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Our salvation began with the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and brought to completion by His life, death and Resurrection.

The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. The Lord our God was not only made visible to us but we could touch Him and embrace life to the full through Him. The culmination of this intimate relationship with Him and in Him is when we receive our Eucharistic Lord at Holy Communion! Amen

Saint John, (Apostle, Evangelist) Pray for us….

First reading

1 John 1:1-4 ·

The Word, who is life – this is our subject

Something which has existed since the beginning,

that we have heard,

and we have seen with our own eyes;

that we have watched

and touched with our hands:

the Word, who is life –

this is our subject.

That life was made visible:

we saw it and we are giving our testimony,

telling you of the eternal life

which was with the Father and has been made visible to us.

What we have seen and heard

we are telling you

so that you too may be in union with us,

as we are in union

with the Father

and with his Son Jesus Christ.

We are writing this to you to make our own joy complete.

Gospel

John 20:2-8

The other disciple saw, and he believed

On the first day of the week Mary of Magdala came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved. ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb’ she said ‘and we don’t know where they have put him.’

    So Peter set out with the other disciple to go to the tomb. They ran together, but the other disciple, running faster than Peter, reached the tomb first; he bent down and saw the linen cloths lying on the ground, but did not go in. Simon Peter who was following now came up, went right into the tomb, saw the linen cloths on the ground, and also the cloth that had been over his head; this was not with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in; he saw and he believed.

Let us serve Him in Holiness and Virtue in His presence, all our days!

We must therefore fortify our bodies, mind and spirit and sanctify our hearts to prepare room for our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to dwell in.

Let us serve Him in Holiness and Virtue in His presence, all our days!

Blessed indeed is the Lord our God! In His tender mercy He has lifted the veil of darkness and sin, He has freed us and caused His light to shine upon us. And guided us into the way of His peace, love and joy.

Let us serve Him in Holiness and Virtue in His presence, all our days! Amen

First reading

2 Samuel 7:1-5,8-12,14,16 ·

Your House and your sovereignty will always stand secure before me

Once David had settled into his house and the Lord had given him rest from all the enemies surrounding him, the king said to the prophet Nathan, ‘Look, I am living in a house of cedar while the ark of God dwells in a tent.’ Nathan said to the king, ‘Go and do all that is in your mind, for the Lord is with you.’

    But that very night the word of the Lord came to Nathan:

    ‘Go and tell my servant David, “Thus the Lord speaks: Are you the man to build me a house to dwell in? I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be leader of my people Israel; I have been with you on all your expeditions; I have cut off all your enemies before you. I will give you fame as great as the fame of the greatest on earth. I will provide a place for my people Israel; I will plant them there and they shall dwell in that place and never be disturbed again; nor shall the wicked continue to oppress them as they did, in the days when I appointed judges over my people Israel; I will give them rest from all their enemies. The Lord will make you great; the Lord will make you a House. And when your days are ended and you are laid to rest with your ancestors, I will preserve the offspring of your body after you and make his sovereignty secure. I will be a father to him and he a son to me; if he does evil, I will punish him with the rod such as men use, with strokes such as mankind gives. Your House and your sovereignty will always stand secure before me and your throne be established for ever.”’

Gospel

Luke 1:67-79

‘You, little child, shall be the prophet of the Most High’

John’s father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke this prophecy:

‘Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel

for he has visited his people, he has come to their rescue

and he has raised up for us a power for salvation

in the House of his servant David,

even as he proclaimed,

by the mouth of his holy prophets from ancient times,

that he would save us from our enemies

and from the hands of all who hate us.

Thus he shows mercy to our ancestors,

thus he remembers his holy covenant

the oath he swore

to our father Abraham

that he would grant us, free from fear,

to be delivered from the hands of our enemies,

to serve him in holiness and virtue

in his presence, all our days.

And you, little child,

you shall be called Prophet of the Most High,

for you will go before the Lord

to prepare the way for him,

to give his people knowledge of salvation

through the forgiveness of their sins;

this by the tender mercy of our God

who from on high will bring the rising Sun to visit us,

to give light to those who live

in darkness and the shadow of death

and to guide our feet

into the way of peace.’

Staying on course, the path laid out by the Lord for His Will be done!

Wonder and awe of His goodness will follow all the days of our lives as we remain faithful in following His Will for us.

Is this path that we take for our Lord easy? Far from it!

For apart from facing external forces in the world, we have to face our own well intentioned family and friends who may try to convince us to take another path. An often tempting easier one, which leads us nowhere or to one that bears no fruit. In today’s Gospel we hear how family and friends were planning to name St John, ‘Zechariah’ after his father and even tried to convince John’s mother otherwise when she spoke up that he was to be named John.

“But no one in your family has that name” sounds subtle enough but is in actual fact a loud outcry! In this day and age the same voices and outcries are not so subtle but piercing and some even derogatory. Staying the course as we see in today’s Gospel, led everyone to astonishment and wonder of the Lord’s hand in the lives of His faithful.

St John the Baptist was chosen to prepare the way of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and was filled with the Holy Spirit even before he was born! (Luke 1:15) He went on to turn the hearts of fathers towards their children and the hearts of children towards their fathers. He led many to the water baptism of repentance thus leading on their way to reconciliation with God our Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ His only begotten Son. Who will fully reconcile them through the forgiveness of their sins.

See how wonderful it is when we stay the course our Lord has set for us! We become powerful instruments of His grace for others. Amen

First reading

Malachi 3:1-4,23-24 ·

Before my day comes, I will send you Elijah my prophet

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.

    Know that I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before my day comes, that great and terrible day. He shall turn the hearts of fathers towards their children and the hearts of children towards their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a curse.

Gospel

Luke 1:57-66

‘His name is John’

The time came for Elizabeth to have her child, and she gave birth to a son; and when her neighbours and relations heard that the Lord had shown her so great a kindness, they shared her joy.

    Now on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother spoke up. ‘No,’ she said ‘he is to be called John.’ They said to her, ‘But no one in your family has that name’, and made signs to his father to find out what he wanted him called. The father asked for a writing-tablet and wrote, ‘His name is John.’ And they were all astonished. At that instant his power of speech returned and he spoke and praised God. All their neighbours were filled with awe and the whole affair was talked about throughout the hill country of Judaea. All those who heard of it treasured it in their hearts. ‘What will this child turn out to be?’ they wondered. And indeed the hand of the Lord was with him.

First Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament?

Mary carries with her, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in the tabernacle of her womb. Elisabeth honour and praises Him while little baby John leaps for joy at the presence of God His saviour!

Has your Advent journey brought you to this point where you are eagerly awaiting the birth of a new intimate relationship with the Lord our God who so deeply loves you! To celebrate with joy in your heart His presence this and every day.  Our Beloved had come and He will come again! Are you standing ready to greet Him?

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

Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you. Amen

(Ps 51:10-13)

First reading

Song of Songs 2:8-14 ·

See how my Beloved comes, leaping on the mountains

I hear my Beloved.

See how he comes

leaping on the mountains,

bounding over the hills.

My Beloved is like a gazelle,

like a young stag.

See where he stands

behind our wall.

He looks in at the window,

he peers through the lattice.

My Beloved lifts up his voice,

he says to me,

‘Come then, my love,

my lovely one, come.

For see, winter is past,

the rains are over and gone.

The flowers appear on the earth.

The season of glad songs has come,

the cooing of the turtledove

is heard in our land.

The fig tree is forming its first figs

and the blossoming vines give out their fragrance.

Come then, my love,

my lovely one, come.

My dove, hiding in the clefts of the rock,

in the coverts of the cliff,

show me your face,

let me hear your voice;

for your voice is sweet

and your face is beautiful.’

Gospel

Luke 1:39-45

Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord?

Mary set out and went as quickly as she could to a town in the hill country of Judah. She went into Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. Now as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She gave a loud cry and said, ‘Of all women you are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord? For the moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leapt for joy. Yes, blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled.’

The Lord says this to us this very day, “How can I convince you of my love for you?” “That you would be faithful and take up your cross to follow me?”

Will our answer be “Oh I will not put the Lord to the test.” Or will we just remain silent and pretend that we did not hear His call? For this is how we behave when we are called to do more, whether at a meeting in person or a call in placed in the group chat. We simply choose not to respond at all!  Is it not strange that we say pray the ‘Our Father’ as One and declare at each Eucharistic Celebration that we are One Body in Him, One family under God our Heavenly Father. Yet will we fail to respond at all in our family group chats? If we say No we will always respond, after all family comes first! Then how is it we treat God’s family of whom we profess to belong to, very differently? How it is it that we can choose not to respond at all? Are we ashamed to give yet another excuse of not making any effort to attend to the call?  Or is it simply that we do not care?! We do what we can, when we can period!

Is God with me? If God is with me then my response would always be, let it be done unto me Lord according to Your Word and Will for me. Amen

First reading

Isaiah 7:10-14 ·

The maiden is with child

The Lord spoke to Ahaz and said, ‘Ask the Lord your God for a sign for yourself coming either from the depths of Sheol or from the heights above.’ ‘No,’ Ahaz answered ‘I will not put the Lord to the test.’

Then Isaiah said:

‘Listen now, House of David:

are you not satisfied with trying the patience of men

without trying the patience of my God, too?

The Lord himself, therefore,

will give you a sign.

It is this: the maiden is with child

and will soon give birth to a son

whom she will call Immanuel,

a name which means “God-is-with-us.”’

Gospel

Luke 1:26-38

‘I am the handmaid of the Lord’

The angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. He went in and said to her, ‘Rejoice, so highly favoured! The Lord is with you.’ She was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean, but the angel said to her, ‘Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God’s favour. Listen! You are to conceive and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David; he will rule over the House of Jacob for ever and his reign will have no end.’ Mary said to the angel, ‘But how can this come about, since I am a virgin?’ ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you’ the angel answered ‘and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God. Know this too: your kinswoman Elizabeth has, in her old age, herself conceived a son, and she whom people called barren is now in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible to God.’ ‘I am the handmaid of the Lord,’ said Mary ‘let what you have said be done to me.’ And the angel left her.

While still in Advent the readings today points us towards Christmas. God’s intricate plan for salvation foretold long before and the Promised Word fulfilled, was made flesh. Very soon now we will rejoice and celebrate the beginning of our salvation; through the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

As we prepare for Christmas, let us look back at our very own salvation history. Being born into our family how were we led to our Baptism that is the beginning of our salvation when we were inserted into the life, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Were we baptised shortly after our birth? Or did we journey on in life before coming to know our Lord and were baptised? Did we have for ourselves role models of our faith in our family tree?

From our birth till now, have we ourselves been instruments of His grace to bring our Lord’s salvation to those who had not known Him? How many of His lost sheep have we brought home to Him by our love and sacrifice? Are we living as beacons of His light that shines out in darkness that still covers the world?

Abba Father You so loved us that You sent Your only Begotten Son to save us from the bondages of sin. May we live free and Holy lives by the newness His long-awaited Nativity. Amen

First reading

Genesis 49:2,8-10 ·

Until he comes, the sceptre will not pass from Judah

Jacob called his sons and said:

‘Gather round, sons of Jacob, and listen;

listen to Israel your father.

Judah, your brothers shall praise you:

you grip your enemies by the neck,

your father’s sons shall do you homage,

Judah is a lion cub,

you climb back, my son, from your kill;

like a lion he crouches and lies down,

or a lioness: who dare rouse him?

The sceptre shall not pass from Judah,

nor the mace from between his feet,

until he come to whom it belongs,

to whom the peoples shall render obedience.’

Gospel

Matthew 1:1-17

The ancestry of Jesus Christ, the son of David

A genealogy of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham:

Abraham was the father of Isaac,

Isaac the father of Jacob,

Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,

Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah, Tamar being their mother,

Perez was the father of Hezron,

Hezron the father of Ram,

Ram was the father of Amminadab,

Amminadab the father of Nahshon,

Nahshon the father of Salmon,

Salmon was the father of Boaz, Rahab being his mother,

Boaz was the father of Obed, Ruth being his mother,

Obed was the father of Jesse;

and Jesse was the father of King David.

David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife,

Solomon was the father of Rehoboam,

Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa,

Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat,

Jehoshaphat the father of Joram,

Joram the father of Azariah,

Azariah was the father of Jotham,

Jotham the father of Ahaz,

Ahaz the father of Hezekiah,

Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh,

Manasseh the father of Amon,

Amon the father of Josiah;

and Josiah was the father of Jechoniah and his brothers.

Then the deportation to Babylon took place.

After the deportation to Babylon:

Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel,

Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,

Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud,

Abiud the father of Eliakim,

Eliakim the father of Azor,

Azor was the father of Zadok,

Zadok the father of Achim,

Achim the father of Eliud,

Eliud was the father of Eleazar,

Eleazar the father of Matthan,

Matthan the father of Jacob;

and Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary;

of her was born Jesus who is called Christ.

The sum of generations is therefore: fourteen from Abraham to David; fourteen from David to the Babylonian deportation; and fourteen from the Babylonian deportation to Christ.

Happy the man/woman who does not lose faith in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!

Are you one then to give in to sin and temptation easily? Or knowing that every day we must stand ready to engage in Spiritual warfare with the forces of evil, you start the day with prayer, the Word of God and put on the armour of God.

For we must fight to live in the light of the Lord our God so that we can be beacons of that very light. So that we bring hope to the blind, the lame, the deaf, those who suffer the leprosy of sin, and those who are spiritually dead. We shine forth the way to Him so that all may come to know and experience His peace, love and joy.

You alone Lord Jesus are unrivalled, there is no God but You. Teach me Your integrity, that I may serve You with honour. Let victory and glory be mine through You O Lord, against the enemies of darkness. Amen

First reading

Isaiah 45:6-8,18,21-25

I, the Lord, shall create deliverance

Apart from me, all is nothing.

I am the Lord, unrivalled,

I form the light and create the dark.

I make good fortune and create calamity,

it is I, the Lord, who do all this.

Send victory like a dew, you heavens,

and let the clouds rain it down.

Let the earth open

for salvation to spring up.

Let deliverance, too, bud forth

which I, the Lord, shall create.

Yes, thus says the Lord,

creator of the heavens,

who is God,

who formed the earth and made it,

who set it firm,

created it no chaos,

but a place to be lived in:

    ‘I am the Lord, unrivalled:

    there is no other god besides me.

    A God of integrity and a saviour:

    there is none apart from me.

    Turn to me and be saved,

    all the ends of the earth,

    for I am God unrivalled.

    ‘By my own self I swear it;

    what comes from my mouth is truth,

    a word irrevocable:

    before me every knee shall bend,

    by me every tongue shall swear,

    saying, “From the Lord alone

    come victory and strength.”

    To him shall come, ashamed,

    all who raged against him.

    Victorious and glorious through the Lord shall be

    all the descendants of Israel.’

Gospel

Luke 7:19-23

‘Are you the one who is to come?’

John, summoning two of his disciples, sent them to the Lord to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or must we wait for someone else?’ When the men reached Jesus they said, ‘John the Baptist has sent us to you, to ask, “Are you the one who is to come or have we to wait for someone else?”’ It was just then that he cured many people of diseases and afflictions and of evil spirits, and gave the gift of sight to many who were blind. Then he gave the messengers their answer, ‘Go back and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind see again, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, the Good News is proclaimed to the poor and happy is the man who does not lose faith in me.’

We are drawing close to Christmas how ready are you? If your answer is by way of the question what so special about Christmas any way? Or Oh I have not done anything different this Advent so it’s too late right? Or anything other than I stand ready to greet my Lord when He comes again then you my dear sister and brother are NOT READY! We think Christmas is just one ordinary day in the year, well then what if this Christmas is the day that you die? Are you ready then to meet the Lord your God? What excuses will you give? How different are you from those that Jesus refers was describing as that generation in today’s Gospel? Quick to criticise and find fault but refusing to grow in their faith so as to live according to the will of God our Heavenly Father.

Today’s first reading describes what that generation and all generations following are missing when they refuse to be obedient to the Lord our God.

• Happiness which flows like a river
• Integrity like the waves of the sea
• Generation upon generation, children like olive shoots
• Always and forevermore in His presence

Therefore sisters and brothers it is never too late while there is still life in you to repent and be faithful to the Gospel. Make an appointment today and go for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. May the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ reign in your hearts. Amen

First reading

Isaiah 48:17-19 ·

If you had been alert to my commandments, your happiness would have been like a river

Thus says the Lord, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:

I, the Lord, your God, teach you what is good for you,

I lead you in the way that you must go.

If only you had been alert to my commandments,

your happiness would have been like a river,

your integrity like the waves of the sea.

Your children would have been numbered like the sand,

your descendants as many as its grains.

Never would your name have been cut off or blotted out before me.

Gospel

Matthew 11:16-19

They heed neither John nor the Son of Man

Jesus spoke to the crowds: ‘What description can I find for this generation? It is like children shouting to each other as they sit in the market place:

“We played the pipes for you,

and you wouldn’t dance;

we sang dirges,

and you wouldn’t be mourners.”

‘For John came, neither eating nor drinking, and they say, “He is possessed.” The Son of Man came, eating and drinking, and they say, “Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.” Yet wisdom has been proved right by her actions.’

Sin can paralyze us from doing the will of God our Heavenly Father. It therefore also robs us of a life filled with grace, love and peace of Him who loves us like no other. Many lay helpless in their misery and shame!

Are we so Blessed then to have men and women by our side to carry us to the only One who can heal and restore us through their prayers, intercessions. To lead and place us in His presence. So that with contrite heart and spirit we can hear Him say to us, ‘My friend, your sins are forgiven you.’

Then with joy and gladness we shall go forth to glorify the Lord by our lives!

Sisters and brothers in Christ I am praying for you! Turn your hearts to the Lord and be saved. Amen

First reading

Isaiah 35:1-10 ·

The return of the redeemed through the desert

Let the wilderness and the dry-lands exult,

let the wasteland rejoice and bloom,

let it bring forth flowers like the jonquil,

let it rejoice and sing for joy.

The glory of Lebanon is bestowed on it,

the splendour of Carmel and Sharon;

they shall see the glory of the Lord,

the splendour of our God.

Strengthen all weary hands,

steady all trembling knees

and say to all faint hearts,

‘Courage! Do not be afraid.

‘Look, your God is coming,

vengeance is coming,

the retribution of God;

he is coming to save you.’

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,

the ears of the deaf unsealed,

then the lame shall leap like a deer

and the tongues of the dumb sing for joy;

for water gushes in the desert,

streams in the wasteland,

the scorched earth becomes a lake,

the parched land springs of water.

The lairs where the jackals used to live

become thickets of reed and papyrus…

And through it will run a highway undefiled

which shall be called the Sacred Way;

the unclean may not travel by it,

nor fools stray along it.

No lion will be there

nor any fierce beast roam about it,

but the redeemed will walk there,

for those the Lord has ransomed shall return.

They will come to Zion shouting for joy,

everlasting joy on their faces;

joy and gladness will go with them

and sorrow and lament be ended.

Gospel

Luke 5:17-26

‘Your sins are forgiven you: get up and walk’

Jesus was teaching one day, and among the audience there were Pharisees and doctors of the Law who had come from every village in Galilee, from Judaea and from Jerusalem. And the Power of the Lord was behind his works of healing. Then some men appeared, carrying on a bed a paralysed man whom they were trying to bring in and lay down in front of him. But as the crowd made it impossible to find a way of getting him in, they went up on to the flat roof and lowered him and his stretcher down through the tiles into the middle of the gathering, in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith he said, ‘My friend, your sins are forgiven you.’ The scribes and the Pharisees began to think this over. ‘Who is this man talking blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?’ But Jesus, aware of their thoughts, made them this reply, ‘What are these thoughts you have in your hearts? Which of these is easier: to say, “Your sins are forgiven you” or to say, “Get up and walk”? But to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,’ – he said to the paralysed man – ‘I order you: get up, and pick up your stretcher and go home.’ And immediately before their very eyes he got up, picked up what he had been lying on and went home praising God.

    They were all astounded and praised God, and were filled with awe, saying, ‘We have seen strange things today.’

The Road Home: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Second Sunday of Advent

Readings:

Baruch 5:1–9

Psalm 126:1–6

Philippians 1:4–6, 8–11

Luke 3:1–6

Today’s Psalm paints a dreamlike scene—a road filled with liberated captives heading home to Zion (Jerusalem), mouths filled with laughter, tongues rejoicing.

It’s a glorious picture from Israel’s past, a “new exodus,” the deliverance from exile in Babylon. It’s being recalled in a moment of obvious uncertainty and anxiety. But the psalmist isn’t waxing nostalgic.

Remembering “the Lord has done great things” in the past, he is making an act of faith and hope—that God will come to Israel in its present need, that He’ll do even greater things in the future.

This is what the Advent readings are all about: We recall God’s saving deeds—in the history of Israel and in the coming of Jesus. Our remembrance is meant to stir our faith, to fill us with confidence that, as today’s Epistle puts it, “the one who began a good work in [us] will continue to complete it” until He comes again in glory.

Each of us, the Liturgy teaches, is like Israel in her exile—led into captivity by our sinfulness, in need of restoration and conversion by the Word of the Holy One (see Baruch 5:5). The lessons of salvation history should teach us that, as God again and again delivered Israel, in His mercy He will free us from our attachments to sin if we turn to Him in repentance.

That’s the message of John, introduced in today’s Gospel as the last of the great prophets (compare Jeremiah 1:1–4, 11). But John is greater than the prophets (see Luke 7:27). He’s preparing the way not only for a new redemption of Israel but for the salvation of “all flesh” (see also Acts 28:28).

John quotes Isaiah (40:3) to tell us he’s come to build a road home for us, a way out of the wilderness of sin and alienation from God. It’s a road we’ll follow Jesus down, a journey we’ll make, as today’s First Reading puts it, “rejoicing that [we’re] remembered by God.”

Jesus is a loving God who saves! He will restore all that is lost so that we might live to the full in Him. All that is required of us is to have faith and trust in Him.

But what faith will He find in us?

If we say we have placed all our trust and faith in Him and have decided to carry our cross to follow Him. Will He find us grumbling, complaining or even speaking ill of another in any given situation? Will He find us withholding mercy and love for someone who has offended us? Will we remain bystanders in the face of injustices committed in front of us?

Lord Jesus Son of the most High God, have mercy on me! Open my eyes to see Your Glory in everything! And the courage to take up my cross to follow after You always. Amen

Saint Francis Xavier Pray for us….

First reading

Isaiah 29:17-24 ·

In a very short time, the deaf will hear and the eyes of the blind will see

The Lord says this:

In a short time, a very short time,

shall not Lebanon become fertile land

and fertile land turn into forest?

The deaf, that day,

will hear the words of a book

and, after shadow and darkness,

the eyes of the blind will see.

But the lowly will rejoice in the Lord even more

and the poorest exult in the Holy One of Israel;

for tyrants shall be no more, and scoffers vanish,

and all be destroyed who are disposed to do evil:

those who gossip to incriminate others,

those who try at the gate to trip the arbitrator

and get the upright man’s case dismissed for groundless reasons.

Therefore the Lord speaks,

the God of the House of Jacob,

Abraham’s redeemer:

No longer shall Jacob be ashamed,

no more shall his face grow pale,

for he shall see what my hands have done in his midst,

he shall hold my name holy.

They will hallow the Holy One of Jacob,

stand in awe of the God of Israel.

Erring spirits will learn wisdom

and murmurers accept instruction.

Gospel

Matthew 9:27-31

‘Take care that no-one learns about this’

As Jesus went on his way two blind men followed him shouting, ‘Take pity on us, Son of David.’ And when Jesus reached the house the blind men came up with him and he said to them, ‘Do you believe I can do this?’ They said, ‘Sir, we do.’ Then he touched their eyes saying, ‘Your faith deserves it, so let this be done for you.’ And their sight returned. Then Jesus sternly warned them, ‘Take care that no one learns about this.’ But when they had gone, they talked about him all over the countryside.

You know what is sad? Most of us have built our houses on sand and we don’t even realise it! That is why we continue to cry our Lord, Lord but nothing seems to change or happen and we quietly blame all that has happened or is happening on the Lord our God. We think our prayers are being ignored and rightfully so!

For time after time we have taken shortcuts and taken our faith for granted. We have not fully reconciled with the Lord and our God and surrendered ourselves to His Holy Will for us. And so the Lord says this to us…..

“Rather, your iniquities have been barriers between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.” Is 59:2

Proverbs 15:8 “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is his delight”. Psalm 24:3-4: “Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their souls to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully.”

So then in order for us to build our houses on our everlasting Rock, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; we must set our hearts and minds to be right with Him. To turn to Him with contrite hearts and to allow Him to heal us through the mercy of His grace so that we can once again hear His voice and unite our wills with His. Only then can we always know what the Will of God our Father is and we will eagerly seek to accomplish His Will for us with joy in our hearts. For we have built our houses on Rock! Amen

First reading

Isaiah 26:1-6 ·

Open the gates; let the upright nation come in

That day, this song will be sung in the land of Judah:

We have a strong city;

to guard us he has set

wall and rampart about us.

Open the gates! Let the upright nation come in,

she, the faithful one

whose mind is steadfast, who keeps the peace,

because she trusts in you.

Trust in the Lord for ever,

for the Lord is the everlasting Rock;

he has brought low those who lived high up

in the steep citadel;

he brings it down, brings it down to the ground,

flings it down in the dust:

the feet of the lowly, the footsteps of the poor

trample on it.

Gospel

Matthew 7:21,24-27

The wise man built his house on a rock

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘It is not those who say to me, “Lord, Lord,” who will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven. Therefore, everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on rock. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and hurled themselves against that house, and it did not fall: it was founded on rock. But everyone who listens to these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a stupid man who built his house on sand. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and struck that house, and it fell; and what a fall it had!’

Many indeed are suffering in the world and suffering with this on-going pandemic has been elevated to a whole new level. While many of us are blessed to remain safe and healthy we cannot say it is the same for everyone that we know. Too many have died and are still dying whether it is from COVID or other known ‘killers’ like Cancer and so on. What about those so stricken by poverty that they are dying of hunger, thirst even common curable diseases, because they have means of seeking medical attention. What hope do they have?

God our Father never intended for His Children to suffer to begin with. But as a result of sin our we now live in a fallen world with all its challenges and misery. Even then He did not leave us to suffer and die, for He sent His only begotten Son to bring forth His salvation. So that whosoever comes to believe in His Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ will have eternal life! For He our way, truth and life!

He will heal and restore this broken world and breathe forth new life. This is our God! Amen Alleluia

Go, tell it on the mountain

Over the hills and everywhere

Go, tell it on the mountain

That Jesus Christ is Lord! (Go Tell it)

First reading

Isaiah 25:6-10 ·

The Lord will prepare a banquet for every nation

On this mountain,

the Lord of hosts will prepare for all peoples

a banquet of rich food, a banquet of fine wines,

of food rich and juicy, of fine strained wines.

On this mountain he will remove

the mourning veil covering all peoples,

and the shroud enwrapping all nations,

he will destroy Death for ever.

The Lord will wipe away

the tears from every cheek;

he will take away his people’s shame

everywhere on earth,

for the Lord has said so.

That day, it will be said: See, this is our God

in whom we hoped for salvation;

the Lord is the one in whom we hoped.

We exult and we rejoice

that he has saved us;

for the hand of the Lord

rests on this mountain.

Gospel

Matthew 15:29-37

The crowds praised the God of Israel

Jesus reached the shores of the Sea of Galilee, and he went up into the hills. He sat there, and large crowds came to him bringing the lame, the crippled, the blind, the dumb and many others; these they put down at his feet, and he cured them. The crowds were astonished to see the dumb speaking, the cripples whole again, the lame walking and the blind with their sight, and they praised the God of Israel.

    But Jesus called his disciples to him and said, ‘I feel sorry for all these people; they have been with me for three days now and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them off hungry, they might collapse on the way.’ The disciples said to him, ‘Where could we get enough bread in this deserted place to feed such a crowd?’ Jesus said to them, ‘How many loaves have you?’ ‘Seven’ they said ‘and a few small fish.’ Then he instructed the crowd to sit down on the ground, and he took the seven loaves and the fish, and he gave thanks and broke them and handed them to the disciples, who gave them to the crowds. They all ate as much as they wanted, and they collected what was left of the scraps, seven baskets full.

And so says the Lord, heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. (Matt 24:35) And so the only constant we all have and for all eternity is the love of God our Heavenly Father through His Son our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh. For He had promised that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.  Amen

Nothing in this world lasts forever! Generation upon generation have seen their histories pass them by and change inevitably takes place. All that is once bright and shiny will lose its lustre.

First reading

Daniel 2:31-45 ·

Daniel interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s dream

Daniel said to Nebuchadnezzar, ‘You have had a vision, O king; this is what you saw: a statue, a great statue of extreme brightness, stood before you, terrible to see. The head of this statue was of fine gold, its chest and arms were of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet part iron, part earthenware. While you were gazing, a stone broke away, untouched by any hand, and struck the statue, struck its feet of iron and earthenware and shattered them. And then, iron and earthenware, bronze, silver, gold all broke into small pieces as fine as chaff on the threshing-floor in summer. The wind blew them away, leaving not a trace behind. And the stone that had struck the statue grew into a great mountain, filling the whole earth. This was the dream; now we will explain to the king what it means.

    ‘You, O king, king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given sovereignty, power, strength and glory – the sons of men, the beasts of the field, the birds of heaven, wherever they live, he has entrusted to your rule, making you king of them all – you are the golden head. And after you another kingdom will rise, not so great as you, and then a third, of bronze, which will rule the whole world. There will be a fourth kingdom, hard as iron, as iron that shatters and crushes all. Like iron that breaks everything to pieces, it will crush and break all the earlier kingdoms. The feet you saw, part earthenware, part iron, are a kingdom which will be split in two, but which will retain something of the strength of iron, just as you saw the iron and the clay of the earthenware mixed together. The feet were part iron, part earthenware: the kingdom will be partly strong and partly weak. And just as you saw the iron and the clay of the earthenware mixed together, so the two will be mixed together in the seed of man; but they will not hold together any more than iron will blend with earthenware. In the time of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, and this kingdom will not pass into the hands of another race: it will shatter and absorb all the previous kingdoms, and itself last for ever – just as you saw the stone untouched by hand break from the mountain and shatter iron, bronze, earthenware, silver and gold. The great God has shown the king what is to take place. The dream is true, the interpretation exact.’

Gospel

Luke 21:5-11

The destruction of the Temple foretold

When some were talking about the Temple, remarking how it was adorned with fine stonework and votive offerings, Jesus said, ‘All these things you are staring at now – the time will come when not a single stone will be left on another: everything will be destroyed.’ And they put to him this question: ‘Master,’ they said ‘when will this happen, then, and what sign will there be that this is about to take place?’

    ‘Take care not to be deceived,’ he said ‘because many will come using my name and saying, “I am he” and, “The time is near at hand.” Refuse to join them. And when you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened, for this is something that must happen but the end is not so soon.’ Then he said to them, ‘Nation will fight against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes and plagues and famines here and there; there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.’

The Lord said: I think thoughts of peace and not of affliction. You will call upon me, and I will answer you, and I will lead back your captives from every place. Jer 29: 11, 12, 14

‘If you in your turn had only understood on this day the message of peace!

So now do we understand the message of Peace? The Peace that only our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ can give? For without the Lord our God in our lives true peace as we are meant to experience it cannot exists. 1 John 2:16: “For all that is in the world – the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, the pride in riches – comes not from the Father but from the world.” Hence if we choose the ways of the world and sin over the Lord our God we can expect to face our very own demise. Spiritual death eventually leading to physical death!

Let us pray…..

“A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me. Cast me not out from your presence, And your Holy Spirit take not from me.” Amen (Psalm 51: 10-11)

First reading

1 Maccabees 2:15-29

‘Heaven preserve us from forsaking the Law and its ordinances’

The commissioners of King Antiochus who were enforcing the apostasy came to the town of Modein to make them sacrifice. Many Israelites gathered round them, but Mattathias and his sons drew apart. The king’s commissioners then addressed Mattathias as follows, ‘You are a respected leader, a great man in this town; you have sons and brothers to support you. Be the first to step forward and conform to the king’s decree, as all the nations have done, and the leaders of Judah and the survivors in Jerusalem; you and your sons shall be reckoned among the Friends of the King, you and your sons shall be honoured with gold and silver and many presents.’ Raising his voice, Mattathias retorted, ‘Even if every nation living in the king’s dominions obeys him, each forsaking its ancestral religion to conform to his decrees, I, my sons and my brothers will still follow the covenant of our ancestors. Heaven preserve us from forsaking the Law and its observances. As for the king’s orders, we will not follow them: we will not swerve from our own religion either to right or to left.’ As he finished speaking, a Jew came forward in the sight of all to offer sacrifice on the altar in Modein as the royal edict required. When Mattathias saw this, he was fired with zeal; stirred to the depth of his being, he gave vent to his legitimate anger, threw himself on the man and slaughtered him on the altar. At the same time he killed the king’s commissioner who was there to enforce the sacrifice, and tore down the altar. In his zeal for the Law he acted as Phinehas did against Zimri son of Salu. Then Mattathias went through the town, shouting at the top of his voice, ‘Let everyone who has a fervour for the Law and takes his stand on the covenant come out and follow me.’ Then he fled with his sons into the hills, leaving all their possessions behind in the town.

    At this, many who were concerned for virtue and justice went down to the desert and stayed there.

Gospel

Luke 19:41-44

Jesus sheds tears over the coming fate of Jerusalem

As Jesus drew near Jerusalem and came in sight of the city he shed tears over it and said, ‘If you in your turn had only understood on this day the message of peace! But, alas, it is hidden from your eyes! Yes, a time is coming when your enemies will raise fortifications all round you, when they will encircle you and hem you in on every side; they will dash you and the children inside your walls to the ground; they will leave not one stone standing on another within you – and all because you did not recognise your opportunity when God offered it!’

Pray we will never be put to such a test of having to choose life or death over our faith in the Lord our God. Many would rather not even think about such things for they live worlds apart from such happenings so why put themselves through such stress and anxiety?

How then are we to empathise with our sister and brothers who are constantly under threat of extermination and living under such conditions? Are we even keeping up with what is happening in the world? Do we know that there were two bomb blasts in Uganda? What about the terrorist attack in Liverpool? How can we pray earnestly and intercede for their salvation if we will not even spare a thought for them or when we choose to simply block out all such negative news, out of mind, out of sight!  How then can we pray for our Lord’s peace to reign in the World? Have you chosen to wrap your one pound safely in a linen cloth to return it as is, to the Lord Your God?

Are you just happy to live your cushy life not caring about anyone else other than  your immediate family. Well then you are likely to sell your soul for less than what its worth! For when a sexual temptation comes along you will give in readily. You will feed your greed, lust for honour and power and so on. For the Lord is far from your mind, heart and soul. And so from the man or woman who has not, even what he or she has will be taken away!

Let us pray….. If I live, I live for You Lord; and if I die, I gladly die for You Lord. So, whether I live or die, I belong to You Lord. Amen (Rm 14:8}

First reading

2 Maccabees 7:1,20-31 ·

The creator of the world will give you back both breath and life

There were seven brothers who were arrested with their mother. The king tried to force them to taste pig’s flesh, which the Law forbids, by torturing them with whips and scourges. But the mother was especially admirable and worthy of honourable remembrance, for she watched the death of seven sons in the course of a single day, and endured it resolutely because of her hopes in the Lord. Indeed she encouraged each of them in the language of their ancestors; filled with noble conviction, she reinforced her womanly argument with manly courage, saying to them, ‘I do not know how you appeared in my womb; it was not I who endowed you with breath and life, I had not the shaping of your every part. It is the creator of the world, ordaining the process of man’s birth and presiding over the origin of all things, who in his mercy will most surely give you back both breath and life, seeing that you now despise your own existence for the sake of his laws.’

    Antiochus thought he was being ridiculed, suspecting insult in the tone of her voice; and as the youngest was still alive he appealed to him not with mere words but with promises on oath to make him both rich and happy if he would abandon the traditions of his ancestors; he would make him his Friend and entrust him with public office. The young man took no notice at all, and so the king then appealed to the mother, urging her to advise the youth to save his life. After a great deal of urging on his part she agreed to try persuasion on her son. Bending over him, she fooled the cruel tyrant with these words, uttered in the language of their ancestors, ‘My son, have pity on me; I carried you nine months in my womb and suckled you three years, fed you and reared you to the age you are now (and cherished you). I implore you, my child, observe heaven and earth, consider all that is in them, and acknowledge that God made them out of what did not exist, and that mankind comes into being in the same way. Do not fear this executioner, but prove yourself worthy of your brothers, and make death welcome, so that in the day of mercy I may receive you back in your brothers’ company.’

    She had scarcely ended when the young man said, ‘What are you all waiting for? I will not comply with the king’s ordinance; I obey the ordinance of the Law given to our ancestors through Moses. As for you, sir, who have contrived every kind of evil against the Hebrews, you will certainly not escape the hands of God.’

Gospel

Luke 19:11-28

The parable of the talents

While the people were listening, Jesus went on to tell a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and they imagined that the kingdom of God was going to show itself then and there. Accordingly he said, ‘A man of noble birth went to a distant country to be appointed king and afterwards return. He summoned ten of his servants and gave them ten pounds. “Do business with these” he told them “until I get back.” But his compatriots detested him and sent a delegation to follow him with this message, “We do not want this man to be our king.”

    ‘Now on his return, having received his appointment as king, he sent for those servants to whom he had given the money, to find out what profit each had made. The first came in and said, “Sir, your one pound has brought in ten.” “Well done, my good servant!” he replied “Since you have proved yourself faithful in a very small thing, you shall have the government of ten cities.” Then came the second and said, “Sir, your one pound has made five.” To this one also he said, “And you shall be in charge of five cities.” Next came the other and said, “Sir, here is your pound. I put it away safely in a piece of linen because I was afraid of you; for you are an exacting man: you pick up what you have not put down and reap what you have not sown.” “You wicked servant!” he said “Out of your own mouth I condemn you. So you knew I was an exacting man, picking up what I have not put down and reaping what I have not sown? Then why did you not put my money in the bank? On my return I could have drawn it out with interest.” And he said to those standing by, “Take the pound from him and give it to the man who has ten pounds.” And they said to him, “But, sir, he has ten pounds…”. “I tell you, to everyone who has will be given more; but from the man who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

    ‘“But as for my enemies who did not want me for their king, bring them here and execute them in my presence.”’

    When he had said this he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

Today let us ask ourselves what are we prepared to surrender? To sacrifice or do in order for Jesus to come dine with us? To enter into our dwelling place and bring about salvation for us and our families? How are we preparing to receive our Lord of Lords, our King of kings! Are we waiting by lip service for the Solemnity this Sunday so that we proclaim His Kingship in our lives but not so in our hearts?

Are we then instead going forth boldly, to proclaim our love for Jesus by sharing the Gospel with all; Especially with our sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, aunts and uncles who have drifted away from our Lord? Are we reaching out to parishioners who no longer attend Holy Eucharist? Are we afraid of making fools of ourselves for our Lord by refusing to climb the ‘Sycamore tree’? Be it taking up some form of leadership in our Parishes, communities or ministries. Or perhaps starting something new through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Are we ready to offer a fast, prayer, almsgiving or more for the conversion of sinners and the salvation of souls.

Lord Jesus I welcome You with joyful heart, I repent fully of my sins and offer my intellect, my will, my all to You. Let everything I do and say be according to Your Will for me. Amen

First reading

2 Maccabees 6:18-31 ·

‘I will make a good death, eagerly and generously, for the holy laws’

Eleazar, one of the foremost teachers of the Law, a man already advanced in years and of most noble appearance, was being forced to open his mouth wide to swallow pig’s flesh. But he, resolving to die with honour rather than to live disgraced, went to the block of his own accord, spitting the stuff out, the plain duty of anyone with the courage to reject what it is not lawful to taste, even from a natural tenderness for his own life. Those in charge of the impious banquet, because of their long-standing friendship with him, took him aside and privately urged him to have meat brought of a kind he could properly use, prepared by himself, and only pretend to eat the portions of sacrificial meat as prescribed by the king; this action would enable him to escape death, by availing himself of an act of kindness prompted by their long friendship. But having taken a noble decision worthy of his years and the dignity of his great age and the well earned distinction of his grey hairs, worthy too of his impeccable conduct from boyhood, and above all of the holy legislation established by God himself, he publicly stated his convictions, telling them to send him at once to Hades. ‘Such pretence’ he said ‘does not square with our time of life; many young people would suppose that Eleazar at the age of ninety had conformed to the foreigners’ way of life, and because I had played this part for the sake of a paltry brief spell of life might themselves be led astray on my account; I should only bring defilement and disgrace on my old age. Even though for the moment I avoid execution by man, I can never, living or dead, elude the grasp of the Almighty. Therefore if I am man enough to quit this life here and now I shall prove myself worthy of my old age, and I shall have left the young a noble example of how to make a good death, eagerly and generously, for the venerable and holy laws.’

    With these words he went straight to the block. His escorts, so recently well disposed towards him, turned against him after this declaration, which they regarded as sheer madness. Just before he died under the blows, he groaned aloud and said, ‘The Lord whose knowledge is holy sees clearly that, though I might have escaped death, whatever agonies of body I now endure under this bludgeoning, in my soul I am glad to suffer, because of the awe which he inspires in me.’

    This was how he died, leaving his death as an example of nobility and a record of virtue not only for the young but for the great majority of the nation.

Gospel

Luke 19:1-10

Salvation comes to the house of Zacchaeus

Jesus entered Jericho and was going through the town when a man whose name was Zacchaeus made his appearance: he was one of the senior tax collectors and a wealthy man. He was anxious to see what kind of man Jesus was, but he was too short and could not see him for the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus who was to pass that way. When Jesus reached the spot he looked up and spoke to him: ‘Zacchaeus, come down. Hurry, because I must stay at your house today.’ And he hurried down and welcomed him joyfully. They all complained when they saw what was happening. ‘He has gone to stay at a sinner’s house’ they said. But Zacchaeus stood his ground and said to the Lord, ‘Look, sir, I am going to give half my property to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody I will pay him back four times the amount.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek out and save what was lost.’

Our greatest obstacle preventing us from entering into a deep personal relationship with the Lord our God…..Ourselves! We are our greatest obstacle! When we refuse to surrender our intellect, our wills our base desires. When we do not trust enough to fall into His loving embrace. Our doubts lead to fear, fear of the unknown and more. Fear prevents us from taking up our cross to follow Jesus.

The night before during a Prophetic Intercessory workshop, I saw Jesus seating at a well waiting for us to come to Him. Many however were fearful about moving forward towards Him. The accompanying message that came to me was “Do not let your doubts prevent you from coming to me and drinking from the well spring of living water.”

Let turn away from sinful indulgences, habitual sin and turn our eyes and heart to our Lord. Give Him full reign in our lives and we will be set free to live fully in His presence. Let us start this very day, as move closer to Advent to prepare the way for our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen

First reading

Wisdom 13:1-9 ·

How have those who investigated the world been so slow to find its Master?

Naturally stupid are all men who have not known God

and who, from the good things that are seen, have not been able to discover Him-who-is, or, by studying the works, have failed to recognise the Artificer.

Fire however, or wind, or the swift air, the sphere of the stars, impetuous water, heaven’s lamps, are what they have held to be the gods who govern the world.

If, charmed by their beauty, they have taken things for gods,

let them know how much the Lord of these excels them,

since the very Author of beauty has created them.

And if they have been impressed by their power and energy,

let them deduce from these how much mightier is he that has formed them,

since through the grandeur and beauty of the creatures

we may, by analogy, contemplate their Author.

Small blame, however, attaches to these men,

for perhaps they only go astray

in their search for God and their eagerness to find him;

living among his works, they strive to comprehend them

and fall victim to appearances, seeing so much beauty.

Even so, they are not to be excused:

if they are capable of acquiring enough knowledge

to be able to investigate the world,

how have they been so slow to find its Master?

Gospel

Luke 17:26-37

When the day comes for the Son of Man to be revealed

Jesus said to the disciples:

    ‘As it was in Noah’s day, so will it also be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating and drinking, marrying wives and husbands, right up to the day Noah went into the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. It will be the same as it was in Lot’s day: people were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, but the day Lot left Sodom, God rained fire and brimstone from heaven and it destroyed them all. It will be the same when the day comes for the Son of Man to be revealed.

    ‘When that day comes, anyone on the housetop, with his possessions in the house, must not come down to collect them, nor must anyone in the fields turn back either. Remember Lot’s wife. Anyone who tries to preserve his life will lose it; and anyone who loses it will keep it safe. I tell you, on that night two will be in one bed: one will be taken, the other left; two women will be grinding corn together: one will be taken, the other left.’ The disciples interrupted. ‘Where, Lord?’ they asked. He said, ‘Where the body is, there too will the vultures gather.’

Give a humble man or woman a title, praise them for their many good deeds, offer thanks to them often enough and soon enough they will change. Soon their ears and eyes will be shut to those found unworthy of their time even though they appear to be looking and listening. “I have prayed and discerned and this is how it is going to be!”

What does a humble man or woman after the heart of God look like in His eyes?

A child of God our Heavenly Father so loved that he/she only desires to do His Will and if there is any affirmation to be got then it must come from Him alone. This child’s heart is filled with thanksgiving and praise for the Lord God and seeks only to glorify Him in all that is said and done. Who loves brethren in as much, if not more than him or her self and with the love of God.

If there is no thanksgiving and praise of God then there is no true faith!

Lord forgive me the many times I had forgotten to offer You thanks and praise. Not that You have any need of my thanks and praise but because I had taken Your love for me for granted. Keep me Your unworthy servant humble Lord, in my service of You and my brethren. Amen

St Leo pray for us…..

First reading

Wisdom 6:1-11

Kings, your power is a gift to you from the Lord

Listen, kings, and understand;

rulers of remotest lands, take warning;

hear this, you who have thousands under your rule,

who boast of your hordes of subjects.

For power is a gift to you from the Lord,

sovereignty is from the Most High;

he himself will probe your acts and scrutinise your intentions.

If, as administrators of his kingdom, you have not governed justly

nor observed the law,

nor behaved as God would have you behave,

he will fall on you swiftly and terribly.

Ruthless judgement is reserved for the high and mighty;

the lowly will be compassionately pardoned,

the mighty will be mightily punished.

For the Lord of All does not cower before a personage,

he does not stand in awe of greatness,

since he himself has made small and great

and provides for all alike;

but strict scrutiny awaits those in power.

Yes, despots, my words are for you,

that you may learn what wisdom is and not transgress;

for they who observe holy things holily will be adjudged holy,

and, accepting instruction from them, will find their defence in them.

Look forward, therefore, to my words;

yearn for them, and they will instruct you.

Gospel

Luke 17:11-19

No-one has come back to praise God, only this foreigner

On the way to Jerusalem Jesus travelled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered one of the villages, ten lepers came to meet him. They stood some way off and called to him, ‘Jesus! Master! Take pity on us.’ When he saw them he said, ‘Go and show yourselves to the priests.’ Now as they were going away they were cleansed. Finding himself cured, one of them turned back praising God at the top of his voice and threw himself at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. The man was a Samaritan. This made Jesus say, ‘Were not all ten made clean? The other nine, where are they? It seems that no one has come back to give praise to God, except this foreigner.’ And he said to the man, ‘Stand up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you.’

Let me seek You in simplicity of heart and find myself in Your loving presence Lord.

The world seeks to confound me with its thinking and its ways. Let no doubts hold me back from Your loving embrace.

Let me seek You in simplicity of heart and find myself in Your loving presence Lord.

I want to be holy Lord as You are Holy. Let me be quick…

to close my eyes to temptation,

to close my ears to wicked whispers,

to close my mouth so as to speak no evil,

to close off my mind to sinful thoughts and inclinations.

Sanctify me sweet Jesus!

Let me seek You in simplicity of heart and find myself in Your loving presence Lord.

Your Peace Lord has to two arms, one is Love and the other mercy. Let me be quick to love and quick to forgive. Free me from any and all unforgiveness of heart so that I may live free in Your Peace and love.

Let me seek You in simplicity of heart and find myself in Your loving presence Lord.

Jesus I trust in You!

Let me seek You in simplicity of heart and find myself in Your loving presence Lord. Amen

First reading

Wisdom 1:1-7 ·

Love virtue, you who are judges on earth,

let honesty prompt your thinking about the Lord,

seek him in simplicity of heart;

since he is to be found by those who do not put him to the test,

he shows himself to those who do not distrust him.

But selfish intentions divorce from God;

and Omnipotence, put to the test, confounds the foolish.

No, Wisdom will never make its way into a crafty soul

nor stay in a body that is in debt to sin;

the holy spirit of instruction shuns deceit,

it stands aloof from reckless purposes,

is taken aback when iniquity appears.

Wisdom is a spirit, a friend to man,

though she will not pardon the words of a blasphemer,

since God sees into the innermost parts of him,

truly observes his heart,

and listens to his tongue.

The spirit of the Lord, indeed, fills the whole world,

and that which holds all things together knows every word that is said.

Gospel

Luke 17:1-6

If your brother does wrong, reprove him

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Obstacles are sure to come, but alas for the one who provides them! It would be better for him to be thrown into the Sea with a millstone put round his neck than that he should lead astray a single one of these little ones. Watch yourselves!

    If your brother does something wrong, reprove him and, if he is sorry, forgive him. And if he wrongs you seven times a day and seven times comes back to you and says, “I am sorry,” you must forgive him.’

    The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith.’ The Lord replied, ‘Were your faith the size of a mustard seed you could say to this mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea,” and it would obey you.’

How can we truly love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength if we put all others and all things before Him? So then how can we truly love one another as we ought to with His love when our choices come from loving ourselves more?

For God is love and if we want to know how to truly love as He loves then all we have to do is turn to Jesus Christ our Lord and see! How God truly loved us that He bore our sins, hung on the cross and died for us. To liberate all of us from the bondages of sin so that we might live freely and completely in His love.

And so to love as He loves and to love neighbour as we love ourselves is to carry our cross and follow after our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Then we will know how to love the unlovable and those really challenging to love. For we love as He loved us. Amen

First reading

Romans 13:8-10 ·

Your only debt should be the debt of mutual love

Avoid getting into debt, except the debt of mutual love. If you love your fellow men you have carried out your obligations. All the commandments: You shall not commit adultery, you shall not kill, you shall not steal, you shall not covet, and so on, are summed up in this single command: You must love your neighbour as yourself. Love is the one thing that cannot hurt your neighbour; that is why it is the answer to every one of the commandments.

Gospel

Luke 14:25-33

Anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple

Great crowds accompanied Jesus on his way and he turned and spoke to them. ‘If any man comes to me without hating his father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes and his own life too, he cannot be my disciple. Anyone who does not carry his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

    ‘And indeed, which of you here, intending to build a tower, would not first sit down and work out the cost to see if he had enough to complete it? Otherwise, if he laid the foundation and then found himself unable to finish the work, the onlookers would all start making fun of him and saying, “Here is a man who started to build and was unable to finish.” Or again, what king marching to war against another king would not first sit down and consider whether with ten thousand men he could stand up to the other who advanced against him with twenty thousand? If not, then while the other king was still a long way off, he would send envoys to sue for peace. So in the same way, none of you can be my disciple unless he gives up all his possessions.’