Sunday Reflections
Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
One of the themes of today’s gospel and Old Testament reading is “return”. In about 536 BC Cyrus the Great, King of Persia, allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem. Nehemiah, a Jew who had been an…
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
It is refreshing to hear a story about Mary told in scripture. Only Luke and John bring Mary to life as a person and allow her to speak. Devotion to Mary can sometimes build up a picture of…
The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord
John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He was preparing people for the coming of the Messiah, using the symbol of water to indicate a resolution to turn away from sin. Jesus was sinless so he…
Second Sunday of Christmas
Mark begins his gospel with the adult Jesus. Matthew and Luke recount his birth but John, whose gospel was the last to be written, focusses on the identity of Jesus as the Divine Word, existing…
The Feast of the Holy Family
The four gospels each have their own way of describing Jesus' origins. Mark, the first to be written, begins his story at the baptism of Jesus, with the voice from heaven proclaiming him and the…
Fourth Sunday of Advent
We are now very near Christmas, and the gospel reading today takes us back to the time when Mary and Elizabeth shared the news of their expected babies. The visit of Gabriel to Mary must have…
Third Sunday of Advent
We are now being bombarded by a cascade of advertising, persuading us that we need all kinds of delicious foods and drinks to make us perfectly happy. John the Baptist would think very differently…
Second Sunday of Advent
We are coming closer to Christmas. John the Baptist has appeared! Luke does not describe him as Matthew and Mark do; instead he mentions a number of the rulers and important people of that time,…
First Sunday of Advent
The word "Advent" means coming to, or arrival. We are now beginning our journey towards Christmas, and the gospel today invites us to reflect on the Second Coming of Christ. It seems to portray a…
Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
The Book of Daniel is one of the most interesting in the Old Testament. Part of it consists of stories with underlying messages and part is apocalyptic writing. "Apocalypse" means revelation…