Feast of the Epiphany

The feast of the Epiphany is really Christmas for the Gentiles while what we know as Christmas is in fact Christmas for the Jews. The wise men arrive in Jerusalem through physical sciences but they need the Scripture to show them the rest of the way so they may find the child whom they seek. In the same way our society in New Zealand, dominated by materialism, consumerism and scientism, cannot find Christ through natural theology/revelation alone. It needs the Scripture to show it the way. How can it know this unless someone preaches to them?: "But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent?... So, faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the Word of Christ." (Rm 10: 14-15, 17) All Christians are called to be missionary disciples who are prepare to share the Good News with others. King Herod has access to the Scriptures but his desire is only to kill the Christ child just as on Good Friday the Jewish authorities sought to and succeeded in silencing Jesus as an adult. The wise men, once they have found Jesus no longer need direction from the corrupt and psychopath king. They return "by another road" keeping in their hearts what they knew when they knelt in homage to the real king.

Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God

This feast occurs on the Octave of the Nativity. Just like Divine Mercy Sunday (after Easter Sunday) and  Queen of Heaven (after the Assumption) the Octave celebration teases out the theological implications of the main feast. The message from this feast is that since Jesus, Second Person of the Trinity and Word made Flesh, is God then Mary, as his mother, is Mother of God. The key to the theology is not something to do with what DNA Jesus has but that in his Incarnation he is truly human, and truly divine. This doctrine is hard for some to swallow, especially if they have Arian, Docetist or Gnostic tendencies, but it must be received and believed if we are to be Christians. While the memories, glitter and wrapping paper of secular/pagan Christmas recede, we are left as Christians to continue to ponder on the immense mystery of Emmanuel - God with Us - which will accompany us throughout the liturgical year as we journey with Christ through Easter towards the feast of Christ the King..

Feast of the Holy Family

Today's feast helps to tease out the implications of the Incarnation. Jesus Christ, the Word made Flesh, participates in family life and grow up in the context of all the relationships and variables that this aspect of human existence entails. Although the liturgy speaks of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph I think we can also think of Anna and Joachim and the parents of Saint Joseph participating in the life of the family and being there as part of the family group that will gather in Jerusalem on the occasion that Jesus is lost in the Temple at the age of twelve. What can we learn from the Holy Family in 2020-2021? We have already learnt prior to the Nativity of the courage of Our Lady in saying "yes" to the angel Gabriel. We have already heard of Joseph's obedience to the angel in his dreams to take Mary as his wife. We subsequently are given notice of the hardships of the Holy Family as they go into exile in Egypt and eventually return to take up residence in Nazareth. In all this they journey together and grow with Jesus, Son of God, being obedient to his loving parents. let us, too, be courageous, faithful, obedient and prayerful in our families in the coming year.

Welcome to the Christmas ceremonies in the Catholic Parish of Hastings. Christmas, as always, is a wonderful time to gather as family and community and Catholics are no exception. We also rejoice, as many do, to show hospitality to others and so we welcome people of all backgrounds and faith traditions or none who wish to join us in this moment. The opportunity to rehear the Bible story is both a reminder of what God did over two thousand years ago but also how the Holy Spirit is at work in us today. Christmas forms part of the whole Church year. To this end we can understand that Jesus was not only born for us but also died and rose for us. Thus, the gift of Jesus is also the gift of life – a life that knows no end. It tells us that the love we give, the joy we share and the gifts we receive have meaning that goes beyond our tangible, finite and all too fragile physical reality. Saint Paul wrote: “But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.” (Rm 5: 9) May you all receive the gift of God’s love this Christmas so that 2021 will be a year of hope and joy transformed by the amazing love of God.

4th Sunday of Advent

The gospel for today usually causes us to focus on Our Lady. The lowly virgin of Nazareth is asked by the archangel Gabriel if she will accede to bearing the Messiah. Another aspect, however,  of the reading is the focus on David. Joseph is mentioned as being of the House of David (Lk 1: 27) and that Jesus will receive the "throne of his ancestor David." (Lk 1: 32). With the Davidic dynasty no longer on the throne of Israel at that time we need to look elsewhere for the significance of this reference. The Church helps us by giving us the First Reading from the Second Book of Samuel. David is promised that one of his descendants will establish an everlasting kingdom: "Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me; your throne, David, shall be established forever." (2 Sam 7: 16) Today's readings speak, therefore, of the fulfillment of God's promises to the Jewish people. The Incarnation is placed in time and space. Jesus is born into a society and culture which found its identity and ability to survive on the basis of God working through historical individuals so as to ultimately bring about a new, enduring and divine reality. In our baptism we are incorporated into the people who received these promises and rejoice to see them fulfilled as we celebrate the birth of the Messiah: "But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!' So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God." (Gal 4: 4-7)

3rd Sunday of Advent

 As we live out our vocation as missionary disciples we are called to be witnesses of Christ in the society in which we live. In this way we, like John the Baptist, are called to be prophetic because we are sending a message to those around us of God's plan for humanity and for the Church. Just as the Jewish authorities of the day questioned John, so might people ask of us: "Who are you?" (Jn 1: 19) or "What do you say about yourself?" (Jn 1: 22) This is a good question and one for which we need to have an answer: "Always be ready to make a defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and reverence." (1 Peter 3: 15-16) The answer, however I may phrase it, should include a reference to joy. On Gaudete Sunday we are reminded of the gift of joy that should suffuse the life of every Christian because it is through our encounter with Christ that our hopes are fulfilled. Regardless of the trials and tragedies that beset us we have God's love, manifest and personal in Christ Jesus, to sustain us: "No, in these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rm 8: 37-39) So we can also say with St Paul: "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near." (Phil 4: 4-5)

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary

There is a clear contrast between the dialogue Eve has with the Serpent and that which Our Lady has with the angel Gabriel. The serpent places doubts in Eve's mind about God's motivations for forbidding the first humans to eat "of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." (Gen 1: 17) He says: "You will 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." (Gen 3: 4-5) He makes out God to be jealous of his power; afraid that humans will become like him. This is in fact a projection of the serpent's own jealousy of God's omnipotence and holiness. The angel Gabriel, by contrast, greets Mary and is open about God's plan for her. Mary is perplexed but not afraid. She wonders how such a marvelous things can be done: "... since I am a virgin." (Lk 1: 34) The angel responds and Mary, acknowledging herself to be "the servant of the Lord" agrees to bear the Son of God in her womb. The openness, courtesy and humility of the exchange is totally opposed the to the sneaky, furtive and deceitful dialogue between the serpent and Eve. The plan of God to overthrow this sneakiness and broken trust started from the beginning. A big part in that was God's plan for Mary so that she had none of the obstacles to his grace common to the rest of the children of Eve.  

Second Sunday of Advent

Today we hear of John the Baptist who was spoken of by Jesus as the greatest of the prophets. This calls to mind, for me, the role of prophets in the Church and society as a whole. Such people are able to read the signs of the times in such a way as to warn us of what will happy in the future if we do not change our ways. This is evident throughout the Old Testament as the prophets often scolded the kings of Israel who were intent on pleasing foreign powers rather than relying on God. Prophets as a result are often unpopular as they give a message that is unpalatable to people who have conformed themselves to the world. One example of this is the document Humanae vitae by Pope Paul VI. It was repudiated by many, however, the predictions in it turned out to be accurate. Thus, we need to test the spirits and not be carried along by the trends of the day: "For here we have no lasting city, but we are looking for the city that is to come." (Heb 13: 14) "Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things , strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish; and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation." (2 Peter 3: 14-15)

First Sunday of Advent

Welcome to the start of a new Church year! The season of Advent, in this part of the world, gets overshadowed by the end of school and secular years and the Christmas events which have begun even as I write. The tinsel and the decorations appear many of which are predicated on the Northern Hemisphere winter. As Catholics we are often distracted by these things and so we tend to miss the crucial messages of this holy season. The first two weeks strike a penitential note. We are reminded of the Second Coming of Christ which will inaugurate the eternal age: "... so that God may be all in all." (1 Cor 15: 28) Hence, in the second reading, St Paul reminds us: "He (God the Father) will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by him you were called into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." (1 Cor 1: 8) We strive to respond to this call by going to reconciliation where we are forgiven our sins and given new grace to rejoice in God's gifts. This year the Rite II celebration will be on Thursday 17 December at 7pm at Sacred Heart church. With Gaudete Sunday, the Third Sunday of Advent, the mood changes from solemn to rejoicing as we look forward to celebration the birth of our Saviour. More about that in due course! For the time being we are alerted by the Church to not have  our senses dulled by self-indulgence or our hearts distracted by the cares of the world. Christ is coming  and it is we, as his disciples, who need to be alert so that he finds us ready to greet him: "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come... And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake." (Mk 13: 31-33, 37)

34th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Christ the King

Every year, on this feast, I find myself bumping up against the cultural and religious concepts of what it means to be a king. I think this is inevitable when we consider how the life and person of Jesus Christ can be contrasted with that of King Herod the Great and the Roman emperors of the period especially Nero and Caligula. When Pope Pius XI instituted this feast in 1925, which was three years after the seizure of power in Italy by the dictator Mussolini, the Catholic Church was besieged by many challenges in the Soviet Union, Mexico and throughout Europe on account of political extremism and dictatorships. The Pope asked the faithful to make a reality of Christ's reign in every aspect of their lives. It is not enough to go to Mass on Sundays and then carry on as if Christ did not exist. A conscious effort to invite Christ to rule every aspect of our hearts and lives is necessary if we are to resist the present day challenges to Christian values and worship. This means listening to Pope Francis, as well as the New Zealand Conference of Bishops, and seeking to implement prayer, charity and good works as an integral part of our daily lives. We cannot plead ignorance. It is not as if having heard today's gospel readings that we are unaware of what we need to do to serve Christ: "And the king will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me.' " (Mtt 25: 40) 

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

A key aspect of today's gospel reading is that the slaves in question are all given money to invest: "to each according to his ability." (Mtt 24: 15) We can think of ourselves as having been given spiritual gifts according to our own ability according to God's good pleasure: "The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ..." (Eph 4: 11-12) When I consider my participation in the life of the parish what gifts have I been given and what have I done with them? Or, I am afraid of failure or do I think that others have greater gifts so I am not going to try anything? In the parable the king is shown to have been a harsh, demanding individual yet we know that the reality of God is that He is the best of fathers and loves us more than we can know. He wants my happiness even more than I do! Isn't this an even stronger argument for each one of us to use the gifts that we have been given in the mission that Christ has for the Church as well as encouraging us to help others who are yet to deploy the gifts with words of faith, hope and love? The amazing thing about responding to God's call is that we discover so much joy and this always far outweighs whatever contribution that we have made in the first place. Our greatest joy is found in meeting the needs of others. St Paul writes to the Philippians: If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus." (Phil 2: 1-5)

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

As we approach the end of the liturgical year our attention is turned not only to the conclusion of 2020 but also towards the conclusion of all things. As Christians we believe that the end of all things will be heralded by the return of Jesus. In this we are in the same position as the Early Christians. Like them, however, the delay in that return can be cause for disquiet or even doubt. Jesus had said he would rise again and he did. He said that he would return and he hasn't. Does that mean that he did not rise either? Maybe its all a scam?! Maybe the militant atheists and mockers are right? If so then the words of St Paul are true: "If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins." (1 Cor 15: 17) It is comforting, therefore, to hear today what Jesus said to his disciples about his coming in glory: "Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour," (Mtt 25: 13) From the beginning Christians have had to understand that the end of all things, including the return of Christ Jesus. would happen in God's time. We need not worry about that. Rather, we need to be concerned about our own readiness to live the mission that Christ has given us and and have the "oil" of good deeds and faith topped up so that when he comes again he will find us occupied with the work of the gospel. "And just so it is appointed for mortals to die once, and after that the judgement, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him." (Heb 9: 27-28)

The Solemnity of All Saints

In the Letter to the Hebrews the writer, having spoken of the faith of Abraham, Moses and other Israelite heroes, to a Christian community living in fear of persecution, says: "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us...". (Heb 12: 1) During the Covid19 pandemic we have seen how relevant a live crowd is to sporting events. The fans are not merely passive. Even though the players or competitors must run the race or play the match the presence and support of the fans gives their efforts meaning and helps them to keep going even when they are behind on the scoreboard. The significance of saints in the Catholic Church is not to act simply as role models. Rather, they cheer us on and intercede for us so that we may keep going and join them in glory. The life of faith in 2020 is not easy. We are surrounded by challenges not least of which are our own anxiety, fears and doubts. Thus, by gathering together for Sunday Mass and at other times we encourage each other to continue our discipleship journey together until the end. St Paul wrote: "Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it. Athletes exercise self-control in all things; they do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable one. So I do not run aimlessly, nor do I box as though beating the air; but I punish my body and enslave it, so that after proclaiming to others I myself should not be disqualified." (1 Cor 9: 24-27) Let us, therefore, strive with the help of the saints to become worthy of our Baptismal calling.

 

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Looking at today's gospel reading the summary of the law by Jesus is so pithy it is tempting to skate over it since we have heard it so many times before. It deserves closer inspection. As per usual Jesus does not actually answer the question directly. He was asked about which of the commandments is the greatest. Instead of giving one he gives two. Catholic theology also tends to avoid absolutes such as by faith alone, grace alone or scripture alone. It tends to be "both and" with faith and works, soul and body, spiritual and temporal. In this case we have love of God and neighbour. However the situation is complicated by the condition that we love our neighbour "as yourself." (Mtt 22: 39) Thus, in any love relationship there necessarily exists a trinity of relationships. The priority goes to love of God because it proceeds all other loves: "We love because he (God) first loved us." (1 Jn 4: 19) 

The second commandment "is like it." What does that mean? Since God said: " 'Let us make humankind in our own image, according to our likeness" (Gen 1: 26) it is impossible to love God without loving other human beings: "Those who say, 'I love God' and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love  brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers or sisters also." (1 Jn 4: 20-21) It is impossible to have love of God, therefore, when we do not recognize him in our fellow human beings. This has implications for how we regard the whole of humanity as Pope Francis has pointed out in his recent encyclical Tutti Fratelli.

This leads me therefore to myself since I, like all other human beings, am made in the image and likeness of God. Yet, how many of us are prone to self-condemnation!? We punish ourselves for our mistakes and sins. We inflict penance on ourselves for what we have done wrong and belittle ourselves in the eyes of others. Through negative self-labelling we self sabotage our happiness and our unhappiness becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. Since 70% of my talk is, in fact, self-talk then my relationships with others, which is the remaining 30%, can only mirror my internal dialogue.

The key to fulfilling the law, enunciated by Christ, is to love God and be grateful to Him for the gift of myself. By accepting myself and loving myself I honour God's creation in me. When I honour God's work in me I will then have the vision to see God's grace and creation at work in others. That means I can love others since, like me, they are loved by God and, I pray, forgiven by God and healed by God. When I see God's grace at work and me and in others I rejoice. With gratitude I find my wonder at God's love amplified and my desire is, in fact, to love the Lord my God with all my heart and all my soul and all my mind. I am brought to love God solely out of a desire to love him and not through fear, obligation or duty: "Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us." (1 Jn 4: 11-12)

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today we hear how Jesus catches the Pharisees and Herodians who set a trap for him. Their insincerity and hypocrisy are revealed. In other words, their words do not match their actions. What about us? St Paul, in the second reading, tells the Thessalonians: "For we know...that he (God) has chosen you, because our message of the gospel came to you not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction." (1 Thess 1: 4-5) We must be vigilant as Christians that our faith is not simply a matter of words. We should be alert to how the Holy Spirit and God's power is manifested in our lives. If it is not, then we need to ask for the Holy Spirit: "If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" (Lk 11: 13) It is the Holy Spirit who will guide us and enable us to integrate the gospel message into our lives and transform them through the conviction that it brings to be a living faith that shows forth the power of God.

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

What a contrast there is between the first reading and the gospel this week! The prophet Isaiah speaks of the end of death and the fulfilment of creation as a great banquet on the mountain. Imagine the view! On the other hand we have the promise of a wedding banquet that ends in bitterness and bloodshed: "The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city." (Mtt 22: 7) Even the anonymous guest who comes to the wedding without a garment is treated severely: " 'Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Mtt 22: 13) It is fitting therefor that we also pay attention to the second reading where we read: "I can do all things through him who strengthens me." (Phil 4: 13)It is true that an account will be asked of us for the lives that we have led however we need not be afraid when we walk with the Lord in our daily lives. We need to be mindful of the call and the promise that we have received and constantly invite the Holy Spirit to guide us so that we find ourselves rejoicing in the Lord at the wedding feast when our time comes.

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jesus says: "Therefore, I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom." (Mtt 21: 43) I think it is necessary, at this point, to remember what the kingdom entails. St Paul tells us: "For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." (Rm 14: 17) We should not, therefore, think that our attendance at Mass is oriented towards our own fulfillment. It is informed by the need for us to "become what we receive." We are to become Eucharist in that we live our lives conformed to the sacrificial love enacted in the Passion and death of our Lord Jesus Christ. When we become entitled, narcissistic and self regarding righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit will be taken from us. Our church will dissolve in factions, disputes and jealousies while others who live towards Christ will know the Kingdom and live it here and now. We need to awake from the sleep of denial and be alert to God at work in our midst: "Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to you that when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armour of light." (Rm 13: 11-12)

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The context of the gospel this week is the confrontation between Jesus and the Jewish authorities in the Temple. Who Jesus is and what authority he has for actions, including the cleansing of the Temple, is the question. Jesus does not justify himself rather he challenges the authority of the chief priests and the elders. The key thing for God is not what people say but what they do. The Jewish authorities have failed to respond to the call to repentance. The most unlikely of people, the tax collectors and prostitutes have, and this is what gives them priority in the in-breaking Kingdom of God which was foretold by St John the Baptist and realized in Jesus Christ. The Temple no longer exists however the call to repentance is still there. The challenge for us today is whether we are self-justifying or self-righteous, like the Jewish authorities of the day, or are we open to the radical message to change our lives and bring them into line with the Gospel. Every Ash Wednesday we rehearse the liturgy of repentance but is it a reality in our lives throughout the year? Let me be honest in my self critique: do I forgive others? do I have good stewardship of the earth's resources? am I greedy or materialistic? do I honour God and worship him with gratitude? do I act in a sexually moral way? do I put others first? Our journey of discipleship always challenges us to go further in our faith journey. Let us do so with courage: "let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus".  (Phil 2: 5)  

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Recently I have been working with primary schools to help them prepare children to receive First Reconciliation and First Communion. As per usual I come across parents who want faith for their children but do not seem to want it for themselves. I ask them: "Why is it you want to have your child receive baptism but do not want to be baptized yourself?" Seldom do I get anything like a satisfactory answer. I am left wondering why these mothers and fathers are reluctant or fatalistic about their own relationship with God and the Church? It is not like the opportunity has passed. I can say with confidence that my chances of becoming an All Black have been extinguished but the offer of God's grace remains for the whole of life: "Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near." (Is 55: 6) Our heavenly Father, like the landowner in today's Gospel reading, constantly searches for souls to know, love and accept his salvation for what it really is. As missionary disciples each one of us needs to reach out to those around us who have given up on the possibility of joy and faith. Burdened by their sins and doubt they lie bound by chains of fatalism and pessimism. We need to make St Paul's words our own: "All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God." (2 Cor 5: 18-20) As RCIA and other programmes such as Alpha are active let us offer those we know the chance to learn about God and the Church so that we may share in the joy of faith together.

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

It has been interesting seeing the emphasis that the new media has put on whether the victims of the Christchurch mosque terrorist forgave him or not. Forgiveness is not something to be taken lightly. When Jesus forgives the sins of the paralytic the Pharisees ask: " 'Who is this who is speaking blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?' " (Lk 5: 21) Yet, it is precisely for the forgiveness of sins that Jesus Christ came and for which he brought about a new covenant. At the Last Supper Jesus hands his disciples a cup saying: "Drink from it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." (Mtt 26: 27-28) As if this is not hard enough to take, Jesus also tells his disciples that they must forgive as he forgives: "So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart." (Mtt 18: 35) This forgiveness knows no limit: "Not seven times, but I tell you, seventy-seven times." (Mtt 18: 21) Furthermore, our reception of mercy is made conditional on the extent to which we forgive: "And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors." (Mtt 6: 12) The marvel of God's forgiveness, manifested in Christ Jesus, is shown on the Cross: "Then Jesus said: 'Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing'." (Lk 23: 54) Thus, it clear that to be a true disciple of the Lord each of us needs to strive for ever greater forgiveness even of those who persecute us or hate us. It is only something we can accomplish because we are mindful of how much we have been forgiven already by God in Christ Jesus.

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

A couple of weeks ago we heard Jesus say to Simon: "You are Peter and on this rock I will build my church." (Mtt 16: 18) Today we hear something about what this mysterious things called "church" is and how it functions. It is a gathering to which brothers and sisters, made so through the bonds that are forged in Christ, can resolve conflicts and ensure order within the community. Jesus says: "If the brother or sister refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church..." (Mtt 18: 17). This gathering is no ordinary group of individuals as its decisions are binding on earth and in heaven. (Mtt 18: 18) Third, it is a gathering of prayer which makes the Lord present: "For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them." (Mtt 18: 20). As we gather for Mass today let us be mindful of the privilege of being church and the power that the church has to resolve conflict, mediate grace and make the Lord present. Our Mass is no ordinary human event. It is a mediation of Jesus himself as he is among us as the Bridegroom is to the bride. Let us also be mindful of the obligation to seek peaceful resolution of conflicts and to avoid scandal, gossip and detraction which are so corrosive of the beautiful Church into which each of us has been baptized. 

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

If last week's gospel was a moment of triumph for St Peter today's reading is a moment of humiliation. How does Peter go from hero to zero? The answer is the scandal of the Cross. Darwinism and other forms of evolutionary biology see the key to success as being survival. The stronger and fitter species and individuals will win out and the weaker ones will die. We instinctively look for strength and self-preservation in our economic and social interactions. For St Peter, what was the point of being the Messiah if you were not going to beat the stuffing out of the Romans and vindicate God's people so as to establish a new and glorious Kingdom? Yet, Jesus starts to speak of the Cross! We can start to think by this that St Peter has a point, Instead, Jesus rebukes him: "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me" (Mtt 16: 23) From being the "rock" Peter has become a "stumbling block." Why? Because he, and indeed us also, think in a human way. St Paul speaks of this when he writes: "For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God." (1 Cor 1: 22-24) How can we start to think in a divine way? It is through faith in a Christ who is crucified and calls us to come follow him. Paradoxically, therefore, we no longer are ashamed of our weaknesses but rather glorify in how God is able to work through them. Paul tells us: "So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Cor 12: 9-10) 

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today we have the account of Simon Peter's reply to Jesus' question: "But you who do you say that I am?" (Mtt 16: 15) Simon says: "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." (Mtt 16: 16) It is difficult for us to imagine how significant it would have been for a First Century Jew to make such a statement. It would have demanded a radical transformation of Simon's political/religious/cultural reality. With the messiah having arrived the Scriptures would have been fulfilled and a new age begun. Next Sunday we will hear how the newly nicknamed Peter struggle to deal with the consequences of his statement of faith. For the moment, however, it is helpful for us to realize how the question of Jesus and the answer he was given remain just as radical for us today. If someone of my acquaintance or a television reporter was to ask me "Who do you say Jesus of Nazareth is?", what would I reply? The pressure on me would be even greater if I knew that my career prospects would be damaged or I would expose myself and my family to ridicule and abuse by trolls on social media. In some parts of the world an answer that affirms the messiah-ship of Jesus may even endanger my life and that of those I love most. Yet, as we see in the martyrdom of the Apostles, including St Peter, to believe in Jesus and to stay faithful to him was of greater value than worldly life or prosperity. Faith in Jesus is indeed the pearl of great price. Since we have been redeemed from slavery to sin by the blood of Christ let us not hesitate to affirm our faith in Him when it is challenged by those around us. Let our presence at Mass be a living witness and prophetic sign that the promises of the Gospel are just as valid in 2020 as they were in the time of St Peter.

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The episode in today's gospel disrupts any idea that Jesus was a saccharine, soft touch who went around being "nice" to everybody. When we look at the Gospels we find that Jesus challenged people and tested them often with hard questions. People come to Jesus and they are often in tears, desperate or angry. Jesus does not evince a neutral or disinterested response and he hardly answers a question with a direct answer. As Jesus was in life so he is in the resurrection. In our prayer life we need to be aware that Jesus will challenge us and test us. His answers to our prayers will not always be immediate or exactly what we expected. In fact, his answers to our prayers, usually in hindsight, yield a far better result than I could have expected at the time. What a wonderful, personal and loving God we have! He knows us better than we know ourselves and loves us more than we can know! Let us therefore approach him in faith as did the Syro-Phoenician woman and allow ourselves to be tested so that our relationship with Jesus my mature and grow.

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Earlier in the Gospel the disciples were with Jesus in a stormy sea. Alarmed at the waves they cry out: "Lord, save us! We are perishing!" (Mtt 8: 25) Jesus calms the storm and the disciples marvel at him saying: "What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?" (Mtt 8: 27) In the Gospel today the disciples are again tested both by the head wind and the appearance of Jesus walking on the water: " 'It is a ghost!' And they cried out in fear." (Mtt 14: 26) Peter, with his characteristic impetuosity, calls out: "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water." (Mtt 14: 28) Once the pair are back in the boat "... those in the boat worshipped him, saying: 'Truly you are the Son of God.' " (Mtt 14: 33) We can see in these accounts a growth in faith that is brought about through trial and hardship but also the willingness of Peter to embrace the mystery and reach out to the Lord. It is a truism to say that we only tend to find God in times of distress. It is only then that we call out to Him because we realize that we can no longer rely on our own power and resources. Over time our realization of who Jesus is and what he means for us becomes more apparent and he is no longer some ancient wonder worker or wise teacher. We come to know him as the Son of God who invites us to share not just in his mission but also in his divine power. through participating in Alpha we are drawn to encounter Christ anew even if I am not in crisis. When we see his power in work in myself and others my own understanding and discipleship will deepen. I, too, will be able to reach out to the Lord and say: "Truly you are the Son of God."

18th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today Jesus says to the disciples: "They need not go away; you give them something to eat." (Mtt 14: 16) We can rightly take this to mean that Christians should meet the physical needs of others using their own resources. We can also consider that people in today are starving for the Word of life. They are frequently lonely, isolated and despairing with little sense of personal worth and meaning. For too long Mass-goers have, generally speaking, delegated the task of communicating the Gospel to clergy, religious, RCIA, base ecclesial communities and the Catholic schools. If you are going to participate in the great mission of feeding the world with the Word of God what are you to do? Are you being asked to go in pairs knocking in the doors of strangers? No, you are not. You are asked to invite family, friends, work mates and, yes, strangers to participate in Alpha or similar courses. Alpha invites people to consider the deeper questions of life as well as feeding them the Word. Many lapsed or resting Catholics need to rediscover the mercy and love of God that is mediated through Christ. It is only then that they can reconnect with their ancestral faith and the birthright of their baptism. The first step, however, is to acknowledge that I too am hungry for the Word. 

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

St Paul tells us: "We know all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose." (Rm 8: 28) This message of hope is vital for us when we encounter trials and sufferings of our own or of the Church. St Thomas Aquinas taught that God does not cause evil but allows for it to happen so that a greater good may arise from it. This does not mean that we should cause evil ourselves! It means that the power of God which raised Jesus from the dead is also at work in our present day to bring about his purposes so that even the schemes of the devil are turned to the benefit of God's Kingdom. It remains that Creation, despite the disturbance caused by sin and death, is predestined to be re-created and glorified according to God's plan. This includes us who are united with Christ in baptism and are sealed with the Holy Spirit in confirmation: "For those whom God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the first born among many brothers and sisters." (Rm 8: 29) The promise of being united with Christ in the resurrection means that we can endure patiently the challenges to our faith confident in the power of God to vindicate those who believe in him: "And just as it is appointed for mortals to die once, and after that the judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him." (Heb 9: 27-28)

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today we hear that parable about the weeds and the wheat.  Apparently, the weeds referred to in the story look very similar, in their early stages, to the wheat. This makes it very difficult to tell the two apart prior to harvest. Just as in last week's gospel the sowing of seed occurs but the harvest is not guaranteed. This uncertainty is not the fault of the sowers but is brought about through the variables of the soil on which the seed is sown or by the evil one. In both cases the workers are instructed to keep sowing . It will be up to the Lord of the harvest to determine the fate of the weeds and the wheat at the end of time. The need to withhold judgement is not just collective but also individual. St Paul writes: "I do not even judge myself. I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore so not pronounce judgement before the time, before the Lord who comes, who will bring light the things hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each will receive the commendation from God." (1 Cor 4: 3-5) As we strive to live our lives in a manner worthy of our baptismal/confirmed vocation let us strive ever onward and leave the harvest to the Lord who will gather it in his own good time. 

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time

This week we continue our reading of St Paul's Letter to the Romans. In the excerpt we have today St Paul says: "For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it..." (Rm 8: 19-20) We realize in this that our present reality is not our final destination. God has given us this life so that we may participate in His divinity in the next: "For here we have no lasting city, but we are looking for the city that is to come." (Heb 13: 12) To expect perfection, fulfillment and satisfaction in this life is foolish. There is so much advertising that offers us present happiness but there is no product or way of life other than that found in Jesus Christ that can truly meet our needs. The Good News is that God has sowed the seeds of eternity in our hearts and we long for him. It is this hope that we share together in our Sunday Mass as we are drawn up into the great act of love which is the Passion death and resurrection of our Lord who loved us so much that he was prepared to suffer the Cross so that we might have hope. For the suffering of this age is allowed so that a greater good may arise from it: "... in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God." (Rm 8: 21) 

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The readings from St Paul's letter to the Romans we are hearing these Sundays as the Second Reading are a serious challenge to our lives as Christians in 2020. Imagine what it was like for the people of Rome, who had yet to meet Paul, in the First Century!? He tells us: "My sisters and brothers, you are not in the flesh, you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you." (Rm 8: 9) What an incredible mystery! This is only one sentence from that great letter and yet it points out a great mystery of faith. Do we recognize in our daily lives to the fact that God's Spirit dwells in us? Are we slaves to our appetites and pushed by worldly jealousies and desires? In the end we are dealing in life and death in the choices we make everyday. We need to make the choice for life. The conversion experience is not a one off. Each day, as with marriage, as with priestly ordination, as with religious life, as with the single life, we need to make the choice to respond to the Spirit of God that dwells within us. It is through the sacraments of baptism and reconciliation that we actualize the redemption that is at work within us. Let us therefore choose life and do so in the smallest actions of our everyday life: "So then, brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if you live in the Spirit, you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live." (Rm 8: 12-13)

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time

St Paul, this weekend, speaks of the great mystery of our baptism: "Brothers and sisters: Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?" (Rm 6: 3) When we think of baptism of infants or adults, as well as our annual renewal of baptism at Easter, we need to make this connection with the sacrificial death of Jesus given out of love for the Father. Baptism changes us just as it brought about change in Jesus. It leaves behind an old life to be given a pledge of the new. This death means we cannot be conformed to this world with all of its sin and pride. It gives us all the promise of glory which makes sense of suffering and helps us to live towards and with others in a way that we could not otherwise do. In other words, baptism makes a capable of agape - self-giving love, in a way that the world cannot. Let us strive, as St Paul exhorts us, to be worthy of the baptism we have received: "Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life" (Rm 6: 4) "... So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus." (Rm 6: 11)

12th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Over the period of Covid19 level 4 lock down everyone has had opportunity to reflect on what is "essential." This, of course, varies for everyone but for Catholics we regard Eucharist and prayer as essential. This is the case even if the civil government regards it as irrelevant. There are many needs, physical, mental and spiritual that occupy our minds. The Gospel today gives us a warning about what is most important: "Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both body and soul in hell." (Mtt 10: 28) Without our faith and the hope it offer us as well as the joy it brings us we have no purpose or meaning. This meaning is founded on the love of God and his plan for each one of us. Without it all our earthly possessions are of no value. Have you ever reflected on what it is like to pack up your loved one's possessions after his or her death? They have no value in the absence of the one you loved except as relics to be treasured of the relationship you shared. St Paul tells us: "So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal." (2 Cor 4: 16-18) 

Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

In the gospel Jesus tells us that he is one with the Father and that the only way to know the Father is through knowing Jesus. He also says: "... for I am gentle and humble of heart." (Mtt 11: 29) Who would believe, from all the other religions of the world with all their terrifying, capricious and demanding images of God, that the ground of Being is in truth revealed as being "gentle and humble" of heart! We can only know this and believe it through encountering, knowing and loving our Lord Jesus Christ. It is he who heals the estrangement of God brought about through Original Sin and opens our eyes to the love of the Father. The Feast of the Sacred heart is the antidote to Jansenism and scrupulous, self-hating religion that denies the warmth of God's loving heart and keeps us from approaching him to accept his mercy for what it really is.

The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

The Holy Eucharist is a sacrament of unity yet, we read in today's Gospel: "The people disputed among themselves, saying, 'How can this man give us his flesh to eat?' " (Jn 6: 52) As with the doctrine from last week, of the Holy Trinity, sadly over the centuries Christians have fought and even killed each other on account of their differences. What is the answer? Does this mean that we should do away doctrine and give all opinions equal value? As The Beatles sang: "All you need is love."? 

We know that even the closest of Christ's disciples struggled with his teaching: "This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?" (Jn 6: 60)  To get rid of doctrine so is to think of worldly categories rather than enter more deeply into the mystery of the Incarnation. St Paul tells us: "Those who are unspiritual do not receive the gifts of God's Spirit, for they are foolishness to them, and they are unable to understand them because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Cor 2: 14) Jesus also says as much when he replies to the disbelieving disciples: "It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life." (Jn 6: 63) We cannot reduce the Holy Eucharist to fit our own ideas. We need to focus ourselves on Christ and the entire mystery of his passion, death and resurrection which is made substantially present to us in the sacrifice of the Mass. To receive the Eucharist is an act of faith that places our trust in Jesus himself and the immemorial teachings of the Catholic Church. Jesus asked the twelve, 'Do you also wish to go away?' Simon Peter answered him, 'Lord, to whom can we go? We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.' " (Jn 6: 67-69)

The Holy Trinity

Our God is relational. That is a key message on this feast. He is relational both in his internal aspect and to the universe he created. In fact, the word "God" seems very blunt and impersonal when we reflect on the nature and mystery of  the ground of being who, according to revelation, is "love" and "light." This is why the repeated use of "God" or, even worse, "god" by Christians who wish to avoid male pronouns is intensely annoying. We rejoice to fall God "Father" just as we rejoice to call Our Lady, "Mother of the Church." How can we dare, in our sinfulness, to call God "Father," in any event? It is the Holy Spirit that testifies within us: "For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him." (Rm 8: 15-17) Let us, on this great feast, not be too distracted by philosophical explanations rather let us rejoice in the God is is personal to us, can relate to us and through his Son Jesus Christ, died for us.  

Pentecost

Today is a very special day for the Church. Born from the side of Christ, as he lay in the sleep of death on the Cross, the Church was and is today manifested to the world as a society of disciples transformed and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Using, individually and collectively, divinely bestowed charisms and gifts members of the Church share the joy of the Gospel in all nations and cultures of the world. At Vatican II the fathers taught: "The Church, consequently equipped with the gifts of her Founder and faithfully guarding His precepts of charity, humility, and self-sacrifice, receives the mission to proclaim and establish among all peoples the kingdom of Christ and of God. She becomes on earth the initial budding forth of that kingdom. While she slowly grows, the Church strains toward the consummation of the kingdom and, with all her strength, hopes and desires to be united in glory with her King." (Lumen Gentium, 5) 

Pentecost is, therefore, not an isolated historical event. It is a process by which the Kingdom of God is established in the world. It invites humanity to be united as one family, in all its diversity, worshiping in the one Spirit: "For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body - Jews or Greeks, slaves or free - and we were all made to drink of the one Spirit." (1 Cor 12: 12-13) How, you may ask, are we to do this? It is by testifying the power of God in our own lives which speaks to the heart of every human longing regardless of race, social status or way of life: "Amazed and astonished they asked, 'Are not all of these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own language?... In our own languages we hear them speaking about God deeds of power'." (Acts 2: 7-8, 11) 

Let each of us be renewed today in our commitment to serve the Gospel in our words and deeds. The peace in our hearts, present despite the anxiety of Covid-19 and economic anxiety bears testimony that we are bearers of the Spirit and heirs to the community gathered in the Upper Room. Thus, we can make the commission given by Jesus our own: "Jesus said to them again, 'Peace be with you. As the father has sent me, so I send you'." (Jn 20: 21)

Feast of the Ascension of the Lord

The feast of the Ascension of the Lord has two major impacts on the life of the Church. The first is that we know that our future is to be with the Lord and that where the Head has gone the body will follow. The second is that our task is not, as a result of the Lord passing beyond our sight, to stand gazing and waiting for his return. Instead, we are made more keenly aware of the imperative to engage in the mission that he has left us as Church to take the Gospel to the ends of the Earth. We, in fact, become an extension of the Incarnation. We are now his presence to the world and the more obedient to his commandment to love the more apparent this will be. Such a challenging mission, however, is not given to us using our human capabilities. That would be impossible. That is why he promised us the Holy Spirit and why the feasts of the Ascension and Pentecost are so intimately connected. Not only must we celebrate today that Jesus has ascended to glory but also we need to pray fervently for the Holy Spirit to come upon us so that we can worthily and fruitfully participate in the mission of the Church.