Sunday Reflections
Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
22 August 2021
Today’s theme is commitment. Joshua asked the Israelites to make a choice between the God who brought them out of Egypt or the gods of their neighbours. It is easy to look on “gods” as belonging…
The Assumption of Our Lady into Heaven
15 August 2021
The Orthodox and Eastern Catholic tradition teaches that when Mary’s life came to an end she fell asleep. This is called the Dormition and is depicted in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel in Galway…
Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
8 August 2021
John developed his theology of the Eucharist, starting with his account of the feeding of the five thousand. Jesus, having shared out bread - which was the staple of the society of that day - went…
Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
1 August 2021
The people of Israel must have had very short memories if they looked back to their captivity in Egypt with nostalgia. It is doubtful that their slave-drivers would have fed them as well as they…
Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
25 July 2021
A boy is at the centre of the drama in today’s gospel. He offers his small portion of food to Andrew. Barley loaves were the food of the poor and the fish were probably small, like sardines. He…
Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
18 July 2021
Jesus knew that the apostles were tired and hungry after their mission. Those in active ministry realise that they must spend time in quietness, to process what has happened and to listen to what…
Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
11 July 2021
This Sunday’s message is very much about mission. The prophet Amos was sent from Judah to the northern kingdom of Israel. He was moving out of his comfort zone, for - as he told Amaziah, he was a…
Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
4 July 2021
Jesus must have looked forward to going home to Nazareth. He had spent almost thirty years there. It was a small village and he had worked there as the local carpenter, so he was probably a…
Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
27 June 2021
Jesus gave help to all kinds of people. Jairus was a synagogue official, so he was probably an important person. Unlike the Pharisees he had respect for Jesus and fell at His feet. As a father he…
Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time
20 June 2021
The apostles, who were fishermen, knew the Sea of Galilee only too well, and they were right to be frightened when a storm blew up. Fear is a healthy emotion, which informs us of danger and of the…