Patience, persistence in faith, prayer and trust in the Lord our God. For unlike the widow who persisted in pestering the judge whom she did not know, we have a personal relationship with our living God.

We know Him to be faithful, merciful, loving and kind. By His great love for us, He delivered from all evil and sin. And He will surely make haste to come to our aid when we cry out to Him. He knows what is best for us, and if takes a little longer, still He will answer our prayer. Even if the answer to our prayer is no. There is always growth and fruitfulness in doing His will for us.

Lord Jesus I place all my faith and trust in You. Amen

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First reading
Wisdom 18:14-16,19:6-9 ·

First reading
Wisdom 18:14-16,19:6-9 ·

The Red Sea became an unimpeded way


When peaceful silence lay over all, and night had run the half of her swift course, down from the heavens, from the royal throne, leapt your all-powerful Word;
into the heart of a doomed land the stern warrior leapt. Carrying your unambiguous command like a sharp sword, he stood, and filled the universe with death; he touched the sky, yet trod the earth.

For, to keep your children from all harm, the whole creation, obedient to your commands, was once more, and newly, fashioned in its nature. Overshadowing the camp there was the cloud, where water had been, dry land was seen to rise, the Red Sea became an unimpeded way, the tempestuous flood a green plain; sheltered by your hand, the whole nation passed across, gazing at these amazing miracles. They were like horses at pasture, they skipped like lambs, singing your praises, Lord, their deliverer.


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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?’

No matter how beautiful or how magnificent an object is, how can it be more exquisite than its creator? How far more beautiful and wonderful then is our Lord and God from whom all life comes into being! Whose Word breathed life into all things living!

How can we then turn to objects for prosperity, protection or hope? Why do we allow the distractions of the world, through its vice and decadence to fill our thoughts, our bodily desires? To hunger for food and thirst for drink, that will not satisfy?

Let us always turn to Jesus! For He alone is our hope and our salvation. He alone offers us a relationship built on the foundation of His love, peace and joy. He will cause His light to shine upon us and dispel all darkness and sin. Through Him will shall rise to new and eternal life with Him.

Lord I renounce the work of my enemies, I place all my faith and trust in You. For it is You alone that I love and serve. Amen

Saint Elizabeth of Hungary pray for us…

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First reading

Wisdom 13:1-9 ·

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

Naturally stupid are all men who have not known God and who, from the good things that are seen, have not been able to discover Him-who-is, or, by studying the works, have failed to recognise the Artificer. Fire however, or wind, or the swift air,

the sphere of the stars, impetuous water, heaven’s lamps, are what they have held to be the gods who govern the world.

If, charmed by their beauty, they have taken things for gods, let them know how much the Lord of these excels them, since the very Author of beauty has created them. And if they have been impressed by their power and energy, let them deduce from these how much mightier is he that has formed them, since through the grandeur and beauty of the creatures we may, by analogy, contemplate their Author.

Small blame, however, attaches to these men, for perhaps they only go astray in their search for God and their eagerness to find him; living among his works, they strive to comprehend them and fall victim to appearances, seeing so much beauty.

Even so, they are not to be excused: if they are capable of acquiring enough knowledge to be able to investigate the world, how have they been so slow to find its Master?

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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! Yes, Heaven is already opened to us here on earth through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!

And by living a life in the Spirit we dwell in His presence, we are living this very reality of Heaven on earth. His wisdom permeates our whole being and we are beacons of His light in the world. As His children we are also His prophets, and we love to share the joy of the Gospel for His Word stands for ever. His Word nourishes and gives everyone life!

Come Lord Jesus, come dwell in the hearts of Your faithful. Amen

Saint Margaret of Scotland and Saint Gertrude pray for us…

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First reading

Wisdom 7:22-8:1

Wisdom is a breath of the power of God

Within Wisdom is a spirit intelligent, holy,

unique, manifold, subtle,

active, incisive, unsullied,

lucid, invulnerable, benevolent, sharp,

irresistible, beneficent, loving to man,

steadfast, dependable, unperturbed,

almighty, all-surveying,

penetrating all intelligent, pure

and most subtle spirits;

for Wisdom is quicker to move than any motion;

she is so pure, she pervades and permeates all things.

She is a breath of the power of God,

pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty;

hence nothing impure can find a way into her.

She is a reflection of the eternal light,

untarnished mirror of God’s active power,

image of his goodness.

Although alone, she can do all;

herself unchanging, she makes all things new.

In each generation she passes into holy souls,

she makes them friends of God and prophets;

for God loves only the man who lives with Wisdom.

She is indeed more splendid than the sun,

she outshines all the constellations;

compared with light, she takes first place,

for light must yield to night,

but over Wisdom evil can never triumph.

She deploys her strength from one end of the earth to the other,

ordering all things for good.

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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.’

All authority has been given to us, that is to say we are empowered by Christ to go make disciples of all nations! How then are we using that authority as leaders of the men and women, sisters and brothers He sends to us?

We already know that we deserve to be punished if we abuse that authority for our own gains or if we allow our sinful inclinations to rule our hearts and minds as we lead His flock. But doing nothing, embracing inertia or even doing only things we are comfortable with is an abuse of the authority given to us. How then can we call ourselves His disciples if we do nothing to build His Kingdom? If there is no growth and new life in the lives of those who have been entrusted to us and placed under our care?

How then do we glorify, praise and thank Him for His gift of new life in Him; given freely by His life, death and resurrection!

Jesus, I kneel before You as I shout out Your praises! Thank You Jesus for loving me. Amen

Saint Albert the Great pray for us…

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First reading

Wisdom 6:1-11

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

Listen, kings, and understand;

rulers of remotest lands, take warning;

hear this, you who have thousands under your rule,

who boast of your hordes of subjects.

For power is a gift to you from the Lord,

sovereignty is from the Most High;

he himself will probe your acts and scrutinise your intentions.

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

nor observed the law,

nor behaved as God would have you behave,

he will fall on you swiftly and terribly.

Ruthless judgement is reserved for the high and mighty;

the lowly will be compassionately pardoned,

the mighty will be mightily punished.

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

he does not stand in awe of greatness,

since he himself has made small and great

and provides for all alike;

but strict scrutiny awaits those in power.

Yes, despots, my words are for you,

that you may learn what wisdom is and not transgress;

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

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

Look forward, therefore, to my words;

yearn for them, and they will instruct you.

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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.’

Yes, we are only servants, and we do the will of the Lord our God. Our servitude is modelled after our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who at the last supper took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.  After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. A loving Master who cares deeply for His servants.

He later said “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”

So then let us serve as we love Him with all our hearts, mind, soul and strength; love and serve our brethren as we love ourselves. For we know that when we die in Him, we will rise to new life with Him. Amen

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First reading

Wisdom 2:23-3:9

The souls of the virtuous are in the hands of God

God made man imperishable,

he made him in the image of his own nature;

it was the devil’s envy that brought death into the world,

as those who are his partners will discover.

But 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.

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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 a complex world we live in, to survive we need to know the ways of the world and struggle to get by each and every day.  We also have to face sharp tongued adversaries who mock and taunt us often through gossip! Is our Lord not present in their lives? How long shall we endure? What other hardship is coming our way?

Father! Help me! Come to my aid, make haste and come! Come Lord Jesus come! Come Holy Spirit come! My simple heart cries out to You and I know you will surely come, for You are a faithful God who loves me dearly.

So Yes Lord, You are above all in my heart and so I will forgive everyone who hurt me. For You forgave us from the cross for we did not know what we were doing! I will likewise forgive my sister and brother. For I know You are far from those who do not have mercy in their heart; and so, I cling to You by forgiving all those who have sinned against me. Bless them Lord as You have blessed me.

Through Your loving grace, let my faith grow this and every day. Amen

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First reading

Wisdom 1:1-7 ·

Seek the Lord in simplicity of heart

Love virtue, you who are judges on earth,

let honesty prompt your thinking about the Lord,

seek him in simplicity of heart;

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

he shows himself to those who do not distrust him.

But selfish intentions divorce from God;

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

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

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

the holy spirit of instruction shuns deceit,

it stands aloof from reckless purposes,

is taken aback when iniquity appears.

Wisdom is a spirit, a friend to man,

though she will not pardon the words of a blasphemer,

since God sees into the innermost parts of him,

truly observes his heart,

and listens to his tongue.

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

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

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Gospel

Luke 17:1-6

If your brother does wrong, reprove him

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

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

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

How I long for the day that when sisters and brothers in Christ see one another, they greet one another with such joy and love in their hearts. Greeting one another by name and as St Paul says with a ‘holy kiss’! Better still affirming the gifts the Lord has given to each and every one of us! Is this possible? Yes, I believe so and it starts with you and me! Let us come out of comfort zones to rekindle what should have already been set ablaze! The zeal for love of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!

With His love burning in our hearts, we will use all at our disposal for His glory! Money tainted as it is as the Lord puts it can be put to good to use, to help lead His flock into the gates of eternity.

Lord Jesus You alone are my Master my Lord and my God. Amen

Saint Martin of Tours pray for us…

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First reading

Romans 16:3-9,16,22-27 ·

The mystery kept secret for endless ages must be broadcast everywhere

My greetings to Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked death to save my life: I am not the only one to owe them a debt of gratitude, all the churches among the pagans do as well. My greetings also to the church that meets at their house.

    Greetings to my friend Epaenetus, the first of Asia’s gifts to Christ; greetings to Mary who worked so hard for you; to those outstanding apostles Andronicus and Junias, my compatriots and fellow prisoners who became Christians before me; to Ampliatus, my friend in the Lord; to Urban, my fellow worker in Christ; to my friend Stachys. Greet each other with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send greetings.

    I, Tertius, who wrote out this letter, greet you in the Lord. Greetings from Gaius, who is entertaining me and from the whole church that meets in his house. Erastus, the city treasurer, sends his greetings; so does our brother Quartus.

    Glory to him who is able to give you the strength to live according to the Good News I preach, and in which I proclaim Jesus Christ, the revelation of a mystery kept secret for endless ages, but now so clear that it must be broadcast to pagans everywhere to bring them to the obedience of faith. This is only what scripture has predicted, and it is all part of the way the eternal God wants things to be. He alone is wisdom; give glory therefore to him through Jesus Christ for ever and ever. Amen.

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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.’

If we think that our Lord condones dishonesty we are sorely mistaken! He was praising the astuteness of the servant. If a dishonest servant can be creative for his own survival what about us children of the light? Can we not be creative or astute for that matter in leading all those living in darkness into the light? To the knowledge of our living God and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Perhaps we do not yet realise that St Paul eloquent as He was, brought many to the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ not just merely using words or speech! But demonstrating that Jesus is still very much present amongst us, using what he said and did by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Yes sisters and brothers, we too have been empowered to do likewise.

Come Holy Spirit, come!

Saint Leo the Great, Pope

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First reading
Romans 15:14-21 ·

My duty is to bring the Good News from God to the pagans

My brothers, I am quite certain that you are full of good intentions, perfectly well instructed and able to advise each other. The reason why I have written to you, and put some things rather strongly, is to refresh your memories, since God has given me this special position. He has appointed me as a priest of Jesus Christ, and I am to carry out my priestly duty by bringing the Good News from God to the pagans, and so make them acceptable as an offering, made holy by the Holy Spirit.
    I think I have some reason to be proud of what I, in union with Christ Jesus, have been able to do for God. What I am presuming to speak of, of course, is only what Christ himself has done to win the allegiance of the pagans, using what I have said and done by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Thus all the way along, from Jerusalem to Illyricum, I have preached Christ’s Good News to the utmost of my capacity. I have always, however, made it an unbroken rule never to preach where Christ’s name has already been heard. The reason for that was that I had no wish to build on other men’s foundations; on the contrary, my chief concern has been to fulfil the text: Those who have never been told about him will see him, and those who have never heard about him will understand.


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Gospel
Luke 16:1-8

The master praised the dishonest servant

Jesus said to his disciples:
    ‘There was a rich man and he had a steward denounced to him for being wasteful with his property. He called for the man and said, “What is this I hear about you? Draw me up an account of your stewardship because you are not to be my steward any longer.” Then the steward said to himself, “Now that my master is taking the stewardship from me, what am I to do? Dig? I am not strong enough. Go begging? I should be too ashamed. Ah, I know what I will do to make sure that when I am dismissed from office there will be some to welcome me into their homes.”
    Then he called his master’s debtors one by one. To the first he said, “How much do you owe my master?” “One hundred measures of oil” was the reply. The steward said, “Here, take your bond; sit down straight away and write fifty.” To another he said, “And you, sir, how much do you owe?” “One hundred measures of wheat” was the reply. The steward said, “Here, take your bond and write eighty.”
    ‘The master praised the dishonest steward for his astuteness. For the children of this world are more astute in dealing with their own kind than are the children of light.’

Today as we celebrate the dedication of the Lateran Basilica, we are reminded of the oneness we share united as One Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church!

We also reflect on how as temples of the Holy Spirit we are bringing new life to all whom we meet. Is our church, especially our parishes teeming with new life? Are living waters flowing out from within to the peripheries? Has our congregation grown now that we are living in post covid days?

Let us turn to our resurrected Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to have our hearts once again set ablaze! So that we glorify Him by our lives, boldly sharing the joy of the Gospel leading one and all to Him. Amen

———-———

First reading
Ezekiel 47:1-2,8-9,12 ·

Wherever the water flows, it will bring life and health

The angel brought me to the entrance of the Temple, where a stream came out from under the Temple threshold and flowed eastwards, since the Temple faced east. The water flowed from under the right side of the Temple, south of the altar. He took me out by the north gate and led me right round outside as far as the outer east gate where the water flowed out on the right-hand side. He said, ‘This water flows east down to the Arabah and to the sea; and flowing into the sea it makes its waters wholesome. Wherever the river flows, all living creatures teeming in it will live. Fish will be very plentiful, for wherever the water goes it brings health, and life teems wherever the river flows. Along the river, on either bank, will grow every kind of fruit tree with leaves that never wither and fruit that never fails; they will bear new fruit every month, because this water comes from the sanctuary. And their fruit will be good to eat and the leaves medicinal.’

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Gospel
John 2:13-22

Destroy this sanctuary and in three days I will raise it up

Just before the Jewish Passover Jesus went up to Jerusalem, and in the Temple he found people selling cattle and sheep and pigeons, and the money changers sitting at their counters there. Making a whip out of some cord, he drove them all out of the Temple, cattle and sheep as well, scattered the money changers’ coins, knocked their tables over and said to the pigeon-sellers, ‘Take all this out of here and stop turning my Father’s house into a market.’ Then his disciples remembered the words of scripture: Zeal for your house will devour me. The Jews intervened and said, ‘What sign can you show us to justify what you have done?’ Jesus answered, ‘Destroy this sanctuary, and in three days I will raise it up.’ The Jews replied, ‘It has taken forty-six years to build this sanctuary: are you going to raise it up in three days?’ But he was speaking of the sanctuary that was his body, and when Jesus rose from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the scripture and the words he had said.

Yes, it is always good to spend time to discern the will of God for another, but there are other times I feel many use the excuse of discernment to delay or not help another. By the time they decide to act they are either too late or someone else has stepped in to help.

For me the right approach will be to see what the Father’s heart is for the one in need. Jesus likewise did the same for the man in today’s Gospel. He asked a question to the lawyers and Pharisees to get them to see the man before them through the eyes of the Father, then acted immediately to minister to him. (“For you are worth more than many sparrows.” Matt 10:31)

Lord Jesus, I do not ever wish to be cut off from You, yet like St Paul my sorrow and mental anguish is great for my sisters and brothers who have left the Church. Help me, give me the wisdom and courage to reach out to them, so as to lead them home to You. Amen

Saint Martin de Porres pray for us…

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First reading

Romans 9:1-5 ·

I would willingly be condemned if it could help my brothers

What I want to say now is no pretence; I say it in union with Christ – it is the truth – my conscience in union with the Holy Spirit assures me of it too. What I want to say is this: my sorrow is so great, my mental anguish so endless, I would willingly be condemned and be cut off from Christ if it could help my brothers of Israel, my own flesh and blood. They were adopted as sons, they were given the glory and the covenants; the Law and the ritual were drawn up for them, and the promises were made to them. They are descended from the patriarchs and from their flesh and blood came Christ who is above all, God for ever blessed! Amen.

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Gospel

Luke 14:1-6

‘Is it against the law to cure a man on the sabbath?’

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. There in front of him was a man with dropsy, and Jesus addressed the lawyers and Pharisees. ‘Is it against the law’ he asked ‘to cure a man on the sabbath, or not?’ But they remained silent, so he took the man and cured him and sent him away. Then he said to them, ‘Which of you here, if his son falls into a well, or his ox, will not pull him out on a sabbath day without hesitation?’ And to this they could find no answer.

I don’t know about you but I find the readings for all souls day very comforting. I dare say that the Good News we often read about and all are tasked to share is contained in these very readings.

For the dark, scary mystery of death is unveiled such that we declare with St Paul, death where is your sing?! What do we have to fear? We will have eternal rest with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We have hope for new life in Him.

Therefore we have confidence that the souls of our dearly departed have gone on to become the living saints in heaven whom solemnity we celebrated yesterday. Amen


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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.



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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.




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Gospel
Matthew 11:25-30

You have hidden these things from the wise and revealed them to little children

Jesus exclaimed, ‘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 the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
    ‘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.’

Truly if we are children of God our Heavenly Father, then just as Jesus did what He saw His Father doing (JN5:19) then we too must likewise do what our Heavenly does or what His Son our Lord Jesus Christ does! And since share a Heavenly inheritance can we say we do not know what they do?

If we live out Spiritual lives as we are called to do, then surely we will bear witness to the truth that we are children of God our Heavenly Father. Nothing will hold us back from ministering to others in need of healing and deliverance. We will deliver everyone held in bondage so that the glory of God can be made manifest in them, and they too shall be set free to live life to the full in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Lord Jesus I willing share in Your sufferings so that I might share Your glory for love of You. Amen

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First reading

Romans 8:12-17 ·

The Spirit himself and our spirit bear united witness that we are children of God

My brothers, there is no necessity for us to obey our unspiritual selves or to live unspiritual lives. If you do live in that way, you are doomed to die; but if by the Spirit you put an end to the misdeeds of the body you will live.

    Everyone moved by the Spirit is a son of God. The spirit you received is not the spirit of slaves bringing fear into your lives again; it is the spirit of sons, and it makes us cry out, ‘Abba, Father!’ The Spirit himself and our spirit bear united witness that we are children of God. And if we are children we are heirs as well: heirs of God and coheirs with Christ, sharing his sufferings so as to share his glory.

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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.

People from everywhere came to Jesus, to hear him and to be cured of their diseases. People tormented by unclean spirits were also cured, and everyone in the crowd was trying to touch him because power came out of him that cured them all. Many of the saints who had gone before us had done likewise and more! People came to hear about Jesus, and they were cured of their diseases, many were delivered from evil and unclean spirits, likewise many came to touch them and were cured for the power of Jesus flowed through them.

Are we not the anointed ones empowered through our baptism to do greater things than He our Lord did? Yes indeed we are! We are sent into the world to proclaim the reign of God. We give glory to the risen Christ among us. Though our eyes have not seen his face we believe and we spread the story of our faith through healing, deliverance and ministering His peace, love and joy.

I am Your house Lord, come dwell in me. Amen

Saints Simon and Jude pray for us…

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First reading

Ephesians 2:19-22 ·

In Christ you are no longer aliens, but citizens like us

You are no longer aliens or foreign visitors: you are citizens like all the saints, and part of God’s household. You are part of a building that has the apostles and prophets for its foundations, and Christ Jesus himself for its main cornerstone. As every structure is aligned on him, all grow into one holy temple in the Lord; and you too, in him, are being built into a house where God lives, in the Spirit.

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Gospel

Luke 6:12-19

Jesus chooses his twelve apostles

Jesus went out into the hills to pray; and he spent the whole night in prayer to God. When day came he summoned his disciples and picked out twelve of them; he called them ‘apostles’: Simon whom he called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon called the Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot who became a traitor.

    He then came down with them and stopped at a piece of level ground where there was a large gathering of his disciples with a great crowd of people from all parts of Judaea and from Jerusalem and from the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon who had come to hear him and to be cured of their diseases. People tormented by unclean spirits were also cured, and everyone in the crowd was trying to touch him because power came out of him that cured them all.

Every day we battle sin and temptations, this is part and parcel of being human. This however is not an excuse to give in to sin or a reason to rationalize doing evil. For we were made for more! Therefore, we never have to battle alone! For the Lord our God through His incarnation became one of us, He suffered, died and rose again so that we can be One with Him, Body, Mind and Spirit. For His grace is built upon our nature. In His great love for us He gives us His body, soul and divinity through Holy Eucharist!

So yes, indeed united fully with Him our conscience is led by the Holy Spirit, and so we know definitely what is good and holy and what is not! We strive for peace, love, justice, and are merciful because He is merciful.

Lord Jesus I am Yours as You are mine. Come dwell in heart today and forevermore. Amen

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First reading

Romans 7:18-25 ·

Every time I want to do good it is something evil that comes to hand

I know of nothing good living in me – living, that is, in my unspiritual self – for though the will to do what is good is in me, the performance is not, with the result that instead of doing the good things I want to do, I carry out the sinful things I do not want. When I act against my will, then, it is not my true self doing it, but sin which lives in me.

    In fact, this seems to be the rule, that every single time I want to do good it is something evil that comes to hand. In my inmost self I dearly love God’s Law, but I can see that my body follows a different law that battles against the law which my reason dictates. This is what makes me a prisoner of that law of sin which lives inside my body.

    What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body doomed to death?

    Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

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Gospel

Luke 12:54-59

Do you not know how to interpret these times?

Jesus said to the crowds: ‘When you see a cloud looming up in the west you say at once that rain is coming, and so it does. And when the wind is from the south you say it will be hot, and it is. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the face of the earth and the sky. How is it you do not know how to interpret these times?

    ‘Why not judge for yourselves what is right? For example: when you go to court with your opponent, try to settle with him on the way, or he may drag you before the judge and the judge hand you over to the bailiff and the bailiff have you thrown into prison. I tell you, you will not get out till you have paid the very last penny.’

By our baptism we have been given the privilege, the honour of becoming sons and daughters of God our Heavenly Father. We have been inserted into the life, death and Resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Through Him we have been set free from sin, free from the clutches of eternal death.

We have hope of eternal life with our Lord, we must therefore fight hard against sin and temptation! For the evil one, seeks to rob us of our Heavenly inheritance. Yet we do not have to fear or let our hearts be troubled, for our Lord has not left us orphans. We have the Holy Spirit to help us every step of the way.

Let us stay focused on our mission to minister to our brethren and lead everyone home to Him. Amen


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First reading
Romans 6:12-18 ·

Make every part of your body a weapon fighting on the side of God

You must not let sin reign in your mortal bodies or command your obedience to bodily passions, you must not let any part of your body turn into an unholy weapon fighting on the side of sin; you should, instead, offer yourselves to God, and consider yourselves dead men brought back to life; you should make every part of your body into a weapon fighting on the side of God; and then sin will no longer dominate your life, since you are living by grace and not by law.
    Does the fact that we are living by grace and not by law mean that we are free to sin? Of course not. You know that if you agree to serve and obey a master you become his slaves. You cannot be slaves of sin that leads to death and at the same time slaves of obedience that leads to righteousness. You were once slaves of sin, but thank God you submitted without reservation to the creed you were taught. You may have been freed from the slavery of sin, but only to become ‘slaves’ of righteousness.

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Gospel
Luke 12:39-48

The Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect

Jesus said to his disciples:
    ‘You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what hour the burglar would come, he would not have let anyone break through the wall of his house. You too must stand ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.’
    Peter said, ‘Lord, do you mean this parable for us, or for everyone?’ The Lord replied, ‘What sort of steward, then, is faithful and wise enough for the master to place him over his household to give them their allowance of food at the proper time? Happy that servant if his master’s arrival finds him at this employment. I tell you truly, he will place him over everything he owns. But as for the servant who says to himself, “My master is taking his time coming,” and sets about beating the menservants and the maids, and eating and drinking and getting drunk, his master will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not know. The master will cut him off and send him to the same fate as the unfaithful.
    The servant who knows what his master wants, but has not even started to carry out those wishes, will receive very many strokes of the lash. The one who did not know, but deserves to be beaten for what he has done, will receive fewer strokes. When a man has had a great deal given him, a great deal will be demanded of him; when a man has had a great deal given him on trust, even more will be expected of him.’

Faith is love put in action for the glory of God!

That is why few progress in their faith and remain stagnant in their relationship with the Lord. For they will not take risk for the Lord! To glorify Him by their love for others.

How many times have I heard someone say, “Let go and let God!” But never truly surrenders to the Lord, never really take risks for Him and is far from loving because the temptation to criticize and to see only the shortcomings of others is constantly on her lips. Or another who loves this line in the Gospel of today, “Do not worry about how to defend yourselves or what to say, because when the time comes, the Holy Spirit will teach you what you must say.” But is himself reluctant to lead in prayers or to share on the Gospel readings.

If we truly hope and believe in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, then we too shall become Fathers and Mothers of many nations! For that is our calling to go make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and to teach them all that we have learnt from our Saviour.

Lord Jesus, I declare before all men and women that You are my Lord and my God. Amen

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First reading

Romans 4:13,16-18 ·

Abraham hoped and believed and became the father of many nations

The promise of inheriting the world was not made to Abraham and his descendants on account of any law but on account of the righteousness which consists in faith. That is why what fulfils the promise depends on faith, so that it may be a free gift and be available to all of Abraham’s descendants, not only those who belong to the Law but also those who belong to the faith of Abraham who is the father of all of us. As scripture says: I have made you the ancestor of many nations – Abraham is our father in the eyes of God, in whom he put his faith, and who brings the dead to life and calls into being what does not exist.

    Though it seemed Abraham’s hope could not be fulfilled, he hoped and he believed, and through doing so he did become the father of many nations exactly as he had been promised: Your descendants will be as many as the stars.

    Then he advances to another vital element of the promise in Genesis, though not in the incident from which he originally quoted, Genesis 15.6. The promise to Abraham comes three times in Genesis, and in 17.5 it is ‘for I make you father of a multitude of nations’. This enables Paul to go beyond the normally accepted understanding of the promise, which restricted its fulfilment to Jews alone. Paul understands as children of Abraham any who, like Abraham, put their trust in God. It is not the blood-line which constitutes children of Abraham, but faith in conformity with that of Abraham. He has yet to consider how this promise is to be fulfilled in Jesus.

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Gospel

Luke 12:8-12

If you declare yourselves for me, I will declare myself for you

Jesus said to his disciples:

    ‘I tell you, if anyone openly declares himself for me in the presence of men, the Son of Man will declare himself for him in the presence of the angels. But the man who disowns me in the presence of men will be disowned in the presence of God’s angels.

    ‘Everyone who says a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

    ‘When they take you before synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how to defend yourselves or what to say, because when the time comes, the Holy Spirit will teach you what you must say.’

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First reading

Romans 4:13,16-18 ·

Abraham hoped and believed and became the father of many nations

The promise of inheriting the world was not made to Abraham and his descendants on account of any law but on account of the righteousness which consists in faith. That is why what fulfils the promise depends on faith, so that it may be a free gift and be available to all of Abraham’s descendants, not only those who belong to the Law but also those who belong to the faith of Abraham who is the father of all of us. As scripture says: I have made you the ancestor of many nations – Abraham is our father in the eyes of God, in whom he put his faith, and who brings the dead to life and calls into being what does not exist.

    Though it seemed Abraham’s hope could not be fulfilled, he hoped and he believed, and through doing so he did become the father of many nations exactly as he had been promised: Your descendants will be as many as the stars.

    Then he advances to another vital element of the promise in Genesis, though not in the incident from which he originally quoted, Genesis 15.6. The promise to Abraham comes three times in Genesis, and in 17.5 it is ‘for I make you father of a multitude of nations’. This enables Paul to go beyond the normally accepted understanding of the promise, which restricted its fulfilment to Jews alone. Paul understands as children of Abraham any who, like Abraham, put their trust in God. It is not the blood-line which constitutes children of Abraham, but faith in conformity with that of Abraham. He has yet to consider how this promise is to be fulfilled in Jesus.

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Gospel

Luke 12:8-12

If you declare yourselves for me, I will declare myself for you

Jesus said to his disciples:

    ‘I tell you, if anyone openly declares himself for me in the presence of men, the Son of Man will declare himself for him in the presence of the angels. But the man who disowns me in the presence of men will be disowned in the presence of God’s angels.

    ‘Everyone who says a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

    ‘When they take you before synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how to defend yourselves or what to say, because when the time comes, the Holy Spirit will teach you what you must say.’

“I am a man of God, after His own heart!” “I am a woman of God after His own heart” While it is good if we can confidently make such prophetic statements and live out are calling, the truth is knowing that only the Lord our God see into our hearts and embrace us as children after His own heart! Likewise, our brethren are the ones who must see that we are indeed living as a man/woman of God after His own heart.

Let us therefore strive for Holiness, being spotless in the eyes of our Lord. And if there be anything wicked in us, let go before the Lord to cleanse us and free us from every sin!

Just recently a young lady came into my prayer room to be prayed over via zoom. She earnestly desired a breakthrough from what was troubling her. She sensed that there was some unforgiveness in her heart stemming from some childhood experiences. I invited the Lord into her memories and led her to lift her intentions directly to Jesus who came. Guiding her into prayers of forgiveness for three adult figures in her life and deliverance from any evil that lingered. By the end of the session she felt the joy of being liberated, set free and most of all the she experienced the tender love of Jesus for her and family. Praise the Lord!

Have faith and trust in the Lord for He will surely set us free when we call out to Him! Amen

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First reading

Romans 4:1-8 ·

Abraham was justified not by his actions but by faith

What shall we say about Abraham, the ancestor from whom we are all descended? If Abraham was justified as a reward for doing something, he would really have had something to boast about, though not in God’s sight because scripture says: Abraham put his faith in God, and this faith was considered as justifying him. If a man has work to show, his wages are not considered as a favour but as his due; but when a man has nothing to show except faith in the one who justifies sinners, then his faith is considered as justifying him. And David says the same: a man is happy if God considers him righteous, irrespective of good deeds:

Happy those whose crimes are forgiven,

whose sins are blotted out;

happy the man whom the Lord considers sinless.

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Gospel

Luke 12:1-7

Not one sparrow is forgotten in God’s sight

The people had gathered in their thousands so that they were treading on one another. And Jesus began to speak, first of all to his disciples. ‘Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees – that is, their hypocrisy. Everything that is now covered will be uncovered, and everything now hidden will be made clear. For this reason, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in hidden places will be proclaimed on the housetops.

    ‘To you my friends I say: Do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. I will tell you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has the power to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. Can you not buy five sparrows for two pennies? And yet not one is forgotten in God’s sight. Why, every hair on your head has been counted. There is no need to be afraid: you are worth more than hundreds of sparrows.’

Today’s message is not only comforting but empowering! For as disciples of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, we already know we will face hardship, rejection and some perhaps even great trials. However we also know that the Lord Himself will stand by us, give us power, so that through us the whole message of the Good News might be proclaimed.

Wherever we sent, let our first words be, “Peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you” Having been empowered by Him, let us
cure those who are sick, and say to them, “The kingdom of God is very near to you.”’ Amen

Saint Luke pray for us…



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First reading
2 Timothy 4:10-17 ·

Only Luke is with me

Demas has deserted me for love of this life and gone to Thessalonika, Crescens has gone to Galatia and Titus to Dalmatia; only Luke is with me. Get Mark to come and bring him with you; I find him a useful helper in my work. I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus. When you come, bring the cloak I left with Carpus in Troas, and the scrolls, especially the parchment ones. Alexander the coppersmith has done me a lot of harm; the Lord will repay him for what he has done. Be on your guard against him yourself, because he has been bitterly contesting everything that we say.
    The first time I had to present my defence, there was not a single witness to support me. Every one of them deserted me – may they not be held accountable for it. But the Lord stood by me and gave me power, so that through me the whole message might be proclaimed for all the pagans to hear.




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Gospel
Luke 10:1-9

Your peace will rest on that man

The Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them out ahead of him, in pairs, to all the towns and places he himself was to visit. He said to them, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest. Start off now, but remember, I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Carry no purse, no haversack, no sandals. Salute no one on the road. Whatever house you go into, let your first words be, “Peace to this house!” And if a man of peace lives there, your peace will go and rest on him; if not, it will come back to you. Stay in the same house, taking what food and drink they have to offer, for the labourer deserves his wages; do not move from house to house. Whenever you go into a town where they make you welcome, eat what is set before you. Cure those in it who are sick, and say, “The kingdom of God is very near to you.”’

The greatest sign of God our Father’s love is our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! For through His birth, death and resurrection we have been set free from all sin and have hope for eternal life with Him.

This hope that every Christian has, is evident in the peace, love and joy they carry with them in their hearts, on their faces and their dealings with everyone.

So, sisters and brothers, when people look upon you and me, do they see the face of Christ? Are they eager to hear about the joy of the Gospel through us?

Saint Hedwig, Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque pray for us… 

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First reading

Romans 1:1-7 ·

Our apostolic mission is to preach the obedience of faith to all pagan nations

From Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus who has been called to be an apostle, and specially chosen to preach the Good News that God promised long ago through his prophets in the scriptures.

    This news is about the Son of God who, according to the human nature he took was a descendant of David: it is about Jesus Christ our Lord who, in the order of the spirit, the spirit of holiness that was in him, was proclaimed Son of God in all his power through his resurrection from the dead. Through him we received grace and our apostolic mission to preach the obedience of faith to all pagan nations in honour of his name. You are one of these nations, and by his call belong to Jesus Christ. To you all, then, who are God’s beloved in Rome, called to be saints, may God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ send grace and peace.

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Gospel

Luke 11:29-32

As Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be a sign

The crowds got even bigger, and Jesus addressed them:

    ‘This is a wicked generation; it is asking for a sign. The only sign it will be given is the sign of Jonah. For just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. On Judgement day the Queen of the South will rise up with the men of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and there is something greater than Solomon here. On Judgement day the men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation and condemn it, because when Jonah preached they repented; and there is something greater than Jonah here.’

When was the last time you went for the sacrament of reconciliation? If your immediate response is simply to say that it is a private affair between yourself and God then indeed you are far off from following after Your Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Yes indeed a Christian is accountable to the Lord our God, but if you are a true believer and have grown in your faith then you know that we are all accountable for and to our brethren as well. For through Jesus our Lord we are all One Body in Him.

Therefore sin is never a private affair, it affects the whole Body! So let us all repent of our sins, renounce the works of the enemies and if we have not been regular in receiving the sacramental grace of absolution through reconciliation then we should go this very weekend! Receiving absolution is NOT enough we must fill any and all void places in our body, mind and spirit with all that is Holy unto God. The Word of  God, constant prayer, regular reception of Holy Eucharist, and living a life in the Holy Spirit. All these will ensure that there is no room for any evil to return, and so we remain steadfast, holy as our Heavenly Father is Holy.

Lord I am with and for You now and forever. Amen

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First reading

Joel 1:13-15,2:1-2 ·

Let all tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming

Priests, put on sackcloth and lament.

Ministers of the altar, wail.

Come, pass the night in sackcloth,

you ministers of my God.

For the house of our God has been deprived

of oblation and libation.

Order a fast,

proclaim a solemn assembly;

elders, call together

all the inhabitants of the country

to the house of the Lord your God.

Cry out to the Lord,

‘Oh, what a day!

For the day of the Lord is near,

it comes as a devastation from Shaddai.’

Sound the trumpet in Zion,

give the alarm on my holy mountain!

Let all the inhabitants of the country tremble,

for the day of the Lord is coming,

yes, it is near.

Day of darkness and gloom,

day of cloud and blackness.

Like the dawn there spreads across the mountains

a vast and mighty host,

such as has never been before,

such as will never be again

to the remotest ages.

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Gospel

Luke 11:15-26

The finger of God has overtaken you

When Jesus had cast out a devil, some of the people said, ‘It is through Beelzebul, the prince of devils, that he casts out devils.’ Others asked him, as a test, for a sign from heaven; but, knowing what they were thinking, he said to them, ‘Every kingdom divided against itself is heading for ruin, and a household divided against itself collapses. So too with Satan: if he is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? – since you assert that it is through Beelzebul that I cast out devils. Now if it is through Beelzebul that I cast out devils, through whom do your own experts cast them out? Let them be your judges then. But if it is through the finger of God that I cast out devils, then know that the kingdom of God has overtaken you. So long as a strong man fully armed guards his own palace, his goods are undisturbed; but when someone stronger than he is attacks and defeats him, the stronger man takes away all the weapons he relied on and shares out his spoil.

    ‘He who is not with me is against me; and he who does not gather with me scatters.

    ‘When an unclean spirit goes out of a man it wanders through waterless country looking for a place to rest, and not finding one it says, “I will go back to the home I came from.” But on arrival, finding it swept and tidied, it then goes off and brings seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and set up house there, so that the man ends up by being worse than he was before.’

We have such a perfect Father in Heaven, Holy, merciful, compassionate and kind. 

There is nothing we can hide from Him and He knows all our sins. Yet He patiently waits for us to turn back to Him. And when we do decide to do so, we are restored, made whole through the blood of His Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Who died once for all time, so that we might have hope of eternal life.

Let us never take this grace for granted and repent while we still can. Today!

Let us also be persistent and faithful in our prayers. For we have been given the Holy Spirit, the greatest we can receive to guide and help us all the days of our life.

Come Holy Spirit, dwell in my heart. Amen


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First reading
Malachi 3:13-20 ·

The day that is coming will burn up the wicked

You say harsh things about me, says the Lord. You ask, ‘What have we said against you?’ You say, ‘It is useless to serve God; what is the good of keeping his commands or of walking mournfully before the Lord of Hosts? Now we have reached the point when we call the arrogant blessed; yes, they prosper, these evil-doers; they try God’s patience and yet go free.’ This is what those who fear the Lord used to say to one another. But the Lord took note and heard them: a book of remembrance was written in his presence recording those who fear him and take refuge in his name. On the day which I am preparing, says the Lord of Hosts, they are going to be my own special possession. I will make allowances for them as a man makes allowances for the son who obeys him. Then once again you will see the difference between an upright man and a wicked one, between the one who serves God and the one who does not serve him. For the day is coming now, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and the evil-doers will be like stubble. The day that is coming is going to burn them up, says the Lord of Hosts, leaving them neither root nor stalk. But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness will shine out with healing in its rays.





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Gospel
Luke 11:5-13

Ask, and it will be given to you

Jesus said to his disciples:
    ‘Suppose one of you has a friend and goes to him in the middle of the night to say, “My friend, lend me three loaves, because a friend of mine on his travels has just arrived at my house and I have nothing to offer him”; and the man answers from inside the house, “Do not bother me. The door is bolted now, and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up to give it you.” I tell you, if the man does not get up and give it him for friendship’s sake, persistence will be enough to make him get up and give his friend all he wants.
    ‘So I say to you: Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For the one who asks always receives; the one who searches always finds; the one who knocks will always have the door opened to him. What father among you would hand his son a stone when he asked for bread? Or hand him a snake instead of a fish? Or hand him a scorpion if he asked for an egg? If you then, who are evil, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!’

There are only three reasons as far as I can see for someone to behave as Jonah does in today’s first reading. One is a spirit of entitlement, the believe that only a privilege few deserve the mercy and love of the Lord our God. Two, unforgiveness of heart. Three, no authentic love of God, for if we truly love the Lord our God then we must love our brethren, fellow children of God our Heavenly Father. Even those of a different flock. Jn 10:16

Jesus teaches us in today’s Gospel that for us to completely hold our Heavenly Father’s name Holy, we ourselves must forgive each one who is in debt to us. Just as He who is all merciful and compassionate has forgiven us our sins. Amen

Saint John XXIII, Pope pray for us…


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First reading
Jonah 4:1-11 ·

Jonah is angry at God’s mercy

Jonah was very indignant; he fell into a rage. He prayed to the Lord and said, ‘Ah, Lord, is not this just as I said would happen when I was still at home? That was why I went and fled to Tarshish: I knew that you were a God of tenderness and compassion, slow to anger, rich in graciousness, relenting from evil. So now, Lord, please take away my life, for I might as well be dead as go on living.’ The Lord replied, ‘Are you right to be angry?’
    Jonah then went out of the city and sat down to the east of the city. There he made himself a shelter and sat under it in the shade, to see what would happen to the city. Then the Lord God arranged that a castor-oil plant should grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head and soothe his ill-humour; Jonah was delighted with the castor-oil plant. But at dawn the next day, God arranged that a worm should attack the castor-oil plant – and it withered.
    Next, when the sun rose, God arranged that there should be a scorching east wind; the sun beat down so hard on Jonah’s head that he was overcome and begged for death, saying, ‘I might as well be dead as go on living.’ God said to Jonah, ‘Are you right to be angry about the castor-oil plant?’ He replied, ‘I have every right to be angry, to the point of death.’ The Lord replied, ‘You are only upset about a castor-oil plant which cost you no labour, which you did not make grow, which sprouted in a night and has perished in a night. And am I not to feel sorry for Nineveh, the great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, to say nothing of all the animals?’



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Gospel
Luke 11:1-4

How to pray

Once Jesus was in a certain place praying, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.’
    He said to them, ‘Say this when you pray:

‘“Father, may your name be held holy, your kingdom come; give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive each one who is in debt to us. And do not put us to the test.”’

Only forty days… Do we know if we have even forty days left to repent before we meet our maker or our end?

There are two takeaways from the first reading. First it does not matter if the folks we are called to reach out to listen to the Word and Will of the Lord our God. We need only be obedient to God’s Will for us. He will open their minds and touch their hearts if they are open to receiving His Word. Second is that folks outside our faith can be more receptive in receiving our Lord’s saving Grace, why then are we so worried about reaching out to them?

Today’s Gospel reminds us to always choose the better part. That is to be still in the presence of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. So that we can receive the graces necessary to minister and to serve others as we are called to. In other words we can be more effective ‘Marthas’ if we can sit like ‘Marys’ in His presence.

Lord I surrender my heart, body and mind to Your Will for me. Bless my hands and feet to carry out Your Will accordingly. Amen


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First reading
Jonah 3:1-10 ·

The Ninevites repent, and God spares them

The word of the Lord was addressed to Jonah: ‘Up!’ he said ‘Go to Nineveh, the great city, and preach to them as I told you to.’ Jonah set out and went to Nineveh in obedience to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was a city great beyond compare: it took three days to cross it. Jonah went on into the city, making a day’s journey. He preached in these words, ‘Only forty days more and Nineveh is going to be destroyed.’ And the people of Nineveh believed in God; they proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least. The news reached the king of Nineveh, who rose from his throne, took off his robe, put on sackcloth and sat down in ashes. A proclamation was then promulgated throughout Nineveh, by decree of the king and his ministers, as follows: ‘Men and beasts, herds and flocks, are to taste nothing; they must not eat, they must not drink water. All are to put on sackcloth and call on God with all their might; and let everyone renounce his evil behaviour and the wicked things he has done. Who knows if God will not change his mind and relent, if he will not renounce his burning wrath, so that we do not perish?’ God saw their efforts to renounce their evil behaviour, and God relented: he did not inflict on them the disaster which he had threatened.


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Gospel
Luke 10:38-42

Martha works; Mary listens

Jesus came to a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. She had a sister called Mary, who sat down at the Lord’s feet and listened to him speaking. Now Martha who was distracted with all the serving said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her to help me.’ But the Lord answered: ‘Martha, Martha,’ he said ‘you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part; it is not to be taken from her.’

In today’s first reading we see that while Jonah runs away from the Lord as he refuses to carry out the Lord’s Will for him, he inadvertently converts those with him on the boat. His first converts! How did it happen? Well, he professes to them that he worships the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land. The very sea that was going to overwhelm them was made by the Lord his God! He then offers himself as a sacrifice that is to be thrown overboard so that they might be saved. And at the very end the sailors offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows. 

So, while we may think we are not up to the Lord’s task, or may feel that we are lacking or afraid, we need only remain faithful and declare Him the Lord of Heaven and of earth, He will fill the hearts of those around us with His saving Grace.

In the parable of the Good Samaritan, neither the one who takes pity on the man who fell to the hands of brigands nor the victim himself is named. He is simply a Samaritan traveller who stopped when no one else did. He binds the wounds, anoints him with oil and pours wine; in essence breathes life back into him.

Therefore, anyone who claims to be a follower of Christ must be like that Samaritan traveller, who reflects Christ Himself who bandages our wounds, heals and anoints us and is life giving. It does not matter the race, language, sex or religion of the one who is in need. We must act through the love of Christ we carry in our hearts. Amen

Saints Denis and Saint John Leonardi pray for us…

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First reading

Jonah 1:1-2:1,11

Jonah flees from his call

The word of the Lord was addressed to Jonah son of Amittai:

    ‘Up!’ he said ‘Go to Nineveh, the great city, and inform them that their wickedness has become known to me.’ Jonah decided to run away from the Lord, and to go to Tarshish. He went down to Joppa and found a ship bound for Tarshish; he paid his fare and went aboard, to go with them to Tarshish, to get away from the Lord. But the Lord unleashed a violent wind on the sea, and there was such a great storm at sea that the ship threatened to break up. The sailors took fright, and each of them called on his own god, and to lighten the ship they threw the cargo overboard. Jonah, however, had gone below and lain down in the hold and fallen fast asleep. The boatswain came upon him and said, ‘What do you mean by sleeping? Get up! Call on your god! Perhaps he will spare us a thought, and not leave us to die.’ Then they said to each other, ‘Come on, let us draw lots to find out who is responsible for bringing this evil on us.’ So they cast lots, and the lot fell to Jonah. Then they said to him, ‘Tell us, what is your business? Where do you come from? What is your country? What is your nationality?’ He replied, ‘I am a Hebrew, and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land.’ The sailors were seized with terror at this and said, ‘What have you done?’ They knew that he was trying to escape from the Lord, because he had told them so. They then said, ‘What are we to do with you, to make the sea grow calm for us?’ For the sea was growing rougher and rougher. He replied, ‘Take me and throw me into the sea, and then it will grow calm for you. For I can see it is my fault this violent storm has happened to you.’ The sailors rowed hard in an effort to reach the shore, but in vain, since the sea grew still rougher for them. They then called on the Lord and said, ‘O Lord, do not let us perish for taking this man’s life; do not hold us guilty of innocent blood; for you, the Lord, have acted as you have thought right.’ And taking hold of Jonah they threw him into the sea; and the sea grew calm again. At this the men were seized with dread of the Lord; they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows.

    The Lord had arranged that a great fish should be there to swallow Jonah; and Jonah remained in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights. The Lord spoke to the fish, which then vomited Jonah on to the shore.

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Gospel

Luke 10:25-37

The good Samaritan

There was a lawyer who, to disconcert Jesus, stood up and said to him, ‘Master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ He said to him, ‘What is written in the Law? What do you read there?’ He replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbour as yourself.’ ‘You have answered right,’ said Jesus ‘do this and life is yours.’

    But the man was anxious to justify himself and said to Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbour?’ Jesus replied, ‘A man was once on his way down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of brigands; they took all he had, beat him and then made off, leaving him half dead. Now a priest happened to be travelling down the same road, but when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. In the same way a Levite who came to the place saw him, and passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan traveller who came upon him was moved with compassion when he saw him. He went up and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them. He then lifted him on to his own mount, carried him to the inn and looked after him. Next day, he took out two denarii and handed them to the innkeeper. “Look after him,” he said “and on my way back I will make good any extra expense you have.” Which of these three, do you think, proved himself a neighbour to the man who fell into the brigands‘ hands?’ ‘The one who took pity on him’ he replied. Jesus said to him, ‘Go, and do the same yourself.’

By our baptism we had become children of God our Heavenly through Jesus His Son and the Holy Spirit. We were renewed, made pure, spotless as all our sins were washed away! We became saints, Holy unto our Papa! Praise His Holy name!

Yet it was only the beginning, for we have many battles ahead. We have to stay alert and be of sober mind. Our enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Pet 5:8 And so we constantly renew ourselves through the Sacraments our Lord established, through His Word, as we pray daily in His presence.

Let us not remain idle, for we have been empowered by our Lord Jesus Christ and the whole strength of the enemy shall never hurt us.  The power and strength we have been given is for the good of His children, our fellow sisters and brothers! So let us deliver them from any and every evil; heal and bind their wounds. So that through renewed bodies, minds and spirits together we shall praise and glorify the Lord our God as One body in Him.

We Bless You Father, Lord of heaven and earth. For you revealed Yourself to us through Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We are happy to see what we see, hear what You will us to hear. For it is our desire to glorify You by our lives. Amen

Our Lady of the Rosary pray for us…

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First reading

Baruch 4:5-12,27-29 ·

Take courage, my children, call on God

Take courage, my people,

constant reminder of Israel.

You were sold to the nations,

but not for extermination.

You provoked God;

and so were delivered to your enemies,

since you had angered your creator

by offering sacrifices to demons, not to God.

You had forgotten the eternal God who reared you.

You had also grieved Jerusalem who nursed you,

for when she saw the anger fall on you

from God, she said:

Listen, you neighbours of Zion:

God has sent me great sorrow.

I have seen my sons and daughters taken into captivity,

to which they have been sentenced by the Eternal.

I had reared them joyfully;

in tears, in sorrow, I watched them go away.

Do not, any of you, exult over me,

a widow, deserted by so many;

I suffer loneliness because of the sins of my own children,

who turned away from the Law of God.

Take courage, my children, call on God:

he who brought disaster on you will remember you.

As by your will you first strayed away from God,

so now turn back and search for him ten times as hard;

for as he brought down those disasters on you,

so will he rescue you and give you eternal joy.

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Gospel

Luke 10:17-24

Rejoice that your names are written in heaven

The seventy-two came back rejoicing. ‘Lord,’ they said ‘even the devils submit to us when we use your name.’ He said to them, ‘I watched Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Yes, I have given you power to tread underfoot serpents and scorpions and the whole strength of the enemy; nothing shall ever hurt you. Yet do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you; rejoice rather that your names are written in heaven.’

    It was then that, filled with joy by the Holy Spirit, he 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.’

I absolutely love this from the first reading! ”  ‘In those days, ten men of nations of every language will take a Jew by the sleeve and say, “We want to go with you, since we have learnt that God is with you.”

Are we then making the same impact on the lives of those who do not yet know our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ? Are the saying this of us, “Surely God is with them, for they are loving and joyful. ”” They do not judge us and are welcoming. “”We want what they have!”

O Emmanuel, dwell in the hearts of Your faithful forever. Amen

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First reading
Zechariah 8:20-23 ·

Many peoples and great nations will come to seek the Lord of Hosts

The Lord of Hosts says this:
    ‘There will be other peoples yet, and citizens of great cities. And the inhabitants of one city will go to the next and say, “Come, let us go and entreat the favour of the Lord, and seek the Lord of Hosts; I am going myself.” And many peoples and great nations will come to seek the Lord of Hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favour of the Lord.’
    The Lord of Hosts says this:
    ‘In those days, ten men of nations of every language will take a Jew by the sleeve and say, “We want to go with you, since we have learnt that God is with you.”’


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Gospel
Luke 9:51-56

Jesus sets out for Jerusalem

As the time drew near for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely took the road for Jerusalem and sent messengers ahead of him. These set out, and they went into a Samaritan village to make preparations for him, but the people would not receive him because he was making for Jerusalem. Seeing this, the disciples James and John said, ‘Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to burn them up?’ But he turned and rebuked them, and they went off to another village.

How are we living identity as children of God our Heavenly Father so loved by Him? Are we obedient unto Him and do we dwell on His Word and Will for us?

Have we grown in our relationship Him such that our greatest desire each day is to linger in His presence. To speak to our daddy, our abba, our papa! Whom blessings we long for.

He loves us so much He gave us His only begotten Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and through Him we are empowered to bring His love into the world. The power to deliver from evil and healing are just some of the ways we have been entrusted to minister to His flock, our fellow sisters and brothers. And all of us have guardian angels who are interceding for us and helping us on our mission of love.

Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here, ever this day (or night) be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen

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First reading

Zechariah 8:1-8 ·

The Lord will return to Zion

The word of the Lord of Hosts was addressed to me as follows:

‘The Lord of Hosts says this.

I am burning with jealousy for Zion,

with great anger for her sake.

‘The Lord of Hosts says this.

I am coming back to Zion

and shall dwell in the middle of Jerusalem.

Jerusalem will be called Faithful City

and the mountain of the Lord of Hosts, the Holy Mountain.

‘The Lord of Hosts says this.

Old men and old women will again sit down

in the squares of Jerusalem;

every one of them staff in hand

because of their great age.

And the squares of the city will be full

of boys and girls

playing in the squares.

‘The Lord of Hosts says this.

If this seems a miracle

to the remnant of this people (in those days),

will it seem one to me?

It is the Lord of Hosts who speaks.

‘The Lord of Hosts says this.

Now I am going to save my people

from the countries of the East

and from the countries of the West.

I will bring them back

to live inside Jerusalem.

They shall be my people

and I will be their God

in faithfulness and integrity.’

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Gospel

Matthew 18:1-5,10

Anyone who welcomes a little child in my name welcomes me

The disciples came to Jesus and said, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ So he called a little child to him and set the child in front of them. Then he said, ‘I tell you solemnly, unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. And so, the one who makes himself as little as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

    ‘Anyone who welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. See that you never despise any of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven are continually in the presence of my Father in heaven.’