1st Sunday of Lent (Year A)

 Eve looks at the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. She knows that she and her husband are forbidden to eat from it because she reports as much to the serpent. Yet the serpent assures her that God is a liar: "You shall not die; for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God knowing good and evil." (Gn 3: 4-5) Eve can see three reasons for why she should eat the fruit: the tree was good for food, the fruit was a delight to the eye, and it could make her wise (Gn 3: 5-6), in other words, food/appetite, beauty and knowledge. The devil also holds out three reasons to Jesus to tempt him to disobey his heavenly Father in the gospel: food, fame and power. How many of our obvious or hidden addictions/compulsions are underpinned by a desire for such things? For this reason, Lent is a valuable season to purify our hearts and the vision of our minds so that we repudiate any form of idolatry. Jesus dismisses the devil saying: "Worship the Lord your God and serve only him." (Mt 4: 10). I exhort all Catholics to commit to the process of repentance and renewal of Lent by attending Mass every Sunday and, if possible, on weekdays, as well as the ceremonies of the Easter Triduum: Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Vigil. Together we will vindicate ourselves against all temptations in a society that has eyes only for the blandishments of the devil.

Ash Wednesday

 The sight of Catholics going about their business on this day, with ash crosses marked on their foreheads, reminds us that faith is not a purely subjective or private matter. Many are fond of saying: "I am spiritual but not religious." Why do they say that? It is like saying: "I have words but I do not have language." Since we are enfleshed spirits, our spiritual exercises for Lent will necessarily have an observable effect. It remains that as missionary disciples we are called to manifest our faith to the world so that others may know the joy of the Gospel.  This does not mean that we are going to congratulate the world or conform ourselves to it. Our message is that of the Gospel which was, from the beginning one of metanoia or repentance. This change of life is a response to the revelation of God's grace and is enabled and sustained by the Holy Spirit. To this end we can take St Paul's words to the Corinthians as our own as we encounter a wounded world: "We are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us, we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God." (1 Cor 5: 20)

6th Sunday in Ordinary Time

 The Church continues this week to listen again to the Sermon on the Mount. As the new law given by the new Moses, Jesus Christ who leads us in the exodus from sin and death to eternal life (see Lk 9: 31), it is written not on tablets of stone (Ex 32: 15-16) but on human hearts (see Jer 32: 33 and Heb 10: 16). For this reason, it is superior to the old law in its demands: "For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." (Mtt 5: 20) It calls for a transformation of the heart that makes us ready and fit to serve in the Kingdom: "But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (Mtt 5: 28) God does not look at the surface: "... for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." (1 Sam 16: 7) As we approach the season of Lent let us look to our hearts and strive to live in accord with God's love and grace since: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." (Mtt 5: 8)

The Church continues this week to hear again the Sermon on the Mount. As the new law given by the new Moses, Jesus Christ who leads us in the exodus from sin and death to eternal life (see Lk 9: 31), it is written not on tablets of stone (Ex 32: 15-16) but on human hearts (see Jer 32: 33 and Heb 10: 16). For this reason, it is superior to the old law in its demands: "For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." (Mtt 5: 20) It calls for a transformation of the heart that makes us ready and fit to serve in the Kingdom: "But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (Mtt 5: 28) God does not look at the surface: "... for the does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." (1 Sam 16: 7) As we approach the season of Lent let us look to our hearts and strive to live in accord with God's love and grace since: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." (Mtt 5: 8)

The Church continues this week to hear again the Sermon on the Mount. As the new law given by the new Moses, Jesus Christ who leads us in the exodus from sin and death to eternal life (see Lk 9: 31), it is written not on tablets of stone (Ex 32: 15-16) but on human hearts (see Jer 32: 33 and Heb 10: 16). For this reason, it is superior to the old law in its demands: "For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." (Mtt 5: 20) It calls for a transformation of the heart that makes us ready and fit to serve in the Kingdom: "But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (Mtt 5: 28) God does not look at the surface: "... for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." (1 Sam 16: 7) As we approach the season of Lent let us look to our hearts and strive to live in accord with God's love and grace since: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." (Mtt 5: 8)

5th Sunday of Ordinary Time

 In philosophy there is a word "teleology" which speaks of the inherent purpose of an object. An example of this would be the teleology of the acorn is to become an oak tree. What is the teleology of the missionary disciple? Jesus tells us, in the gospel, that the teleology of his disciples is to be "salt of the earth" and "light for the world." If we fail to be the former we are: "no longer good for anything" (Mtt 5: 13) and if we fail to be the latter, we are illogical: "No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket." (Mtt 5: 15) Today can I ask myself how I am salt of the earth and light for the world? I am fulfilling my purpose as a missionary disciple and realizing my vocation given me in baptism. Let us all be alert to the challenge to put the gospel into practice and bring the joy of the gospel to those whom I meet.

4th Sunday in Ordinary Time

 It is interesting that only two of the nine Beatitudes, that mark the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, have their reward in the present. They are: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" and "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Mtt 5: 3 and 10) The kingdom of heaven, therefore, is a present reality for those who are poor in spirit and are persecuted for righteousness' sake.  When we pray the Lord's Prayer during the Mass we say: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed by thy name, thy kingdom come...". Thus, we desire to be subjects of the Father's heavenly rule and not ruled by any other authority, temporal or spiritual. So, what is this kingdom? St Paul tells the Romans: "For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but the righteous and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." (Rm 14: 17) When we serve the church, through ministries and prayer, we are striving to be poor in spirit, and when we testify to our faith in public, we open ourselves to being persecuted for righteousness' sake. In this way we can experience righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, here and now.

3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

 We have come to the conclusion of the Jubilee Year. As Pilgrims of Hope, where do we go from here? Pope Leo is asking us to be inspired by the 700th anniversary of St Francis Assisi in 2026. St Francis and St Dominic were revolutionary for their time because they effectively took the monastery to the people. They sought to combat the heresies of Manicheism and the Waldensians Likewise, we are called to go forth and, as missionary disciples, engage with the culture and society of our time. In the gospel Jesus says to Peter and Andrew: " 'Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people'. " (Mtt 4: 19) He does the same with James and John the sons of Zebedee.  We are told: "Immediately they left their boat and their father, and followed him" (Mtt 4: 22) There is an urgency about their response. In the midst of their everyday work they have a call to a higher purpose which is to follow the Lord. We may not be called to leave our work and families behind but we are called to bring the joy of the Gospel to those who are awaiting it. The Holy Spirit has gone ahead of us. We can, with confidence, embrace the challenge of bringing the Good News to a world in profound need of it. Let us follow the Lord knowing that he empowers us through his grace and leads by example: "Jesus went throughout Galilee. teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people." (Mtt 4: 23)

2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

 It is interesting that in a year of the lectionary, given over to the Gospel of Matthew, we have a gospel reading, for the start of Ordinary Time, from the Gospel of John. Last week the reading was for the Baptism of the Lord with Matthew's gospel emphasizing the inferiority of John the Baptist who asks why he should be the one to baptize Jesus. Today's gospel serves to build on this as John the Baptist is shown explicitly identifying Jesus as "the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world." (Jn 1: 29) This is not through their familial connection, as we see on the Feast of the Visitation, rather John witnesses the Holy Spirit descend on Jesus after his baptism. In Mark and Matthew it is only Jesus who witnesses the descent of the Holy Spirit while in Luke it is ambiguous as to whether it is Jesus or everyone who witnesses this event. The differences do not change the overall picture but can tell us of the theological emphases of the respective evangelists. For ourselves we can understand the role of others in baptism and encouraging us to grow in faith and discipleship. They act as witnesses to the Holy Spirit at work in our lives even when we may be unaware of it. Perhaps we, like John the Baptist, can serve to alert others to God's action in their lives and encourage them to respond with faith and courage to the call which God has for each of them.