23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

The First Reading speaks of the coming of the Lord: "Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped" (Is. 35: 5) and this is what Jesus does in the Gospel reading. The implications for us though is, using the Second Reading, does the proclamation of the Gospel in our midst, open our eyes to the suffering in the community and unstop our ears to the cries of those in need of our help? At the start of Social Justice Week, which this year has the theme of "Enabling Communities" we are challenged to see how each one of us can play a part in enabling community in the parish, the church and wider society. So many people are lonely, isolated and deprived of human contact as well as lacking the financial resources to pay for their basic needs. Divorce, drug addiction, mental illness, a lack of religious affiliation or tradition and other factors mean that despite all of the technology at our disposal many people are affected by a lack of community than ever before. Let us discern how we can best meet the needs of others so that our own need of community may be met. Let us open our hearts to the Lord so that the Holy Spirit may guide us and the intercession of the Blessed Virgin sustain us as we work for the Kingdom which is the community of those who will be gathered to God for eternity. 

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

As Gentile Christians of the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church in the Twentieth First Century our cultural and theological context is very different from that facing the community for whom St Mark wrote at the time of his Gospel. For us the washing of hand before eating and the cleaning of dishes is merely a matter of hygiene whereas, for Jews of the First Century, such practices had greater cultural, religious and hence political significance. The squabbles between Sadducees, Pharisees, Essenes and Zealots mean that there was no single perspective on how Jews should live and what they should believe. The tendency of these groups to fight for precedence and status, even within their own party, meant that the wider issues of injustice, mercy and love were being ignored as they fought over details of liturgy and custom. I do not think that Jesus and the first Christians were advocating the destruction of custom, tradition and practice since Jesus and the Apostles are shown throughout the Scripture as being observant Jews, according to the law and custom of the time. Rather, the concern is that these find their proper place in service of the mission given by Christ to the Church. We do not want the squabbles between Catholics on matters of lesser importance, let alone with other Christians, to undermine our response to Christs commission to "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you." (Mtt 28: 19-20) The last thing we want to hear, when we meet the Lord face to face, to account for our stewardship of the Good News is: "You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition." (Mk 7: 8)

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

It is interesting to see in the Gospels how the people and even the disciples "dispute among themselves." It happens when they argues about who is the greatest (Lk 9: 46), when they are confused about Jesus' teaching regarding the multiplication of the loaves (Mk 8: 16) and the request of James and John (Mk 10: 41). Today the argument arises over: "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"  (Jn 6: 52) Our minds reel at the incredible claims that the Lord makes for himself but his miracles and the power of his love hold us transfixed. Jesus never backs down or waters down his teaching to make it more palatable. After all his teaching in this Gospel is as offensive and controversial now as it ever was. The Church of today, like the early disciples, needs to listen to the Lord and allow him to open our minds to the mystery of his humanity and divinity. If we lose sight of either we will slip into error. His presence in the Holy Eucharist is what St Thomas Aquinas acclaimed as the greatest of his miracles. Let us not be overwhelmed by the awesome nature of our God but obey his call to follow Christ Jesus and do as he told us to do. I encourage parishioners to have a look at Eucharistic miracles and deepen their belief in and desire for this wonderful gift of the Lord himself. One web page to look at is: www.therealpresence.org/eucharst/mir/a3.html

Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

In the Scriptures we hear that in Jesus: "we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin." (Heb 4: 15) Yet, his Resurrection was that of the Second Person of the Holy Trinity and was thus of a different character. St Paul writes: "... for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ." (1 Cor 15: 22-23) The Catechism fo the Catholic Church tells us: "As for the Son, he effects his own Resurrection by virtue of his divine power." (CCC 649)The resurrection of the rest of the human race comes about through Christ: "Finally, Christ's Resurrection - and the risen Christ himself - is the principle and source of our future resurrection" (CCC 655). The Blessed Virgin shares in the fullness of life through Christ and her joining herself perfectly with his sacrifice on the Cross. Having been joined with him in life she is also joined with him in his resurrection. Unlike us she has not and will not experience corruption but has been glorified in her body and spirit as a sign of the Church's destiny: "The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is a singular participation in her Son's Resurrection and an anticipation of the resurrection of other Christians." (CCC 966)To this end she still accompanies the Church through her maternal solicitude and intercession which remains as powerful as it was when she was at the wedding feast of Cana and prayed with the Church at Pentecost.