Sunday Reflections
Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
In the month of November, the liturgy draws our attention to the last things and the end of time. We will soon be celebrating the first coming of Christ; now we are reflecting on his Second Coming…
Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
In today’s gospel, Mark has skilfully placed Jesus’ denunciation of the scribes together with the story of the widow and her mite. Many books of the Old Testament speak about protecting vulnerable…
Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
Jesus has entered Jerusalem (Mark 11:1-11) and has had several confrontations with the priests, scribes, Herodians and Saducees, who questioned him about a variety of isues in the hope of trapping…
Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Mark is the only evangelist who names the beggar by the roadside. Bartimaeus means "Son of Timaeus", which translates as "honourable". At first sight the poor man seemed anything but honourable.…
Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
This Sunday’s readings give a threefold view of Jesus and his teachings. The letter to the Hebrews, written about AD 63, was originally attributed to St Paul, but it is generally agreed now that…
Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
The late Enda Lyons described Jesus as self-portrait by God. Who could describe God better than the second person of the Trinity? Jesus had been painting a picture of his heavenly Father in the…
Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Anyone who has worked with engaged couples knows that generally they are dwelling in the land of Grimm’s fairy tales and firmly believe that nothing will ever go wrong in their relationship.…
Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Today’s gospel poses many challenges to us as Christians. We all like to belong and Jesus’ disciples were no different. They had been individually chosen by him and had begun to think of…
Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Jesus was preparing his disciples for what was going to happen to him. They seem to have blocked out what he was saying and instead were engaging in a petty squabble about who was the greatest…
Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
To those who knew him, Jesus must have seemed just an ordinary man, gifted with special power. The Jews expected the Messiah to be someone heroic, like King David, who would restore them to their…