Lord, may I do Your will always.1st Week of Advent (A) : Thursday 5th December 2019Is. 26:1-6; Ps. 118(117):1,8-9,19-21,25-27a; Mt. 7:21,24-27 (Ps Wk I) Holiness and righteousness are a source of strength, power, and protection. Isaiah describes a strong, fortified city in which only the righteous may enter. It also requires trust in the Lord,…
Lord, help us to prepare for your coming1st Week of Advent (A) : Wednesday 4th December 2019Is. 25:6-10a; Ps. 23(22):1-3a,3b-4,5,6; Mt. 15:29-37 (Ps Wk I) On human level, Jesus was strongly influenced by Isaiah’s visionary teaching. As the Son of God, Jesus came on earth to save all humanity without distinction of race or colour…
St Francis Xavier, Priest & Patron of Missions and MissionariesFeast of St Francis Xavier, Patron of Missions and Missionaries : Tuesday 3rd December 2019Is 11, 1-10; Ps 71, 1-2. 7-8. 12-13. 17; Lk 10, 21-24. (Psalter proper) The messianic prophecy in today's first reading refers to a future time when there will come a king…
1st Sunday in Advent1st Sunday of Advent (A) : Sunday 1st December 2019Is. 2:15; Ps. 122(121):1-2,4-5,6-7,8-9; Rom. 13:11-14a; Mt. 4:37-44 (Ps Wk I) Swords into ploughshares and spears into pruning hooks — what a beautiful prophecy! Can we imagine a time when there will no longer be war between nations? This is God’s intention and…
Lord Jesus, help us prepare for the celebration of Your birth amongst us1st Week of Advent (A) : Monday 2nd December 2019Is. 4:2-6; Ps. 122(121): 1-2,3-4,8-9; Mt. 8:5-11 (Ps Wk I) At the entrance to the modern city of Jerusalem in Israel there is an arch with the welcoming greeting in Hebrew: “Blessed is your…
Feast of St Andrew, Apostle34th Week in Ordinary Time : Saturday 30th November 2019Rom. 10:9-18; Ps. 19(18):2-3,4-5; Mt. 4:18-22 (Ps Wk II) Andrew had been a follower of St John the Baptist. When he and Peter were called by Jesus to be His followers, the fishers of men, they left all things to follow Him.…
Lord, help me to be faithful to your teachings34th Week in Ordinary Time : Friday 29th November 2019Dan. 7:2-14; (R. Ps.) Dan. 3:75,76,77,78,79,80,81; Lk. 21:29-33 (Ps Wk II) Did God actually order such violence against the dwellers in the land? We would hope not! This is not how we look at God today, but the…
Enter into your own place to pray in secret and your Father who sees in secret will reward you (Mt 6:6).34th Week in Ordinary Time : Thursday 28th November 2019Dan. 6:12-28; (R. Ps) Dan:3:68,69,70,71,72,73,74; Lk. 21:20-28 (Ps Wk II) The Book of Daniel is rather puzzling and difficult to understand. Hence it is quite difficult…
The Lord’s presence is always within us34th Week in Ordinary Time : Wednesday 27th November 2019Dan. 5:1-6,13-14,16-17,23-28; (R. Ps.) Dan. 3:62,63,64,65,66,67; Lk. 21:12-19 (Ps Wk II) The apocalyptic literature from which our readings are drawn at the end of the Church’s year — whether from the Hebrew Scriptures or from the New Testament itself —…
The Lord’s presence is always within us 34th Week in Ordinary Time : Tuesday 26th November 2019Dan. 2:31-45; (R. Ps.) Dan. 3:57,58,59,60,61; Lk. 21:5-11 (Ps Wk II) Earthly power in all its forms can seem overwhelming and impossible to resist. Who are we to stand against economic, political, and religious forces? We can feel helpless…