Change is often difficult for us, especially when it involves letting go of things that have been dear to us and making room for new things, about which we are less sure. This normal experience of moving on is in today’s readings as the pattern of our maturing in faith, our growing in relationship with […]
Sixth Sunday of Easter – May 5, 2013 Read More »
Our journey to the new heaven and the new earth, to living in the presence of God, is a journey into transformation and re-creation. It involves a daily dying to self – a taking up the cross – and is expressed in a life of service. Because this is the Christ-shaped love that is at
Fifth Sunday of Easter – April 28, 2013 Read More »
In the early catacombs of Rome, we find graphic images of the Good Shepherd. Often they show the figure of a young Christ who carries a lamb across his shoulders. The frescos show the intimacy between the shepherd and his sheep; between Christ and His beloved. Other similar sculptres are found on early Christian tombs.
Good Shepherd Sunday – April 21, 2013 Read More »
Today we read from the 21st chapter of St. John’s Gospel. For many scholars it looks as though this chapter had been added on to the finished Gospel. The point of today’s Gospel is to show us that belief in the resurrection is not enough unless belief is translated into actions that transform our lives.
Third Sunday of Easter – April 14, 2013 Read More »
The Gospel suggests, without actually saying as much, that at this stage Peter did not believe in the resurrection; the other disciple – probably John – did. “He saw and he believed.†We have different characters. Some of us are inclined to be pesimistic, and suspect good news of being a trick. A later part
Resurrection of the Lord Sunday – March 31, 2013 Read More »
The Jewish leaders possibly reasoned with themselves, saying that Jesus brought His death upon himself. There would have been no problem if He had stayed in Galilee, working as a carpenter and not trying to change the world by speaking about a heavenly kingdom of justice, love and peace. Jesus died on the cross, they
Good Friday – March 29, 2013 Read More »
Jesus and the apostles lived in a warm climate and spent their days wandering dusty roads and the none-too-clean fishing boats in which most of the apostles found their second home. At the end of the day, they enjoyed the momentary luxury of immersing hot and dusty feet into cold water, removing the grime and
Holy Thursday – March 28, 2013 Read More »
Why do we punish wrongdoers? At a primitive level we do no doubt want to get even. “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth†is much-quoted phrase to support this desire. This is a step from wanting to annihilate anyone who hurts us, but it is only one step. Then there is
Passion Sunday – “C†– March 17, 2013 Read More »
The Church is Sacrament which points to the presence of Christ in our society; it is a mystery, an external sign of the unity of people with God. It is here in the Church that we actually meet Jesus, and we are enriched through His grace which will lead us to sanctification and salvation, for
Fourth Sunday of Lent – “C†– Solemnity – Institution of the PNCC – March 10, 2013 Read More »
Examples of inexplicable suffering are found in today’s Gospel: the Galileans whose blood the Romans had mingled with their sacrifices and the 18 who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them. In Old Testament thought both the cruelty of the Romans and the natural disaster would have been seen as the consequence
Third Sunday of Lent – “C†– March 3, 2013 Read More »