Sunday Reflections
Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
12 February 2023
Today’s gospel comes from the Sermon on the Mount, which is a collection of the teachings of Jesus, grouped by Matthew as though they were given on one occasion. We must never forget that Jesus…
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
5 February 2023
Last Sunday we read Matthew’s account of the Beatitudes, which describe the qualities of those who follow Jesus, who demonstrated them in his own life. In today’s gospel he singles out two things…
Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
29 January 2023
The Jewish people had been given the Ten Commandments and all the other precepts which made up the Law. That was what bound them together as the chosen people and gave them a road-map for living.…
Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
22 January 2023
Zebulun and Nephtali were sons of Jacob and were allotted land in what became the kingdom of Israel. They were in an unfortunate position as they were frequently overrun by invading armies and…
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
15 January 2023
John the Baptist acted a signpost pointing to Jesus. He had a clear sense of his mission and, when questioned, resisted the temptation to assume any other identity than that of the prophesy of…
The Baptism of the Lord
8 January 2023
During the Christmas period we have read how the infant Jesus was made known firstly to the Jewish shepherds and secondly to the gentile Magi. The scene is now set for the appearance of Jesus at…
Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God
1 January 2023
Devotion to Mary probably began in the third century AD. The four gospels, written in the late first century, treat of her in very different ways. In Matthew the focus is on Joseph, who is named…
The Nativity of the Lord
25 December 2022
Today we light the white candle, which is the Christ candle, for it is Christmas day.
Each of the four evangelists has his own way of presenting the coming of the Messiah. We need to bear…
Fourth Sunday of Advent
18 December 2022
We are now very near to Christmas and the fourth candle is lit, which is the angel candle. Luke speaks of an annunciation by an angel to Mary, while Matthew describes one to Joseph through a dream…
Third Sunday of Advent
11 December 2022
The prophet Isaiah lived in the eighth century BC, in the kingdom of Judah. He was writing before the Jews were exiled to Babylon. He warned about the faithlessness of the people and how…