The Sunday Gospel On a sabbath day Jesus was invited for a meal to the house of a leading Pharisee (Luke 14:1). No table was considered blessed unless a scholar sat at it. The body will savour the delights of victual and vine all the more if the meal is salted with lively table-talk. In Luke’s…
The Sunday Gospel Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. Last Sunday, we heard him say that he had come to bring fire to the earth and that he would have to plunge into the sea of suffering, a prospect that caused him great distress. Somebody came up to him and asked, “Sir, will there…
The Sunday Gospel My inspiration this week takes the Second Reading (Hebrews 12:1-4) as a lead in to the Gospel of the day (Luke 12: 49-53). “Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, who leads us in our faith and brings it to perfection.” I have often taken this sentence as the theme of…
The Sunday Gospel “Character, like a photograph, is developed in darkness.” So said Yousuf Karsh, the great portrait photographer, who had extraordinary ability in balancing light and darkness to portray not only the outer visage but also the inner character of his subject. All three readings on this Sunday touch on the theme of faith…
The Sunday Gospel A man in the crowd asked Jesus to plead with his brother over sharing an inheritance. Jesus replied, “my friend, who appointed me your judge, or the arbitrator of your claims?” (Luke 12:13). Jesus heard not only his plea but also the inner voice of a soul too concerned about material possessions. “Watch, and be on…
The Sunday Gospel If you want to know what to believe, study the creed. If you want to know how to behave, study the Sermon on the Mount. And if you want to know how to pray, contemplate the Our Father, today’s Gospel (Luke 11:1-13). The disciples were deeply impressed by the prayerfulness of Jesus.…
The Sunday Gospel St Luke seems to have been fascinated by food! Even the Risen Lord asked the stunned disciples, “have you anything here to eat?” (Luke 24:41). Luke recalls ten meals, each with a distinctive setting and a special message. The last supper and the welcoming banquet for the return of the prodigal son…
The Sunday Gospel On the road to Jerusalem Jesus taught the way of discipleship. The spiritual life has been compared to a tripod supported on the legs of prayer, study of our religion and practical action. Today’s Gospel, the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 15: 10-37), is about love in action. On the Sundays in…
In today’s Gospel (Luke 10:1-12. 17-20) the Lord sent out 72 disciples in pairs to prepare the towns he was to visit. His instruction was more about practical example than about talk. St Francis is reputed to have advised the brothers to preach at all times, sometimes using words. Actions speak more loudly than words.…
The Sunday Gospel Mass this Sunday puts aside the purple vestments of Lent and the white vestments of Eastertide as we return to the green of Ordinary Time. We take up from where we left off before Lent with Luke’s Gospel as our guiding light for the rest of the year. There is an old tradition that,…