CatholicJules.net

Could we have better prepared ourselves when covid hit our shores? How many lost their lives thinking there was a tomorrow for them? Young or old it did not matter the pandemic would have its way! So then should we constantly live in fear of what tomorrow might bring?

Christians live in the hope of new life in Christ, and so death does not have the last say for us who continually strive to turn away from sin and stay faithful the Gospel. Those who fear death are those who are not living life to the full in Jesus! They fear death because they are likely living in sin! “Live now for there is no tomorrow!” they say, and so they continue to indulge in their sinful lifestyles never truly happy, never satisfied.

If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. Rm 14:8 Let us therefore continue to live as children so loved by God our Heavenly Father keeping in mind that Jesus our Lord had said, “And other sheep I have, that are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold and one shepherd.” Amen
Jn 10:16

First reading
James 4:13-17 ·

You cannot know what will happen tomorrow

Here is the answer for those of you who talk like this: ‘Today or tomorrow, we are off to this or that town; we are going to spend a year there, trading, and make some money.’
You never know what will happen tomorrow: you are no more than a mist that is here for a little while and then disappears. The most you should ever say is: ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we shall still be alive to do this or that.’ But how proud and sure of yourselves you are now! Pride of this kind is always wicked. Everyone who knows what is the right thing to do and doesn’t do it commits a sin.

Gospel
Mark 9:38-40

You must not stop anyone from working miracles in my name

John said to Jesus, ‘Master, we saw a man who is not one of us casting out devils in your name; and because he was not one of us we tried to stop him.’ But Jesus said, ‘You must not stop him: no one who works a miracle in my name is likely to speak evil of me. Anyone who is not against us is for us.’

On this day of the Feast of the Chair of St Peter, we offer up prayers for Holy Father Pope Francis. Through Him the universal church is united, he holds the teaching authority as Vicar of Christ and entrusted to care for and to feed both sheep and lambs of Christ Jesus our Lord. It our duty therefore as Catholics to pledge our allegiance to our Pope.

Lord Jesus Christ, we ask for Your Blessings upon our Spiritual leader, Pope Francis. May the Holy Spirit be upon him that he may be a brother to all Your faithful and true servant to God our Heavenly Father. Strengthen him daily as he carries out the heavy responsibilities and immense duties of the church with grace, mercy and compassion. Grant him the grace of humility as he strives to bring Your peace, justice and truth into the world. Bestow upon our Holy Father, Your gifts of faith, hope, peace, love so that he unceasingly proclaims the Gospel and Your Holy Name to one and all. Blessed Mother Mary and all the Holy Angels and Saints of God our Heavenly Father, pray for and guide him this and everyday. Amen

First reading
1 Peter 5:1-4 ·

Watch over the flock, not simply as a duty but gladly

Now I have something to tell your elders: I am an elder myself, and a witness to the sufferings of Christ, and with you I have a share in the glory that is to be revealed. Be the shepherds of the flock of God that is entrusted to you: watch over it, not simply as a duty but gladly, because God wants it; not for sordid money, but because you are eager to do it. Never be a dictator over any group that is put in your charge, but be an example that the whole flock can follow. When the chief shepherd appears, you will be given the crown of unfading glory.

Gospel
Matthew 16:13-19

You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi he put this question to his disciples, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say he is John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ ‘But you,’ he said ‘who do you say I am?’ Then Simon Peter spoke up, ‘You are the Christ,’ he said ‘the Son of the living God.’ Jesus replied, ‘Simon son of Jonah, you are a happy man! Because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.’

There is nothing wrong in having ambition in service when we want to rise up to be in a position to do more for the Lord our God and His people. It is self seeking ambition for personal glory that causes disharmony, jealously and rifts in relationships. And indeed there are wolves in sheep clothing among us. With their displays of faux humility which serves only to cover up their many ‘I’s of self glorification. “Praise the Lord, that I did this and I did that for Him!” Is our Lord really being praised? Was it really for His glory?

St James reminds us in today’s first reading that; Peacemakers, when they work for peace, sow the seeds which will bear fruit in holiness. Holiness which allows us to live in the presence of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And through Him we act in love to bring about healing, conversion, liberation, peace, love and joy. For ‘everything is possible for anyone who has faith.’

Let us therefore remain steadfast in our faith and in our prayers. Be strong and vigilant to avoid all that is unholy and unspiritual. So that in all that we say and do, we glorify the Lord by our lives. Amen

First reading

James 3:13-18

Show wisdom and avoid ambition

If there are any wise or learned men among you, let them show it by their good lives, with humility and wisdom in their actions. But if at heart you have the bitterness of jealousy, or a self-seeking ambition, never make any claims for yourself or cover up the truth with lies – principles of this kind are not the wisdom that comes down from above: they are only earthly, animal and devilish. Wherever you find jealousy and ambition, you find disharmony, and wicked things of every kind being done; whereas the wisdom that comes down from above is essentially something pure; it also makes for peace, and is kindly and considerate; it is full of compassion and shows itself by doing good; nor is there any trace of partiality or hypocrisy in it. Peacemakers, when they work for peace, sow the seeds which will bear fruit in holiness.

GOSPEL

Mark 9:14-29

Help the little faith I have!

When Jesus, with Peter, James and John came down from the mountain and rejoined the disciples, they saw a large crowd round them and some scribes arguing with them. The moment they saw him the whole crowd were struck with amazement and ran to greet him. ‘What are you arguing about with them?’ he asked. A man answered him from the crowd, ‘Master, I have brought my son to you; there is a spirit of dumbness in him, and when it takes hold of him it throws him to the ground, and he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and goes rigid. And I asked your disciples to cast it out and they were unable to.’ ‘You faithless generation’ he said to them in reply. ‘How much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him to me.’ They brought the boy to him, and as soon as the spirit saw Jesus it threw the boy into convulsions, and he fell to the ground and lay writhing there, foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked the father, ‘How long has this been happening to him?’ ‘From childhood,’ he replied ‘and it has often thrown him into the fire and into the water, in order to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us.’ ‘If you can?’ retorted Jesus. ‘Everything is possible for anyone who has faith.’ Immediately the father of the boy cried out, ‘I do have faith. Help the little faith I have!’ And when Jesus saw how many people were pressing round him, he rebuked the unclean spirit. ‘Deaf and dumb spirit,’ he said ‘I command you: come out of him and never enter him again.’ Then throwing the boy into violent convulsions it came out shouting, and the boy lay there so like a corpse that most of them said, ‘He is dead.’ But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him up, and he was able to stand. When he had gone indoors his disciples asked him privately, ‘Why were we unable to cast it out?’ ‘This is the kind’ he answered ‘that can only be driven out by prayer.’

What we say can build, lift and give praise and glory to God our Heavenly Father. And if we are connected to the Word and strive to live it in our lives then we can be sure that the words that come out from our mouths will be life giving. What flows from our words will be act of love. For we listen and obey our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who speaks to our heart each and every day. We choose blessings over curses in all situations, challenging or otherwise. For we our will, is to glorify the Lord our God by our lives.

Too many are double-minded and give in to sin! They curse when they should bless and engage in gossip and harsh criticism of others. They often give in to rage and murder the spirit! Why? Because the word of God is absent in their lives! Even among these there are false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them. Matt 7:15-20

O Holy Spirit God, guard and guide my thoughts, words and deeds always. Let me never stray away from You. Your will be done. Amen

First reading
James 3:1-10

The tongue cannot be tamed

Only a few of you, my brothers, should be teachers, bearing in mind that those of us who teach can expect a stricter judgement.
After all, every one of us does something wrong, over and over again; the only man who could reach perfection would be someone who never said anything wrong – he would be able to control every part of himself. Once we put a bit into the horse’s mouth, to make it do what we want, we have the whole animal under our control. Or think of ships: no matter how big they are, even if a gale is driving them, the man at the helm can steer them anywhere he likes by controlling a tiny rudder. So is the tongue only a tiny part of the body, but it can proudly claim that it does great things. Think how small a flame can set fire to a huge forest; the tongue is a flame like that. Among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a whole wicked world in itself: it infects the whole body; catching fire itself from hell, it sets fire to the whole wheel of creation. Wild animals and birds, reptiles and fish can all be tamed by man, and often are; but nobody can tame the tongue – it is a pest that will not keep still, full of deadly poison. We use it to bless the Lord and Father, but we also use it to curse men who are made in God’s image: the blessing and the curse come out of the same mouth. My brothers, this must be wrong.

Gospel
Mark 9:2-13

Jesus was transfigured in their presence

Jesus took with him Peter and James and John and led them up a high mountain where they could be alone by themselves. There in their presence he was transfigured: his clothes became dazzlingly white, whiter than any earthly bleacher could make them. Elijah appeared to them with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus. Then Peter spoke to Jesus: ‘Rabbi,’ he said ‘it is wonderful for us to be here; so let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ He did not know what to say; they were so frightened. And a cloud came, covering them in shadow; and there came a voice from the cloud, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him.’ Then suddenly, when they looked round, they saw no one with them any more but only Jesus.
As they came down from the mountain he warned them to tell no one what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. They observed the warning faithfully, though among themselves they discussed what ‘rising from the dead’ could mean. And they put this question to him, ‘Why do the scribes say that Elijah has to come first?’ ‘True,’ he said ‘Elijah is to come first and to see that everything is as it should be; yet how is it that the scriptures say about the Son of Man that he is to suffer grievously and be treated with contempt? However, I tell you that Elijah has come and they have treated him as they pleased, just as the scriptures say about him.’

I am thankful and grateful that I had experienced at least for a while what it meant to be Church and in Communion with my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ in my Parish. What I mean is that under the guidance of a wonderful and visionary Shepherd of our Lord Jesus Christ all of us who were in ministry were formed in the faith and knew one another by name. We would offer each other greetings of peace and often a warm hug. The greetings of peace would be extended to all parishioners and visitors. And slowly as the years passed a number of us even tried to remember the names of the Parishioners who attended the Eucharistic Celebration regularly. So on any given Sunday we would know at least fifty to sixty percent of the congregation by name! There were no distinctions!

If we therefore proclaim that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Saviour then how can we not be in Communion with one another such that we know one another by name? How can we not know one another’s families? Are we really One Body in Him? How could we ever think to lay down our lives for one another if this were the case? Can we say that we love one another as Jesus our Lord loves us?

Jesus our Eucharistic Lord, You died for our sins so that we may live fully in Your love. You give us the most precious gift of Your Body, Blood, soul and divinity in Holy Communion, so that we may be in full Communion with You and with one another through You. Let the bonds of love and familial ties grow as we seek to glorify You ever more deeply by our lives as One Body in You. Amen

First reading

James 2:1-9 ·

God chose the poor but you do not respect them

My brothers, do not try to combine faith in Jesus Christ, our glorified Lord, with the making of distinctions between classes of people. Now suppose a man comes into your synagogue, beautifully dressed and with a gold ring on, and at the same time a poor man comes in, in shabby clothes, and you take notice of the well-dressed man, and say, ‘Come this way to the best seats’; then you tell the poor man, ‘Stand over there’ or ‘You can sit on the floor by my foot-rest.’ Can’t you see that you have used two different standards in your mind, and turned yourselves into judges, and corrupt judges at that?

    Listen, my dear brothers: it was those who are poor according to the world that God chose, to be rich in faith and to be the heirs to the kingdom which he promised to those who love him. In spite of this, you have no respect for anybody who is poor. Isn’t it always the rich who are against you? Isn’t it always their doing when you are dragged before the court? Aren’t they the ones who insult the honourable name to which you have been dedicated? Well, the right thing to do is to keep the supreme law of scripture: you must love your neighbour as yourself; but as soon as you make distinctions between classes of people, you are committing sin, and under condemnation for breaking the Law.

Gospel

Mark 8:27-33

The way you think is not God’s way, but man’s

Jesus and his disciples left for the villages round Caesarea Philippi. On the way he put this question to his disciples, ‘Who do people say I am?’ And they told him. ‘John the Baptist,’ they said ‘others Elijah; others again, one of the prophets.’ ‘But you,’ he asked ‘who do you say I am?’ Peter spoke up and said to him, ‘You are the Christ.’ And he gave them strict orders not to tell anyone about him.

    And he began to teach them that the Son of Man was destined to suffer grievously, to be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and to be put to death, and after three days to rise again; and he said all this quite openly. Then, taking him aside, Peter started to remonstrate with him. But, turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said to him, ‘Get behind me, Satan! Because the way you think is not God’s way but man’s.’

It is time once again to dwell deeply on the fact that we were created in likeness and image of God our Heavenly Father. And so as His children how are we reflecting Him in all that we say and do to one another? Are we loving as He is loving? Merciful to one another as He is merciful to us? Are we patient as He is patient? Are we Holy as He is Holy?

Or is our image distorted by the ways and wiles of the world? Can we no longer see clearly the face of the Lord our God on our very own faces? Can we not recognise a fellow child of God in our neighbour? How then can we tend to the poor, sick and the downtrodden when we are blind to them?

Forgive me Lord for having sinned against You and my brethren. Open my eyes Lord and let me look upon the world through Your eyes. To see,  tend to and love my fellow brothers and sisters, children of God our Heavenly Father so loved by Him. Amen 

First reading

James 1:19-27

The Word is not only to be listened to, but obeyed

Remember this, my dear brothers: be quick to listen but slow to speak and slow to rouse your temper; God’s righteousness is never served by man’s anger; so do away with all the impurities and bad habits that are still left in you – accept and submit to the word which has been planted in you and can save your souls. But you must do what the word tells you, and not just listen to it and deceive yourselves. To listen to the word and not obey is like looking at your own features in a mirror and then, after a quick look, going off and immediately forgetting what you looked like. But the man who looks steadily at the perfect law of freedom and makes that his habit – not listening and then forgetting, but actively putting it into practice – will be happy in all that he does.

    Nobody must imagine that he is religious while he still goes on deceiving himself and not keeping control over his tongue; anyone who does this has the wrong idea of religion. Pure, unspoilt religion, in the eyes of God our Father is this: coming to the help of orphans and widows when they need it, and keeping oneself uncontaminated by the world.

Gospel

Mark 8:22-26

The blind man was cured and could see everything distinctly

Jesus and his disciples came to Bethsaida, and some people brought to him a blind man whom they begged him to touch. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. Then putting spittle on his eyes and laying his hands on him, he asked, ‘Can you see anything?’ The man, who was beginning to see, replied, ‘I can see people; they look like trees to me, but they are walking about.’ Then he laid his hands on the man’s eyes again and he saw clearly; he was cured, and he could see everything plainly and distinctly. And Jesus sent him home, saying, ‘Do not even go into the village.’

Make no mistake! We who are disciples of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ do not follow Him in blind faith. We take up our cross to follow Him knowing full well the trails and challenges that await us. We do so because we know that He is the way, the truth and the life. Our faith grows stronger each and every day in His love, through His Word and listening to His will for us in His presence. Our faith has length, breadth, depth and height for the Lord our God’s wisdom and His immense love for us is immeasurable. And so we strive to see the world through His eyes and with His heart.

For God is good and pure of heart; and all that is evil and tainted does not come from Him. While we entrust ourselves fully in His loving care and protection, we must put on the whole armour of God, so that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Eph 6:11-12

Victory is our inheritance, for we have been baptised and belong to the kingdom of God by receiving Christ in our life. We desire victory, as we await readily anticipating it to come on our way and then we claim it through the word of God, “You give me your shield of victory and your right hand sustains me…” (Ps. 18:35). Jesus assures us, “…Take courage, I have overcome the world.” (Jn. 16:33). Amen

First reading

James 1:12-18 ·

Temptation is not from God

Happy the man who stands firm when trials come. He has proved himself, and will win the prize of life, the crown that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

    Never, when you have been tempted, say, ‘God sent the temptation’; God cannot be tempted to do anything wrong, and he does not tempt anybody. Everyone who is tempted is attracted and seduced by his own wrong desire. Then the desire conceives and gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it too has a child, and the child is death.

    Make no mistake about this, my dear brothers: it is all that is good, everything that is perfect, which is given us from above; it comes down from the Father of all light; with him there is no such thing as alteration, no shadow of a change. By his own choice he made us his children by the message of the truth so that we should be a sort of first-fruits of all that he had created.

Gospel

Mark 8:14-21

Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod

The disciples had forgotten to take any food and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. Then he gave them this warning, ‘Keep your eyes open; be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.’ And they said to one another, ‘It is because we have no bread.’ And Jesus knew it, and he said to them, ‘Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you not yet understand? Have you no perception? Are your minds closed? Have you eyes that do not see, ears that do not hear? Or do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves among the five thousand, how many baskets full of scraps did you collect?’ They answered, ‘Twelve.’ ‘And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many baskets full of scraps did you collect?’ And they answered, ‘Seven.’ Then he said to them, ‘Are you still without perception?’

Jesus is the ‘sign’ for the whole world of God our Father’s love and mercy for us. He is the way, the truth and the life! What more can we ask for? When He makes Himself known and present in our lives when we turn our hearts fully to Him and follow His commandments. He walks alongside us as we carry our cross to follow Him. We know Him, we hear His voice and we follow.

“But a person who has doubts is like the waves thrown up in the sea when the wind drives. That sort of person, in two minds, wavering between going different ways, must not expect that the Lord will give him anything.” James 1:6-7

Thank you Jesus for the gift of Holy Mother Church “Sancta Mater Ecclesia” that nourishes us, keeps us grounded, protects, guides and shows us the way into our Heavenly Inheritance. Amen

A reading from

the Letter of Saint James1:1-11

From James, servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. Greetings to the twelve tribes of the Dispersion.

My brothers, you will always have your trials but, when they come, try to treat them as a happy privilege; you understand that your faith is only put to the test to make you patient, but patience too is to have its practical results so that you will become fully-developed, complete, with nothing missing.

If there is any one of you who needs wisdom, he must ask God, who gives to all freely and ungrudgingly; it will be given to him. But he must ask with faith, and no trace of doubt, because a person who has doubts is like the waves thrown up in the sea when the wind drives. That sort of person, in two minds, wavering between going different ways, must not expect that the Lord will give him anything.

It is right for the poor brother to be proud of his high rank, and the rich one to be thankful that he has been humbled, because riches last no longer than the flowers in the grass; the scorching sun comes up, and the grass withers, the flower falls; what looked so beautiful now disappears. It is the same with the rich man: his business goes on; he himself perishes.

The word of the Lord.

A reading from

the holy Gospel according to Mark 8:11-13

The Pharisees came up and started a discussion with Jesus; they demanded of him a sign from heaven, to test him. And with a sigh that came straight from the heart he said, “Why does this generation demand a sign? I tell you solemnly, no sign shall be given to this generation.” And leaving them again and re-embarking, he went away to the opposite shore.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Dedication of the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd – Feast 

Readings at Mass

First reading

1 Kings 8:22-23,27-30 ·

Gospel

Matthew 16:13-19

The evil one wants to prevent you from being present at Holy Eucharist for He knows “If this people continues to go up to the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem to offer sacrifices, the people’s heart will turn back again to their Lord” If we partake of the Holy Sacrifice then our hearts, minds and souls are One with Him in Holy Communion!

So what does the evil one and his minions who prowl through the earth seeking the ruin of souls do? They whisper in your ear….”Oh it’s raining no need to get wet in trying to get to Church, God will understand.” “Online mass is good enough and it not meant for only those who have a legitimate reason for not attending in person,  dispensation has been given for all!” “Too troublesome to register at a Parish! Too difficult to book for a slot to attend Mass!” “Too far to travel” “Too risky in these times of the pandemic.”

Yet what did Jesus say to us? “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day” Jn 6:35, 54

In His great mercy and love, He died for us to give us life. The Holy Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith it is the supreme gift of His love for us. For the Lord gives of Himself to us, body, blood, soul and divinity. Amen

First reading

1 Kings 12:26-32,13:33-34

The prophecy of the separation of Israel

Jeroboam thought to himself, ‘As things are, the kingdom will revert to the House of David. If this people continues to go up to the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem to offer sacrifices, the people’s heart will turn back again to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will put me to death.’ So the king thought this over and then made two golden calves; he said to the people, ‘You have been going up to Jerusalem long enough. Here are your gods, Israel; these brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’ He set up one in Bethel and the people went in procession all the way to Dan in front of the other. He set up the temple of the high places and appointed priests from ordinary families, who were not of the sons of Levi. Jeroboam also instituted a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth of the month, like the feast that was kept in Judah, and he went up to the altar. That was how he behaved in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves he had made; and at Bethel he put the priests of the high places he had established.

    Jeroboam did not give up his wicked ways but went on appointing priests for the high places from the common people. He consecrated as priests of the high places any who wished to be. Such conduct made the House of Jeroboam a sinful House, and caused its ruin and extinction from the face of the earth.

Gospel

Mark 8:1-10

The feeding of the four thousand

A great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat. So Jesus called his disciples to him and said to them, ‘I feel sorry for all these people; they have been with me for three days now and have nothing to eat. If I send them off home hungry they will collapse on the way; some have come a great distance.’ His disciples replied, ‘Where could anyone get bread to feed these people in a deserted place like this?’ He asked them, ‘How many loaves have you?’ ‘Seven’ they said. Then he instructed the crowd to sit down on the ground, and he took the seven loaves, and after giving thanks he broke them and handed them to his disciples to distribute; and they distributed them among the crowd. They had a few small fish as well, and over these he said a blessing and ordered them to be distributed also. They ate as much as they wanted, and they collected seven basketfuls of the scraps left over. Now there had been about four thousand people. He sent them away and immediately, getting into the boat with his disciples, went to the region of Dalmanutha.

Open my eyes Lord that I may see You more clearly, and through Your eyes may I look upon my brethren with Your tender merciful love.

Open my ears Lord to hear Your living Word and Your Will for me, for Your Word is life; by listening and understanding may I in turn hear and attend to the cries of Your flock. To lead them to new life in You.

Open my mouth Lord so that I may sing Your praises, Bless and honour You through thanksgiving and fondest gratitude; For having received Your Word fully in my heart, I share the joy of the Gospel with all.

Open my heart Lord, to love as You love; Sanctify me Lord and let me consecrate myself fully to Your most Sacred Heart. Amen

First reading

1 Kings 11:29-32,12:19

Solomon is unfaithful; the Lord moderates his wrath

One day when Jeroboam had gone out of Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah of Shiloh accosted him on the road. Ahijah was wearing a new cloak; the two of them were in the open country by themselves. Ahijah took the new cloak he was wearing and tore it into twelve strips, saying to Jeroboam, ‘Take ten strips for yourself, for thus the Lord speaks, the God of Israel, “I am going to tear the kingdom from Solomon’s hand and give ten tribes to you. He shall keep one tribe for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel.’

    And Israel has been separated from the House of David until the present day.

Gospel

Mark 7:31-37

‘He makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak’

Returning from the district of Tyre, Jesus went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, right through the Decapolis region. And they brought him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they asked him to lay his hand on him. He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, put his fingers into the man’s ears and touched his tongue with spittle. Then looking up to heaven he sighed; and he said to him, ‘Ephphatha’, that is, ‘Be opened.’ And his ears were opened, and the ligament of his tongue was loosened and he spoke clearly. And Jesus ordered them to tell no one about it, but the more he insisted, the more widely they published it. Their admiration was unbounded. ‘He has done all things well,’ they said ‘he makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak.’

Are we easily swayed by the ways of the world and their beliefs? Why have many left the faith? Perhaps some were looking for a belief system inline with their very own thoughts, logic and reasoning. Others perhaps a less rigid less stifling one with hopes of prosperity, health and wealth.

The underlining truth in these and all others is that they did not have a real relationship with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. For they would not have easily forgotten the great love and mercy received from Him. The miracles seen and unseen in their lives and in that of their families!

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.(Isaiah 55:8) He the Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in kindness. (PS 145:8) He is Lord of all nations and whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God does not show favoritism. All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. Romans 2:11-13 He will give answer when we cry out to Him as the psalmist says “In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.” Ps 18:6

Thank You Jesus for loving me, I adore and Bless You. For by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world. Amen

First reading

1 Kings 11:4-13

For the sake of my servant David, I will leave you one tribe

When Solomon grew old his wives swayed his heart to other gods; and his heart was not wholly with the Lord his God as his father David’s had been. Solomon became a follower of Astarte, the goddess of the Sidonians, and of Milcom, the Ammonite abomination. He did what was displeasing to the Lord, and was not a wholehearted follower of the Lord, as his father David had been. Then it was that Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the god of Moab on the mountain to the east of Jerusalem, and to Milcom the god of the Ammonites. He did the same for all his foreign wives, who offered incense and sacrifice to their gods.

    The Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart had turned from the Lord the God of Israel who had twice appeared to him and who had then forbidden him to follow other gods; but he did not carry out the Lord’s order. The Lord therefore said to Solomon, ‘Since you behave like this and do not keep my covenant or the laws I laid down for you, I will most surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your servants. For your father David’s sake, however, I will not do this during your lifetime, but will tear it out of your son’s hands. Even so, I will not tear the whole kingdom from him. For the sake of my servant David, and for the sake of Jerusalem which I have chosen, I will leave your son one tribe.’

Gospel

Mark 7:24-30

The astuteness of the Syro-Phoenician woman

Jesus left Gennesaret and set out for the territory of Tyre. There he went into a house and did not want anyone to know he was there, but he could not pass unrecognised. A woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard about him straightaway and came and fell at his feet. Now the woman was a pagan, by birth a Syrophoenician, and she begged him to cast the devil out of her daughter. And he said to her, ‘The children should be fed first, because it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the house-dogs.’ But she spoke up: ‘Ah yes, sir,’ she replied ‘but the house-dogs under the table can eat the children’s scraps.’ And he said to her, ‘For saying this, you may go home happy: the devil has gone out of your daughter.’ So she went off to her home and found the child lying on the bed and the devil gone.

Like me I am sure you have seen holy men and women who inspire us by their faith and obedience to the Lord our God. They are joyful of heart, gentle and merciful. Then there those who give the appearance of being Holy, they are in the centre of what is going on but on occasion their words and actions are baffling to those who look up to them and some are even scandalized by them. Their very own children may be far from God our Heavenly Father.  That being said let us examine our own lives, how are we glorifying the Lord by the way we live our lives?

For we should be living sacraments of the Lord our God leading others to the knowledge, wisdom, love, peace and joy of Him who desires an intimate relationship with all His children. We are and should always be the outward signs of His inward grace in our lives!

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. Ps139:23

Purify and cleanse me from within so that I may love and serve fully in Your love. Amen

First reading

1 Kings 10:1-10 ·

Solomon prays to the Lord in the Temple

The fame of Solomon having reached the queen of Sheba, she came to test him with difficult questions. She brought immense riches to Jerusalem with her, camels laden with spices, great quantities of gold, and precious stones. On coming to Solomon, she opened her mind freely to him; and Solomon had an answer for all her questions, not one of them was too obscure for the king to expound. When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon, the palace he had built, the food at his table, the accommodation for his officials, the organisation of his staff and the way they were dressed, his cup-bearers, and the holocausts he offered in the Temple of the Lord, it left her breathless, and she said to the king, ‘What I heard in my own country about you and your wisdom was true, then! Until I came and saw it with my own eyes I could not believe what they told me, but clearly they told me less than half: for wisdom and prosperity you surpass the report I heard. How happy your wives are! How happy are these servants of yours who wait on you always and hear your wisdom! Blessed be the Lord your God who has granted you his favour, setting you on the throne of Israel! Because of the Lord’s everlasting love for Israel, he has made you king to deal out law and justice.’ And she presented the king with a hundred and twenty talents of gold and great quantities of spices and precious stones; no such wealth of spices ever came again as those given to King Solomon by the queen of Sheba.

Gospel

Mark 7:14-23

It is what comes out of a man that makes him unclean

Jesus called the people to him and said, ‘Listen to me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that goes into a man from outside can make him unclean; it is the things that come out of a man that make him unclean. If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen to this.’

    When he had gone back into the house, away from the crowd, his disciples questioned him about the parable. He said to them, ‘Do you not understand either? Can you not see that whatever goes into a man from outside cannot make him unclean, because it does not go into his heart but through his stomach and passes out into the sewer?’ (Thus he pronounced all foods clean.) And he went on, ‘It is what comes out of a man that makes him unclean. For it is from within, from men’s hearts, that evil intentions emerge: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, malice, deceit, indecency, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within and make a man unclean.’

We want mercy from the Lord our God but are far from merciful ourselves. We seek perfection in others but again are far from perfect ourselves! Yet we are quick criticise and judge others according to our standards let alone the standards of the world. Are we surprised then then the Lord our God does not dwell in our hearts? When are our hearts are far from Him and so far from our brethren.

He had shown us that we should act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with your Him. Are we then living the Beatitudes Jesus taught us? If we seek perfection then we must know that we are perfected through Christ alone.

Lord Jesus I seek to worship You in body, mind and Spirit. Cleanse and purify me that I might be white as snow. So that I may praise and honour you in word and deed all the days of my life. Amen

First reading

1 Kings 8:22-23,27-30 ·

‘Listen to the prayer your servant makes in this place’

In the presence of the whole assembly of Israel, Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord and, stretching out his hands towards heaven, said, ‘O Lord, God of Israel, not in heaven above nor on earth beneath is there such a God as you, true to your covenant and your kindness towards your servants when they walk wholeheartedly in your way. Yet will God really live with men on the earth? Why, the heavens and their own heavens cannot contain you. How much less this house that I have built! Listen to the prayer and entreaty of your servant, O Lord my God; listen to the cry and to the prayer your servant makes to you today. Day and night let your eyes watch over this house, over this place of which you have said, “My name shall be there.” Listen to the prayer that your servant will offer in this place.

    ‘Hear the entreaty of your servant and of Israel your people as they pray in this place. From heaven where your dwelling is, hear; and, as you hear, forgive.’

Gospel

Mark 7:1-13

You get round the commandment of God to preserve your own tradition

The Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered round Jesus, and they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with unclean hands, that is, without washing them. For the Pharisees, and the Jews in general, follow the tradition of the elders and never eat without washing their arms as far as the elbow; and on returning from the market place they never eat without first sprinkling themselves. There are also many other observances which have been handed down to them concerning the washing of cups and pots and bronze dishes. So these Pharisees and scribes asked him, ‘Why do your disciples not respect the tradition of the elders but eat their food with unclean hands?’ He answered, ‘It was of you hypocrites that Isaiah so rightly prophesied in this passage of scripture:

This people honours me only with lip-service,

while their hearts are far from me.

The worship they offer me is worthless,

the doctrines they teach are only human regulations.

You put aside the commandment of God to cling to human traditions.’ And he said to them, ‘How ingeniously you get round the commandment of God in order to preserve your own tradition! For Moses said: Do your duty to your father and your mother, and, Anyone who curses father or mother must be put to death. But you say, “If a man says to his father or mother: Anything I have that I might have used to help you is Corban (that is, dedicated to God), then he is forbidden from that moment to do anything for his father or mother.” In this way you make God’s word null and void for the sake of your tradition which you have handed down. And you do many other things like this.’

Jesus our healer and Saviour has come to save us, why do we only wait till we are sick, distraught, or downtrodden before we seek Him out in desperation? Why wait till sins we commit spiral out of control before we turn to Him to liberate us?

Turn to Jesus now, today! For He love us and wants to set us free. Free to live life to the full in Him. For He seeks to make His home in us, to dwell in our hearts. Amen

 First reading

1 Kings 8:1-7,9-13 ·

The Ark of the Covenant is brought into the Temple

Solomon called the elders of Israel together in Jerusalem to bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord up from the Citadel of David, which is Zion. All the men of Israel assembled round King Solomon in the month of Ethanim, at the time of the feast (that is, the seventh month), and the priests took up the ark and the Tent of Meeting with all the sacred vessels that were in it. In the presence of the ark, King Solomon and all Israel sacrificed sheep and oxen, countless, innumerable. The priests brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord to its place, in the Debir of the Temple, that is, in the Holy of Holies, under the cherubs’ wings. For there where the ark was placed the cherubs spread out their wings and sheltered the ark and its shafts. There was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets Moses had placed in it at Horeb, the tablets of the covenant which the Lord had made with the Israelites when they came out of the land of Egypt; they are still there today.

    Now when the priests came out of the sanctuary, the cloud filled the Temple of the Lord, and because of the cloud the priests could no longer perform their duties: the glory of the Lord filled the Lord’s Temple.

    Then Solomon said:

‘The Lord has chosen to dwell in the thick cloud.

Yes, I have built you a dwelling,

a place for you to live in for ever.’

Gospel

Mark 6:53-56

All those who touched him were cured

Having made the crossing, Jesus and his disciples came to land at Gennesaret and tied up. No sooner had they stepped out of the boat than people recognised him, and started hurrying all through the countryside and brought the sick on stretchers to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went, to village, or town, or farm, they laid down the sick in the open spaces, begging him to let them touch even the fringe of his cloak. And all those who touched him were cured.

How is it that we often pray to discern the Lord’s Will for us, for the gifts of wisdom and knowledge; yet after He has made know His Will for us through His Word, even in signs and wonders, we falter and allow the ways of the world to lead us astray?

I like you struggle every day to remain faithful! It is not enough to simply reflect on His word in the morning and think it is enough to get us through the day. For the challenges and temptations that come throughout the day is relentless. That is why it is of utmost important to come into the Lord’s presence throughout the day, even if it is just few minutes to pray and simply allow Him to fill us with His grace. And as often as we can throughout the week, we should receive Him in Holy Eucharist. If we have gravely sinned then we should fly to meet Him in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Only the can we say to Him, Your Will be done Lord now and always. Amen

Saint Agatha Pray for us…..

First reading

1 Kings 3:4-13

Solomon chooses the gift of wisdom

King Solomon went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, since that was the greatest of the high places – Solomon offered a thousand holocausts on that altar. At Gibeon the Lord appeared in a dream to Solomon during the night. God said, ‘Ask what you would like me to give you.’ Solomon replied, ‘You showed great kindness to your servant David, my father, when he lived his life before you in faithfulness and justice and integrity of heart; you have continued this great kindness to him by allowing a son of his to sit on his throne today. Now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in succession to David my father. But I am a very young man, unskilled in leadership. Your servant finds himself in the midst of this people of yours that you have chosen, a people so many its number cannot be counted or reckoned. Give your servant a heart to understand how to discern between good and evil, for who could govern this people of yours that is so great?’ It pleased the Lord that Solomon should have asked for this. ‘Since you have asked for this’ the Lord said ‘and not asked for long life for yourself or riches or the lives of your enemies, but have asked for a discerning judgement for yourself, here and now I do what you ask. I give you a heart wise and shrewd as none before you has had and none will have after you. What you have not asked I shall give you too: such riches and glory as no other king ever had.’

Gospel

Mark 6:30-34

They were like sheep without a shepherd

The apostles rejoined Jesus and told him all they had done and taught. Then he said to them, ‘You must come away to some lonely place all by yourselves and rest for a while’; for there were so many coming and going that the apostles had no time even to eat. So they went off in a boat to a lonely place where they could be by themselves. But people saw them going, and many could guess where; and from every town they all hurried to the place on foot and reached it before them. So as he stepped ashore he saw a large crowd; and he took pity on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he set himself to teach them at some length.

Turn away from your sins and be faithful to the Gospels! Hear the cry out of the wilderness of your hearts. For the Lord our God is calling you back to Him. For if you refuse then it will only lead to your downfall. Sin begets greater sin! See how Herod refused to listen and gave in to his sinful wiles and lust over his brother’s wife, and then it escalates as he is later seduced by his ‘daughter’ who leads him to kill God’s holy prophet.

We hear in today’s first reading of the great love David had for God His Father, how he did many mighty and great deeds for God and His people. At the same time we remember how he became idle and let sin occupy his mind, thoughts and let lust take over! He too paid a great price for his many sins! But because he was contrite, remorseful and turned His heart back to the Lord our God; The Lord took away his sins, and exalted his horn for ever!

Blessed are those who, with a noble and generous heart, take the word of God to themselves and yield a harvest through their perseverance.(Lk8:15)

Amen

First reading

Ecclesiasticus 47:2-13

David sang out of love for his Maker

As the fat is set apart from the communion sacrifice,

    so David was chosen out of all the sons of Israel.

He played with lions as though with kids,

    and with bears as though with lambs of the flock.

While still a boy, did he not slay the giant,

    and relieve the people of their shame,

by putting out a hand to sling a stone

    which brought down the arrogance of Goliath?

For he called on the Lord Most High,

    who gave strength to his right arm

to put a mighty warrior to death,

    and lift up the horn of his people.

Hence they gave him credit for ten thousand,

    and praised him while they blessed the Lord,

by offering him a crown of glory;

    for he massacred enemies on every side,

he annihilated his foes the Philistines,

    and crushed their horn to this very day.

In all his activities he gave thanks

    to the Holy One, the Most High, in words of glory;

he put all his heart into his songs

    out of love for his Maker.

He placed harps before the altar

    to make the singing sweeter with their music;

he gave the feasts their splendour,

    the festivals their solemn pomp,

causing the Lord’s holy name to be praised

    and the sanctuary to resound from dawn.

The Lord took away his sins,

    and exalted his horn for ever;

he gave him a royal covenant,

    and a glorious throne in Israel.

Gospel

Mark 6:14-29

The beheading of John the Baptist

King Herod had heard about Jesus, since by now his name was well known. Some were saying, ‘John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.’ Others said, ‘He is Elijah’; others again, ‘He is a prophet, like the prophets we used to have.’ But when Herod heard this he said, ‘It is John whose head I cut off; he has risen from the dead.’

    Now it was this same Herod who had sent to have John arrested, and had him chained up in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife whom he had married. For John had told Herod, ‘It is against the law for you to have your brother’s wife.’ As for Herodias, she was furious with him and wanted to kill him; but she was not able to, because Herod was afraid of John, knowing him to be a good and holy man, and gave him his protection. When he had heard him speak he was greatly perplexed, and yet he liked to listen to him.

    An opportunity came on Herod’s birthday when he gave a banquet for the nobles of his court, for his army officers and for the leading figures in Galilee. When the daughter of this same Herodias came in and danced, she delighted Herod and his guests; so the king said to the girl, ‘Ask me anything you like and I will give it you.’ And he swore her an oath, ‘I will give you anything you ask, even half my kingdom.’ She went out and said to her mother, ‘What shall I ask for?’ She replied, ‘The head of John the Baptist.’ The girl hurried straight back to the king and made her request, ‘I want you to give me John the Baptist’s head, here and now, on a dish.’ The king was deeply distressed but, thinking of the oaths he had sworn and of his guests, he was reluctant to break his word to her. So the king at once sent one of the bodyguard with orders to bring John’s head. The man went off and beheaded him in prison; then he brought the head on a dish and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. When John’s disciples heard about this, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

If we are obedient and faithful unto the Lord our God and keep His commandments then all things shall be given unto us. We shall not want, for His kingdom come, His Will be done.

We shall not tarry but make haste to share the joy of the Gospel as we bring Jesus into the homes of those who still have not encountered Him. Bring His peace and healing. And having encountered our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they too might live free in His love.

And let us always remember to pray together as a family as often as we can in our own homes and to invite Christ Jesus into our hearts. So that we can remain faithful in His love, and His peace reigns in us. Amen

First reading

1 Kings 2:1-4,10-12

David’s dying exhortation to Solomon

As David’s life drew to its close he laid this charge on his son Solomon, ‘I am going the way of all the earth. Be strong and show yourself a man. Observe the injunctions of the Lord your God, following his ways and keeping his laws, his commandments, his customs and his decrees, as it stands written in the Law of Moses, that so you may be successful in all you do and undertake, so that the Lord may fulfil the promise he made me, “If your sons are careful how they behave, and walk loyally before me with all their heart and soul, you shall never lack for a man on the throne of Israel.”’

    So David slept with his ancestors and was buried in the Citadel of David. David’s reign over Israel lasted forty years: he reigned in Hebron for seven years, and in Jerusalem for thirty-three.

    Solomon was seated upon the throne of David, and his sovereignty was securely established.

Gospel

Mark 6:7-13

‘Take nothing with you’

Jesus made a tour round the villages, teaching. Then he summoned the Twelve and began to send them out in pairs giving them authority over the unclean spirits. And he instructed them to take nothing for the journey except a staff – no bread, no haversack, no coppers for their purses. They were to wear sandals but, he added, ‘Do not take a spare tunic.’ And he said to them, ‘If you enter a house anywhere, stay there until you leave the district. And if any place does not welcome you and people refuse to listen to you, as you walk away shake off the dust from under your feet as a sign to them.’ So they set off to preach repentance; and they cast out many devils, and anointed many sick people with oil and cured them.

A few days after Hannah my youngest daughter was born at Mount Alvernia Hospital we brought her to be ‘presented’ to the Lord in a small chapel located in the Hospital; just like we did for her two brothers Seth and Kenan before her. It was a simple yet beautiful ceremony conducted by a Sister (nun), one that both my wife and I felt very Blessed to have witnessed and to be a part of as we prayed for our children to be consecrated unto our Lord. 

Very few of us cradle Catholics would have experienced such a beautiful ceremony let alone remembered it since we were only babes. Moreover it not a common practice of our Catholic Church to have this ceremony performed, only Baptism. Today however as we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord we can all come into the presence and present ourselves before Him. Asking Him to take away all our impurities of body, mind and Spirit. All our concealed faults and secret distortions we often think we can hide from Him. As we cry out individually in our commitment to Him, “Here I am Lord! I’ve come to do Your Will.”

And as we have brought our candles to be Blessed perhaps we some of us will give one or two away to someone who could not attend Mass to have their candles Blessed on this special feast day. To share in the joy and light of Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen

Blessed mother Mary and St Joseph pray for us…..

First reading

Malachi 3:1-4 ·

The Lord you are seeking will suddenly enter his Temple

The Lord God says this: Look, I am going to send my messenger to prepare a way before me. And the Lord you are seeking will suddenly enter his Temple; and the angel of the covenant whom you are longing for, yes, he is coming, says the Lord of Hosts. Who will be able to resist the day of his coming? Who will remain standing when he appears? For he is like the refiner’s fire and the fullers’ alkali. He will take his seat as refiner and purifier; he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and then they will make the offering to the Lord as it should be made. The offering of Judah and Jerusalem will then be welcomed by the Lord as in former days, as in the years of old.

Gospel

Luke 2:22-40

My eyes have seen your salvation

When the day came for them to be purified as laid down by the Law of Moses, the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, – observing what stands written in the Law of the Lord: Every first-born male must be consecrated to the Lord – and also to offer in sacrifice, in accordance with what is said in the Law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.

    Now in Jerusalem there was a man named Simeon. He was an upright and devout man; he looked forward to Israel’s comforting and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had set eyes on the Christ of the Lord. Prompted by the Spirit he came to the Temple and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the Law required, he took him into his arms and blessed God; and he said:

‘Now, Master, you can let your servant go in peace,

just as you promised;

because my eyes have seen the salvation

which you have prepared for all the nations to see,

a light to enlighten the pagans

and the glory of your people Israel.’

As the child’s father and mother stood there wondering at the things that were being said about him, Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, ‘You see this child: he is destined for the fall and for the rising of many in Israel, destined to be a sign that is rejected – and a sword will pierce your own soul too – so that the secret thoughts of many may be laid bare.’

    There was a prophetess also, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was well on in years. Her days of girlhood over, she had been married for seven years before becoming a widow. She was now eighty-four years old and never left the Temple, serving God night and day with fasting and prayer. She came by just at that moment and began to praise God; and she spoke of the child to all who looked forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem.

    When they had done everything the Law of the Lord required, they went back to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. Meanwhile the child grew to maturity, and he was filled with wisdom; and God’s favour was with him.

Jesus our Lord is and will always be looking out for the weak, the sick, poor and the downtrodden. His mercy and love abounds for all that cry out to Him. Let us not let our pride and vanity be our downfall, nor our faith like that which hangs between heaven and earth. 

Today let us in great faith reach out to touch Him, and allow His healing grace to wrap all around us as we bask in His loving embrace. Then we too can rise fully alive in the light of His resurrection to glorify Him by our lives.

Thank you Jesus for setting us free to live in Your love! We praise and adore You now and forever. Amen

First reading
2 Samuel 18:9-10,14,24-25,30-19:3 ·
David mourns Absalom

Absalom happened to run into some of David’s followers. Absalom was riding a mule and the mule passed under the thick branches of a great oak. Absalom’s head caught fast in the oak and he was left hanging between heaven and earth, while the mule he was riding went on. Someone saw this and told Joab. ‘I have just seen Absalom’ he said ‘hanging from an oak.’ Joab took three lances in his hand and thrust them into Absalom’s heart while he was still alive there in the oak tree.
    David was sitting between the two gates. The lookout had gone up to the roof of the gate, on the ramparts; he looked up and saw a man running all by himself. The watch called out to the king and told him. The king said, ‘If he is by himself, he has good news to tell.’ The king told the man, ‘Move aside and stand there.’ He moved aside and stood waiting.
    Then the Cushite arrived. ‘Good news for my lord the king!’ cried the Cushite. ‘The Lord has vindicated your cause today by ridding you of all who rebelled against you.’ ‘Is all well with young Absalom?’ the king asked the Cushite. ‘May the enemies of my lord the king’ the Cushite answered ‘and all who rebelled against you to your hurt, share the lot of that young man.’
    The king shuddered. He went up to the room over the gate and burst into tears, and weeping said, ‘My son Absalom! My son! My son Absalom! Would I had died in your place! Absalom, my son, my son!’ Word was brought to Joab, ‘The king is now weeping and mourning for Absalom.’ And the day’s victory was turned to mourning for all the troops, because they learned that the king was grieving for his son. And the troops returned stealthily that day to the town, as troops creep back ashamed when routed in battle.

Gospel
Mark 5:21-43
Little girl, I tell you to get up

When Jesus had crossed in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered round him and he stayed by the lakeside. Then one of the synagogue officials came up, Jairus by name, and seeing him, fell at his feet and pleaded with him earnestly, saying, ‘My little daughter is desperately sick. Do come and lay your hands on her to make her better and save her life.’ Jesus went with him and a large crowd followed him; they were pressing all round him.
    Now there was a woman who had suffered from a haemorrhage for twelve years; after long and painful treatment under various doctors, she spent all she had without being any the better for it, in fact, she was getting worse. She had heard about Jesus, and she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his cloak. ‘If I can touch even his clothes,’ she had told herself ‘I shall be well again.’ And the source of the bleeding dried up instantly, and she felt in herself that she was cured of her complaint. Immediately aware that power had gone out from him, Jesus turned round in the crowd and said, ‘Who touched my clothes?’ His disciples said to him, ‘You see how the crowd is pressing round you and yet you say, “Who touched me?”’ But he continued to look all round to see who had done it. Then the woman came forward, frightened and trembling because she knew what had happened to her, and she fell at his feet and told him the whole truth. ‘My daughter,’ he said ‘your faith has restored you to health; go in peace and be free from your complaint.’
    While he was still speaking some people arrived from the house of the synagogue official to say, ‘Your daughter is dead: why put the Master to any further trouble?’ But Jesus had overheard this remark of theirs and he said to the official, ‘Do not be afraid; only have faith.’ And he allowed no one to go with him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. So they came to the official’s house and Jesus noticed all the commotion, with people weeping and wailing unrestrainedly. He went in and said to them, ‘Why all this commotion and crying? The child is not dead, but asleep.’ But they laughed at him. So he turned them all out and, taking with him the child’s father and mother and his own companions, he went into the place where the child lay. And taking the child by the hand he said to her, ‘Talitha, kum!’ which means, ‘Little girl, I tell you to get up.’ The little girl got up at once and began to walk about, for she was twelve years old. At this they were overcome with astonishment, and he ordered them strictly not to let anyone know about it, and told them to give her something to eat.

There are no fetters or bonds too strong for Jesus to break! In His great mercy and love He will come and set us free. For He hears the cries of our heart and wills good in us, as He draws us close to His bosom. He will turn all our curses into Blessings!

Blessed, sanctified and with gratefulness of heart, we surely seek to glorify Him by our lives. To share with all the mercy and love of our ever loving Lord and God. We strive each day therefore to repay all curses we will receive in the world with Blessings through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen

Saint John Bosco Pray for us….

First reading

2 Samuel 15:13-14,30,16:5-13 ·

David flees Absalom and is cursed by Shimei

A messenger came to tell David, ‘The hearts of the men of Israel are now with Absalom.’ So David said to all his officers who were with him in Jerusalem, ‘Let us be off, let us fly, or we shall never escape from Absalom. Leave as quickly as you can in case he mounts a surprise attack and worsts us and puts the city to the sword.’

    David then made his way up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, his head covered and his feet bare. And all the people with him had their heads covered and made their way up, weeping as they went.

    As David was reaching Bahurim, out came a man of the same clan as Saul’s family. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and as he came he uttered curse after curse and threw stones at David and at all King David’s officers, though the whole army and all the champions flanked the king right and left. The words of his curse were these, ‘Be off, be off, man of blood, scoundrel! the Lord has brought on you all the blood of the House of Saul whose sovereignty you have usurped; and the Lord has transferred that same sovereignty to Absalom your son. Now your doom has overtaken you, man of blood that you are.’ Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, ‘Is this dead dog to curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut his head off.’ But the king replied, ‘What business is it of mine and yours, sons of Zeruiah? Let him curse. If the Lord said to him, “Curse David,” what right has anyone to say, “Why have you done this?”’ David said to Abishai and all his officers, ‘Why, my own son, sprung from my body, is now seeking my life; so now how much the more this Benjaminite? Let him curse on if the Lord has told him to. Perhaps the Lord will look on my misery and repay me with good for his curse today.’ So David and his men went on their way.

Gospel

Mark 5:1-20

The Gadarene swine

Jesus and his disciples reached the country of the Gerasenes on the other side of the lake, and no sooner had Jesus left the boat than a man with an unclean spirit came out from the tombs towards him. The man lived in the tombs and no one could secure him any more, even with a chain; because he had often been secured with fetters and chains but had snapped the chains and broken the fetters, and no one had the strength to control him. All night and all day, among the tombs and in the mountains, he would howl and gash himself with stones. Catching sight of Jesus from a distance, he ran up and fell at his feet and shouted at the top of his voice, ‘What do you want with me, Jesus, son of the Most High God? Swear by God you will not torture me!’ – for Jesus had been saying to him, ‘Come out of the man, unclean spirit.’ ‘What is your name?’ Jesus asked. ‘My name is legion,’ he answered ‘for there are many of us.’ And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the district.

    Now there was there on the mountainside a great herd of pigs feeding, and the unclean spirits begged him, ‘Send us to the pigs, let us go into them.’ So he gave them leave. With that, the unclean spirits came out and went into the pigs, and the herd of about two thousand pigs charged down the cliff into the lake, and there they were drowned. The swineherds ran off and told their story in the town and in the country round about; and the people came to see what had really happened. They came to Jesus and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his full senses – the very man who had had the legion in him before – and they were afraid. And those who had witnessed it reported what had happened to the demoniac and what had become of the pigs. Then they began to implore Jesus to leave the neighbourhood. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed begged to be allowed to stay with him. Jesus would not let him but said to him, ‘Go home to your people and tell them all that the Lord in his mercy has done for you.’ So the man went off and proceeded to spread throughout the Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him. And everyone was amazed.

Indeed we are accountable for our very own sins but we often forget what it means to be in Holy Communion with one another. How our individual sin affects us all collectively! How then can we say we are one Body in Christ Jesus our Lord if we will not strive for Holiness and to resist all forms of sin? When we think that we are only accountable to the Lord our God and not to one another, His community of saints!

If with One voice we can cry out to Him for help when storms like the pandemic hits us. Then with that very One voice we should cry out to Him and He will surely hear us….

A pure heart create for me, O God.

A pure heart create for me, O God,

    put a steadfast spirit within me.

Do not cast me away from your presence,

    nor deprive me of your holy spirit.

A pure heart create for me, O God.

Give me again the joy of your help;

    with a spirit of fervour sustain me,

that I may teach transgressors your ways

    and sinners may return to you.

A pure heart create for me, O God.

O rescue me, God, my helper,

    and my tongue shall ring out your goodness.

O Lord, open my lips

    and my mouth shall declare your praise.

A pure heart create for me, O God.

Save us Saviour of the World, for by Your Cross and Resurrection, You have set us free. Amen

First reading

2 Samuel 12:1-7,10-17 ·

David’s penitence over Uriah

The Lord sent Nathan the prophet to David. He came to him and said:

‘In the same town were two men,

one rich, the other poor.

The rich man had flocks and herds

in great abundance;

the poor man had nothing but a ewe lamb,

one only, a small one he had bought.

This he fed, and it grew up with him and his children,

eating his bread, drinking from his cup,

sleeping on his breast; it was like a daughter to him.

When there came a traveller to stay, the rich man

refused to take one of his own flock or herd

to provide for the wayfarer who had come to him.

Instead he took the poor man’s lamb

and prepared it for his guest.’

David’s anger flared up against the man. ‘As the Lord lives,’ he said to Nathan ‘the man who did this deserves to die! He must make fourfold restitution for the lamb, for doing such a thing and showing no compassion.’

    Then Nathan said to David, ‘You are the man. So now the sword will never be far from your House, since you have shown contempt for me and taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.”

    ‘Thus the Lord speaks, “I will stir up evil for you out of your own House. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to your neighbour, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. You worked in secret, I will work this in the face of all Israel and in the face of the sun.”’

    David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the Lord.’ Then Nathan said to David, ‘The Lord, for his part, forgives your sin; you are not to die. Yet because you have outraged the Lord by doing this, the child that is born to you is to die.’ Then Nathan went home.

    The Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David and it fell gravely ill. David pleaded with the Lord for the child; he kept a strict fast and went home and spent the night on the bare ground, covered with sacking. The officials of his household came and stood round him to get him to rise from the ground, but he refused, nor would he take food with them.

Gospel

Mark 4:35-41

‘Even the wind and the sea obey him’

With the coming of evening, Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Let us cross over to the other side.’ And leaving the crowd behind they took him, just as he was, in the boat; and there were other boats with him. Then it began to blow a gale and the waves were breaking into the boat so that it was almost swamped. But he was in the stern, his head on the cushion, asleep. They woke him and said to him, ‘Master, do you not care? We are going down!’ And he woke up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Quiet now! Be calm!’ And the wind dropped, and all was calm again. Then he said to them, ‘Why are you so frightened? How is it that you have no faith?’ They were filled with awe and said to one another, ‘Who can this be? Even the wind and the sea obey him.’

It is said that an idle mind it the devil’s workshop. While there is truth in this for it is in the fallen nature and concupiscence of man and woman alike to strongly desire, dream about, long for, what may look good on the outside; even though we know deep inside us that it will lead us to sin. It is also true that if we dwell on the Word and will of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ we will have no time to sin. For we will be too busy campaigning against all that is evil while sowing seeds of love which will bear much fruit.

He who ponders the law of the Lord day and night will yield his fruit in due season. Amen (Ps 1: 2-3 )

First reading

2 Samuel 11:1-4,5-10,13-17 ·

David and Bathsheba

At the turn of the year, the time when kings go campaigning, David sent Joab and with him his own guards and the whole of Israel. They massacred the Ammonites and laid siege to Rabbah. David, however, remained in Jerusalem.

    It happened towards evening when David had risen from his couch and was strolling on the palace roof, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; the woman was very beautiful. David made inquiries about this woman and was told, ‘Why, that is Bathsheba, Eliam’s daughter, the wife of Uriah the Hittite.’ Then David sent messengers and had her brought. She came to him, and he slept with her. She then went home again. The woman conceived and sent word to David; ‘I am with child.’

    Then David sent Joab a message, ‘Send me Uriah the Hittite’, whereupon Joab sent Uriah to David. When Uriah came into his presence, David asked after Joab and the army and how the war was going. David then said to Uriah, ‘Go down to your house and enjoy yourself.’ Uriah left the palace, and was followed by a present from the king’s table. Uriah however slept by the palace door with his master’s bodyguard and did not go down to his house.

    This was reported to David; ‘Uriah’ they said ‘did not go down to his house.’ The next day David invited him to eat and drink in his presence and made him drunk. In the evening Uriah went out and lay on his couch with his master’s bodyguard, but he did not go down to his house.

    Next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by Uriah. In the letter he wrote, ‘Station Uriah in the thick of the fight and then fall back behind him so that he may be struck down and die.’ Joab, then besieging the town, posted Uriah in a place where he knew there were fierce fighters. The men of the town sallied out and engaged Joab; the army suffered casualties, including some of David’s bodyguard; and Uriah the Hittite was killed too.

Gospel

Mark 4:26-34

The kingdom of God is a mustard seed growing into the biggest shrub of all

Jesus said to the crowds: ‘This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man throws seed on the land. Night and day, while he sleeps, when he is awake, the seed is sprouting and growing; how, he does not know. Of its own accord the land produces first the shoot, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the crop is ready, he loses no time: he starts to reap because the harvest has come.’

    He also said, ‘What can we say the kingdom of God is like? What parable can we find for it? It is like a mustard seed which at the time of its sowing in the soil is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet once it is sown it grows into the biggest shrub of them all and puts out big branches so that the birds of the air can shelter in its shade.’

    Using many parables like these, he spoke the word to them, so far as they were capable of understanding it. He would not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything to his disciples when they were alone.

What dwelling place have we prepared for our Lord within our hearts, bodies and minds? Is it filled with praises of gratitude and thanksgiving for the many blessings we have received? It is incensed with our corporal and spiritual acts of mercy for our brethren such that our good works rise up to Him for His glory? Are our faces radiant with the light of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ as we share the joy of the Gospel with all that we meet? For these are the signs for all to see that God is truly dwelling in our hearts, we are One with Him as He is One with us.

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Amen

Ps 51:10

First reading

2 Samuel 7:18-19,24-29

‘The house of your servant will be blessed for ever’

After Nathan had spoken to him, King David went in and, seated before the Lord, said: ‘Who am I, O Lord, and what is my House, that you have led me as far as this? Yet in your sight, O Lord, this is still not far enough, and you make your promises extend to the House of your servant for a far-distant future. You have constituted your people Israel to be your own people for ever; and you, Lord, have become their God.

    ‘Now, O Lord, always keep the promise you have made your servant and his House, and do as you have said. Your name will be exalted for ever and men will say, “The Lord of Hosts is God over Israel.” The House of your servant David will be made secure in your presence, since you yourself, Lord of Hosts, God of Israel, have made this revelation to your servant, “I will build you a House”; hence your servant has ventured to offer this prayer to you. Yes, Lord, you are God indeed, your words are true and you have made this fair promise to your servant. Be pleased, then, to bless the House of your servant, that it may continue for ever in your presence; for you, Lord, have spoken; and with your blessing the House of your servant will be for ever blessed.’

Gospel

Mark 4:21-25

A lamp is to be put on a lampstand. The amount you measure out is the amount you will be given

Jesus said to the crowd, ‘Would you bring in a lamp to put it under a tub or under the bed? Surely you will put it on the lamp-stand? For there is nothing hidden but it must be disclosed, nothing kept secret except to be brought to light. If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen to this.’

    He also said to them, ‘Take notice of what you are hearing. The amount you measure out is the amount you will be given – and more besides; for the man who has will be given more; from the man who has not, even what he has will be taken away.’

The Word of God must be received by a heart of flesh, one there is free from sin and striving to be holy. Not one that is hardened by the ways and cares of the world, riddled with sin! For the former gives life and seeks good in another while the latter is inward looking and dying.

When we receive the Word of God deep into our hearts, into our very being through obedience to His Will for us; that is when we fan into flame the gift He has graced us with. And we will set the world ablaze by the fire of His love!

Bless me Lord, remove all that is evil from me so that I can live fully in Your love and glorify You by my life. Amen

St Timothy and St Titus pray for us….

First reading

2 Timothy 1:1-8 ·

Fan into a flame the gift God gave you

From Paul, appointed by God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus in his design to promise life in Christ Jesus; to Timothy, dear child of mine, wishing you grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Lord.

    Night and day I thank God, keeping my conscience clear and remembering my duty to him as my ancestors did, and always I remember you in my prayers; I remember your tears and long to see you again to complete my happiness. Then I am reminded of the sincere faith which you have; it came first to live in your grandmother Lois, and your mother Eunice, and I have no doubt that it is the same faith in you as well.

    That is why I am reminding you now to fan into a flame the gift that God gave you when I laid my hands on you. God’s gift was not a spirit of timidity, but the Spirit of power, and love, and self-control. So you are never to be ashamed of witnessing to the Lord, or ashamed of me for being his prisoner; but with me, bear the hardships for the sake of the Good News, relying on the power of God who has saved us and called us to be holy.

Gospel

Mark 4:1-20

The parable of the sower

Jesus began to teach by the lakeside, but such a huge crowd gathered round him that he got into a boat on the lake and sat there. The people were all along the shore, at the water’s edge. He taught them many things in parables, and in the course of his teaching he said to them, ‘Listen! Imagine a sower going out to sow. Now it happened that, as he sowed, some of the seed fell on the edge of the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some seed fell on rocky ground where it found little soil and sprang up straightaway, because there was no depth of earth; and when the sun came up it was scorched and, not having any roots, it withered away. Some seed fell into thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it produced no crop. And some seeds fell into rich soil and, growing tall and strong, produced crop; and yielded thirty, sixty, even a hundredfold.’ And he said, ‘Listen, anyone who has ears to hear!’

    When he was alone, the Twelve, together with the others who formed his company, asked what the parables meant. He told them, ‘The secret of the kingdom of God is given to you, but to those who are outside everything comes in parables, so that they may see and see again, but not perceive; may hear and hear again, but not understand; otherwise they might be converted and be forgiven.’

    He said to them, ‘Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables? What the sower is sowing is the word. Those on the edge of the path where the word is sown are people who have no sooner heard it than Satan comes and carries away the word that was sown in them. Similarly, those who receive the seed on patches of rock are people who, when first they hear the word, welcome it at once with joy. But they have no root in them, they do not last; should some trial come, or some persecution on account of the word, they fall away at once. Then there are others who receive the seed in thorns. These have heard the word, but the worries of this world, the lure of riches and all the other passions come in to choke the word, and so it produces nothing. And there are those who have received the seed in rich soil: they hear the word and accept it and yield a harvest, thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.’

Today as we reflect on St Paul’s conversion, we want to deeply reflect on our very own conversion story. How our merciful and ever loving Lord Jesus touched us and how life had been changed by and through His grace. How the Spirit of the Lord filled us with such zeal that we began to desire and search how best we could serve Him and our brethren. That very encounter with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ has filled us with immense peace, love and joy! And so we must go out and share our very own unique and wonderful conversion story so that others may hear the wonders of our Lord and desire that same encounter with Him.

For those reading this reflection and feel somewhat envious because you feel that you have not had such an experience or an encounter with Jesus fret not. Our Lord truly wants a deep and personal relationship with you. You simply need to come as you are before Him, no need to try and change first, come as you are! There is no sin too great that He will not forgive. Let Him heal you and free you from your sins and fill you with His grace, love, peace and joy. Give your heart and mind and soul to Him and He will embrace you and lead you into His ways everlasting. Amen

First reading

Acts 22:3-16 ·

‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’

Paul said to the people, ‘I am a Jew and was born at Tarsus in Cilicia. I was brought up here in this city. I studied under Gamaliel and was taught the exact observance of the Law of our ancestors. In fact, I was as full of duty towards God as you are today. I even persecuted this Way to the death, and sent women as well as men to prison in chains as the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify, since they even sent me with letters to their brothers in Damascus. When I set off it was with the intention of bringing prisoners back from there to Jerusalem for punishment.

    ‘I was on that journey and nearly at Damascus when about midday a bright light from heaven suddenly shone round me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” I answered: Who are you, Lord? and he said to me, “I am Jesus the Nazarene, and you are persecuting me.” The people with me saw the light but did not hear his voice as he spoke to me. I said: What am I to do, Lord? The Lord answered, “Stand up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told what you have been appointed to do.” The light had been so dazzling that I was blind and my companions had to take me by the hand; and so I came to Damascus.

    ‘Someone called Ananias, a devout follower of the Law and highly thought of by all the Jews living there, came to see me; he stood beside me and said, “Brother Saul, receive your sight.” Instantly my sight came back and I was able to see him. Then he said, “The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will, to see the Just One and hear his own voice speaking, because you are to be his witness before all mankind, testifying to what you have seen and heard. And now why delay? It is time you were baptised and had your sins washed away while invoking his name.”’

Gospel

Mark 16:15-18

Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News

Jesus showed himself to the Eleven and said to them:

    ‘Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation. He who believes and is baptised will be saved; he who does not believe will be condemned. These are the signs that will be associated with believers: in my name they will cast out devils; they will have the gift of tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands, and be unharmed should they drink deadly poison; they will lay their hands on the sick, who will recover.’

If we do not strive daily to pray, to be in the presence of our Lord and to listen to His Word and Will for us then how can we remain strong, steadfast in our faith and love for Him?

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Pet  5:8 Therefore we need our dear Lord to fill us with His grace. To fortify and strengthen us so that we can remain free to love and serve Him and brethren. And He will surely do so when we turn to Him. It is also of utmost importance for us to receive the Sacraments as frequently as possible, Reconciliation and the supreme gift of Holy Eucharist. For when the Lord our God is for and with us, who can be against us? Amen

St Francis de Sales pray for us…..

First reading

2 Samuel 5:1-7,10

‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel’

All the tribes of Israel then came to David at Hebron. ‘Look’ they said ‘we are your own flesh and blood. In days past when Saul was our king, it was you who led Israel in all their exploits; and the Lord said to you, “You are the man who shall be shepherd of my people Israel, you shall be the leader of Israel.”’ So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a pact with them at Hebron in the presence of the Lord, and they anointed David king of Israel.

    David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned for forty years. He reigned in Hebron over Judah for seven years and six months; then he reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel and Judah for thirty-three years.

    David and his men marched on Jerusalem against the Jebusites living there. These said to David, ‘You will not get in here. The blind and the lame will hold you off.’ (That is to say: David will never get in here.) But David captured the fortress of Zion, that is, the Citadel of David.

    David grew greater and greater, and the Lord, the God of Hosts, was with him.

Gospel

Mark 3:22-30

A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand

The scribes who had come down from Jerusalem were saying, ‘Beelzebul is in him’ and, ‘It is through the prince of devils that he casts devils out.’ So he called them to him and spoke to them in parables, ‘How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot last. And if a household is divided against itself, that household can never stand. Now if Satan has rebelled against himself and is divided, he cannot stand either – it is the end of him. But no one can make his way into a strong man’s house and burgle his property unless he has tied up the strong man first. Only then can he burgle his house.

    ‘I tell you solemnly, all men’s sins will be forgiven, and all their blasphemies; but let anyone blaspheme against the Holy Spirit and he will never have forgiveness: he is guilty of an eternal sin.’ This was because they were saying, ‘An unclean spirit is in him.’

Those who are far from the Lord or do not have the relationship that we have with Him will find it hard to understand why we would spend so much time either doing His Will for us by serving or constantly talking about Him and the wondrous deeds He has done in our lives.

I remember when I fell in love with Jesus by following after Him, my wife chided, “We use to talk about movies, travels, music anything and everything. Now it’s Jesus this and Jesus that, enough already.” “Also don’t you think you are spending too much time on church activities??!!” “Are you out of your mind?” She could not understand because at the time she was far from Jesus. She knew about Him but did share an intimate relationship with Him.

Fast forward about 11 years she was an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion for a while but is now serves as a Lector, secretary for the Ex-Co Committee in our Parish, Chair of Events Keystone and helps with the Catholic Prayer Group for working adults! Now she fully understands what it means to love and serve Him with all our strength, heart and mind!

Jesus the only thing I mourn are my many sins committed against You both of omission and commission. Keep my conscience and my heart tender for I long to grow in purity and love. Let Your Will be done in me now and forevermore. Amen

First reading

2 Samuel 1:1-4,11-12,17,19,23-27

David’s lament over Saul and Jonathan

David returned from his rout of the Amalekites and spent two days in Ziklag. On the third day a man came from the camp where Saul had been, his garments torn and earth on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the ground and did homage. ‘Where do you come from?’ David asked him. ‘I have escaped from the Israelite camp’ he said. David said to him, ‘What happened? Tell me.’ He replied, ‘The people have fled from the battlefield and many of them have fallen. Saul and his son Jonathan are dead too.’

    Then David took hold of his garments and tore them, and all the men with him did the same. They mourned and wept and fasted until the evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, for the people of the Lord and for the House of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

    Then David made this lament over Saul and his son Jonathan.

Alas, the glory of Israel has been slain on your heights!

How did the heroes fall?

Saul and Jonathan, loved and lovely,

neither in life, nor in death, were divided.

Swifter than eagles were they,

stronger were they than lions.

O daughters of Israel, weep for Saul

who clothed you in scarlet and fine linen,

who set brooches of gold

on your garments.

How did the heroes fall

in the thick of the battle?

O Jonathan, in your death I am stricken,

I am desolate for you, Jonathan my brother.

Very dear to me you were,

your love to me more wonderful

than the love of a woman.

How did the heroes fall

and the battle armour fail?

Gospel

Mark 3:20-21

Jesus’ relatives were convinced he was out of his mind

Jesus went home, and once more such a crowd collected that they could not even have a meal. When his relatives heard of this, they set out to take charge of him, convinced he was out of his mind.

We have been chosen by name to be the companion of Jesus on our pilgrim journey back to His Heavenly Kingdom.  To lead others into that same relationship and companionship that we share with Him. We all have many gifts and talents between us to heal, comfort and serve everyone in His love.

We have also been given the gift of Holy and Anointed Shepherds to tend His flock through the Sacraments. Consecrated men we call fathers who care for God our Heavenly Father’s children. We shall not raise our hands against them nor harm them with unfettered tongues! For they have been chosen by God, and they will answer to Him. Should they break any laws then they will likewise answer to the law. We should however always keep our priests in prayer. For we work as One in Holy Communion to bring glory to God our Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Amen

St Agnes pray for us….

First reading

1 Samuel 24:3-21

I will not raise my hand against the Lord’s anointed

Saul took three thousand men chosen from the whole of Israel and went in search of David and his men east of the Rocks of the Wild Goats. He came to the sheepfolds along the route where there was a cave, and went in to cover his feet. Now David and his men were sitting in the recesses of the cave; David’s men said to him, ‘Today is the day of which the Lord said to you, “I will deliver your enemy into your power, do what you like with him.”’ David stood up and, unobserved, cut off the border of Saul’s cloak. Afterwards David reproached himself for having cut off the border of Saul’s cloak. He said to his men, ‘The Lord preserve me from doing such a thing to my lord and raising my hand against him, for he is the anointed of the Lord.’ David gave his men strict instructions, forbidding them to attack Saul.

    Saul then left the cave and went on his way. After this, David too left the cave and called after Saul, ‘My lord king!’ Saul looked behind him and David bowed to the ground and did homage. Then David said to Saul, ‘Why do you listen to the men who say to you, “David means to harm you”? Why, your own eyes have seen today how the Lord put you in my power in the cave and how I refused to kill you, but spared you. “I will not raise my hand against my lord,” I said “for he is the anointed of the Lord.” O my father, see, look at the border of your cloak in my hand. Since I cut off the border of your cloak, yet did not kill you, you must acknowledge frankly that there is neither malice nor treason in my mind. I have not offended against you, yet you hunt me down to take my life. May the Lord be judge between me and you, and may the Lord avenge me on you; but my hand shall not be laid on you. (As the old proverb says: Wickedness goes out from the wicked, and my hand will not be laid on you.) On whose trail has the king of Israel set out? On whose trail are you in hot pursuit? On the trail of a dead dog! On the trail of a single flea! May the Lord be the judge and decide between me and you; may he take up my cause and defend it and give judgement for me, freeing me from your power.’

    When David had finished saying these words to Saul, Saul said, ‘Is that your voice, my son David?’ And Saul wept aloud. ‘You are a more upright man than I,’ he said to David ‘for you have repaid me with good while I have repaid you with evil. Today you have crowned your goodness towards me since the Lord had put me in your power yet you did not kill me. When a man comes on his enemy, does he let him go unmolested? May the Lord reward you for the goodness you have shown me today. Now I know you will indeed reign and that the sovereignty in Israel will be secure in your hands.’

Gospel

Mark 3:13-19

He appointed twelve to be his companions

Jesus went up into the hills and summoned those he wanted. So they came to him and he appointed twelve; they were to be his companions and to be sent out to preach, with power to cast out devils. And so he appointed the Twelve: Simon to whom he gave the name Peter, James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom he gave the name Boanerges or ‘Sons of Thunder’; then Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, the man who was to betray him.

In Today’s Responsorial Psalm our response is ‘In God I trust: I shall not fear’

A beautiful response which brings us great comfort and yet can be used as a battle cry against all evil.

If the response holds true for us will we ever be envious or jealous of another? For if we were living fully as children of God our Father then we know He has no favourites! He loves us all uniquely and we are all greatly loved. If we feel we must compete with one another, then let us compete in winning back souls for Him! Let us see then how many we can lead into the loving embrace of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. By our love in action let us declare to one and all that the Son of God reigns in our hearts now and forever. Amen

First reading

1 Samuel 18:6-9,19:1-7

Saul’s envy and Jonathan’s loyal friendship

On their way back, as David was returning after killing the Philistine, the women came out to meet King Saul from all the towns of Israel, singing and dancing to the sound of tambourine and lyre and cries of joy; and as they danced the women sang:

‘Saul has killed his thousands,

and David his tens of thousands.’

Saul was very angry; the incident was not to his liking. ‘They have given David the tens of thousands,’ he said ‘but me only the thousands; he has all but the kingship now.’ And Saul turned a jealous eye on David from that day forward.

    Saul told Jonathan his son and all his servants of his intention to kill David. Now Jonathan, Saul’s son, held David in great affection; and so Jonathan warned David; ‘My father Saul is looking for a way to kill you,’ he said ‘so be on your guard tomorrow morning; hide away in some secret place. Then I will go out and keep my father company in the fields where you are hiding, and will talk to my father about you; I will find out what the situation is and let you know.’

    So Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father; he said, ‘Let not the king sin against his servant David, for he has not sinned against you, and what he has done has been greatly to your advantage. He took his life in his hands when he killed the Philistine, and the Lord brought about a great victory for all Israel. You saw it yourself and rejoiced; why then sin against innocent blood in killing David without cause?’ Saul was impressed by Jonathan’s words and took an oath, ‘As the Lord lives, I will not kill him.’ Jonathan called David and told him all these things. Then Jonathan brought him to Saul, and David attended on him as before.

Gospel

Mark 3:7-12

He warned them not to make him known as the Son of God

Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lakeside, and great crowds from Galilee followed him. From Judaea, Jerusalem, Idumaea, Transjordania and the region of Tyre and Sidon, great numbers who had heard of all he was doing came to him. And he asked his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, to keep him from being crushed. For he had cured so many that all who were afflicted in any way were crowding forward to touch him. And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw him, would fall down before him and shout, ‘You are the Son of God!’ But he warned them strongly not to make him known.

In all our observances of the guidelines, rituals, laws and faith in Jesus through Holy Mother Church have we failed to do good or what is right for the least of our brethren? Have become so sanitised that we are afraid to get down on our hands and knees to serve His flock when necessary? To address quickly what is not right, correct and bridge the missing gaps to allow for more if not all to be able to come into His presence and be healed.

Our greatest battle is against Sin, Pride, Lust and our self inflated egos. If left unchecked we will only do harm by plotting and scheming to get things moving the way we want them to. This will lead to our very own downfall as we lose our ‘heads’.

Heal me Lord of all my sins and my prideful ways, let me serve You and my brethren in humility and love. As I seek always to do Your Holy Will for me. Amen

First reading

1 Samuel 17:32-33,37,40-51

David and Goliath

David said to Saul, ‘Let no-one lose heart on his account; your servant will go and fight the Philistine.’ But Saul answered David, ‘You cannot go and fight the Philistine; you are only a boy and he has been a warrior from his youth.’

    ‘The Lord who rescued me from the claws of lion and bear’ David said ‘will rescue me from the power of this Philistine.’ Then Saul said to David, ‘Go, and the Lord be with you!’

    He took his staff in his hand, picked five smooth stones from the river bed, put them in his shepherd’s bag, in his pouch, and with his sling in his hand he went to meet the Philistine. The Philistine, his shield-bearer in front of him, came nearer and nearer to David; and the Philistine looked at David, and what he saw filled him with scorn, because David was only a youth, a boy of fresh complexion and pleasant bearing. The Philistine said to him, ‘Am I a dog for you to come against me with sticks?’ And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. The Philistine said to David, ‘Come over here and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field.’ But David answered the Philistine, ‘You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel that you have dared to insult. Today the Lord will deliver you into my hand and I shall kill you; I will cut off your head, and this very day I will give your dead body and the bodies of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that it is not by sword or by spear that the Lord gives the victory, for the Lord is lord of the battle and he will deliver you into our power.’

    No sooner had the Philistine started forward to confront David than David left the line of battle and ran to meet the Philistine. Putting his hand in his bag, he took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead; the stone penetrated his forehead and he fell on his face to the ground. Thus David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone and struck the Philistine down and killed him. David had no sword in his hand. Then David ran and, standing over the Philistine, seized his sword and drew it from the scabbard, and with this he killed him, cutting off his head. The Philistines saw that their champion was dead, and took to flight.

Gospel

Mark 3:1-6

Is it against the law on the sabbath day to save life?

Jesus went into a synagogue, and there was a man there who had a withered hand. And they were watching him to see if he would cure him on the sabbath day, hoping for something to use against him. He said to the man with the withered hand, ‘Stand up out in the middle!’ Then he said to them, ‘Is it against the law on the sabbath day to do good, or to do evil; to save life, or to kill?’ But they said nothing. Then, grieved to find them so obstinate, he looked angrily round at them, and said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He stretched it out and his hand was better. The Pharisees went out and at once began to plot with the Herodians against him, discussing how to destroy him.

By virtue of our baptism and confirmation we are the chosen ones of the Lord our God, Blessed, holy and anointed to go forth into the world to be priest, prophet and king for others. To build His Kingdom so that all may share in the Heavenly inheritance.

How then are we living our call this day? Are we still groping about in darkness when we should be living in His light? Are we still inward looking or going to meet the need of our Lord’s flock?

Jesus You are my Lord and King, guide me to live my life worthy of Your promises. Amen

First reading

1 Samuel 16:1-13

Jesse’s youngest son David is anointed king

The Lord said to Samuel, ‘How long will you go on mourning over Saul when I have rejected him as king of Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have chosen myself a king among his sons.’ Samuel replied, ‘How can I go? When Saul hears of it he will kill me.’ Then the Lord said, ‘Take a heifer with you and say, “I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.” Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and then I myself will tell you what you must do; you must anoint to me the one I point out to you.’

    Samuel did what the Lord ordered and went to Bethlehem. The elders of the town came trembling to meet him and asked, ‘Seer, have you come with good intentions towards us?’ ‘Yes,’ he replied ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Purify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.’ He purified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

    When they arrived, he caught sight of Eliab and thought, ‘Surely the Lord’s anointed one stands there before him’, but the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Take no notice of his appearance or his height for I have rejected him; God does not see as man sees; man looks at appearances but the Lord looks at the heart.’ Jesse then called Abinadab and presented him to Samuel, who said, ‘The Lord has not chosen this one either.’ Jesse then presented Shammah, but Samuel said, ‘The Lord has not chosen this one either.’ Jesse presented his seven sons to Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, ‘The Lord has not chosen these.’ He then asked Jesse, ‘Are these all the sons you have?’ He answered, ‘There is still one left, the youngest; he is out looking after the sheep.’ Then Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Send for him; we will not sit down to eat until he comes.’ Jesse had him sent for, a boy of fresh complexion, with fine eyes and pleasant bearing. The Lord said, ‘Come, anoint him, for this is the one.’ At this, Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him where he stood with his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord seized on David and stayed with him from that day on. As for Samuel, he rose and went to Ramah.

Gospel

Mark 2:23-28

The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath

One sabbath day, Jesus happened to be taking a walk through the cornfields, and his disciples began to pick ears of corn as they went along. And the Pharisees said to him, ‘Look, why are they doing something on the sabbath day that is forbidden?’ And he replied, ‘Did you never read what David did in his time of need when he and his followers were hungry – how he went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the loaves of offering which only the priests are allowed to eat, and how he also gave some to the men with him?’

    And he said to them, ‘The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath; the Son of Man is master even of the sabbath.’

We are called to love, all that is created good by the Lord and to will the good in one another. To be holy as our Heavenly Father is Holy. To reject satan and all that is evil in world! 

Even in an uncertain, ever changing world we must remain constant in our faith and love for our Lord Jesus Christ. That is to say we may adapt, find new ways of renewing our faith and deepening our love and relationship with Him for He alone makes all things new with and in Him. But we must never try to justify our words and actions of going against His commandments or His will for us. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but His word shall never pass away.

So with contrite hearts let us turn to Him for the forgiveness of our many sins. So that we may live free in obedience to the way, the truth and the life, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen   

First reading

1 Samuel 15:16-23 ·

Saul disobeys the Lord and the Lord rejects him

Samuel said to Saul, ‘Stop! Let me tell you what the Lord said to me last night.’ Saul said, ‘Tell me.’ Samuel continued, ‘Small as you may be in your own eyes, are you not head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord has anointed you king over Israel. The Lord sent you on a mission and said to you, “Go, put these sinners, the Amalekites, under the ban and make war on them until they are exterminated.” Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? Why did you fall on the booty and do what is displeasing to the Lord?’ Saul replied to Samuel, ‘But I did obey the voice of the Lord. I went on the mission which the Lord gave me; I brought back Agag king of the Amalekites; I put the Amalekites under the ban. From the booty the people took the best sheep and oxen of what was under the ban to sacrifice them to the Lord your God in Gilgal.’ But Samuel replied:

‘Is the pleasure of the Lord in holocausts and sacrifices

or in obedience to the voice of the Lord?

Yes, obedience is better than sacrifice,

submissiveness better than the fat of rams.

Rebellion is a sin of sorcery,

presumption a crime of teraphim.

‘Since you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.’

Gospel

Mark 2:18-22

‘Why do your disciples not fast?’

One day when John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, some people came to Jesus and said to him, ‘Why is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?’ Jesus replied, ‘Surely the bridegroom’s attendants would never think of fasting while the bridegroom is still with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they could not think of fasting. But the time will come for the bridegroom to be taken away from them, and then, on that day, they will fast. No one sews a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak; if he does, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and the tear gets worse. And nobody puts new wine into old wineskins; if he does, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the skins too. No! New wine, fresh skins!’

Oftentimes we get caught up with physical appearances that we become blind to the beauty of the heart of others not quite as attractive. We choose to see the glaring faults in those who irk us,  have difficulty with everything that they say and do and so treat them as social outcasts. We tend to see ourselves as standing head and shoulders taller than the rest of God our Father’s children!

How quickly we forget the teaching of our Lord who said in the Gospel of John 8:7 “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Yes indeed we are all sinners in need of the mercy and grace of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. He did not come call the virtuous but us sinners.

So then let us turn to Him to take away our empty pride, forgive and free us from our many sins. So that our light will shine once again in the sight of men as we follow after our Lord Jesus Christ! Amen

First reading

1 Samuel 9:1-4,17-19,10:1 ·

The Lord chooses Saul as king; Samuel anoints him

Among the men of Benjamin there was a man named Kish son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah; a Benjaminite and a man of rank. He had a son named Saul, a handsome man in the prime of life. Of all the Israelites there was no one more handsome than he; he stood head and shoulders taller than the rest of the people. Now some of the she-donkeys of Saul’s father Kish had strayed, so Kish said to Saul, ‘My son, take one of the servants with you and be off; go and look for the she-donkeys.’ They passed through the highlands of Ephraim and passed through the land of Shalishah, but did not find them; they passed through the land of Shaalim, they were not there; they passed through the land of Benjamin, but did not find them.

    When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord told him, ‘That is the man of whom I told you; he shall rule my people.’ Saul accosted Samuel in the gateway and said, ‘Tell me, please, where the seer’s house is?’ Samuel replied to Saul, ‘I am the seer. Go up ahead of me to the high place. You are to eat with me today. In the morning I shall take leave of you and tell you all that is in your heart.’

    Samuel took a phial of oil and poured it on Saul’s head; then he kissed him, saying, ‘Has not the Lord anointed you prince over his people Israel? You are the man who must rule the Lord’s people, and who must save them from the power of the enemies surrounding them.’

Gospel

Mark 2:13-17

Jesus went out to the shore of the lake; and all the people came to him, and he taught them. As he was walking on he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus, sitting by the customs house, and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he got up and followed him.

    When Jesus was at dinner in his house, a number of tax collectors and sinners were also sitting at the table with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many of them among his followers. When the scribes of the Pharisee party saw him eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, ‘Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ When Jesus heard this he said to them, ‘It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick. I did not come to call the virtuous, but sinners.’

Day 14 of the year 2022, we need to ask ourselves once again whom do we cry out as Lord of lords, King of kings! Is it Jesus our Lord and Saviour?

Or has our jobs or our studies overwhelmed us such that we feel we have no time to pray, no time for anything else. Or have we given in to the ways of the world seeking pleasures and distractions, food, shopping, pornography, incessant watching of television! How then can we see and tend to those in need? When we are preoccupied with our needs and pleasures; maybe even that of our immediate family. Too  busy to lead others to Jesus and to build His Kingdom! Our Kingdom come!

If we have fallen then it is time to return to the heart of Jesus who is waiting to forgive us our sins. Let us turn to Him so we can once again be free to love and serve Him and brethren.

Save us Saviour of the World, for by Cross and Resurrection, You have set us free. Amen

First reading

1 Samuel 8:4-7,10-22 ·

The people of Israel demand a king

All the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. ‘Look,’ they said to him ‘you are old, and your sons do not follow your ways. So give us a king to rule over us, like the other nations.’ It displeased Samuel that they should say, ‘Let us have a king to rule us’, so he prayed to the Lord. But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for it is not you they have rejected; they have rejected me from ruling over them.’

    All that the Lord had said Samuel repeated to the people who were asking him for a king. He said, ‘These will be the rights of the king who is to reign over you. He will take your sons and assign them to his chariotry and cavalry, and they will run in front of his chariot. He will use them as leaders of a thousand and leaders of fifty; he will make them plough his ploughland and harvest his harvest and make his weapons of war and the gear for his chariots. He will also take your daughters as perfumers, cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields, of your vineyards and olive groves and give them to his officials. He will tithe your crops and vineyards to provide for his eunuchs and his officials. He will take the best of your manservants and maidservants, of your cattle and your donkeys, and make them work for him. He will tithe your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. When that day comes, you will cry out on account of the king you have chosen for yourselves, but on that day God will not answer you.’

    The people refused to listen to the words of Samuel. They said, ‘No! We want a king, so that we in our turn can be like the other nations; our king shall rule us and be our leader and fight our battles.’ Samuel listened to all that the people had to say and repeated it in the ears of the Lord. The Lord then said to Samuel, ‘Obey their voice and give them a king.’

Gospel

Mark 2:1-12

The Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins

When Jesus returned to Capernaum, word went round that he was back; and so many people collected that there was no room left, even in front of the door. He was preaching the word to them when some people came bringing him a paralytic carried by four men, but as the crowd made it impossible to get the man to him, they stripped the roof over the place where Jesus was; and when they had made an opening, they lowered the stretcher on which the paralytic lay. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, ‘My child, your sins are forgiven.’ Now some scribes were sitting there, and they thought to themselves, ‘How can this man talk like that? He is blaspheming. Who can forgive sins but God?’ Jesus, inwardly aware that this was what they were thinking, said to them, ‘Why do you have these thoughts in your hearts? Which of these is easier: to say to the paralytic, “Your sins are forgiven” or to say, “Get up, pick up your stretcher and walk”? But to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,’ – he turned to the paralytic – ‘I order you: get up, pick up your stretcher, and go off home.’ And the man got up, picked up his stretcher at once and walked out in front of everyone, so that they were all astounded and praised God saying, ‘We have never seen anything like this.’

Only true faith in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ can save us! Sacramentals we carry or use are meaningless, useless without faith. Can we wear a cross or a crucifix around our necks but curse and swear at others? Criticise and belittle? Whom is it that we represent when do these things? The Rosary is indeed a powerful weapon against Satan but what good is it if we carry it around without praying it in faith?

Jesus our Lord is merciful, loving and kind and He will surely heal us of our afflictions when we call out to Him in faith.

Jesus have mercy me on me for my unfaithfulness, heal my soul from the bondages of sin. Help me grow deeper in my faith and love for You. Amen

First reading

1 Samuel 4:1-11 ·

Israel is defeated and the ark of God is captured

It happened at that time that the Philistines mustered to fight Israel and Israel went out to meet them in battle, encamping near Ebenezer while the Philistines were encamped at Aphek. The Philistines drew up their battle line against Israel, the battle was hotly engaged, and Israel was defeated by the Philistines and about four thousand of their army were killed on the field. The troops returned to the camp and the elders of Israel said, ‘Why has the Lord allowed us to be defeated today by the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of our God from Shiloh so that it may come among us and rescue us from the power of our enemies.’’ So the troops sent to Shiloh and brought away the ark of the Lord of Hosts, he who is seated on the cherubs; the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, came with the ark. When the ark of the Lord arrived in the camp, all Israel gave a great shout so that the earth resounded. When the Philistines heard the noise of the shouting, they said, ‘What can this great shouting in the Hebrew camp mean?’ And they realised that the ark of the Lord had come into the camp. At this the Philistines were afraid; and they said, ‘God has come to the camp.’ ‘Alas!’ they cried ‘This has never happened before. Alas! Who will save us from the power of this mighty God? It was he who struck down Egypt with every kind of plague! But take courage and be men, Philistines, or you will become slaves to the Hebrews as they have been slaves to you. Be men and fight.’ So the Philistines joined battle and Israel was defeated, each man fleeing to his tent. The slaughter was great indeed, and there fell of the Israelites thirty thousand foot soldiers. The ark of God was captured too, and the two sons of Eli died, Hophni and Phinehas.

Gospel

Mark 1:40-45

The leprosy left the man at once, and he was cured

A leper came to Jesus and pleaded on his knees: ‘If you want to’ he said ‘you can cure me.’ Feeling sorry for him, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him. ‘Of course I want to!’ he said. ‘Be cured!’ And the leprosy left him at once and he was cured. Jesus immediately sent him away and sternly ordered him, ‘Mind you say nothing to anyone, but go and show yourself to the priest, and make the offering for your healing prescribed by Moses as evidence of your recovery.’ The man went away, but then started talking about it freely and telling the story everywhere, so that Jesus could no longer go openly into any town, but had to stay outside in places where nobody lived. Even so, people from all around would come to him.

There are so many and varied ways in which the Lord calls and speaks to us. In nature, dreams, scripture, visions, signs, smell, family, friends even through a stranger and more. We must desire and strive to grow in our relationship with Him in order to hear Him clearly. We do so through the reading  and dwelling of His Word in scripture, spending quiet time with Him in prayer, resting in His presence in the Blessed Sacrament and serving Him by serving His flock.  

Over time we will be more and more docile to His promptings and recognise His voice most clearly, for we know Him and we follow Him. He will surely hear and answer our prayers for our families and loved ones as we ourselves are sent to hear and answer the prayers of those of those whom have cried out to Him for help. For we have been called to love one another as He has loved us. Amen

First reading

1 Samuel 3:1-10,19-20 ·

‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening’

The boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli; it was rare for the Lord to speak in those days; visions were uncommon. One day, it happened that Eli was lying down in his room. His eyes were beginning to grow dim; he could no longer see. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying in the sanctuary of the Lord where the ark of God was, when the Lord called, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ He answered, ‘Here I am.’ Then he ran to Eli and said, ‘Here I am, since you called me.’ Eli said, ‘I did not call. Go back and lie down.’ So he went and lay down. Once again the Lord called, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, ‘Here I am, since you called me.’ He replied, ‘I did not call you, my son; go back and lie down.’ Samuel had as yet no knowledge of the Lord and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. Once again the Lord called, the third time. He got up and went to Eli and said, ‘Here I am, since you called me.’ Eli then understood that it was the Lord who was calling the boy, and he said to Samuel, ‘Go and lie down, and if someone calls say, “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.”’ So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

    The Lord then came and stood by, calling as he had done before, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ Samuel answered, ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.’

    Samuel grew up and the Lord was with him and let no word of his fall to the ground. All Israel from Dan to Beersheba came to know that Samuel was accredited as a prophet of the Lord.

Gospel

Mark 1:29-39

He cast out devils and cured many who were suffering from disease

On leaving the synagogue, Jesus went with James and John straight to the house of Simon and Andrew. Now Simon’s mother-in-law had gone to bed with fever, and they told him about her straightaway. He went to her, took her by the hand and helped her up. And the fever left her and she began to wait on them.

    That evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and those who were possessed by devils. The whole town came crowding round the door, and he cured many who were suffering from diseases of one kind or another; he also cast out many devils, but he would not allow them to speak, because they knew who he was.

    In the morning, long before dawn, he got up and left the house, and went off to a lonely place and prayed there. Simon and his companions set out in search of him, and when they found him they said, ‘Everybody is looking for you.’ He answered, ‘Let us go elsewhere, to the neighbouring country towns, so that I can preach there too, because that is why I came.’ And he went all through Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out devils.

Lord Jesus I submit myself under Your Authority. Have mercy on me Lord and cast out from me all that does not belong to You. Purify my heart, mind and soul that I may be worthy of Your promises.

I consecrate myself to Your sacred heart, do with me Lord as You Will. For I know You have plans for me, plans to prosper me and not to harm me, plans to give me hope and a future.

Teach me Your ways Lord that I may lead transgressors back to You and teach them Your ways. Let me be a disciple after Your own heart, so that I may glorify You with all that I say and do. Amen

First reading

1 Samuel 1:9-20

The Lord is mindful of Hannah and she gives birth to Samuel

After they had eaten in the hall, Hannah rose and took her stand before the Lord, while Eli the priest was sitting on his seat by the doorpost of the temple of the Lord. In the bitterness of her soul she prayed to the Lord with many tears and made a vow, saying, ‘O Lord of Hosts! If you will take notice of the distress of your servant, and bear me in mind and not forget your servant and give her a man-child, I will give him to the Lord for the whole of his life and no razor shall ever touch his head.’

    While she prayed before the Lord which she did for some time, Eli was watching her mouth, for she was speaking under her breath; her lips were moving but her voice could not be heard. He therefore supposed that she was drunk and said to her, ‘How long are you going to be in this drunken state? Rid yourself of your wine.’ ‘No, my lord,’ Hannah replied ‘I am a woman in great trouble; I have taken neither wine nor strong drink – I was pouring out my soul before the Lord. Do not take your maidservant for a worthless woman; all this time I have been speaking from the depth of my grief and my resentment.’ Then Eli answered her: ‘Go in peace,’ he said ‘and may the God of Israel grant what you have asked of him.’ And she said, ‘May your maidservant find favour in your sight’; and with that the woman went away; she returned to the hall and ate and was dejected no longer.

    They rose early in the morning and worshipped before the Lord and then set out and returned to their home in Ramah. Elkanah had intercourse with Hannah his wife and the Lord was mindful of her. She conceived and gave birth to a son, and called him Samuel ‘since’ she said ‘I asked the Lord for him.’

Gospel

Mark 1:21-28

Unlike the scribes, he taught them with authority

Jesus and his disciples went as far as Capernaum, and as soon as the sabbath came he went to the synagogue and began to teach. And his teaching made a deep impression on them because, unlike the scribes, he taught them with authority.

    In their synagogue just then there was a man possessed by an unclean spirit and it shouted, ‘What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God.’ But Jesus said sharply, ‘Be quiet! Come out of him!’ And the unclean spirit threw the man into convulsions and with a loud cry went out of him. The people were so astonished that they started asking each other what it all meant. ‘Here is a teaching that is new’ they said ‘and with authority behind it: he gives orders even to unclean spirits and they obey him.’ And his reputation rapidly spread everywhere, through all the surrounding Galilean countryside.

Our hope, peace and joy comes from the Lord, let us not mope, cry or fall into depression when we feel distressed, dejected, alone. For Jesus is and will always be with us till the end of time. Let us instead pray to Him as we should, pick ourselves up and move forward in His name.

For He has called us all by name, young or old for we all have a part to play in building His Kingdom. Let us leave all our ‘nets’ behind as we rise to follow Him!

I hear You calling Lord, I have come to do Your Will. Amen

First reading

1 Samuel 1:1-8 ·

Hannah’s rival taunts her for being barren

There was a man of Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the highlands of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. He had two wives, one called Hannah, the other Peninnah; Peninnah had children but Hannah had none. Every year this man used to go up from his town to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of Hosts in Shiloh. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there as priests of the Lord.

    One day Elkanah offered sacrifice. He used to give portions to Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters; to Hannah, however, he would give only one portion, although he loved her more, since the Lord had made her barren. Her rival would taunt her to annoy her, because the Lord had made her barren. And this went on year after year; every time they went up to the temple of the Lord she used to taunt her. And so Hannah wept and would not eat. Then Elkanah her husband said to her, ‘Hannah, why are you crying and why are you not eating? Why so sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?’

Gospel

Mark 1:14-20

I will make you into fishers of men

After John had been arrested, Jesus went into Galilee. There he proclaimed the Good News from God. ‘The time has come’ he said ‘and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe the Good News.’

    As he was walking along by the Sea of Galilee he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net in the lake – for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you into fishers of men.’ And at once they left their nets and followed him.

    Going on a little further, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they too were in their boat, mending their nets. He called them at once and, leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the men he employed, they went after him.

Am I the bridegroom’s friend?

Am I His Best man? Do I live out the anointing I have received to prepare the way for Him?

Am I the bridegroom’s friend?

Have I strived for holiness so as to lead His bride (the Church) to holiness?

Am I the bridegroom’s friend?

Have I walked humbly with Him, acting justly, showing great mercy and love for my brethren?

Am I the bridegroom’s friend?

Have I prayed for the conversion of sinners and led them to repentance and reconciliation with the Lord my God by my example, patience and love?

Jesus my Lord You are my bridegroom and my friend, let me grow deeper in my relationship with You. Bless me sweet Jesus and grant me all that I need to do Your Will. Amen

First reading

1 John 5:14-21 ·

If we ask for anything, he will hear us

We are quite confident that if we ask the Son of God for anything,

and it is in accordance with his will,

he will hear us;

and, knowing that whatever we may ask, he hears us,

we know that we have already been granted what we asked of him.

If anybody sees his brother commit a sin

that is not a deadly sin,

he has only to pray, and God will give life to the sinner

– not those who commit a deadly sin;

for there is a sin that is death,

and I will not say that you must pray about that.

Every kind of wrong-doing is sin,

but not all sin is deadly.

We know that anyone who has been begotten by God

does not sin,

because the begotten Son of God protects him,

and the Evil One does not touch him.

We know that we belong to God,

but the whole world lies in the power of the Evil One.

We know, too, that the Son of God has come,

and has given us the power

to know the true God.

We are in the true God,

as we are in his Son, Jesus Christ.

This is the true God,

this is eternal life.

Children, be on your guard against false gods.

Gospel

John 3:22-30

‘He must grow greater and I must grow smaller: my joy is complete’

Jesus went with his disciples into the Judaean countryside and stayed with them there and baptised. At the same time John was baptising at Aenon near Salim, where there was plenty of water, and people were going there to be baptised. This was before John had been put in prison.

    Now some of John’s disciples had opened a discussion with a Jew about purification, so they went to John and said, ‘Rabbi, the man who was with you on the far side of the Jordan, the man to whom you bore witness, is baptising now; and everyone is going to him.’

    John replied:

‘A man can lay claim

only to what is given him from heaven.

‘You yourselves can bear me out: I said: I myself am not the Christ; I am the one who has been sent in front of him.

‘The bride is only for the bridegroom;

and yet the bridegroom’s friend,

who stands there and listens,

is glad when he hears the bridegroom’s voice.

This same joy I feel, and now it is complete.

He must grow greater, I must grow smaller.’

Jesus is our healer and redeemer! For this very reason the veil was lifted and we were able to see, touch and feel the Lord our God. To embrace Him and to be embraced. This wonderful revelation is made to each and everyone of us at Holy Baptism where we were inserted into the life, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Again we are fully united with Him in Holy Eucharist, one Body in Him as He is with one with us.

Can we then not bear witness to the water, blood and spirit that flows through us? Are we not epiphanies of Christ living in us when we bring hope, faith, peace and love to all who do not yet know Him?

Thank You Jesus for loving me, You are my saviour, my redeemer, me healer, my all in all. Let Your light shine through me for all. Amen

First reading

1 John 5:5-13

There are three witnesses: the Spirit and the water and the blood

Who can overcome the world?

Only the man who believes that Jesus is the Son of God:

Jesus Christ who came by water and blood,

not with water only,

but with water and blood;

with the Spirit as another witness –

since the Spirit is the truth –

so that there are three witnesses,

the Spirit, the water and the blood,

and all three of them agree.

We accept the testimony of human witnesses,

but God’s testimony is much greater,

and this is God’s testimony,

given as evidence for his Son.

Everybody who believes in the Son of God

has this testimony inside him;

and anyone who will not believe God

is making God out to be a liar,

because he has not trusted

the testimony God has given about his Son.

This is the testimony:

God has given us eternal life

and this life is in his Son;

anyone who has the Son has life,

anyone who does not have the Son does not have life.

I have written all this to you

so that you who believe in the name of the Son of God

may be sure that you have eternal life.

Gospel

Luke 5:12-16

‘If you want to, you can cure me’

Jesus was in one of the towns when a man appeared, covered with leprosy. Seeing Jesus he fell on his face and implored him. ‘Sir,’ he said ‘if you want to, you can cure me.’ Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and said, ‘Of course I want to! Be cured!’ And the leprosy left him at once. He ordered him to tell no one, ‘But go and show yourself to the priest and make the offering for your healing as Moses prescribed it, as evidence for them.’

    His reputation continued to grow, and large crowds would gather to hear him and to have their sickness cured, but he would always go off to some place where he could be alone and pray.

Jesus in His great love for us had laid down His life for the expiation of our sins. We who have been forgiven much, must love as much and forgive likewise our brethren. For to love the Lord our God is to love our brethren.

To be sure loving and forgiving the sister and brother who hurt us in one way or another will be far from easy. It does not mean we remain as doormats or be subject to abuse in those kind of relationships, but we must forgive them in our hearts and move on as we should. We must forgive always and can do so through the love, peace of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. For when we abide in Him, He will abide in us.  Amen

First reading

1 John 4:19-5:4

Anyone who loves God must also love his brother

We are to love,

because God loved us first.

Anyone who says, ‘I love God’,

and hates his brother,

is a liar,

since a man who does not love the brother that he can see

cannot love God, whom he has never seen.

So this is the commandment that he has given us,

that anyone who loves God must also love his brother.

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ

has been begotten by God;

and whoever loves the Father that begot him

loves the child whom he begets.

We can be sure that we love God’s children

if we love God himself and do what he has commanded us;

this is what loving God is –

keeping his commandments;

and his commandments are not difficult,

because anyone who has been begotten by God

has already overcome the world;

this is the victory over the world –

our faith.

Gospel

Luke 4:14-22

‘This text is being fulfilled today, even as you listen’

Jesus, with the power of the Spirit in him, returned to Galilee; and his reputation spread throughout the countryside. He taught in their synagogues and everyone praised him.

    He came to Nazara, where he had been brought up, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day as he usually did. He stood up to read and they handed him the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. Unrolling the scroll he found the place where it is written:

The spirit of the Lord has been given to me,

for he has anointed me.

He has sent me to bring the good news to the poor,

to proclaim liberty to captives

and to the blind new sight,

to set the downtrodden free,

to proclaim the Lord’s year of favour.

He then rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the assistant and sat down. And all eyes in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to speak to them, ‘This text is being fulfilled today even as you listen.’ And he won the approval of all, and they were astonished by the gracious words that came from his lips.

The great light which illumines the whole earth has already come and through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour we have hope of eternal glory with God our Heavenly Father. The Spirit of God has revealed this truth in us and as we live in the Spirit, we hear clearly His docile promptings as He leads us on our pilgrim journey home to Him. Let us remain steadfast as we open our hearts to listen daily and do the Will of the Lord our God for us.

Yes indeed we must be wary for there are even many false prophets amongst us and even unbelievers will spin convincing notions that strive to lead us away from our beliefs in Christ Jesus our Lord. We can only be led astray if we continue to live in the ways and the thinking of the world. Those who do not live in the Spirit, will likely have warped interpretations of scripture and hence a warped understanding of the Lord our God, of His mercy and His love. They might say things like God at the beginning was God for the Jews alone and even if the Gentiles wanted to know Him or receive graces from Him they could not until Jesus Christ was born. Do they not know that Father Abraham was a gentile? God’s mercy and love has always and will forever be constant for all His creation! We need to repent of our sins, our human thinking, our pride and to humbly take up our cross and follow Jesus.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Amen (Heb 13:8)

First reading

1 John 3:22-4:6

The Son of God has come and given us the power to know the true God

Whatever we ask God,

we shall receive,

because we keep his commandments

and live the kind of life that he wants.

His commandments are these:

that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ

and that we love one another

as he told us to.

Whoever keeps his commandments

lives in God and God lives in him.

We know that he lives in us

by the Spirit that he has given us.

It is not every spirit, my dear people, that you can trust;

test them, to see if they come from God,

there are many false prophets, now, in the world.

You can tell the spirits that come from God by this:

every spirit which acknowledges that Jesus the Christ has come in the flesh

is from God;

but any spirit which will not say this of Jesus

is not from God,

but is the spirit of Antichrist,

whose coming you were warned about.

Well, now he is here, in the world.

Children,

you have already overcome these false prophets,

because you are from God and you have in you

one who is greater than anyone in this world;

as for them, they are of the world,

and so they speak the language of the world

and the world listens to them.

But we are children of God,

and those who know God listen to us;

those who are not of God refuse to listen to us.

This is how we can tell

the spirit of truth from the spirit of falsehood.

Gospel

Matthew 4:12-17,23-25

The people that lived in darkness have seen a great light

Hearing that John had been arrested, Jesus went back to Galilee, and leaving Nazareth he went and settled in Capernaum, a lakeside town on the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali. In this way the prophecy of Isaiah was to be fulfilled:

‘Land of Zebulun! Land of Naphtali!

Way of the sea on the far side of Jordan,

Galilee of the nations!

The people that lived in darkness has seen a great light;

on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death

a light has dawned.’

From that moment Jesus began his preaching with the message, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.’

    He went round the whole of Galilee teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness among the people. His fame spread throughout Syria, and those who were suffering from diseases and painful complaints of one kind or another, the possessed, epileptics, the paralysed, were all brought to him, and he cured them. Large crowds followed him, coming from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judaea and Transjordania.

The whole knowledge of God revealed to us, our hope and salvation can be found in today’s Gospel. And in this truth is our lived experience as disciples of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Yes we were anointed by the Lord our God at Baptism and again at Confirmation. But how many of are living as disciples of the Lord?

If you are still giving the excuse that everyone are of different faith levels and have remained where you are as infant in the faith, then you are not! If you identify yourself as a volunteer in church, then you are not! If you have given up serving in any capacity whether in church or in community then you are not! If you do proclaim or share the joy of the Gospel both in Word and in actions then you are not!

Lord, it is your desire for everyone to know you. Help me to be a part of that. Help me to be a good disciple for your kingdom and give me the grace to disciple others. Help me to advance your kingdom every day. Lord, reveal to me my weaknesses and give me the strength to grow in these areas so that I am a better example to those that I disciple. Send me out into my community, my country, and all over the world to disciple others and show them how to grow near to you. Help me to remember that I am your tool for accomplishing your plan. You are the one who is working in their lives and drawing them to yourself.  Help me to prepare them to go out and make disciples themselves so that your church can be grown around the globe. Lord Jesus, prepare the hearts of those who will become your disciples to have ears to hear and understand, and that they would become strong followers of you. I love you Lord, help me to show others how to love to too. Amen.

First reading

1 John 2:18-21 ·

You have been anointed by the Holy One

Children, these are the last days;

you were told that an Antichrist must come,

and now several antichrists have already appeared;

we know from this that these are the last days.

Those rivals of Christ came out of our own number, but they had never really belonged;

if they had belonged, they would have stayed with us;

but they left us, to prove that not one of them

ever belonged to us.

But you have been anointed by the Holy One,

and have all received the knowledge.

It is not because you do not know the truth that I am writing to you

but rather because you know it already

and know that no lie can come from the truth.

Gospel

John 1:1-18

The Word was made flesh, and lived among us

In the beginning was the Word:

and the Word was with God

and the Word was God.

He was with God in the beginning.

Through him all things came to be,

not one thing had its being but through him.

All that came to be had life in him

and that life was the light of men,

a light that shines in the dark,

a light that darkness could not overpower.

A man came, sent by God.

His name was John.

He came as a witness,

as a witness to speak for the light,

so that everyone might believe through him.

He was not the light,

only a witness to speak for the light.

The Word was the true light

that enlightens all men;

and he was coming into the world.

He was in the world

that had its being through him,

and the world did not know him.

He came to his own domain

and his own people did not accept him.

But to all who did accept him

he gave power to become children of God,

to all who believe in the name of him

who was born not out of human stock

or urge of the flesh

or will of man

but of God himself.

The Word was made flesh,

he lived among us,

and we saw his glory,

the glory that is his as the only Son of the Father,

full of grace and truth.

John appears as his witness. He proclaims:

‘This is the one of whom I said:

He who comes after me ranks before me

because he existed before me.’

Indeed, from his fullness we have, all of us, received –

yes, grace in return for grace,

since, though the Law was given through Moses,

grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ.

No one has ever seen God;

it is the only Son, who is nearest to the Father’s heart,

who has made him known.

Advent had passed and we find ourselves in the 5th day of the Octave trying our best to remain steadfast in the light of Christ. Indeed it is a struggle, for to love the Lord our God is to keep His Commandments. And we do so not with our lips but our actions of love and mercy for our brethren.

It is likely by now we have already fallen into sin, one way or another. Perhaps our impatience has gotten the better of us. We might have said something hurt others but are to proud to admit our mistake thinking they deserved it or perhaps someone close to us has said something to hurt us and we allow it to fester and decide not to forgive. Some may loosely say I forgive but will not forget! How is this forgiveness? We need to forgive and remember that we have forgiven. We may have longed for intimacy but instead have given in to lustful temptations. There are many other sins that might have led us away from God our Heavenly Father but it is time that we Stop, reflect and turn our hearts back to Him.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. And so by turning to Jesus our Lord and Saviour we can once again live free in His light.

“Here I am God, I give myself to You.  Unto You, O Lord, do I lay down my entire life. I lay it before You on Your altar.  Do as You please with me.  Speak through me today.  Touch people through me today.  Place me in a position to meet all

divine appointments today.  Make a difference in my world through me today.  You have everything about me available to You for You to utilize according to Your plans and purposes.” Amen

First reading

1 John 2:3-11 ·

Anyone who loves his brother is living in the light

We can be sure that we know God

only by keeping his commandments.

Anyone who says, ‘I know him’,

and does not keep his commandments,

is a liar,

refusing to admit the truth.

But when anyone does obey what he has said,

God’s love comes to perfection in him.

We can be sure that we are in God

only when the one who claims to be living in him

is living the same kind of life as Christ lived.

My dear people,

this is not a new commandment that I am writing to tell you,

but an old commandment

that you were given from the beginning,

the original commandment which was the message brought to you.

Yet in another way, what I am writing to you,

and what is being carried out in your lives as it was in his,

is a new commandment;

because the night is over

and the real light is already shining.

Anyone who claims to be in the light

but hates his brother

is still in the dark.

But anyone who loves his brother is living in the light

and need not be afraid of stumbling;

unlike the man who hates his brother and is in the darkness,

not knowing where he is going,

because it is too dark to see.

Gospel

Luke 2:22-35

‘You have prepared a light to enlighten the pagans’

When the day came for them to be purified as laid down by the Law of Moses, the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord – observing what stands written in the Law of the Lord: Every first-born male must be consecrated to the Lord – and also to offer in sacrifice, in accordance with what is said in the Law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. Now in Jerusalem there was a man named Simeon. He was an upright and devout man; he looked forward to Israel’s comforting and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had set eyes on the Christ of the Lord. Prompted by the Spirit he came to the Temple and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the Law required, he took him into his arms and blessed God; and he said:

‘Now, Master, you can let your servant go in peace,

just as you promised;

because my eyes have seen the salvation

which you have prepared for all the nations to see,

a light to enlighten the pagans

and the glory of your people Israel.’

As the child’s father and mother stood there wondering at the things that were being said about him, Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, ‘You see this child: he is destined for the fall and for the rising of many in Israel, destined to be a sign that is rejected – and a sword will pierce your own soul too – so that the secret thoughts of many may be laid bare.’

How do we make sense of it all? Babies barely able to dream, pure hearted and vulnerable. Ripped from their cradles, others from their parents arms and massacred! They died in place of their Saviour who would later lay His life down for all of us! But still how do we make sense of it all? Innocent and pure of heart the little ones had to die? Again innocent and pure of heart our Saviour had to die for us?

This is the nature of sin and darkness and we see it Herod’s miserable life. He lived in fear of losing his power.  And gave in to grave sin by his allowing his wounded pride of being outwitted and his fury to take over. He sought to diminish the light of one life but instead brought darkness upon many lives when he extinguished the light of the Holy Innocents or so he thought! For their light shines brightly with the light of Christ Jesus our Saviour even to this day and forevermore. For Christ died to save us from sin and darkness!

Have we ourselves not sought to diminish the light of innocents? With our snide remarks, gossip, impatience, rage, pride and unforgiveness. How many spirits have we murdered by our loose wicked tongues! How about when we objectify another by our impure thoughts and actions? Can we say then we are holy and pure? That we have not sinned?!

Let us turn our hearts to Jesus as we pray….Save us Saviour of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection You have set us free! Amen

First reading

1 John 1:5-2:2 ·

The blood of Jesus Christ purifies us all from sin

This is what we have heard from Jesus Christ,

and the message that we are announcing to you:

God is light; there is no darkness in him at all.

If we say that we are in union with God

while we are living in darkness,

we are lying because we are not living the truth.

But if we live our lives in the light,

as he is in the light,

we are in union with one another,

and the blood of Jesus, his Son,

purifies us from all sin.

If we say we have no sin in us,

we are deceiving ourselves

and refusing to admit the truth;

but if we acknowledge our sins,

then God who is faithful and just

will forgive our sins and purify us

from everything that is wrong.

To say that we have never sinned

is to call God a liar

and to show that his word is not in us.

I am writing this, my children,

to stop you sinning;

but if anyone should sin,

we have our advocate with the Father,

Jesus Christ, who is just;

he is the sacrifice that takes our sins away,

and not only ours,

but the whole world’s.

Gospel

Matthew 2:13-18

The massacre of the innocents

After the wise men had left, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother with you, and escape into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, because Herod intends to search for the child and do away with him.’ So Joseph got up and, taking the child and his mother with him, left that night for Egypt, where he stayed until Herod was dead. This was to fulfil what the Lord had spoken through the prophet:

I called my son out of Egypt.

Herod was furious when he realised that he had been outwitted by the wise men, and in Bethlehem and its surrounding district he had all the male children killed who were two years old or under, reckoning by the date he had been careful to ask the wise men. It was then that the words spoken through the prophet Jeremiah were fulfilled:

A voice was heard in Ramah,

sobbing and loudly lamenting:

it was Rachel weeping for her children,

refusing to be comforted because they were no more.