CatholicJules.net

God is dwelling in my heart! He and I are one. Can you truly utter this and remain true? That others may see the fruits of the in-dwelling, the union?

St Joseph our great model, emptied himself of all worldly thoughts and sense of justice. He prepared room in His heart to welcome the Lord our God. He was open to witness God’s wisdom unfold even though He may not have fully understood. He placed all His trust in the Lord. God was truly with Him. For Emmanuel was entrusted into His loving care.

How then have you prepared room for our Lord in your heart? Does He dwell within you?

Lord let me be a beacon of your love. Amen

First reading

Jeremiah 23:5-8
I will raise a virtuous Branch for David

See, the days are coming – it is the Lord who speaks –
when I will raise a virtuous Branch for David, who will reign as true king and be wise, practising honesty and integrity in the land.
In his days Judah will be saved and Israel dwell in confidence.
And this is the name he will be called: The-Lord-our-integrity.

So, then, the days are coming – it is the Lord who speaks – when people will no longer say, “As the Lord lives who brought the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt!” but, “As the Lord lives who led back and brought home the descendants of the House of Israel out of the land of the North and from all the countries to which he had dispersed them, to live on their own soil.”

Gospel

Matthew 1:18-24
How Jesus Christ came to be born

This is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph; being a man of honour and wanting to spare her publicity, decided to divorce her informally. He had made up his mind to do this when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.’ Now all this took place to fulfil the words spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son
and they will call him Emmanuel,

a name which means ‘God-is-with-us.’ When Joseph woke up he did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do: he took his wife to his home.

The hope of a promise carried over centuries was fulfilled in our Lord Jesus Christ.

What joy must have filled the hearts of them who patiently waited to receive Him! Those who had prepared Him room in their hearts by emptying themselves of worldly cares and turning away from sin. Blessed are those who rendered obedience to the king of peace. For His peace reigned in their hearts.

Are we then prepared today? To receive Him when he comes again? Does His peace reign in our hearts?

Come Lord Jesus, come reign in my heart. 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.

Children of God our Father listen and be obedient unto Him. For He loves us all dearly and only wants the best for us.

Do not be stubborn for it only leads to doom and gloom! See for yourselves where has it led you? Do you live with joy in your hearts? Does it carry throughout the day and night? Do you have peace of mind?

Come Lord Jesus, come. Come into my heart dear saviour. Wash me clean and I will be white as snow. Let me live fully in your love. Now and forever. 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

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.’

O that you would listen to my word, harden not your hearts! Open your ears and listen. Says the Lord!

Yet we are indeed a stubborn lot! We hear only what we want. We choose to obey what we think makes the most sense. And we let our salvation pass us by!

The promises of the Lord our God has been fulfilled in Christ Jesus our Lord. We have new life in and through Him. So unless we are in communion with Him through our fidelity we have nothing. Let us open our minds and turn to Him. Let the living word of God transform our hearts. Listen and be saved. Amen

First reading

Isaiah 41:13-20
I, the Holy One of Israel, am your redeemer

I, the Lord, your God, I am holding you by the right hand;I tell you, ‘Do not be afraid, I will help you.’

Do not be afraid, Jacob, poor worm, Israel, puny mite.’
I will help you – it is the Lord who speaks – the Holy One of Israel is your redeemer.

See, I turn you into a threshing-sled, new, with doubled teeth;you shall thresh and crush the mountains, and turn the hills to chaff.

You shall winnow them and the wind will blow them away,
the gale will scatter them.
But you yourself will rejoice in the Lord,and glory in the Holy One of Israel.

The poor and needy ask for water, and there is none,
their tongue is parched with thirst. I, the Lord, will answer them, I, the God of Israel, will not abandon them.

I will make rivers well up on barren heights,and fountains in the midst of valleys;turn the wilderness into a lake,and dry ground into waterspring.

In the wilderness I will put cedar trees, acacias, myrtles, olives.
In the desert I will plant juniper, plane tree and cypress side by side; so that men may see and know, may all observe and understand that the hand of the Lord has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it.

Gospel

Matthew 11:11-15

Jesus spoke to the crowds: ‘I tell you solemnly, of all the children born of women, a greater than John the Baptist has never been seen; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he is. Since John the Baptist came, up to this present time, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence and the violent are taking it by storm. Because it was towards John that all the prophecies of the prophets and of the Law were leading; and he, if you will believe me, is the Elijah who was to return. If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen!’

True Christians possesses joy in their hearts. For they carry with them the peace and joy of the Risen Lord in their hearts. They never tire or grow weary while doing His Will for them. For the Lord’s strength is upon them. It is He whom they turn to and are renewed, nourished.

So turn to Him indeed all you who labour and are overburdened and our Lord Jesus Christ will give you rest. He will restore you and grant you peace. His love will flow through your very being bringing life. Such is the love of our Lord. Amen

First reading

Isaiah 40:25-31
The Lord strengthens the powerless

‘To whom could you liken me
and who could be my equal?’ says the Holy One.
Lift your eyes and look.
Who made these stars if not he who drills them like an army, calling each one by name? So mighty is his power, so great his strength, that not one fails to answer.

How can you say, Jacob,
how can you insist, Israel,
‘My destiny is hidden from the Lord, my rights are ignored by my God’?
Did you not know?
Had you not heard?

The Lord is an everlasting God, he created the boundaries of the earth.
He does not grow tired or weary, his understanding is beyond fathoming. He gives strength to the wearied, he strengthens the powerless.
Young men may grow tired and weary, youths may stumble, but those who hope in the Lord renew their strength, they put out wings like eagles. They run and do not grow weary, walk and never tire.

Gospel

Matthew 11:28-30
My yoke is easy and my burden light

Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.’

Do you realise just how much God our Father loves you? How precious you are to Him? Such is His love for you that it defies logic and human understanding. Would you a Shepherd leave ninety nine of your sheep to go in search of the one who strayed away? Yet it is the Lord himself who comes looking for you. Tenderly He picks you up, cleans you up and restores you fully. No anger, no resentment, pure joy! You were once lost but now are found.

Come now people be humble and turn to the Lord your God. For He only desires the best for you. Let us turn our hearts to Him and be filled with His grace. So that we may be one with Him as He is one with us. Amen

First reading

Isaiah 40:1-11
Consolations from the heart of Jerusalem

‘Console my people, console them’ says your God.
‘Speak to the heart of Jerusalem and call to her that her time of service is ended, that her sin is atoned for, that she has received from the hand of the Lord double punishment for all her crimes.’

A voice cries, ‘Prepare in the wilderness a way for the Lord.
Make a straight highway for our God across the desert.
Let every valley be filled in,every mountain and hill be laid low.
Let every cliff become a plain, and the ridges a valley;then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all mankind shall see it; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’

A voice commands, ‘Cry!’
and I answered, ‘What shall I cry?’”– ‘All flesh is grass
and its beauty like the wild flower’s.
The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on them. (The grass is without doubt the people.) The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God remains for ever.’

Go up on a high mountain,
joyful messenger to Zion.
Shout with a loud voice,
joyful messenger to Jerusalem.
Shout without fear, say to the towns of Judah,‘Here is your God.’

Here is the Lord coming with power, his arm subduing all things to him.
The prize of his victory is with him, his trophies all go before him.
He is like a shepherd feeding his flock, gathering lambs in his arms, holding them against his breast and leading to their rest the mother ewes.

Gospel

Matthew 18:12-14
The one lost sheep gives him more joy than the ninety-nine that did not stray

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Tell me. Suppose a man has a hundred sheep and one of them strays; will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hillside and go in search of the stray? I tell you solemnly, if he finds it, it gives him more joy than do the ninety-nine that did not stray at all. Similarly, it is never the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.’

Fully human, born without sin, Holy, spotless, blameless, pure, set apart. To be the tabernacle of our Lord Jesus Christ. For through God alone all is made possible. By Mary our mother’s fiat we have the Incarnation. Light brought forth into the world.

We too by our baptism have been set apart made Holy. If we model ourselves after our Blessed Mother then our yes too will bring the light of Christ to all that we meet. By His grace we can do this and so we must come before Him often to be renewed and restored. So that by His grace we can live fully in His love and be a blessing for others.

O most Holy Immaculate conception, Mary our mother pray for us…

First reading

Genesis 3:9-15,20
‘The offspring of the woman will crush your head’

After Adam had eaten of the tree the Lord God called to him. ‘Where are you?’ he asked. ‘I heard the sound of you in the garden;’ he replied ‘I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.’ ‘Who told you that you were naked?’ he asked ‘Have you been eating of the tree I forbade you to eat?’ The man replied, ‘It was the woman you put with me; she gave me the fruit, and I ate it.’ Then the Lord God asked the woman, ‘What is this you have done?’ The woman replied, ‘The serpent tempted me and I ate.’
Then the Lord God said to the serpent, ‘Because you have done this,

‘Be accursed beyond all cattle, all wild beasts.
You shall crawl on your belly and eat dust every day of your life.
I will make you enemies of each other: you and the woman, your offspring and her offspring.
It will crush your head
and you will strike its heel.’

The man named his wife ‘Eve’ because she was the mother of all those who live.

Second reading
Ephesians 1:3-6,11-12
Before the world was made, God chose us in Christ

Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us with all the spiritual blessings of heaven in Christ.
Before the world was made, he chose us, chose us in Christ, to be holy and spotless, and to live through love in his presence,
determining that we should become his adopted sons, through Jesus Christ
for his own kind purposes,
to make us praise the glory of his grace, his free gift to us in the Beloved,
And it is in him that we were claimed as God’s own, chosen from the beginning, under the predetermined plan of the one who guides all things
as he decides by his own will;
chosen to be, for his greater glory, the people who would put their hopes in Christ before he came.

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.

If I have peace and love in my heart it is because of You alone my loving Saviour. You who took pity on me, opened my eyes to see You. And the wonders of Your mercy and love. I was so blind before stood before You O Lord! Blind to the needs of others. Blind to the hungry and those starved of attention. Blind to the community around me. Blind to everyone and everything other than to my own selfish needs and wants.

Ever since You restored my sight, how can I be quiet? How can I not sing Your praises with my hands and feet put to service for You and my brethren? How can I not shout from the mountain top that You Jesus are my Lord and God! How can I not work for Your greater glory? For Your peace and love reigns in my Heart now and forever. Amen

St Ambrose 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.

Why is it that we pray fervently, call upon the Lord only in times of great distress and need? Then go about our daily lives and routines after the need is met and peace restored. Where then is the exchange of love between the Lord our God and us? What right relationship do we have with Him?

Many still do not realise that the only way to grow deep in our relationship with the Lord our God is to do His will. This has been revealed to us time and time again. But it is our own wills we heed! Too difficult, bothersome first to know and understand His will for us, then to follow through! Hence we reap what we sow! What do you think will happen when our bond with our Lord Jesus Christ is paper thin?

To know His word and will for us; And to do it is to have laid a great foundation built upon His love. Come what may He is always by our side. We are never more safe and secure then when we are in His loving embrace. 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!’

While we prepare our hearts for our Lord’s second coming, let us reflect on how through His great love for us He has never left us!

For while He sits on His Holy mountain in the highest heavens He is present to us in the Blessed Sacrament, the most Holy Eucharist. He is present to us in our Advent reflections, prayer meetings. He is present to us in the Sacrament of reconciliation and all Holy sacraments of the Church. To this very day He brings healing to the sick and restores the crippled and blind; physically and spiritually.

Do we then possess that loving humility of our Lord Jesus Christ? Who came to die for us. He who never tires of lending a listening ear. Of tending to the sick and distraught. Who had the heart for His people and worried for their will being, spoke up for them and then put His plans into action to care for them.

What are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them? (ps8:4) We are grateful Lord, we are eternally grateful. Amen

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.

Only in deep and profound reflection and understanding that I am truly a child of God so loved by my heavenly Father can I begin to bask in His love. Abundant is His love for me, that there is no room whatsoever to feel envious of another. So rich and tender it draws me to love the same way. Only His peace and joy reign in my heart. I am moved to love His children, my sisters and brothers the same way He loves us. This is His wisdom revealed to us who humbly hear His call with the openness and innocence of a childlike heart. He is Abba, our Father who will never abandon us and who loves us ever so dearly.

Our Lord Jesus Christ His son had come so that we can once again be reunited with our loving Father. So turn back to Him all you who have lost your way. Fear no more, come and be healed. Come and be restored. Come so that you sin no more. And together hand in hand we will sing His glory!

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Now and forever. Amen

First reading

Isaiah 11:1-10
A shoot springs from the stock of Jesse

A shoot springs from the stock of Jesse, a scion thrusts from his roots: on him the spirit of the Lord rests,
a spirit of wisdom and insight, a spirit of counsel and power, a spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.
(The fear of the Lord is his breath.)
He does not judge by appearances, he gives no verdict on hearsay, but judges the wretched with integrity, and with equity gives a verdict for the poor of the land.
His word is a rod that strikes the ruthless, his sentences bring death to the wicked.

Integrity is the loincloth round his waist, faithfulness the belt about his hips.

The wolf lives with the lamb,
the panther lies down with the kid, calf and lion feed together, with a little boy to lead them. The cow and the bear make friends, their young lie down together.
The lion eats straw like the ox.
The infant plays over the cobra’s hole; into the viper’s lair the young child puts his hand. They do no hurt, no harm, on all my holy mountain, for the country is filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters swell the sea.

That day, the root of Jesse
shall stand as a signal to the peoples. It will be sought out by the nations and its home will be glorious.

Gospel

Luke 10:21-24
No-one knows who the Son is except the Father

Filled with joy by the Holy Spirit, Jesus said:
‘I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do. Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.’
Then turning to his disciples he spoke to them in private, ‘Happy the eyes that see what you see, for I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see, and never saw it; to hear what you hear, and never heard it.”

What faith will You find me in when You come oh Lord?

A faith which can move mountains? Or one that leads nowhere but despair? One that thrives on the living Word of God in the life lead or one one moving from one day to the next listless and dry? One who serves the least of His brethren through Your love and love for You? Or one that lives only for himself/herself?

Our faith comes from You Lord. Let it be an ever growing faith deepening through the journey in Your love this Advent. Lord Jesus You were born to bring light into darkness, let us be beacons of Your light. Amen

St Francis Xavier pray for us…

First reading

Isaiah 2:1-5
The Lord gathers all nations together into the eternal peace of God’s kingdom

The vision of Isaiah son of Amoz, concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

In the days to come
the mountain of the Temple of the Lord shall tower above the mountains and be lifted higher than the hills.
All the nations will stream to it, peoples without number will come to it; and they will say:

‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the Temple of the God of Jacob that he may teach us his ways so that we may walk in his paths; since the Law will go out from Zion, and the oracle of the Lord from Jerusalem.’

He will wield authority over the nations and adjudicate between many peoples; these will hammer their swords into ploughshares, their spears into sickles.
Nation will not lift sword against nation, there will be no more training for war.

O House of Jacob, come,
let us walk in the light of the Lord.

Gospel

Matthew 8:5-11
‘I am not worthy to have you under my roof: give the word, and my servant will be healed’

When Jesus went into Capernaum a centurion came up and pleaded with him. ‘Sir,’ he said ‘my servant is lying at home paralysed, and in great pain.’ ‘I will come myself and cure him’ said Jesus. The centurion replied, ‘Sir, I am not worthy to have you under my roof; just give the word and my servant will be cured. For I am under authority myself, and have soldiers under me; and I say to one man: Go, and he goes; to another: Come here, and he comes; to my servant: Do this, and he does it.’ When Jesus heard this he was astonished and said to those following him, ‘I tell you solemnly, nowhere in Israel have I found faith like this. And I tell you that many will come from east and west to take their places with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob at the feast in the kingdom of heaven.’

We can only imagine how glorious it would be to bask in the love of our God and to see Him face to face. To have His light shine upon us. No more sufferings! Only Peace and joy in our hearts.

And so must strive for Holiness together, to remain steadfast and obedient unto Him. To be a loving, life giving community of disciples helping one another and all who come to us ;grow in the love and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Together we will stay awake to see the glory of God. Amen

First reading

Apocalypse 22:1-7
The Lord God will shine on them; it will never be night again

The angel showed me, John, the river of life, rising from the throne of God and of the Lamb and flowing crystal-clear down the middle of the city street. On either side of the river were the trees of life, which bear twelve crops of fruit in a year, one in each month, and the leaves of which are the cure for the pagans.
The ban will be lifted. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in its place in the city; his servants will worship him, they will see him face to face, and his name will be written on their foreheads. It will never be night again and they will not need lamplight or sunlight, because the Lord God will be shining on them. They will reign for ever and ever.
The angel said to me, ‘All that you have written is sure and will come true: the Lord God who gives the spirit to the prophets has sent his angel to reveal to his servants what is soon to take place. Very soon now, I shall be with you again.’ Happy are those who treasure the prophetic message of this book.

Gospel

Luke 21:34-36
That day will be sprung on you suddenly, like a trap

Jesus said to his disciples:
‘Watch yourselves, or your hearts will be coarsened with debauchery and drunkenness and the cares of life, and that day will be sprung on you suddenly, like a trap. For it will come down on every living man on the face of the earth. Stay awake, praying at all times for the strength to survive all that is going to happen, and to stand with confidence before the Son of Man.’

If there is no conviction in your faith to share the love of Christ with others, to preach and teach; then how deep is your love and your relationship with Him?

How do you profess that Jesus is the Lord of your life if it does not move you to follow Him? To follow in His footsteps and bring the love and mercy of God our Father to all? To proclaim His kingdom and to unite those who have lost their way, back to Him?

Indeed sisters and brothers, we are all sent, just like St Andrew the Apostle whose feast we celebrate today. To bring hope and light when there is none. To be witnesses to the Gospel and beacons for Christ our Lord. Amen

St Andrew pray for us…

First reading

Romans 10:9-18
Faith comes from what is preached, and what is preached comes from the word of Christ

If your lips confess that Jesus is Lord and if you believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, then you will be saved. By believing from the heart you are made righteous; by confessing with your lips you are saved. When scripture says: those who believe in him will have no cause for shame, it makes no distinction between Jew and Greek: all belong to the same Lord who is rich enough, however many ask his help, for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
But they will not ask his help unless they believe in him, and they will not believe in him unless they have heard of him, and they will not hear of him unless they get a preacher, and they will never have a preacher unless one is sent, but as scripture says: The footsteps of those who bring good news are a welcome sound. Not everyone, of course, listens to the Good News. As Isaiah says: Lord, how many believed what we proclaimed? So faith comes from what is preached, and what is preached comes from the word of Christ. Let me put the question: is it possible that they did not hear? Indeed they did; in the words of the psalm, their voice has gone out through all the earth, and their message to the ends of the world.

Gospel

Matthew 4:18-22
‘I will make you fishers of men’

As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew; they were making a cast in the lake with their net, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.’ And they left their nets at once and followed him. Going on from there he saw another pair of brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they were in their boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. At once, leaving the boat and their father, they followed him.

Warning after warning, call after call to repentance and still many do not heed; or even respond to the merciful, loving call of the Lord our God. Of whom we have hope of eternal life after our timely our even untimely death. For time belongs to God alone.

There is still lots of time! All these are simply doomsday messages to scare imbeciles! Really? Do you know if you will live through today? Then others might quote scripture and say, nothing can separate us from the love of God, yet they forget that choosing to and remaining in sin can. For the wages of sin is death. It will come to pass as the Lord says and there will be no more arguments or debates on the matter.

We the faithful have nothing to fear for the Lord will be at our side through all the darkness and lead us into the celestial light when he reigns forever. Amen

First reading

Apocalypse 18:1-2,21-23,19:1-3,9
Babylon the Great has fallen

I, John, saw an angel come down from heaven, with great authority given to him; the earth was lit up with his glory. At the top of his voice he shouted, ‘Babylon has fallen, Babylon the Great has fallen, and has become the haunt of devils and a lodging for every foul spirit and dirty, loathsome bird. Then a powerful angel picked up a boulder like a great millstone, and as he hurled it into the sea, he said, ‘That is how the great city of Babylon is going to be hurled down, never to be seen again.

Never again in you, Babylon,
will be heard the song of harpists and minstrels,
the music of flute and trumpet;
never again will craftsmen of every skill be found
or the sound of the mill be heard;
never again will shine the light of the lamp,
never again will be heard
the voices of bridegroom and bride.
Your traders were the princes of the earth,
all the nations were under your spell.

After this I seemed to hear the great sound of a huge crowd in heaven, singing, ‘Alleluia! Victory and glory and power to our God! He judges fairly, he punishes justly, and he has condemned the famous prostitute who corrupted the earth with her fornication; he has avenged his servants that she killed.’ They sang again, ‘Alleluia! The smoke of her will go up for ever and ever.’ The angel said, ‘Write this: Happy are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb’, and he added, ‘All the things you have written are true messages from God.’

Gospel

Luke 21:20-28
There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars

Jesus said to his disciples, ‘When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, you must realise that she will soon be laid desolate. Then those in Judaea must escape to the mountains, those inside the city must leave it, and those in country districts must not take refuge in it. For this is the time of vengeance when all that scripture says must be fulfilled. Alas for those with child, or with babies at the breast, when those days come!
‘For great misery will descend on the land and wrath on this people. They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive to every pagan country; and Jerusalem will be trampled down by the pagans until the age of the pagans is completely over.
‘There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars; on earth nations in agony, bewildered by the clamour of the ocean and its waves; men dying of fear as they await what menaces the world, for the powers of heaven will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand erect, hold your heads high, because your liberation is near at hand.’

Our journey towards eternal life begins with our conviction of faith in our Lord Jesus of whom we dearly love and trust. Trust which is built upon our relationship with an all loving and faithful God who will never abandon us. Based on this truth we will proclaim Him and His kingdom. We have nothing to fear, for if we live, we live for the Lord. If we die, we die for the Lord. Whether we live or die, we will rejoice in the glory of God. For we will have eternal life with Him.

So sisters and brothers in Christ, let us repent of any evil in our lives. Turn to Him who died for us, so that we may rise in Him. To be powerful witnesses of His grace and love. So that one day soon we will all be reunited in heaven. Amen

First reading

Apocalypse 15:1-4
The victors sang the hymn of Moses and of the Lamb

What I, John, saw in heaven was a great and wonderful sign: seven angels were bringing the seven plagues that are the last of all, because they exhaust the anger of God. I seemed to see a glass lake suffused with fire, and standing by the lake of glass, those who had fought against the beast and won, and against his statue and the number which is his name. They all had harps from God, and they were singing the hymn of Moses, the servant of God, and of the Lamb:

‘How great and wonderful are all your works,
Lord God Almighty;
just and true are all your ways,
King of nations.
Who would not revere and praise your name, O Lord?
You alone are holy,
and all the pagans will come and adore you
for the many acts of justice you have shown.’

Gospel

Luke 21:12-19
Your endurance will win you your lives

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Men will seize you and persecute you; they will hand you over to the synagogues and to imprisonment, and bring you before kings and governors because of my name – and that will be your opportunity to bear witness. Keep this carefully in mind: you are not to prepare your defence, because I myself shall give you an eloquence and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relations and friends; and some of you will be put to death. You will be hated by all men on account of my name, but not a hair of your head will be lost. Your endurance will win you your lives.’

Time if you have it will soon strip you of everything and leave you bare at the very end. Nothing you hold dear in this world will last. Only your relationships with fellow children of God our Father, and the Lord Your God. So then where will you be standing after meeting our Lord Jesus Christ on the day of reckoning? The answer as you’ve been told many times before lies in how you have lived your life. Did you love Him with an your heart, mind and soul? And did you love one another just as He loved you.

While on this pilgrim journey back to Him,Jesus reminds us that the road ahead will not always be easy. We will face trials, challenges even trickery. Most will have to face the indignity of growing old and sick. Some may face war and destruction. Still He is with us through it all. Those who draw close to Him will hear, recognise His voice and follow Him on the right path to paradise. Amen

First reading

Apocalypse 14:14-19
The harvest and the vintage of the earth are ripe

In my vision I, John, saw a white cloud and, sitting on it, one like a son of man with a gold crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. Then another angel came out of the sanctuary, and shouted aloud to the one sitting on the cloud, ‘Put your sickle in and reap: harvest time has come and the harvest of the earth is ripe.’ Then the one sitting on the cloud set his sickle to work on the earth, and the earth’s harvest was reaped.
Another angel, who also carried a sharp sickle, came out of the temple in heaven, and the angel in charge of the fire left the altar and shouted aloud to the one with the sharp sickle, ‘Put your sickle in and cut all the bunches off the vine of the earth; all its grapes are ripe.’ So the angel set his sickle to work on the earth and harvested the whole vintage of the earth and put it into a huge winepress, the winepress of God’s anger.

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.’

How wonderful it must be to join the choir of Elders, Angels and Saints in heaven to sing with one voice praise and glory to God in the highest!

And yet the reality is that we do so at every Eucharistic Celebration when we come before Him with hearts pure and undefiled to worship and glorify His name with the fruits of our labour performed in love. Our song of praise reaches the highest heaven when we sing powerfully with lungs empty of worldly cares, desires filled only with His love. For Him and for brethren.

Together with the widow in the temple with two coins, let us offer the Lord our God our all. Faith and love in Him which moves us to love Him and the least of our brethren. For just as Christ gave freely to us so must we give freely for Him. Amen

First reading

Apocalypse 14:1-5
The redeemed has Christ and his Father’s name written on their foreheads

In my vision I, John, saw Mount Zion, and standing on it a Lamb who had with him a hundred and forty-four thousand people, all with his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. I heard a sound coming out of the sky like the sound of the ocean or the roar of thunder; it seemed to be the sound of harpists playing their harps. There in front of the throne they were singing a new hymn in the presence of the four animals and the elders, a hymn that could only be learnt by the hundred and forty-four thousand who had been redeemed from the world; they follow the Lamb wherever he goes; they have been redeemed from amongst men to be the first-fruits for God and for the Lamb. They never allowed a lie to pass their lips and no fault can be found in them.

Gospel

Luke 21:1-4
The widow’s mite

As Jesus looked up, he saw rich people putting their offerings into the treasury; then he happened to notice a poverty-stricken widow putting in two small coins, and he said, ‘I tell you truly, this poor widow has put in more than any of them; for these have all contributed money they had over, but she from the little she had has put in all she had to live on.’

The reality of death will come to us all. How then have we lived will be key in determining our communion with the saints in heaven. Will we ascend to be in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ who came to save us?

Yes we have hope in rising body and soul to Him because by His Resurrection Jesus had conquered death. And we children of God our Father will return to Him in perfect Union with Him and with one another through Christ our Lord. Question then is how have we loved? How have we live in the love of our living God?

As we draw closer to the end of the liturgical year, let us reflect on whether we have lived according to the will and word of the Lord our God. While there is still life in us, it is not too late to make the necessary changes. Seek Him and you will find Him. Let Him change you from within, so that one day soon we can all be reunited in heaven. Amen

First reading

Apocalypse 11:4-12
The prophets will die who have been a plague to the world

I, John, heard a voice saying: ‘These, my two witnesses, are the two olive trees and the two lamps that stand before the Lord of the world. Fire can come from their mouths and consume their enemies if anyone tries to harm them; and if anybody does try to harm them he will certainly be killed in this way. They are able to lock up the sky so that it does not rain as long as they are prophesying; they are able to turn water into blood and strike the whole world with any plague as often as they like. When they have completed their witnessing, the beast that comes out of the Abyss is going to make war on them and overcome them and kill them. Their corpses will lie in the main street of the Great City known by the symbolic names Sodom and Egypt, in which their Lord was crucified. Men out of every people, race, language and nation will stare at their corpses, for three-and-a-half days, not letting them be buried, and the people of the world will be glad about it and celebrate the event by giving presents to each other, because these two prophets have been a plague to the people of the world.’
After the three-and-a-half days, God breathed life into them and they stood up, and everybody who saw it happen was terrified; then they heard a loud voice from heaven say to them, ‘Come up here’, and while their enemies were watching, they went up to heaven in a cloud.

Gospel

Luke 20:27-40
In God all men are alive

Some Sadducees – those who say that there is no resurrection – approached Jesus and they put this question to him, ‘Master, we have it from Moses in writing, that if a man’s married brother dies childless, the man must marry the widow to raise up children for his brother. Well then, there were seven brothers. The first, having married a wife, died childless. The second and then the third married the widow. And the same with all seven, they died leaving no children. Finally the woman herself died. Now, at the resurrection, to which of them will she be wife since she had been married to all seven?’
Jesus replied, ‘The children of this world take wives and husbands, but those who are judged worthy of a place in the other world and in the resurrection from the dead do not marry because they can no longer die, for they are the same as the angels, and being children of the resurrection they are sons of God. And Moses himself implies that the dead rise again, in the passage about the bush where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Now he is God, not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all men are in fact alive.’
Some scribes then spoke up. ‘Well put, Master’ they said – because they would not dare to ask him any more questions.

How Holy is the Church of your heart? How Holy is the Church in which you worship in?

Are you bargaining, trading, swindling? Is your mind cluttered with worldliness? Insatiable desires? Are you speaking when you should be praying? Are you listening to His Word for you or engaged in private chatter? Are you singing with the choir of angels or singing the tunes of the world?

Pray then that the Lord drives out all that is unholy from within! Allow Him to cleanse, purify and restore what was once Holy and pure. So that you may receive the living Word of God as it should be received. Bringing light where there is darkness, sweetness where there was bitterness, fruits where once was laid barren, life where there was only death!

Glory and Praise to our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

First reading

Apocalypse 10:8-11
I was told to swallow the scroll, and to prophesy

I, John, heard the voice I had heard from heaven speaking to me again. ‘Go,’ it said ‘and take that open scroll out of the hand of the angel standing on sea and land.’ I went to the angel and asked him to give me the small scroll, and he said, ‘Take it and eat it; it will turn your stomach sour, but in your mouth it will taste as sweet as honey.’ So I took it out of the angel’s hand, and swallowed it; it was as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it my stomach turned sour. Then I was told, ‘You are to prophesy again, this time about many different nations and countries and languages and emperors.’

Gospel

Luke 19:45-48
You have turned God’s house into a robbers’ den

Jesus went into the Temple and began driving out those who were selling. ‘According to scripture,’ he said ‘my house will be a house of prayer. But you have turned it into a robbers’ den.’
He taught in the Temple every day. The chief priests and the scribes, with the support of the leading citizens, tried to do away with him, but they did not see how they could carry this out because the people as a whole hung on his words.

Was the lamb of God slain in vain for you? Has He not sanctified you with His precious blood? Were you not restored to be a rightful heir to His kingdom? If only you knew how much He loves you, then surely your heart will be changed!

Every day you breathe is an opportunity for inner conversion. For His peace and love to enter into Your heart. Pray earnestly and turn back to Him. For He only looks upon the good in You and the greatness of God our Father’s plan for You. That you may live abundantly in His love.

Let us live our calling, to unite all with Christ through our loving sacrifices. To guide and govern justly through our Lord’s justice and peace. To proclaim His loving Word to the ends of the world. Amen

First reading

Apocalypse 5:1-10
The blood of the Lamb bought men for God

I, John, saw that in the right hand of the One sitting on the throne there was a scroll that had writing on back and front and was sealed with seven seals. Then I saw a powerful angel who called with a loud voice, ‘Is there anyone worthy to open the scroll and break the seals of it?’ But there was no one, in heaven or on the earth or under the earth, who was able to open the scroll and read it. I wept bitterly because there was nobody fit to open the scroll and read it, but one of the elders said to me, ‘There is no need to cry: the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed, and he will open the scroll and the seven seals of it.’
Then I saw, standing between the throne with its four animals and the circle of the elders, a Lamb that seemed to have been sacrificed; it had seven horns, and it had seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits God has sent out all over the world. The Lamb came forward to take the scroll from the right hand of the One sitting on the throne, and when he took it, the four animals prostrated themselves before him and with them the twenty-four elders; each one of them was holding a harp and had a golden bowl full of incense made of the prayers of the saints. They sang a new hymn:

‘You are worthy to take the scroll
and break the seals of it,
because you were sacrificed, and with your blood
you bought men for God
of every race, language, people and nation
and made them a line of kings and priests,
to serve our God and to rule the world.’

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!’

Does the Lord your God reign in your heart? For all authority under heaven and earth had been given to Him and if He does not reign in your heart then who does your heart belong to?

Do you rule yourself and others placed under your care? Or does the world dictate what you do or don’t do? Or are you listening to the whispers of the one seeking to divide and conquer? Know this, that so long as Jesus Christ our Lord is absent in your heart then you can assured that you will remain barren and empty.

If you say that Jesus is the Lord of Lords, king of Kings in your life then the sign of that truth you proclaim will be in the fruits you bear for Him. The difference you have made in the lives of your brethren for the love of Him. Praise and thanksgiving to the Lord your God is the utility of the gifts and talents put into building His kingdom.

Holy, holy, holy are You Lord my God. May the fruits of my labour bring You praise and glory. Now and forever. Amen

First reading

Apocalypse 4:1-11
He was, he is, and he is to come

In my vision, I, John, saw a door open in heaven and heard the same voice speaking to me, the voice like a trumpet, saying, ‘Come up here: I will show you what is to come in the future.’ With that, the Spirit possessed me and I saw a throne standing in heaven, and the One who was sitting on the throne, and the Person sitting there looked like a diamond and a ruby. There was a rainbow encircling the throne, and this looked like an emerald. Round the throne in a circle were twenty-four thrones, and on them I saw twenty-four elders sitting, dressed in white robes with golden crowns on their heads. Flashes of lightning were coming from the throne, and the sound of peals of thunder, and in front of the throne there were seven flaming lamps burning, the seven Spirits of God. Between the throne and myself was a sea that seemed to be made of glass, like crystal. In the centre, grouped round the throne itself, were four animals with many eyes, in front and behind. The first animal was like a lion, the second like a bull, the third animal had a human face, and the fourth animal was like a flying eagle. Each of the four animals had six wings and had eyes all the way round as well as inside; and day and night they never stopped singing:

‘Holy, Holy, Holy
is the Lord God, the Almighty;
he was, he is and he is to come.’

Every time the animals glorified and honoured and gave thanks to the One sitting on the throne, who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders prostrated themselves before him to worship the One who lives for ever and ever, and threw down their crowns in front of the throne, saying, ‘You are our Lord and our God, you are worthy of glory and honour and power, because you made all the universe and it was only by your will that everything was made and exists.’

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.

Have you already fallen asleep? Have you allowed the busyness of your daily life overtake you? Have you neglected to give thanks and glory to God for all that you have, by being present to Him and your sisters and brothers in Christ? Are you complacent when it comes to matters of your faith? How is the love of the Lord our God growing within you? Have you loved beyond yourself or family?

See the Lord is passing you by, are you going to allow your stature to stop you from looking upon Him? Your status in life? Look and see as Zacchaeus did, that the Lord was standing at the door of his heart. He listened to our Lord calling out to Him. He opened the door of His heart and the Lord entered to dine and dwell in Him. He received the greatest treasure of heaven and of earth and so was able to let go of everything else.

Lord Jesus my door lies open for You. Come Lord Jesus come! Amen

First reading

Apocalypse 3:1-6,14-22
If one of you hears me calling, I will come in to share his meal

I, John, heard the Lord saying to me: ‘Write to the angel of the church in Sardis and say, “Here is the message of the one who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars: I know all about you: how you are reputed to be alive and yet are dead. Wake up; revive what little you have left: it is dying fast. So far I have failed to notice anything in the way you live that my God could possibly call perfect, and yet do you remember how eager you were when you first heard the message? Hold on to that. Repent. If you do not wake up, I shall come to you like a thief, without telling you at what hour to expect me. There are a few in Sardis, it is true, who have kept their robes from being dirtied, and they are fit to come with me, dressed in white. Those who prove victorious will be dressed, like these, in white robes; I shall not blot their names out of the book of life, but acknowledge their names in the presence of my Father and his angels. If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.”
‘Write to the angel of the church in Laodicea and say, “Here is the message of the Amen, the faithful, the true witness, the ultimate source of God’s creation: I know all about you: how you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were one or the other, but since you are neither, but only lukewarm, I will spit you out of my mouth. You say to yourself, ‘I am rich, I have made a fortune, and have everything I want’, never realising that you are wretchedly and pitiably poor, and blind and naked too. I warn you, buy from me the gold that has been tested in the fire to make you really rich, and white robes to clothe you and cover your shameful nakedness, and eye ointment to put on your eyes so that you are able to see. I am the one who reproves and disciplines all those he loves: so repent in real earnest. Look, I am standing at the door, knocking. If one of you hears me calling and opens the door, I will come in to share his meal, side by side with him. Those who prove victorious I will allow to share my throne, just as I was victorious myself and took my place with my Father on his throne. If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.”’

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.’

We all have to battle with sin daily. And some times we can become weary. Sometimes we let our guard down and succumb to anger, lusts, pride amongst others. If we are sorrowful and contrite then we know we will be made whole when we turn to our Saviour Jesus Christ. However when faced with people who lead lives of duplicity, whom we trust and have betrayed not just us, but those under their care then we can become despondent through the hurts. If we are not careful we become blind to the needs of others. We love less than we ought to.

Cry out to Jesus in faith and He will hear you. Even amidst the noise and chaos of the world which seeks to drown out your cries to Him. Our Lord will heal you and restore you. He will pour out His love into your heart so that you can love fully as you are called to.

Jesus my Lord, hear my cries and heal me. Let me love as you do. Amen

First reading

Apocalypse 1:1-4,2:1-5
Think what you were before you fell, and repent

This is the revelation given by God to Jesus Christ so that he could tell his servants about the things which are now to take place very soon; he sent his angel to make it known to his servant John, and John has written down everything he saw and swears it is the word of God guaranteed by Jesus Christ. Happy the man who reads this prophecy, and happy those who listen to him, if they treasure all that it says, because the Time is close.
From John, to the seven churches of Asia: grace and peace to you from him who is, who was, and who is to come, from the seven spirits in his presence before his throne.
I heard the Lord saying to me: ‘Write to the angel of the church in Ephesus and say, “Here is the message of the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand and who lives surrounded by the seven golden lamp-stands: I know all about you: how hard you work and how much you put up with. I know you cannot stand wicked men, and how you tested the impostors who called themselves apostles and proved they were liars. Know, too, that you have patience, and have suffered for my name without growing tired. Nevertheless, I have this complaint to make; you have less love now than you used to. Think where you were before you fell; repent, and do as you used to at first.”’

Gospel

Luke 18:35-43
‘Son of David, have pity on me’

As Jesus drew near to Jericho there was a blind man sitting at the side of the road begging. When he heard the crowd going past he asked what it was all about, and they told him that Jesus the Nazarene was passing by. So he called out, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me.’ The people in front scolded him and told him to keep quiet, but he shouted all the louder, ‘Son of David, have pity on me.’ Jesus stopped and ordered them to bring the man to him, and when he came up, asked him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ ‘Sir,’ he replied ‘let me see again.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Receive your sight. Your faith has saved you.’ And instantly his sight returned and he followed him praising God, and all the people who saw it gave praise to God for what had happened.

Faithful are You O Lord our Jesus Christ! For You hear and answer the cries of those faithful and fervent in their prayers. Those who cry out to You in fear, pain and in their woes. You grant comfort, healing, mercy, peace and love. You are our shepherd and we are Your dearly beloved sheep. You will never abandon us.

May our faith and love continue to grow in You. That upon Your return you will find us Faithful, Holy, welcoming and loving one another as You love us. Amen

First reading

3 John 1:5-8
It is our duty to welcome missionaries and contribute our share to their work

My friend, you have done faithful work in looking after these brothers, even though they were complete strangers to you. They are a proof to the whole Church of your charity and it would be a very good thing if you could help them on their journey in a way that God would approve. It was entirely for the sake of the name that they set out, without depending on the pagans for anything; it is our duty to welcome men of this sort and contribute our share to their work for the truth.

Gospel

Luke 18:1-8
The parable of the unjust judge

Jesus told his disciples a parable about the need to pray continually and never lose heart. ‘There was a judge in a certain town’ he said ‘who had neither fear of God nor respect for man. In the same town there was a widow who kept on coming to him and saying, “I want justice from you against my enemy!” For a long time he refused, but at last he said to himself, “Maybe I have neither fear of God nor respect for man, but since she keeps pestering me I must give this widow her just rights, or she will persist in coming and worry me to death.”’
And the Lord said ‘You notice what the unjust judge has to say? Now will not God see justice done to his chosen who cry to him day and night even when he delays to help them? I promise you, he will see justice done to them, and done speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find any faith on earth?’

As we are soon approaching Advent the readings of today remind us of the need to stand alert and ready. What state will our Lord find us in if He comes today? Or if we are called back to stand before Him? Will He find us with hearts full of joy and peace because we have loved our neighbour as we should? We have cared for the least of our brethren?

Or will He find us sinful and sorrowful? Many still lukewarm in their faith? Failing to gain the riches of the world, standing empty and forlorn? How much time did you think you have to turn back to the Lord your God? To love and be loved in His love?

Let us pray for one another especially for those who have lost their way. Let us strive for Holiness as we lead one another into His kingdom. And may our hearts always be filled with His love as we care for one another along the way as we journey home. Amen

First reading

2 John 1:4-9
The commandment which you have heard since the beginning is to live a life of love

It has given me great joy to find that your children have been living the life of truth as we were commanded by the Father. I am writing now, dear lady, not to give you any new commandment, but the one which we were given at the beginning, and to plead: let us love one another.
To love is to live according to his commandments: this is the commandment which you have heard since the beginning, to live a life of love.
There are many deceivers about in the world, refusing to admit that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. They are the Deceiver; they are the Antichrist. Watch yourselves, or all our work will be lost and not get the reward it deserves. If anybody does not keep within the teaching of Christ but goes beyond it, he cannot have God with him: only those who keep to what he taught can have the Father and the Son with them.

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.’

The Kingdom of God is at hand. Still kingdom builders that we are must continue with building up God’s Kingdom through acts of love and sacrifice for one another. There is no time like the present to do so for we know not when our time is at end.

In order to follow Christ as we should, we must give up all rights and claims over another; in order to love them as sister and brother of God our Father through Christ Jesus,His Son our Lord. For greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. Jesus called us friends, as He laid down His life for us. Can we not do the same for our sister and brother?

Lord thy kingdom come, thy will be done. Amen

First reading

Philemon 1:7-20
He is a slave no longer, but a dear brother in the Lord

I am so delighted, and comforted, to know of your love; they tell me, brother, how you have put new heart into the saints.
Now, although in Christ I can have no diffidence about telling you to do whatever is your duty, I am appealing to your love instead, reminding you that this is Paul writing, an old man now and, what is more, still a prisoner of Christ Jesus. I am appealing to you for a child of mine, whose father I became while wearing these chains: I mean Onesimus. He was of no use to you before, but he will be useful to you now, as he has been to me. I am sending him back to you, and with him – I could say – a part of my own self. I should have liked to keep him with me; he could have been a substitute for you, to help me while I am in the chains that the Good News has brought me. However, I did not want to do anything without your consent; it would have been forcing your act of kindness, which should be spontaneous. I know you have been deprived of Onesimus for a time, but it was only so that you could have him back for ever, not as a slave any more, but something much better than a slave, a dear brother; especially dear to me, but how much more to you, as a blood-brother as well as a brother in the Lord. So if all that we have in common means anything to you, welcome him as you would me; but if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, then let me pay for it. I am writing this in my own handwriting: I, Paul, shall pay it back – I will not add any mention of your own debt to me, which is yourself. Well then, brother, I am counting on you, in the Lord; put new heart into me, in Christ.

Gospel

Luke 17:20-25
The kingdom of God is among you

Asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was to come, Jesus gave them this answer, ‘The coming of the kingdom of God does not admit of observation and there will be no one to say, “Look here! Look there!” For, you must know, the kingdom of God is among you.’
He said to the disciples, ‘A time will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man and will not see it. They will say to you, “Look there!” or, “Look here!” Make no move; do not set off in pursuit; for as the lightning flashing from one part of heaven lights up the other, so will be the Son of Man when his day comes. But first he must suffer grievously and be rejected by this generation.’

We should never take the Lord our God for granred! And hold on tightly to His Word which feeds, nourishes; and is our safeguard against evil and sin. For there are far too many distractions in the world that will sooner or later mislead us away from Him, whom loved us despite our iniquities and gave up His life for us.

In His compassionate love for us, Jesus hears our cries and heals us. But unless we have a heart of gratitude and thanksgiving we may be physically healed but remain spiritually dead. For it is only through our heartfelt thanksgiving and Praise of the Lord God; that our spirit ascends to Him fully alive. It is our rightful worship of Him that we live fully in His love. Just as it is our Christian duty to obey the laws of the land so it is our duty to be obedient to the Holy Spirit who guides us into the way of life in Him.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Now and forever. Amen

First reading

Titus 3:1-7
It was purely by his own compassion that God saved us

Remind your people that it is their duty to be obedient to the officials and representatives of the government; to be ready to do good at every opportunity; not to go slandering other people or picking quarrels, but to be courteous and always polite to all kinds of people. Remember, there was a time when we too were ignorant, disobedient and misled and enslaved by different passions and luxuries; we lived then in wickedness and ill-will, hating each other and hateful ourselves.
But when the kindness and love of God our saviour for mankind were revealed, it was not because he was concerned with any righteous actions we might have done ourselves; it was for no reason except his own compassion that he saved us, by means of the cleansing water of rebirth and by renewing us with the Holy Spirit which he has so generously poured over us through Jesus Christ our saviour. He did this so that we should be justified by his grace, to become heirs looking forward to inheriting eternal life.

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.’

What makes people searching turn to the Christian faith? Apart from the truth to be found in our Lord Jesus Christ, it is the Christian way of life. We can thank our dedicated sisters and brothers living out their Christian faith in love and humility that inspired many to enquire more and be led to Jesus.

We all have a higher calling as Christians to constantly say no to sin and the wiles of the world. To live exemplary lives in Christ for one another, so as to beacons of His love. And our light shines most brightly by putting our hands and feet to the service of the least of our brethren.

There is no room for complaint in our hearts as it has been filled to the brim by the overflowing love of the Lord our God. We do not seek recognition or glory for ourselves, our only desire is to glorify the Lord our God by our lives. For our hope is that at the very end, we will dine with Him at the Heavenly Banquet. Amen

First reading

Titus 2:1-8,11-14
You must preach the behaviour which goes with healthy doctrine

It is for you to preach the behaviour which goes with healthy doctrine. The older men should be reserved, dignified, moderate, sound in faith and love and constancy. Similarly, the older women should behave as though they were religious, with no scandal-mongering and no habitual wine-drinking – they are to be the teachers of the right behaviour and show the younger women how they should love their husbands and love their children, how they are to be sensible and chaste, and how to work in their homes, and be gentle, and do as their husbands tell them, so that the message of God is never disgraced. In the same way, you have got to persuade the younger men to be moderate and in everything you do make yourself an example to them of working for good: when you are teaching, be an example to them in your sincerity and earnestness and in keeping all that you say so wholesome that nobody can make objections to it; and then any opponent will be at a loss, with no accusation to make against us. You see, God’s grace has been revealed, and it has made salvation possible for the whole human race and taught us that what we have to do is to give up everything that does not lead to God, and all our worldly ambitions; we must be self-restrained and live good and religious lives here in this present world, while we are waiting in hope for the blessing which will come with the Appearing of the glory of our great God and saviour Christ Jesus. He sacrificed himself for us in order to set us free from all wickedness and to purify a people so that it could be his very own and would have no ambition except to do good.

Gospel

Luke 17:7-10
You are merely servants

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Which of you, with a servant ploughing or minding sheep, would say to him when he returned from the fields, “Come and have your meal immediately”? Would he not be more likely to say, “Get my supper laid; make yourself tidy and wait on me while I eat and drink. You can eat and drink yourself afterwards”? Must he be grateful to the servant for doing what he was told? So with you: when you have done all you have been told to do, say, “We are merely servants: we have done no more than our duty.”’

What sort of leadership would you want for your Church? People who are creative, those who have hearts for the poor, the marginalised, the outcasts. Great administrative skills and those with gifts and talents suited for the tasks ahead. All these are good! But it takes dedicated, God fearing men and women who are single minded after the heart of Christ Jesus to drive the church forwards. So while we may have the best people, without leadership centred on Christ we have zero! For either nothing gets done or there will be little or no growth.

While not everyone are called to be leaders, we are called to obedience in Christ Jesus. There can be no duplicity in our lives. We must strive for Holiness and lead others towards the same. Mercy and love must flow from our hearts. We must forgive always and remember we have forgiven. We must work to grow in our faith through deepening our relationship with Jesus. We can only do so by knowing and living His Word and will for us.

Holy spirit Lord, guide us as we journey forth, towards our heavenly inheritance. Amen

First reading

Titus 1:1-9
Appoint elders of irreproachable character

From Paul, servant of God, an apostle of Jesus Christ to bring those whom God has chosen to faith and to the knowledge of the truth that leads to true religion; and to give them the hope of the eternal life that was promised so long ago by God. He does not lie and so, at the appointed time, he revealed his decision, and, by the command of God our saviour, I have been commissioned to proclaim it. To Titus, true child of mine in the faith that we share, wishing you grace and peace from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our saviour.
The reason I left you behind in Crete was for you to get everything organised there and appoint elders in every town, in the way that I told you: that is, each of them must be a man of irreproachable character; he must not have been married more than once, and his children must be believers and not uncontrollable or liable to be charged with disorderly conduct. Since, as president, he will be God’s representative, he must be irreproachable: never an arrogant or hot-tempered man, nor a heavy drinker or violent, nor out to make money; but a man who is hospitable and a friend of all that is good; sensible, moral, devout and self-controlled; and he must have a firm grasp of the unchanging message of the tradition, so that he can be counted on for both expounding the sound doctrine and refuting those who argue against it.

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.’

For a disciple in our Lord Jesus Christ, riches lie in seeking and finding the kingdom of God. For all we will ever need is to be found in the Lord our God. This is not some fanatical thinking or way of life but a reality in the truth. For He is the truth, the way and the life. And so it is our mission to lead everyone to the truth. The love and mercy of God our Father through His Son our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ.

The riches of the world are fleeting. Just as the happiness and all its empty promises. Yet many are drawn to such riches and are beguiled into greed of it. Where does it end? Till the child of God our Father is lost to the world and all its wiles?

Your ways are not my ways says the Lord our God who looks into our heart. Let Him find us striving for Holiness as we choose the narrow path to His kingdom. Carrying the cross and following our master. Who rules and reigns with God our Father together with the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen

First reading

Philippians 4:10-19
With the help of the One who gives me strength, there is nothing I cannot master

It is a great joy to me, in the Lord, that at last you have shown some concern for me again; though of course you were concerned before, and only lacked an opportunity. I am not talking about shortage of money: I have learnt to manage on whatever I have, I know how to be poor and I know how to be rich too. I have been through my initiation and now I am ready for anything anywhere: full stomach or empty stomach, poverty or plenty. There is nothing I cannot master with the help of the One who gives me strength. All the same, it was good of you to share with me in my hardships. In the early days of the Good News, as you people of Philippi well know, when I left Macedonia, no other church helped me with gifts of money. You were the only ones; and twice since my stay in Thessalonika you have sent me what I needed. It is not your gift that I value; what is valuable to me is the interest that is mounting up in your account. Now for the time being I have everything that I need and more: I am fully provided now that I have received from Epaphroditus the offering that you sent, a sweet fragrance – the sacrifice that God accepts and finds pleasing. In return my God will fulfil all your needs, in Christ Jesus, as lavishly as only God can.

Gospel

Luke 16:9-15
Use money, tainted as it is, to win you friends

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘I tell you this: use money, tainted as it is, to win you friends, and thus make sure that when it fails you, they will welcome you into the tents of eternity. The man who can be trusted in little things can be trusted in great; the man who is dishonest in little things will be dishonest in great. If then you cannot be trusted with money, that tainted thing, who will trust you with genuine riches? And if you cannot be trusted with what is not yours, who will give you what is your very own?
‘No servant can be the slave of two masters: he will either hate the first and love the second, or treat the first with respect and the second with scorn. You cannot be the slave both of God and of money.’
The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and laughed at him. He said to them, ‘You are the very ones who pass yourselves off as virtuous in people’s sight, but God knows your hearts. For what is thought highly of by men is loathsome in the sight of God.’

Knowing about Jesus Christ is not enough! We must constantly seek to deepen our relationship with Him. Day by day falling deeper in love with Him. For He is love personified, the source, the beginning and the end. By His love He sought us out, taking away all our sins. Restoring us so that we can partake in our heavenly inheritance as children of God our Father.

All the wisdom and gifts we possess comes from Him and it comes to nought if we do not give it away. If we do not generously share it with our sisters and brothers in Christ. For the more we give, the more we shall receive. Deep indeed is the eternal font of love and mercy. Deeper still we find ourselves when we dwell in His love.

Therefore we who follow Christ must want to bear witness to Him always. This is our call, this is our faith, this is our destiny. Amen

First reading

Philippians 3:3-8
I was faultless according to the Law; but without knowing Christ I was nothing

We are the real people of the circumcision, we who worship in accordance with the Spirit of God; we have our own glory from Christ Jesus without having to rely on a physical operation. If it came to relying on physical evidence, I should be fully qualified myself. Take any man who thinks he can rely on what is physical: I am even better qualified. I was born of the race of Israel and of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrew parents, and I was circumcised when I was eight days old. As for the Law, I was a Pharisee; as for working for religion, I was a persecutor of the Church; as far as the Law can make you perfect, I was faultless. But because of Christ, I have come to consider all these advantages that I had as disadvantages. Not only that, but I believe nothing can happen that will outweigh the supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.

Gospel

Luke 15:1-10
There will be rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner

The tax collectors and the sinners were all seeking the company of Jesus to hear what he had to say, and the Pharisees and the scribes complained. ‘This man’ they said ‘welcomes sinners and eats with them.’ So he spoke this parable to them:
‘What man among you with a hundred sheep, losing one, would not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the missing one till he found it? And when he found it, would he not joyfully take it on his shoulders and then, when he got home, call together his friends and neighbours? “Rejoice with me,” he would say “I have found my sheep that was lost.” In the same way, I tell you, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner than over ninety-nine virtuous men who have no need of repentance.
‘Or again, what woman with ten drachmas would not, if she lost one, light a lamp and sweep out the house and search thoroughly till she found it? And then, when she had found it, call together her friends and neighbours? “Rejoice with me,” she would say “I have found the drachma I lost.” In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing among the angels of God over one repentant sinner.’

Striving for Holiness each passing day as we seek to bring Christ to others is our inherent duty as we declare our undying love for the Lord our God. Jesus reigns in our hearts as we face challenges and trials in building His kingdom. Yet we know He is always by our side. For we have placed Him above all others in our hearts where He rules. He is our Lord of Lords, King of Kings!

A true disciple will not grumble or complain for they know that all the hardship they face is for God’s glory. They have given up all to follow Him. They live not for themselves by to love and serve others as their master commanded. Are you then His disciple? Do others see you as such? What fruits have you brought forth?

Lord help me become the Disciple you want me to be. As I carry my cross and follow You. Amen

First reading

Philippians 2:12-18
Work for your salvation, for God is working in you

My dear friends, continue to do as I tell you, as you always have; not only as you did when I was there with you, but even more now that I am no longer there; and work for your salvation ‘in fear and trembling.’ It is God, for his own loving purpose, who puts both the will and the action into you. Do all that has to be done without complaining or arguing and then you will be innocent and genuine, perfect children of God among a deceitful and underhand brood, and you will shine in the world like bright stars because you are offering it the word of life. This would give me something to be proud of for the Day of Christ, and would mean that I had not run in the race and exhausted myself for nothing. And then, if my blood has to be shed as part of your own sacrifice and offering – which is your faith – I shall still be happy and rejoice with all of you, and you must be just as happy and rejoice with me.

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.’

If only we saw it through the eyes of faith that every prayer meeting, Eucharistic Celebration, fellowship in Christ, that we made excuses not to attend; was a missed opportunity to be in the presence of our Lord and to glorify His name or at the same time to be filled with the graces He wanted us to have, would our hearts have been be changed?

The Lord invites us in many varied ways to be with Him. In revelations 3:20 Jesus says, ‘Listen, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with Me.“ How can we if our ears are shut to hear Him? If our hearts are attached to the cares and worries of the world? If we put all others before Him?

Jesus, You are the Lord of my life. Grant me the grace to see and hear Your voice always. Be present to me as I am for You. Amen

First reading

Philippians 2:5-11
Christ humbled himself but God raised him high

In your minds you must be the same as Christ Jesus:

His state was divine,
yet he did not cling
to his equality with God
but emptied himself
to assume the condition of a slave,
and became as men are;
and being as all men are,
he was humbler yet,
even to accepting death,
death on a cross.
But God raised him high
and gave him the name
which is above all other names
so that all beings in the heavens,
on earth and in the underworld,
should bend the knee at the name of Jesus
and that every tongue should acclaim
Jesus Christ as Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Gospel

Luke 14:15-24
‘Not one of those who were invited shall have a taste of my banquet’

One of those gathered round the table said to Jesus, ‘Happy the man who will be at the feast in the kingdom of God!’ But he said to him, ‘There was a man who gave a great banquet, and he invited a large number of people. When the time for the banquet came, he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, “Come along: everything is ready now.” But all alike started to make excuses. The first said, “I have bought a piece of land and must go and see it. Please accept my apologies.” Another said, “I have bought five yoke of oxen and am on my way to try them out. Please accept my apologies.” Yet another said, “I have just got married and so am unable to come.”
‘The servant returned and reported this to his master. Then the householder, in a rage, said to his servant, “Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in here the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.” “Sir” said the servant “your orders have been carried out and there is still room.” Then the master said to his servant, “Go to the open roads and the hedgerows and force people to come in to make sure my house is full; because, I tell you, not one of those who were invited shall have a taste of my banquet.”

In most relationships today there are a lot more i’s then you’s. There are even measurements in place for this, ROI (return on investment) KPI (key performance indicators) to name a few. What can I stand to gain in entering into a relationship with you? How far can we go? What are the downsides? Even if one does not go into such complex calculations, the bottom line is what is my return?

If the Lord our God used such measurements perhaps according to His will for us, how do you think you will fare? We are so Blessed to have a merciful and loving God, who loves us while we are sinners. And He wills that we love one another with that same mercy and love. Remembering that we are all created equally in His likeness and image. There is much value in the least of our brethren, for it is in how we treat this brethren that we are judged.

Jesus my Lord, help me look past the faults, blemishes and weakness of my brethren. To realise that the tiniest fault and blemish in me is far greater than theirs. Teach me Lord, to love them as you love me, and to build upon their strengths and charisms. So that together we will build Your Kingdom to dwell in with You forever. Amen

First reading

Philippians 2:1-4
Be united in your love

If our life in Christ means anything to you, if love can persuade at all, or the Spirit that we have in common, or any tenderness and sympathy, then be united in your convictions and united in your love, with a common purpose and a common mind. That is the one thing which would make me completely happy. There must be no competition among you, no conceit; but everybody is to be self-effacing. Always consider the other person to be better than yourself, so that nobody thinks of his own interests first but everybody thinks of other people’s interests instead.

Gospel

Luke 14:12-14
Do not invite those who might be able to invite you back

Jesus said to his host, one of the leading Pharisees, ‘When you give a lunch or a dinner, do not ask your friends, brothers, relations or rich neighbours, for fear they repay your courtesy by inviting you in return. No; when you have a party, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; that they cannot pay you back means that you are fortunate, because repayment will be made to you when the virtuous rise again.’

One of the most precious prayers we have is the Rosary. Praying the rosary together as a family or a community can lead us to greater depths of faith by opening our hearts and minds to the heart of Jesus in the mysteries through Mary our Mother. Praying the rosary together can build upon unity, faith and love. But ONLY if it is prayed with love for our Blessed Mother and Jesus.

Since we have many resources on how to pray the rosary, here is my reflection on how NOT to.

1. Do not even start praying the rosary if the intention is to get over with it as quickly as possible.

2. Make the time to come into the presence of our Blessed Mother instead of rushing straight into the prayer.

3. Do not rattle off the Our Father, Hail Marys and Glory be, even the Fatima prayer as if you have a bus, plane to catch.

4. Leaders should NEVER hurry to begin the next Hail Mary before the group had even finished the last word ‘at the hour of our death’ there should be a momentary pause.

5. Do not forget the COMMA at a very significant point of the Holy Mary….. Holy Mary Mother of God pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.

6. At every Hail Mary we should be deeply contemplating the mystery or inspired promptings by the Holy Spirit. Not what we will be doing when we get home or what is in store at the office tomorrow.

7. There is a natural rhythm when the group is truly praying the rosary as one and it is beautiful, NOT when individuals want to hurry it along by going faster than another.

8. Lift your voices in reverence when singing the Ave Maria and in harmony.

Also note that should be variation of prayers and reflections and not just one set for months on end.

We cannot hide behind a well groomed exterior portraying faux humility. For our true colours will always be seen. So then what would we want others to see? More importantly what does the Lord our God see in us?

The heart of servant leaders, men and women of God, are those transformed from within. Such that the light of Christ shines forth. Especially through their acts of mercy, kindness and love. They are just as content to sit and dine with the sinner as they would with their fellow saints. Their sole purpose in life is to lead more souls into heaven through their acts of love. And by proclaiming His word, the source of life itself. So that all who come to know Jesus will be able to enter into new life with Him. Amen

First reading

Philippians 1:18-26
Life to me is Christ; but death would bring me more

Christ is proclaimed; and that makes me happy; and I shall continue being happy, because I know this will help to save me, thanks to your prayers and to the help which will be given to me by the Spirit of Jesus. My one hope and trust is that I shall never have to admit defeat, but that now as always I shall have the courage for Christ to be glorified in my body, whether by my life or by my death. Life to me, of course, is Christ, but then death would bring me something more; but then again, if living in this body means doing work which is having good results – I do not know what I should choose. I am caught in this dilemma: I want to be gone and be with Christ, which would be very much the better, but for me to stay alive in this body is a more urgent need for your sake. This weighs with me so much that I feel sure I shall survive and stay with you all, and help you to progress in the faith and even increase your joy in it; and so you will have another reason to give praise to Christ Jesus on my account when I am with you again.

Gospel

Luke 14:1,7-11
Everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled

Now on a sabbath day Jesus had gone for a meal to the house of one of the leading Pharisees; and they watched him closely. He then told the guests a parable, because he had noticed how they picked the places of honour. He said this, ‘When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take your seat in the place of honour. A more distinguished person than you may have been invited, and the person who invited you both may come and say, “Give up your place to this man.” And then, to your embarrassment, you would have to go and take the lowest place. No; when you are a guest, make your way to the lowest place and sit there, so that, when your host comes, he may say, “My friend, move up higher.” In that way, everyone with you at the table will see you honoured. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the man who humbles himself will be exalted.’

Many fear death for they have many unanswered questions about it. Does it all end in nothingness? A dark void? Will we be trapped in a confined space for all eternity? Will we ever see our loved ones again?

Our faith is the only one with the answers. And it is to be found in our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ. For by His life, death and resurrection; we have hope for eternal life with Him. God our Father’s mercy and love was outpoured through His Son. And so we have been redeemed by His blood and made pure. By the permanent seal of our baptism we had already entered into new life with Him.

So then do we grief for our loved ones who had passed on? While it is in our humanity to grief the loss of someone dear to us. We should cherish the memories we have of them and pray for them earnestly. So that they might be purified and enter more swiftly into new life with Christ.

Let us pray…

O God, in the death of your only Son you gave life to the world. Raise up in joy all those who have died in peace or in terror, in confidence or in despair, through the mercy you have shown us in Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.

First reading

Wisdom 3:1-9
The souls of the virtuous are in the hands of God

The souls of the virtuous are in the hands of God,
no torment shall ever touch them.
In the eyes of the unwise, they did appear to die,
their going looked like a disaster,
their leaving us, like annihilation;
but they are in peace.
If they experienced punishment as men see it,
their hope was rich with immortality;
slight was their affliction, great will their blessings be.
God has put them to the test
and proved them worthy to be with him;
he has tested them like gold in a furnace,
and accepted them as a holocaust.
When the time comes for his visitation they will shine out;
as sparks run through the stubble, so will they.
They shall judge nations, rule over peoples,
and the Lord will be their king for ever.
They who trust in him will understand the truth,
those who are faithful will live with him in love;
for grace and mercy await those he has chosen.

Second reading

Romans 5:5-11
Now we have been reconciled by the death of his Son, surely we may count on being saved by the life of his Son

Hope is not deceptive, because the love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given us. We were still helpless when at his appointed moment Christ died for sinful men. It is not easy to die even for a good man – though of course for someone really worthy, a man might be prepared to die – but what proves that God loves us is that Christ died for us while we were still sinners. Having died to make us righteous, is it likely that he would now fail to save us from God’s anger? When we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, we were still enemies; now that we have been reconciled, surely we may count on being saved by the life of his Son? Not merely because we have been reconciled but because we are filled with joyful trust in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have already gained our reconciliation.

Gospel

Mark 15:33-39,16:1-6
Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last

When the sixth hour came there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?’ which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you deserted me?’ When some of those who stood by heard this, they said, ‘Listen, he is calling on Elijah.’ Someone ran and soaked a sponge in vinegar and, putting it on a reed, gave it him to drink saying; ‘Wait and see if Elijah will come to take him down.’ But Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. And the veil of the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The centurion, who was standing in front of him, had seen how he had died, and he said, ‘In truth this man was a son of God.’
When the sabbath was over, Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices with which to go and anoint him. And very early in the morning on the first day of the week they went to the tomb, just as the sun was rising.
They had been saying to one another, ‘Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?’ But when they looked they could see that the stone – which was very big – had already been rolled back. On entering the tomb they saw a young man in a white robe seated on the right-hand side, and they were struck with amazement. But he said to them, ‘There is no need for alarm. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified: he has risen, he is not here. See, here is the place where they laid him.’

The first reading of today must be read in the light of the bridegroom of our Church, our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ.

Husband and wives have unique roles and yet both must have Christ at the centre of their lives before they can love one another as they are called to do. Therefore wives will be willing to follow their husband’s lead and respect him, if they see Christ in Him. For they know they are loved and cared for with the love of Christ.

Amen
🙏🏼❤️

Married couples cannot lead individual lives as though they were not married. They must be united in mind, heart and body on many things. Children, finances, home affairs, family and friends. Most of all their prayer and spiritual life. While they may presently be on different spiritual levels; it does not mean they cannot pray together and for one another. Couples must always lead one another to greater holiness, with the end goal of leading one another into heaven. When they practice living their faith in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ so too will their children and children’s children. The domestic church is the foundation of the society at large, built upon Christ it will thrive and prosper.

Those who are single are called to the same faithfulness as children of God our Father. We all belong to one Church whose spouse, our Lord Jesus Christ looks fondly upon. By and through His love we will build His kingdom together. So that all who experience the fire of God’s love will spread that very fire burning within them, so that all may live in the shelter and joy of the Lord. Amen

First reading

Ephesians 5:21-33
Give way to one another in obedience to Christ

Give way to one another in obedience to Christ. Wives should regard their husbands as they regard the Lord, since as Christ is head of the Church and saves the whole body, so is a husband the head of his wife; and as the Church submits to Christ, so should wives to their husbands, in everything. Husbands should love their wives just as Christ loved the Church and sacrificed himself for her to make her holy. He made her clean by washing her in water with a form of words, so that when he took her to himself she would be glorious, with no speck or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and faultless. In the same way, husbands must love their wives as they love their own bodies; for a man to love his wife is for him to love himself. A man never hates his own body, but he feeds it and looks after it; and that is the way Christ treats the Church, because it is his body – and we are its living parts. For this reason, a man must leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one body. This mystery has many implications; but I am saying it applies to Christ and the Church. To sum up; you too, each one of you, must love his wife as he loves himself; and let every wife respect her husband.

Gospel

Luke 13:18-21
The kingdom of God is like the yeast that leavened three measures of flour

Jesus said, ‘What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it with? It is like a mustard seed which a man took and threw into his garden: it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air sheltered in its branches.’
Another thing he said, ‘What shall I compare the kingdom of God with? It is like the yeast a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour till it was leavened all through.’

It is far too easy to fall back into sin. Especially since the world promotes it through its literature found in books and magazines. Television and movies another powerful source to draw us away from God our loving Father through the culture of sin. Many congregate to participate in juicy gossip and exciting dirty talk perhaps unaware their souls are being soiled. Have we let ourselves be bent over by our sins that we can no longer stand upright?

We are all God’s children and must live out our higher calling and purpose. Through the love and infinite goodness of God our Father we have been Blessed and baptised into life with Him. Life in abundance offered through Christ Jesus our Lord who frees us from all sin.

Let us open our hearts and minds to see with the eyes of our Lord, that His laws and commands are manifested through love. And so we must choose to love above all. The Lord our God and one another. Amen

First reading

Ephesians 4:32-5:8
Follow Christ by loving as he loved you

Be friends with one another, and kind, forgiving each other as readily as God forgave you in Christ.
Try, then, to imitate God as children of his that he loves and follow Christ loving as he loved you, giving himself up in our place as a fragrant offering and a sacrifice to God. Among you there must be not even a mention of fornication or impurity in any of its forms, or promiscuity: this would hardly become the saints! There must be no coarseness, or salacious talk and jokes – all this is wrong for you; raise your voices in thanksgiving instead. For you can be quite certain that nobody who actually indulges in fornication or impurity or promiscuity – which is worshipping a false god – can inherit anything of the kingdom of God. Do not let anyone deceive you with empty arguments: it is for this loose living that God’s anger comes down on those who rebel against him. Make sure that you are not included with them. You were darkness once, but now you are light in the Lord; be like children of light.

Gospel

Luke 13:10-17
Was it not right to untie this woman’s bonds on the sabbath day?

One sabbath day Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, and a woman was there who for eighteen years had been possessed by a spirit that left her enfeebled; she was bent double and quite unable to stand upright. When Jesus saw her he called her over and said, ‘Woman, you are rid of your infirmity’ and he laid his hands on her. And at once she straightened up, and she glorified God.
But the synagogue official was indignant because Jesus had healed on the sabbath, and he addressed the people present. ‘There are six days’ he said ‘when work is to be done. Come and be healed on one of those days and not on the sabbath.’ But the Lord answered him. ‘Hypocrites!’ he said ‘Is there one of you who does not untie his ox or his donkey from the manger on the sabbath and take it out for watering? And this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan has held bound these eighteen years – was it not right to untie her bonds on the sabbath day?’ When he said this, all his adversaries were covered with confusion, and all the people were overjoyed at all the wonders he worked.

While praying the other day, the unsung heroes in our church and those from other churches came to mind.

These are the ones who are present yet unassumingly contribute greatly in the background. They contribute by their God given talents but more importantly their time.

They are the band members who may not even belong to any ministry. The intercessory prayer warriors, the facilitators, those who help to prepare and serve food, those who prepare the slides, projectors and other AV stuff, the altar setup team. Parent volunteers, photographers, ushers, and so on.

Hidden parts of the one body in Christ. Thank you dear sisters and brothers in Christ. For together we give greater glory to God through each and every one of your tireless contributions. May the love of our Lord be with you always. Amen

Never should we forget that God loved us when we were sinners. Through our repentance and by His saving grace He set us free to live in His love. Many are the gifts He has bestowed upon us so that coming together we shall build His kingdom.

Why then should anyone hold on to their sins? Why continue to live dry barren lives? Living selfishly and seeking fleeting comforts? Let us not take our Lord’s patience for granted. Let us repent and be saved. And the love of our Lord will transform us.

For by His love our hearts are turned imto fertile ground. Where life giving shoots sprout bringing forth life. By living out our vocation we bear fruit in the lives of our communities. Always reaching out to the poor and marginalised. Amen

First reading

Ephesians 4:7-16
By grace, we shall not be children any longer

Each one of us has been given his own share of grace, given as Christ allotted it. It was said that he would:

When he ascended to the height, he captured prisoners,
he gave gifts to men.

When it says, ‘he ascended’, what can it mean if not that he descended right down to the lower regions of the earth? The one who rose higher than all the heavens to fill all things is none other than the one who descended. And to some, his gift was that they should be apostles; to some, prophets; to some, evangelists; to some, pastors and teachers; so that the saints together make a unity in the work of service, building up the body of Christ. In this way we are all to come to unity in our faith and in our knowledge of the Son of God, until we become the perfect Man, fully mature with the fullness of Christ himself.
Then we shall not be children any longer, or tossed one way and another and carried along by every wind of doctrine, at the mercy of all the tricks men play and their cleverness in practising deceit. If we live by the truth and in love, we shall grow in all ways into Christ, who is the head by whom the whole body is fitted and joined together, every joint adding its own strength, for each separate part to work according to its function. So the body grows until it has built itself up, in love.

Gospel

Luke 13:1-9
‘Leave the fig tree one more year’

Some people arrived and told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with that of their sacrifices. At this he said to them, ‘Do you suppose these Galileans who suffered like that were greater sinners than any other Galileans? They were not, I tell you. No; but unless you repent you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen on whom the tower at Siloam fell and killed them? Do you suppose that they were more guilty than all the other people living in Jerusalem? They were not, I tell you. No; but unless you repent you will all perish as they did.’
He told this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it but found none. He said to the man who looked after the vineyard, “Look here, for three years now I have been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and finding none. Cut it down: why should it be taking up the ground?” “Sir,” the man replied “leave it one more year and give me time to dig round it and manure it: it may bear fruit next year; if not, then you can cut it down.”’