The Sunday Gospel Blessed is the parish which has a catechumen on the final stages of the journey to Baptism at Easter. This Sunday’s Gospel, the raising of Lazarus from the dead, is the third story from John’s Gospel, chosen to throw light on the meaning of Baptism. First, at the well in Samaria, Jesus…
Last Sunday we had the story of Jesus sitting with the woman at the well, offering her the living water of friendship and mercy. It is a story about the grace of Baptism. Today we have a second baptismal story from John’s Gospel, the miracle of sight for the blind. In the early centuries of…
The highlight of the liturgical year is the renewal of our baptismal commitment to Christ at the celebration of Easter. Today’s Gospel (John 4: 5-42), the encounter of Jesus with the Samaritan woman at the well, is the first of three stories in John’s Gospel which throw light on the graces of Baptism. This is…
Last Sunday we were with Jesus on the Mount of Temptation. Today we see him on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt 17:1-9). It’s such a contrast of experiences, from temptation to the vision of divine glory. He took with him Peter, John and James and went up a high mountain where they could be alone.…
The Sunday Gospel On the first Sunday of Lent each year, the Gospel is about the temptations of Jesus before he commences his public ministry. “Jesus was led by the Spirit out into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil” (Matt 4:1). We will reflect initially on the nature of temptation, then on the…
This Sunday’s Gospel (Matt 5:38-48) is the fourth excerpt from the Sermon on the Mount, the charter of the Kingdom of God, the description of a Christian life. Last Sunday Jesus gave us a new understanding of three commandments, moving from what “You have learnt from what is said” to “But I say to you”.…
Jesus proclaimed that his mission was to bring people back from evil ways to the reign of God in their lives. His words were backed up by healing people and casting out evil spirits. The charter of his kingdom was set out in the Sermon on the Mount. Today’s Gospel (Matthew 5:17-37) is about getting back to…
Matthew’s Gospel is our source of light for most of this year. Where has he led us so far? When the voice of John the Baptist was silenced, it was time for Jesus to leave his workshop and home, and to proclaim his mission. He announced it in one short sentence. “Repent, for the kingdom…
Ghandi’s favourite reading was the Sermon on the Mount, especially the Beatitudes. He was deeply impressed by the life of Jesus Christ but not by the lives of Christians. Last week our Gospel was about the mission of Jesus to restore the world to the reign of God. Today we start the Sermon on the…
The voice of John the Baptist is now silenced behind prison walls. It is time for Jesus to begin his mission. He leaves his home and work in Nazareth and settles initially in Capernaum, a lakeside town not too far away. There he begins his preaching with a short but challenging message. “Repent, for the…