“Remember, man, that you are dust and unto dust you must return.”18th Week in Ordinary Time: Sunday 4th August 2019Qoh/(Eccl) 1:2; 2:21-23; Ps. 90(89):3-4,5-6, 12-13,17; Col. 3:1-5,9-11; Lk. 12:13-21 (Ps Wk II) Though Qoheleth does not use the word “death” in this short passage from his book, nevertheless he is reflecting on the fact that…
What is your sense of justice? Is it based on love or on human emotions?17th Week in Ordinary Time: Saturday 3rd August 2019Lev. 25:1,8-17; Ps. 67(66):2-3,5,7-8; Mt. 14:1-12 (Ps Wk I) The scripture readings provide us with a contrast between God’s and man’s justice. In the first reading, we read that God asks Moses to…
Heavenly Father we thank you for the gift of Your Son.17th Week in Ordinary Time: Friday 2nd August 2019Saint Eusebius of Vercelli, bishop Lev. 23:1,4-11,15-16,27,34-37; Ps. 81(80): 3,4,5,-6,10-11; Mt. 13:54-58 (Ps Wk I) “I am your God who led you out of the land of Egypt.” These words from Psalm 81, today’s Responsorial Psalm, are…
Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop and Doctor17th Week in Ordinary Time: Thursday 1st August 2019Ex. 40:16-21,34-38; Ps. 84(83):3,4,5-6,8,11; Mt. 13:47-53 (Ps Wk I) Where could the Israelites find and worship God during their wandering in the desert wilderness? There were no special places or holy sites, and temples or synagogues still lay far in the future.…
Saint Ignatius of Loyola, priest and Founder of the Society of Jesuits, also known as Jesuits17th Week in Ordinary Time: Wednesday 31st July 2019Ex. 34:29-35; Ps. 99(98):5,6,7,9; Mt. 13:44-46 (Ps Wk I) An encounter with the divine can leave us forever changed. After his conversation with God, Moses’ face was so radiant that the people…
Saint Peter Chrysologus, bishop and doctor17th Week in Ordinary Time: Tuesday 30th July 2019Ex. 33:7-11; 34:5-9,28; Ps. 103(102):6-7,8-9,10-11,12-13; Mt. 13:36-43 (Ps Wk I) In today’s first reading from the Book of the Exodus we get a sense of the people’s awe and reverence for the Lord. The tent where people could consult with the Lord…
Saint Martha17th Week in Ordinary Time: Monday 29th July 20191 Jn. 4:7-16; Ps. 34(33):2-3,4-5,6-7,8-9, 10-11; Jn. 11:19-27 or Lk. 10:38-42 (Ps Wk I) Moses had been on the mountain for a long time. The people had grown impatient. They wanted a god that they could see so they gave Aaron gold to make a golden…
Open our eyes, Lord... help us to see your face ... in the poor and those in need!17th Week in Ordinary Time: Sunday 28th July 2019Gen. 18:20-32; Ps. 138(137):1-3,6-8; Col. 2:12-14; Lk. 11:1-13 (Ps Wk I (Ps Wk I) In the narratives of the Bible, apart from the events described, there is teaching for us…
Take courage; I have conquered the world. (Jn. 16:33)16th Week in Ordinary Time: Saturday 27th July 2019Ex. 24:3-8; Ps. 50(49):1-2,5-6,14-15; Mt. 13:24-30 (Ps Wk IV) The world, at its best, offers us but a very mixed picture of confusion in which both good and evil some how seem to co-exist. There have been times when…
Saints Joachim and Anne16th Week in Ordinary Time: Friday 26th July 2019Ex. 20:1-17; Ps. 19(18):8,9,10,11; Mt. 13:18-23 (Ps Wk IV) Mt. 13:18-23 (Ps Wk IV) We naturally think of “commandments” as orders given by one in authority: “laws” which we must keep or else face the consequences. At least sometimes we use the term “Decalogue”…