Sunday Reflections
The Ascension of the Lord
Luke is the only one of the evangelists who gives a detailed account of the Ascension of Our Lord into Heaven, in the first chapter of Acts. His narrative acts as a recapitulation of the main…
Fifth Sunday of Easter
Last Sunday we read how Jesus described himself as the Good Shepherd. This week he talks about himself as the the vine. The vine had been used as a symbol of Israel, the chosen people, but now it…
Third Sunday of Easter
The two disciples have just returned from Emmaus and have joyously shared their experience of seeing Jesus. Luke seems to place great emphasis on Jesus being the fulfilment of the prophecies and…
Second Sunday of Easter
Many people find it hard to believe in a God who would lower himself to become human. The first reading from the letter of St John attests firmly to the belief that Jesus is the Son of God.…
Easter Sunday
“If there is no Resurrection from the dead, then Christ has not been raised, and if Christ has not been raised then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain.” (1 Cor 15:13…
Fifth Sunday of Lent; St Patrick, Patron of Ireland
Today we celebrate both the fifth Sunday of Lent and Ireland's patron saint Patrick.
Jesus talks about a grain of wheat falling to the ground, dying and yielding a rich harvest. It is a…
Fourth Sunday of Lent
God seems to send unexpected people to give leadership in times of crisis: Amos, King David, Francis of Assisi and Joan of Arc spring to mind. Cyrus, King of Persia, is another example. He seems…
Third Sunday of Lent
John’s account of the cleansing of the temple is placed at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, unlike the synoptic gospels which place it near his passion. There are many explanations for this. It…
Second Sunday of Lent
The first reading is shocking, especially for parents. Who in their right mind would worship a God who demanded the blood sacrifice of the longed-for and promised child? That was a demand that the…
First Sunday of Lent
Mark tells us very little about Jesus’ time in the wilderness. All we know is that he was there for forty days with wild beasts, was tempted by Satan and looked after by angels. Jesus prepared for…