subject. This action of Jesus is a complete role
Holy Thursday – April 5, 2012 Read More »
Today, as we listen to St. Mark’s grim Passion story, we can appreciate how loneliness must have been a bitter ingredient in our Lord’s sufferings. Even when enemies surrounded Him, He had that searing feeling of being alone in a crowd. It all began in the Garden Gethsemane, where Jesus – His closest friends fast
Palm Sunday – Cycle “Bâ€, April 1, 2012 Read More »