Feast of the Epiphany

 One of the dangers of being Christians in 2024 is that we lose a sense of how radical it was for non-Jews, that is, Gentiles, were invited to participate fully in the grace of Jesus of Nazareth, who was truly revealed as the Messiah, in his resurrection. The conflict which occasioned the Council of Jerusalem and the letter to the Galatians went to the heart of the implications of the Incarnation and the Resurrection for both Jews and Gentiles. As we hear in todays Second Reading: "In former generations this mystery was not made known to humanity as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: that is, the Gentiles have becomes fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel." (Eph 3: 5-6) The Magi represent the journey of faith, brought about through the use of science and reason, to arrive at a desire for God which opens us to his mercy and grace which find their confirmation in the promises of the Scriptures.

Feast of Mary, Mother of God

 This is the Octave of the Nativity. It deepens the insight given the Church regarding the Incarnation and the mystery of the Holy Trinity. Jesus, born of the Virgin, is truly human and as second person of the Holy Trinity is truly God. The Virgin, therefore, is revealed as Theotokos, the God-bearer and hence Mother of God. Through baptism we are incorporated into Christ Jesus. Thus, God becomes our Father, as he taught us to pray and his mother becomes our Mother. As we hear in the Second Reading: "But when the fulness 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." (Gal 4: 4-5) We become temples of the Holy Spirit. As a result we live no longer for ourselves but for the one who gave his life for us: "... for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to the promise."(Gal 3: 29) The Holy family becomes our family and we live as part of the household of God which is the Church: "... you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the loving God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth." ( 1 Tim 3: 15) For this great blessing we can join with the shepherds who: "... returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them." (Lk 2: 20)

Feast of the Holy Family

 The gospel for this feast reveals the implications of the Incarnation. The word made flesh, becoming human through the Blessed Virgin Mary, is born into space and time. The Roman Empire, the customs of the Jewish religion, the devout Jews who frequent the Temple all help to paint the picture. Above all, however, there is the Holy Family. Mary and Joseph, both of whom have had to suffer and live by faith in responding to God's will, are shown as beginning life as a family and living out that life in accord Jewish Law. It is a challenge to contemporary families to likewise be faithful to their culture, heritage and religion. There are so many distractions and temptations. The Simeons and Annas in our parishes are wonderful in the support they can offer to young couples and families. It is in this way that faith can be maintained and a solid foundation given to family life which is a testimony to God's love for us.

The Feast of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ

 I encourage all parishioners to go into their Sunday Missals and read all of the readings for Christmas. These readings are for the vigil, the night Mass, Mass at dawn and Mass during the day. What a wonderful treasure trove of Scripture to helps us delve into the mystery of the Incarnation! The prophecies of the Old Testament are gloriously fulfilled in the birth of a son to a lowly, artisan Jewish couple who are unable to find suitable accommodation. The only fitting response to such news was then and is still today joy. Joy is the fulfilment of hope. Whatever our life circumstances we can all find joy at Christmas because we know that in Jesus there is the "yes" to all of God's promises and that he is indeed faithful. St Paul wrote to the Romans: "Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to the grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that , but we boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us." (Rm 5: 1-5)

4th Sunday of Advent

 Last Sunday the focus of the gospel reading was on John the Baptist. This week it is on Our Lady. Mary of Nazareth, teenage daughter of Anne and Joachim, future Blessed Mother of our Lord is human like us. She seems to have been taken aback by the appearance of the angel: "But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be." (Lk 1: 29) This is even before the proposal to become the mother of Jesus, without the assistance of her betrothed, is made to her. Once this is broken to her she replies: "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" (Lk 1: 34) This indicates that the future Queen of Heaven understands the stakes. She knows that getting pregnant outside of having sexual relation with her husband, or indeed with anyone, is, to put it mildly, problematic The archangel Gabriel, whose name in Hebrew translates as "the Power of God" invites her to put her faith in God: "For nothing is impossible with God." (Lk 1: 27)The absolute trust and faith of the Immaculate Conception reveals her courage and her humility: "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word." (Lk 1: 38) Let us pray that we can have even a fraction of the faith of Our Lady, Assumed into Heaven, this Christmas so that God's Word may be fruitful in us!

3rd Sunday of Advent

 This gospel is unusual in that its focus is entirely on St John the Baptist. There is no mention of Jesus, even in utero. However, the message of John, and the response to him (Jn 1: 25), are much the same as those to Jesus  (eg. Mk 8: 27-28). One important detail to notice is that John, the son of a priest, operates not in Jerusalem but in the wilderness near the River Jordan. In this way he can be seen as mounting a critique of the priestly elite in Jerusalem especially in their running of the Temple. By baptizing he is effectively inviting his followers to "re-Judaize" themselves. The society has been so compromised by Hellenization, that is, Greek and Roman cultural influences, that it needs to be cleansed and purged so as to bring about a renewal ahead of the impending arrival of the Messiah. The first followers of Jesus were also followers of John the Baptist. They were dissatisfied with the situation of Israel and longed for a righteous government not by the priestly elite but by God. Likewise: "... we wait for a new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness will be at home." (2 Pt 3: 13) That is why we stand in the tradition of those early disciples who followed John the Baptist and found the Messiah he preached about in Jesus Christ. We also find the inbreaking of the new heavens and the new earth in the Church which continues the mission and presence of the risen Christ.

2nd Sunday of Advent

 St Mark begins his Gospel, most likely the first gospel to ever be written, thus: "The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ the Son of God." Elsewhere in the Bible we have the start of the Book of Genesis: "In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth" (Gen 1: 1) and the Gospel of John: "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was God." (Jn 1: 1) There is no clear conclusion to the original ending for the gospel of Mark: "So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone for they were afraid." (Mk 16: 8) The onus is left on the reader. In Advent we still await the conclusion of the Gospel. We are parties to the working out of God's plan and we are not meant to run away in terror and amazement. There is still work to be done. St Paul tells us that: "Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, after he has destroyed every ruler and every authority and power." (1 Cor 15: 24) In a world afflicted by pain and conflict we can be tempted to lose hope as we wait for God to bring the world to its fitting and decisive fulfilment. This was also the case for the first generation of Christians. St Peter advises them: "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 Pt 3: 14-15)

First Sunday of Advent

 There is a real sense of urgency in the gospel today. The expression "Stay awake" is dominant. Why do we need to stay awake? I think the key is found in our Second Reading where St Paul writes: "... so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ.." (1 Cor 1: 7) The deployment of our spiritual gifts is incumbent on us as we wait for the Lord to return. To lapse into a state of negativity or passivity would be to "fall asleep." The parables that we have just heard as we concluded year A of the Lectionary, from the Gospel of Matthew, all warned against complacency and entitlement. If we have our spiritual life numbed by the commercialism of pagan Christmas, likewise, we will have fallen asleep to our obligations as missionary disciples. Let us, therefore, look to make the most of the Advent season both to prepare ourselves for the Second Coming of the Lord and to celebrate his birth in time as Emmanuel - God with us. After all, we do not journey on our own. 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: 8-9)

Feast of Christ the King

 Today's gospel speaks of the "judgement of the nations." In Jewish tradition the nations were the Gentiles, in other words, people who were not Jewish and therefore not under the Law. Matthew's community is composed of both Jews and Gentiles. How would they have understood the term "nations"? As the new Israel, united as one through the blood of the Cross, it is easy to imagine that they would understand the "nations" as referring to non-Christians. The new Law for followers of "the Way" has already been given earlier in the gospel. That law is a higher Law because it asks a higher standard of disciples: "For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." (Mtt 5: 23) Thus, the non-Christians of the world will be judged by one standard while Christians will be judged by another since: "From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from whom the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded." (Lk 12: 48) The recent gospel readings from the Lectionary have all warned against complacency, entitlement and apathy. Let us all strive to become better and more faithful disciples who never lose heart and are faithful to the Lord until the end.

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

 The parable of the talents yields the stark lesson: "For to those who have, more will be given, and they will have in abundance, but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away." (Mtt 25: 29) This begs the question as to have what? Following the parable the "what" is something given by the master. The talent is a share of the property that is given to the slaves for investment and ultimately intended as  returning to the master. This brings to mind the maxim "grace builds on nature." All I am is gift. I did not ask to exist and my being is all dependent on God's grace. He is the ground of being. Since "God is light and in him there is no darkness at all" (1 Jn 1: 5), if all I am is darkness, I will have worse than nothing should I be found to live a lie: "If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and we do not do what is true; but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son, cleanses us from all sin." (1 Jn 1: 6-7). Anything I do "have" will be destroyed in God's presence when the Universe is consummated at the end of time. St Paul tells us: "The last enemy to be destroyed is death." (1 Cor 15: 26) Let us therefore be open to life and to putting that life to good use so that when our master calls us into his presence we may rejoice in his generosity, mercy and love.

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

 The parable of the ten bridesmaids is another that occurs only in the gospel of Matthew. It speaks of people who are already believers but, like us, are awaiting the fulfilment of the kingdom of heaven represented by the return of the Bridegroom. What draws my attention is that the wise bridesmaids so to the foolish who ask them for oil: "No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go the dealers and buy some for yourselves." (Mtt 25: 9) This reminds me of a maxim I heard a long time ago from Jan Heath, a lay evangelist, who said: "God does not have grandchildren, he only has children." So often I see grandparents doing their best to inculcate the Catholic faith in their grandchildren while their own children are apathetic if not worse. Certainly, we can support others and encourage them to accept the gift of faith or the obligations that they have subscribed to however the decisions of faith remain theirs. It is not possible for us to make up for the lack in another's faith. We, who practice our faith, cannot supply for those who do not nor should we be co-dependent on them. The challenge is for us, as missionary disciples, to walk alongside them and communicate the joy of the gospel to those who struggle to have a relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ that transforms our lives. At the same time we need to make sure that our own lamps do not go out for lack of the oil of faith such that we, at the end of time, will be counted among the foolish who hear from the Bridegroom: "Truly I tell you, I do not know you." (Mtt 25: 13)

31st Sunday in Ordinary Time

 Have you noticed how hard St Matthew is on the Pharisees? It is not just this Sunday's reading but in the gospel as a whole we have the "seven woes" which are declared on them (Mtt 23: 13-36). It is not that Jesus, in Matthew, is against the Law as he states elsewhere: "For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass away until all is accomplished." (Mtt 5: 18) The problem, as I see it, is that with the Pharisees who act the way indicated in today's gospel is that they do not put God at the centre. It is all about them. Hypocrisy, virtue signaling, status seeking and self-aggrandizement undermine the Pharisees' teaching and professed love of the Law. The lesson for them remains the same for us: "The greatest among you will be your servant. All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted." (Mtt 23: 12)  

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

 Today's episode takes up after Jesus has confounded the Sadducees regarding their disbelief in the resurrection of the dead. Jesus now deals with the Pharisees, who had a belief in the resurrection, on account of their fixation on the law. When we think of Law we need to see it as a whole cultural, scriptural and theological system which developed over time through the teaching of rabbis. Thus, we can understand that Judaism, in the time of Jesus, was not all the same. The major thing that Jews had in common was the Temple. There is a challenge to the Catholic Church in 2023 that we do not end up in a fragmented and sometimes antagonistic situation. The key is to listen to Pope Francis and his predecessors, especially in their interpretation of the Second Vatican Council. In this way, we can express a legitimate diversity while holding onto those things that are essential. Jesus' interpretation and summation of the law today speaks to the heart of our Faith which is love. God takes priority which we are called to love others and we would love ourselves. Let us keep this in mind as we embark on a new era of synodality where we are called to walk together, in faith, in a rapidly changing world.

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

 As I have pointed out previously, the exchanges we have heard about can be considered as taking the form of a trial. Jesus, the Messiah visiting his Temple, hands down judgment on it by cleansing the Court of the Gentiles. The chief priests and elders call him to account by asking: "By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?" (Mtt 21: 23) Jesus replies by referring them to John the Baptist and giving them a series of parables that convict them of unbelief, failing to render to God the fruit of the Kingdom and refusing to accept God's invitation to his wedding banquet. Disgruntled by Jesus' defiance the Pharisees counter-attack by asking: "Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor or not?" (Mtt 22: 17) Either way, they think, Jesus will be discredited in the eyes of his followers or by the Roman authority. Jesus' reply instead traps them. It is they who are holding coins with the image of the pagan emperor. It is they who prioritize money and political power ahead of God. It is they who have sold out their faith for secular gain.  Thus, they are amazed as they have been outwitted by Jesus, thought to be son of the carpenter, from Nazareth. Publicly humiliated in the presence of Jesus' disciples and their own supporters, no wonder  their minds turn to murder since they are unable to defeat Jesus in debate. Let us pray that we ourselves will not be counted among such hypocrites when our risen Lord returns in glory.

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

 The parable for this week strikes me as having the same message as that from last week except the metaphor is that of a wedding feast rather than a vineyard. Last week the warning was that: "...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) Today we hear: "For many are called, but few are chosen." (Mtt 22: 14) The warnings against complacency, presumption and entitlement are severe. Matthew's community as well as the Church in New Zealand in 2023, I think, faced the challenge of living out being Church in a hostile environment. The temptation is to turn inward and erect defenses against a world that does not understand us. Rather, we called to go outward and to share with others the joy of the Gospel regardless of who they are. The Holy Spirit will guide and empower us in this mission which originates from the Risen Lord.

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

 Today the "trial" by the elders and chief priests of Jesus for his cleansing of the Temple continues. What they wanted to know was: "By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?" (Mtt 21: 23) Yet, it seems, that the chief priests and the elders are the ones being held to account. Interestingly, it is only in Matthew  that they speak a verdict on themselves when they say: "He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time." (Mtt 21: 41) Jesus makes it plain to them that this applies to the chief priests and the elders themselves. They are hoist by their own petard. The consequence of this is that the Kingdom is henceforth given over to those who will produce the fruits in due season. Saint Matthew would say that it is the Christian community which is the new tenants and it is charged with producing the fruit. Once the chief priests and Pharisees realize that the parable is directed at them they want to arrest Jesus. Are we as Church, in 2023, producing the fruit of the Kingdom? Or, do we share the attitudes and practices of entitlement and self-interest that Jesus condemns?

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time

 To understand today's gospel we need to be aware of the context. Jesus has just entered Jerusalem in triumph, cleansed the Temple and cursed the fig tree. All of these actions speak of Jesus fulfilling his messianic mission. The triumphal entry fulfils Scripture and foretells the resurrection while the cleansing of the Temple is a visitation of the Messiah to his Temple, where he proclaims judgement upon it. His messianic ministry is further manifested as: "The blind and the lame came to him in the temple and he cured them." (Mtt 21: 14) The chief priests and the scribes see all of this and its implications. They ask angrily: "Do you hear what they are saying?" (Mtt 21: 16) Thus, the chief priests and the elders are pushed to challenge Jesus' pretension to messianic authority. Jesus does not apologize or back down. Instead, he refers to John the Baptizer as his precursor, fulfilling the role of Elijah, and gives us the parable of the two sons that we hear today. Jesus condemns the Jewish authorities for saying "yes" to God but then doing nothing. If they had been converted by John the Baptist then they would accept Jesus as the Messiah, just as the people have. The people they regard with contempt, the tax collectors and prostitutes, have listened to John the Baptist and been converted. Their "no" to God has become a "yes." The challenge for us is to question the quality of our own response to the grace given in the Gospel and the sacraments. Each of us needs to be alert such that my initial "yes" to Christ is truly an ongoing "yes." If I have contempt for others and am judgmental towards them perhaps I may be falling into the attitude of the chief priests and elders. 

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Living out our Catholic faith as a community has never been easy.  In recent weeks we have read on Sundays about dispute resolution and the individual exercise of mercy in the Matthean community. We know from elsewhere in the New Testament that the followers of "The Way" faced challenges in their nascent Church of: fraud (Acts 5: 1-11), ethnic prejudice (Acts 6: 1) and racial intolerance/doctrinal disagreement (Acts 11: 3). In addition, the Early Church was mindful of those who had: been with the community: "... beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us." (Acts 1: 22) Jesus, himself, had given priority in his earthly ministry to the Jewish people (Mtt 15: 24) which is also reflected in the fact that St Paul would, when he arrived in a city to spread the Good News, would go first to the local synagogue. (eg. Acts 17: 2) It is understandable, therefore, that individually and collectively Jewish believers would look at later Greek speaking Jewish or Gentile believers with the same attitude as we hear from the early workers in the parable today: "These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat." (Mtt 20:12) There is a challenge, in all this, to the contemporary Church to focus not on human ideas of precedence rather to express the mercy and generosity of God to all those who are drawn to experience him through the Church and the sacraments. Just as God's mercy is our mercy, so too his generosity is our generosity. There is no room for jealousy in the Church: " 'For who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?' But we have the mind of Christ." (1 Cor 2: 16) 

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

 Last Sunday we heard about conflict resolution in the Christian community. Today we receive a lesson on the personal obligation of forgiveness. The focus is not on the offender nor is it primarily on myself. Rather, the focus is on God's mercy towards me as the source of the duty to forgive those who have wronged me. St Paul points out: "If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's." (Rm 14: 8) The king, in the parable, says to the servant: "You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?" (Mtt 18: 32-33) Every time we come to Mass we make the penitential act in which we invoke and celebrate God's mercy towards us. Every time we come to reconciliation we avail ourselves of God's forgiveness. Every time we receive the anointing of the sick we rely on God to heal us and forgive us our sins. We acknowledge God's mercy in the Lord's Prayer each time we say: "... forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." As a result, we should not be unmindful of the duty to forgive others when we are such rich beneficiaries of God's mercy. If that is not enough, there is further incentive from our First Reading: "Remember the end of your life... remember corruption and death... Remember the commandments... remember the covenant of the Most High" (Sir 28: 6-7) The last thing we want to happen to me is that: "And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt." (Mtt 18: 35)

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

 Only recently have I noticed that the gospel selections from the lectionary for Year A are presenting to us those parts of the Gospel of Matthew which do not appear in the other two synoptic gospels of Mark and Luke. It is important to remember that Matthew, most likely, had Mark in front of him when he wrote his gospel and furthermore he had no second volume in mind, such as Luke's Acts of the Apostles, in which to address the life of the Early Church. This, I suspect, explains the emphasis on the role of St Peter that we have seen in the previous two Sunday gospel episodes. It can also shine light on today's gospel which stresses the importance of dispute resolution in the Matthean community. There is an anachronism here as Jesus, before the Church was manifested at Pentecost, is shown as teaching: "If the brother of sister refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a gentile and a tax collector." (Mtt 18: 17) Matthew is applying Jesus' teaching on mercy and forgiveness to the life of his own community by which he seeks to reduce conflict among its members as well as protecting the common good. What is even more interesting is that Jesus, even when absent, that is after the Ascension, is made present in the members of the Church when they gather in prayer: "Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among you." (Mtt 18: 19-20) This teaching has important implications for us as we gather this morning and pray together in the Mass, which is primarily the sacrificial prayer of our Risen Lord, present in the people, the Blessed Sacrament, the Word and the priest. 

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

 The contrast between last week's gospel and this week is stark. Last week Peter was the "rock" and this week he is the "stumbling block." Last week he was inspired by "my Father in heaven" while today he is "Satan." This hard lesson tells us that as missionary disciples we cannot deny the cross. The temptation is to use human logic and operate on human motivations. St Paul points out: "My speech and my proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom. but with a demonstration of the spirit and of power. so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God." (1 Cor 2: 4-5) Denial of the cross is one of the five temptations for Jesus to be found in the gospels. Three were in the desert and one in the Garden of Olives at the Passion, with this one coming from his closest friend who acts as the Tempter. The lesson for Peter is that to follow Christ one must be prepared to sacrifice everything including one's life: "If any want to be my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it." (Mtt 18: 24-25) The destiny of the Messiah is the salvation of the world not his own health and comfort. Jesus has bigger fish to fry than self preservation or worldly power: "For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?" (Mtt 16: 26) The priority for missionary disciples is not the judgement of the world rather it is the verdict of their Master: "For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done." (Mtt 16: 27) Let us hope that Church leaders, as well as ourselves. are attentive to this gospel as they must cope with the challenges of the present age.

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

 Today we hear the famous words: "And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it." (Mtt 16: 18) I think it is helpful to note how active this commission is. The task of the church is not to be passive so as to defend herself against the powers of evil and sin but rather to take the offensive. The promise is that the gates of Hell will not hold out against the mission of the Church. There is a heresy called pietism where believers wait in a passive manner for God to act rather than taking any initiative. To be sure, we need prevenient grace, that precedes any act of our own, however, we are obligated to cooperate with grace. God will not force us against our will! Jesus put his own earthly ministry in positive terms: "But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you. Or how can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his property, without first tying up the strong man? Then indeed the house can be plundered." (Mtt 12: 29-30) Let us take heart in this and seek to take initiatives as missionary disciples. Let us also be mindful of the words which follow the previous words of Christ: "Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters." (Mtt 12: 31)

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

 It is interesting to compare this version of Jesus' encounter with the Canaanite woman with that in the gospel of Mark. Only in Matthew do the disciples beg Jesus to send the woman away: "Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us." (Mtt: 15: 23) The woman is clearly desperate and although she is not a Jew she is determined to gain access to Jesus. The disciples do not engage with her but see her as a nuisance. Jesus' answer also seems dismissive: "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." (Mtt 15: 24) He, furthermore, asserts the priority of the Jewish people much like what we heard from St Paul in the reading from the Letter to the Romans last week: "... to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs..." (Rm 9: 4-5) Yet, the woman persists and Jesus, after testing her again by stressing his ministry to the Jews, answers her: "Woman, great is your faith! let it be done for you as you wish." (Mtt 15: 28) In the community of Matthew, composed as it was of Jewish and Gentile believers, the message is clear. The Jewish culture and religion has priority and Jesus was clearly primarily concerned with them in his earthly ministry. Nevertheless, it is through their great desire to know Jesus, their persistence and their faith, that the Gentiles are able to become Christians. This begs the question about the Catholic Church today. How many cradle Catholics are dismissive of people of different backgrounds or ways of life, even wishing that they will go away? Yet, it is through their desire, persistence and faith that they will come to know Christ and be his disciples. Thereby, receiving from the Lord what they request, just as the Canaanite woman did all those centuries ago.

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

 Peter holds a special place in the Gospel of Matthew. This episode of Peter looking to come to Jesus across the water, in chapter 14, is only found in this gospel as if the commissioning of Peter in chapter 16. Both incidents shine a spotlight on Peter's faith. In the incident related today Peter, impetuous as ever, looks to test the extent of Jesus' authority: "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water" (Mtt 14: 28). In the end it is Peter who is tested and his faith is found wanting. Peter cries out: "Lord, save me!" (Mtt 14: 30)The key message, it seems to me, is the absolute necessity of faith, which is defined in the Letter to the Hebrews as: "... the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." (Heb 11: 1) If we rely only on the material things of this world, or scientific data or experiments about them, we will surely sink. Even more so if we rely solely on our own reason or understanding of reality to live our lives. We look not for an earthly utopia where all troubles will magically disappear. Rather, we look forward to the fulfillment of what Christ promised us: "...we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness will be at home." (2 Pt 3: 13) Sunday Mass is like the boat that carries us through the storms of life. Let us not be carried away such that we think we can "go it alone." St Paul teaches us: "So we are always confident; even though we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord - for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we do have confidence, and would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are  at home or away, we make it our aim to please him." (2 Cor 5: 6-9)

Feast of the Transfiguration

 The feast of the Transfiguration can be seen as one of the great mysteries of the incarnation. This is attested to by it being one of the mysteries inserted as the Luminous Mysteries of the rosary. Pondering this mystery, therefore, helps us to avoid temptations to dualism and Gnosticism. Jesus, fully human, is revealed to his closest Associates as bearing of divine dignity. The sacraments, likewise, appear ordinary with bread, wine and oil, let alone the ordinariness of the priest and the congregation, yet mediate the glory of God. Since grace builds on nature we can understand that the sacraments elevate and amplify our understanding of God in Christ Jesus.  Let us not fall into the trap of thinking that Jesus was simply some wise, itinerant preacher who was deluded enough to think he was God's Son. or, that he was God pretending to be a human being. The truth, revealed definitively in the resurrection, is that he is who who said he was and who the voice from heaven proclaimed him to be: " 'This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased." Furthermore, let us not forget the advice that comes next: "...listen to him!'" (Mtt 17: 5)

18th Sunday in Ordinary Time

 The Early Christians, in a document called The Didache saw in this episode Eucharistic significance:  "Even as this broken bread was scattered over the hills, and was gathered together and became one, so let Your Church be gathered together from the ends of the earth into Your kingdom." (Ch. 9) Jesus took the bread, looked up to heaven, blessed and broke it before giving it to the disciples who in turn distributed it to the crowd. Twelve baskets of fragments were collected of leftovers. The story goes from being an act of pity, whereby Jesus meets the physical needs of his flock, to enacting in their presence the dynamic of the Mass. The Mass draws in diverse people each week who receive teaching and healing. This is not enough. We are also fed by the Eucharistic food, which is the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, and thus united as one Church with the one mission we are sent out into the world to take the Good News to it. The surplus consecrated hosts are gathering and housed in the tabernacle as an enduring presence of Christ in the sacrament. In this way, Christ who is the Bridegroom to the Church, which is his Bride, has compassion on us for frequently we feel, as it is said in the gospel of Mark  for the same story: "... because they were like sheep without a shepherd." (Mk 6: 34) Let us never cease to avail ourselves of the graces which are available to us in the Mass which are the same as were offered to the crowd in the wilderness all those centuries ago.

Gender Dysphoria and Romans 1

 Recently I have been prompted to reflect on how our society has arrived at the situation where we have the media and political parties promoting euthanasia, abortion and gender dysmorphia as moral goods and even as ordered realities, that have somehow always existed. Answers to the causation of this bizarre state of affairs can be explained in all sorts of ways but I find a handy resource in St Paul's letter to the Romans. This hopefully gives us a sense of how human nature has not changed and the consequences of a civilization that has repudiated its Creator.

We read: 

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of those who by their wickedness suppress the truth." (Rm 1: 18)

It is evident from the rest of the Bible that God does not stand idly by as human beings distort His creation. There will be consequences. It is also plain that for individuals for accomplish their design of dominating and twisting created reality to their own ends that they first must suppress the truth. This involves mockery of right authority and a substitution of objective truth with lies and plausible half-truths that set the stage for what is to come.

"For what can be known about God is plain to them. Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he had made. So they are without excuse." (Rm 1: 19-20)

The Catholic Church teaches that human beings can know of God through the use of natural reason (CCC 31-35). It is apparent to everyone that the existence and the order of the Universe is evidence of a Creator. There is also the ability of human beings to know the truth as we read in the encyclical Veritatis Splendor. Therefore, there is no excuse for people to claim that  the truth simply does not exist or that it is not possible for us to know it.

"... for though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools; and they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling a mortal human being or four-footed animals of reptiles." (Rm 1: 21-23)

The next consequence of this perverse desire not to recognize God's existence is idolatry. St Paul is referring here to the Golden Calf of Exodus or the bronze serpent which also became an idol. We can think of many contemporary examples of objects or people that have become the focus of devotion. The Book of Wisdom puts it this way: "For all people who were ignorant of God were foolish  by nature and they were unable from the good things that are seen to know the one who exists, nor did they recognize the artisan while paying heed to his works... Yet again, not even they are to be excused; for they had the power to know so much that they could investigate the world, how did they fail to find sooner the Lord of all things." (Wis 13: 1, 8-9)

"Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the degrading of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen!" (Rm 1: 24-25)

In Exodus, after the forging of the Golden Calf, it is said that: "... the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to revel." (Ex 32: 6) The word "revel" translates also as "fondling" and has sexual overtones (see also Gen 26: 8). God does not punish idolatry immediately but allows the resulting sexual license and impurity to take place. We can think of these two things as promiscuity and pornography both of which debase human dignity. The advent of the sexual revolution has brought in its train a commodification of sexual activity which alienates men and women from each other.

"For this reason God gave them up to degrading passions. Their women exchanged natural intercourse for unnatural, and in the same way also the men, giving up natural intercourse with women, were consumed with passion for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in their own persons the due penalty for their error." (Rm 1: 26-27)

After being corrupted by promiscuity and pornography the next consequence is same sex attraction, which is an affective disorder. The order decreed in Genesis "male and female he made them" (Gen 1: 27) is overturned. man and women no longer complement each other and are fruitful. St Paul is probably thinking of the destruction of Sodom (Gen 19: 1-26) when speaks of the punishment for this behavior being visited in their own persons but we might think of sexually transmitted diseases and all the mental illnesses of loneliness, depression and suicide.

"And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind and to things that should not be done." (Rm 1: 28)

The evidence of a debased mind is given by gender dysphoria. The mutilation of "trans kids" should not be done. Furries and other disordered paraphilias are evidence of debased minds.

"They were filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, covetousness, malice. Full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, craftiness, they are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, rebellious towards parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless." (Rm 1: 29-31)

St Paul may have been thinking here of the court of the emperor Nero. In our time we can see the cultural suicide of reality television especially shows that promote promiscuity and adultery. They have no shame.

"They know God's decree, that those who practice such things deserve to die - yet they not only do them but even applaud others who practice them." (Rm 1: 32)

It is tragic that many people who engage in the above mentioned behavior come from Christian backgrounds and families. They are aware of Jesus and his death on the Cross but they choose to give free rein to their disordered appetites. Not only that they seek to "affirm" others and push them to ever greater extremes of of immorality and disordered behavior. They celebrate self assertion and fulfilment even going so far as to glorify Satan in music and film. Seeing the musician Sam Smith in his satanic costume at an awards ceremony or the opening ceremony of the 2022 Commonwealth Games leads us to see where all of this will end.  

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

 Today we are given four different parables for the kingdom of heaven: treasure hidden in a field, a merchant in search of fine pearls, a net thrown into the sea which catches fish of every kind and angels who come out and separate the evil from the righteous. The element common to all of these is the intentionality of the search for, or the reaction to, the kingdom. New Zealanders, as a rule, save this kind of focus for the sport they are following or the acquisition of money or material possessions. Before thinking that such an attitude applies only to others it is necessary that I apply the parables to myself. What sacrifices have I made, or am I prepared to make, to stay true to my faith? What if the New Zealand state was to start a persecution against Catholics and attempt to suppress Church institutions or the Mass as in the time of Henry VIII and Edward VI? Would I stand with Thomas More, John Fisher and the eight Carthusian monks who were starved to death or would I acquiesce and go along with everyone else to accept the new religious situation? We see Catholics, promoted in the media, who promote abortion under the guise of "free choice." Heaven forbid that we should find ourselves locked out at the gates of heaven: "When once the owner of the house has got up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock on the door, saying, 'Lord open to us,' then in reply he will say to you, 'I do not know where you come from.' Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.' But he swill say, 'I do not know where you come from; go away from me all you evildoers!' There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrown out." (Lk 13: 25-30)

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time

 The key message I understand from this week's readings is the forbearance of God. When we see worldly leaders and dictators they are distinguished by their ruthlessness and greed. By comparison the first reading says of God: "Although you are sovereign in strength, you judge with mildness, and with great forbearance you govern us; for you have power to act whenever you choose." (Wis 12: 18) The gospel illustrates this with the parable of the tares and the wheat. The landowner instructs his slaves: Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers. Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn."(Mtt 13: 20) It is not up to us to judge others, for we do not know the depths of the heart of anybody, including even our own heart. We need to go to reconciliation so that we resist the temptation to be our own judge, jury and executioner. We are simply incapable of perfecting ourselves. Let us use the means that the Church gives us, especially of prayer and examinations of conscience, so that we may be open to the Holy Spirit who will guide us in all our ways for we are assured in the second reading: "The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs to deep for words." (Rm 8: 26) 

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time

 The parable of the Sower of the Seed was so important to the early Church that it is fully as an allegory in which each of the component symbols is explained. This is not an academic exercise. By and large, as cradle Catholics, we have seen the seeds of faith sown in ourselves and our families. Over the decades the reception of that faith and its fruitfulness have been manifested before our eyes. Looking at the Church in New Zealand, we are painfully aware that the harvest has been thin. The causes of failure are the same now as they were in the time of our Lord: "...the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart...when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word...the cares of the world and the lure of wealth" (Mtt 13: 19, 21 and 22).  Luke also adds in his gospel: " the pleasures of life." (Lk 8: 14) What does it take for us to do so that the Word is vital in our lives? The parable tells us: "...this is the one who hears the word and understands it." (Mtt 13: 23)That is why we all need to be diligent in listening to the Gospel and striving to both understand it and apply it in our lives. This task, proper to all missionary disciples, takes application even when we feel that the going is tough due to sin, boredom and doubt: "...for we walk by faith, not by sight." (2 Cor 5: 7) We cannot be content to drift along in our faith: "For here we have no lasting city, but we are looking for the city that is to come." (Heb 13: 14) The challenges of this present life should not discourage us in the practice of our faith: "For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected 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: 19-21)

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

 What a wonderful gift is offered by Our Lord when he says: "... and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."! (Mtt 11: 27) We know that as disciples that we have been chosen. After hearing some of the hard teachings about the cost and expectations of discipleship in the last couple of Sundays we are given a privileged insight into the great mystery of the Holy Trinity. This can be described, inadequately, as a  synthesis of infinite, unadulterated, amazing and creative love that encompasses "all things." As missionary disciples, commissioned by baptism, we are invited to share in that love. This includes those, especially, who are weary, carry heavy burdens and are restless: "For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Mtt 11: 30) The goal of our discipleship is not world domination, social popularity, worldly prosperity or fame, rather is it a life united to and transformed by the love of God which culminates in divinization. This life is a participation in Christ's victory over sin and death and we live this already in the sacraments. We can be tempted to despair or to embrace the vain promises of the world which the baptismal promises refer to as Satan's "empty show." We face the ongoing challenge and spiritual warfare to authentically witness to the promise we have been given and the Spirit we have received: "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) All Catholics are called to stay true to their faith in trying times with abortion, euthanasia and other threats to human dignity and religious freedom. Saint Paul admonished the Galatians and it also holds true for us: "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow. If you sow to your own flesh, you will reap corruption from the flesh; but if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life from the Spirit. So let us not grow weary  in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith." (Gal 6: 7-10)

Feast of Saint Peter and Saint Paul

 This solemnity marks the conclusion of the academic year in the Northern Hemisphere. In St Peter's Square we see the statues of the two saints - Paul holding his sword and Peter bearing the keys. The danger in an adversarial culture like ours is that people will attempt to set the two great saints against each other. The theology of Hans Urs von Balthasar is a remedy for this inclination. He speaks of the different aspects or principles of the Church which can also be referred to as universal concretes. these are historical individuals who come to represent the life of the Church and give us an insight into the great mystery. Paul, in this analysis, is the missionary aspect of the Church. Peter represents the juridical and canonical aspect of the Church. Our Lady is the holiness of the Church while St John the Evangelist is the contemplative aspect. As a result, we do not pit Peter and Paul against each other as if we are looking at both sides of the tragic split of the Reformation. Rather, both men have their charism and their strengths. Both are necessary to the life of the Church and speak to us of their great faith which endured to the end in their glorious martyrdoms. Paul writes: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on the last day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing." (2 Tim 4: 7-8)

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time

 Last week's gospel was about Jesus' instructions to his disciples. This week the reading continues with the attitude required of any disciple. This mission takes 100% commitment even ahead of family and one's own life: "... whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me." (Mtt 10: 38) To this end the present challenge from Pope Francis for each of us to be missionary disciples calls for us to make evangelization the priority in our parishes and in our personal lives. Sharing the joy of the Gospel must be uppermost in our minds  ahead of sport, leisure, career or other forms of activity. Such an attitude will transform the Church away from a cultural institution to a revitalized mission of Christ to the world. The second half of today's gospel turns to those who are the objects of the mission. We must be aware that the Holy Spirit is already at work on these people to prepare them to receive the Gospel. This gives us confidence to work with the Holy Spirit and to be guided by him as we go about our mission in the world. We are there not to condemn the world but to bring Christ to it so that it can be claimed back for the God by whom it was made: "For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." (Eph 6: 12-13)

The Nativity of St John the Baptist

 There are many holy people in the New Testament yet it is only the Lord, Our Lady and St John the Baptist who have a liturgical marking of their birthdays. St Joseph misses out! There has to be a theological point to this with regard to John. I think it is important because St Luke saw it as important am recorded it in his Gospel. Subsequently, he includes the ministry of John the Baptist in the Acts of the Apostles as key to understanding the relationship between the Old and the New Testaments. In other words John the Baptist is key to developing a theological hermeneutic of continuity between the Old and the New Testaments. This can be contrasted with the hermeneutic of rupture as shown in the teaching of the heretic Marcion. We can understand how  important this is when we consider the abuses and errors that have been made by those who maintain a hermeneutic of rupture between pre and post Vatican II Church rather than the hermeneutic of continuity suggested by Pope Benedict XVI.. Talking to Jews and God-fearers (Gentiles) in Antioch in Pisidia St Paul after speaking of David and John the Baptist says: "You descendants of Abraham's family, and others who fear God, to us the message of salvation has been sent." (Acts: 13: 26)

12th Sunday in Ordinary Time

 Last Sunday we heard about the call of the Apostles. Today we have part of the discourse, which follows the call, where Jesus trains his followers. It is clear that the mission will not be easy: "See I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves... Brother will betray brother to death...So have no fear of them... whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me...". The good news is that we, like the early disciples, do not act alone. They have the power of God. Furthermore, we do not proclaim ourselves. Saint Paul wrote: "When I came to you brothers and sisters, I did not come proclaiming the mystery of God to you in lofty words or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I came to you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. My speech and proclamation were not with the plausible words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God." ( 1 Cor 2: 1-5) Our witness, as missionary disciples comes from our own experience of the grace of God which knows no limits. So, we can also say with St Paul: "For if many died through one man's trespass, much more surely have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for the many." (Rm 5: 15)

11th Sunday in Ordinary Time

 Today's gospel speaks of Jesus summoning the twelve disciples, who we will also later refer to as the Apostles, and: "... (he) gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness." (Mtt 10: 1) There is a danger in the Church today that we identify this sending out to proclaim the Good News solely with what used to be called the apostolate of the hierarchy. Many Catholics are very shy about witnessing to their faith or sharing it explicitly with others. It is true that the ordained have a special obligation to witness to the Gospel as well as providing the sacraments to the faithful. Nevertheless, in the first reading we also hear that the collective of the Israelites  "... shall be for me a priestly kingdom and a holy nation."(Ex `9: 6) Pope Francis reminds us: "In virtue of their baptism, all the members of the People of God have become missionary disciples (cf. Mt 28:19). All the baptized, whatever their position in the Church or their level of instruction in the faith, are agents of evangelization, and it would be insufficient to envisage a plan of evangelization to be carried out by professionals while the rest of the faithful would simply be passive recipients. The new evangelization calls for personal involvement on the part of each of the baptized. Every Christian is challenged, here and now, to be actively engaged in evangelization; indeed, anyone who has truly experienced God’s saving love does not need much time or lengthy training to go out and proclaim that love." (Evangelii Gaudium, 120) This is indeed the challenge for us today in New Zealand as the traditional ways of handing on faith struggle. I warmly exhort all parishioners to be alert to how they can live out their faith as missionary disciples and to do whatever they can to personally witness to God's love for each one of us.

Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

 As a Solemnity of the Lord in Ordinary Time this feast speaks of an aspect of the Lord which has emerged from tradition over time. It is not directly attested to in holy Scripture. Like the dogmas of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the feasts of the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption such doctrine helps to correct error and edifies us by pointing out the implications of the scriptural data, especially when it comes to confounding heretics. Today's feast repudiates the harsh, puritanical and pessimistic heresy of Jansenism. By looking at the gospels from the three year cycle we can deduce that the heart of our Lord and Saviour burns with love for us. His love for us is not predicated on moral perfection rather it arises from the very nature of God himself. Jesus says, of himself, in Year A: "... for I am gentle and humble in heart," (Mtt 11: 29) while in Year B we hear of how the Lord's heart was pierced on the cross: "... and at once blood and water came out." (Jn 19: 34) In Year C the image is the Good Shepherd who  upon finding the lost sheep: ""... calls together his friends and neighbours, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me,  for I have found my sheep that was lost.' " (Lk 15: 6) Thus, especially for us who are of Irish descent, the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, along with the Immaculate Heart of Mary, is an opportunity to ensure that all traces of Jansenism are purged from our faith. In doing so we will experience more fully the joy of the Gospel and be empowered to share it with others.

Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ

 When we pray the Nicene Creed, during the Mass, we say: "I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic church." When we do this we testify to our faith that the Catholic Church mediates the God whom we have just professed our faith in. The theological principle of "ex opere operato" teaches that the work of the sacraments is done by Jesus Christ and that the moral worthiness of the ministers of the Church does not invalidate the sacrament. Saint Augustine was the Church Father who developed this idea. Sadly, scandal which is caused by the deficiencies and failures of clergy does impede the effectiveness of the sacraments because it damages the believers' faith. Thus, when meditating on the mystery of the Lord's Body and Precious Blood present in the sacramental species under the form of bread and wine we are compelled to believe what it teaches. The elements, once the Institution Narrative in the Eucharistic Prayer has been prayed over them, are no longer bread and wine. They are something else. Therefore, immediately, the priest genuflects in adoration and the members of the congregation also make a profound bow. This is further indicated when the minister of Holy Communion says to the communicant: "The Body of Christ" and "The Blood of Christ." He, or she, does not say: "This represents the Body of Christ" or "This is a symbol of the Blood of Christ." The process that refers to this mystery is called traditionally: "transubstantiation." If we believe in the Church then we make an act of faith that the Eucharistic transformation, under both kinds, is real, objective and enduring. The tabernacle, after Mass has been finished, continues to house the Lord is sacramental form which means that we genuflect of bow towards it when we enter the church to pay the Lord a visit. Let us be mindful of this presence when we enter our church and may it suitably influence how we are in His presence so that we edify the Lord and our fellow believers by what we do or say.