Rethinking familiar stories
24 December 2010
When we hear the Christmas story proclaimed in the Gospel of Luke, we are more than likely so very familiar with the basic story line, that we simply switch off, or switch into sentimental childhood memories replete with lots of non-biblical details. When we actually look closely at the story, perhaps what we see in…
Big dreams and promises
19 December 2010
In our final Advent Sunday, the magnificent prophecies from the book of Isaiah turn with a very specific promise made to a very specific king – the young man Ahaz (only 20 in 735BCE) who finds himself hemmed in from every side by enemies. He doesn’t know where to turn and is most likely quite…
Waiting and growing
12 December 2010
Advent, Season of Growth, Seasons, Year A
As we celebrate Gaudete (Rejoice!) Sunday, we remain with the figure of St John the Catholic Baptist – but now, we are not at the very beginning of his prophetic ministry, but almost at the end. He is in prison because of his objections to the marriage of the claimed king of Israel, Herod (who…
Washed in the desert
4 December 2010
Advent, Season of Growth, Seasons, Year A
As we continue our journey through this sacred season of Advent, we are again given the majestic vision of the glory of the Lord bringing peace and unity to all creation – all as the fruit of a small shoot that grows from the root of Jesse. As Christians, we profess that this shoot is…
Gathering on the mountain
28 November 2010
As we begin a new liturgical season, and indeed a new year – the first year in our three year cycle of readings – it seems appropriate that the first image that is presented to us is something that is so deeply ingrained in my psyche – the mountain as a sacred place. I grew…
A king on a cross
20 November 2010
Christ the King – the final Sunday in the Season of the Year. This feast, and the image of king, undoubtably invokes many images. This week it was announced that Prince William and Kate Middleton were finally engaged which caused many hearts to race in anticipation of a royal wedding in the middle of 2011….
Asteroids and kingdoms
15 November 2010
Sunday 33 in Year C; Luke 21:5-19. In the Gospel, which takes place in the final days of Jesus ministry in Jerusalem, the country-yokel disciples remark on how magnificent the temple is. Thinking back to the impression that the very first time that I beheld the incredible magnificence of St Peter’s Basilica in Rome some…
Life, death, hands, feet, bodies and couches
6 November 2010
Now that our journey with Jesus to Jerusalem has finally reached its climax in the triumphant entry into the city, the tension only continues to increase. Likewise, as the liturgical year rapidly draws to a close, the church this week offers readings that invite us to reflect on what happens to us – and very…
The today of salvation
31 October 2010
As we move into the final stage of our journey to Jerusalem in the gospel of Luke we find Jesus on the move through the town of Jericho. On the wings there appears this short, wealthy chief tax collector who for some unknown reason decides that climbing a tree is a good way to avoid…
Religion binds us
23 October 2010
The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector (Luke 18:9-14) invites us to reflect not just on what true prayer is about, but also on what religion is all about in the first place. The parable encourages us to ponder deeply about the truth of what we share in common – especially as we…
Trusting in God’s goodness
16 October 2010
The Gospel (Matthew 6:25-34) chosen for the feast of St Mary of the Cross provides an amazing antidote to the modern (and ancient) tendency to worry about just about everything – what we are to eat, drink, wear. Is the vision that Jesus expresses simply Utopian or does this teaching of Jesus and the lived…
Naaman’s spiritual odyssey
9 October 2010
Sunday 28C – The healing of ten lepers in Luke 17 is a classic Lukan story that has its proper place on the journey of Jesus to Jerusalem. But to truly understand the power of this story for our own lives we need to revisit the full story of the healing of Naaman that we…
The decision of the dishonest manager
19 September 2010
Sunday 25C – Luke 16:1-13 Across the Gospels, Jesus tells something like 40 parables (a good biblical number); there are 23 in Matthew, 9 in Mark, 28 in Luke but none in John; seven are found in all three of the Synoptic Gospels (Mt, Mk, Lk) and various ones are found in two gospels; some…
A hunger to be fed
19 September 2010
Celebration of First Holy Communion (Readings from the feast of Body and Blood of Christ) in St John Vianney Parish. The final of two special Masses. Like when Jesus gathered with his disciples, we continue to gather to be fed by the Lord in the readings and to be united by him in this meal…
Grace is found beyond justice
11 September 2010
Sunday 24 (Year C) – Luke 15:1-32 I heard during the week of an Australian policeman who has been working for many years in the highlands of Papua New Guinea with the local tribes people there. For many generations their custom has been to seek vengeance for any slight or injury through violence, and consequently…
New life and new hope
11 September 2010
Celebration of First Holy Communion (Readings from the feast of Body and Blood of Christ) in St John Vianney Parish at the first of two special Masses. Like when Jesus gathered with his disciples, we continue to gather to be fed by the Lord in the readings and to be united by him in this…
Happy Fathers’ Day – so hate your mother and father!
5 September 2010
Sunday 23 – season of the year (C); Fathers’ Day In the Gospel today, we have this most striking response by Jesus as the crowds of people flock to hear him – ‘unless you hate your father, mother, sister, brother, wife/husband, children and even hate yourself, you cannot be my disciples.’ Clearly Jesus needs to…
Mount Zion and the heavenly Jerusalem
29 August 2010
In the liturgy of this 22nd Sunday (Year C), we are given an insight into exactly what is really happening when we gather for the Eucharist, with this magnificent reading from the book of Hebrews. All that we see around us, as rich and as beautiful as it usually is, is only a glimpse of…
Entering the gate of Jesus
21 August 2010
Many years ago, when I was a uni student in Sydney, I wanted to head back home to Bega for a family function. These was the days before the Internet (remember those?) so I bought the bus ticket from a travel agent and duly headed into the Coach Terminal at Central Station to catch the…
Mary and the Ark
15 August 2010
The liturgy of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin presents a cacophony of images to us: the Ark of the Covenant in the temple of heaven; a woman clothed with the sun with the moon at her feet and a crown of twelve stars; a pug-ugly, fearsome and hungry dragon; and then by contrast the…
It has pleased the Father to give you the kingdom
8 August 2010
19th Sunday, Year C (Feast of Blessed Mary MacKillop) It is appropriate that the Australian church remembers Blessed Mary MacKillop today, with the opening line of the Gospel (Luke 12:32-48) being a powerful reminder to us the idea of grace – ‘There is no need to be afraid, little flock, for it has pleased your…
Vapour, riches and hell
31 July 2010
We have in today’s Gospel one of only two times in the parables of Jesus when he describes some action committed by a person that it deserves only one judgement – death. Like the other story (the rich man and Lazarus, also in the gospel of Luke, 16:19-31) the cause of this terrible judgement is…
Praying honestly
25 July 2010
17th Sunday – Season of the Year. Luke 11:1-13 – Lord teach us to pray. If we are honest, I suspect that most of us would admit that we are not very good at praying, or at least that our prayer life is not nearly as good as it should be. So what do today’s…
Two visions of discipleship
18 July 2010
The short story of Martha and Mary (Luke 10:38-42) is often told in terms of the contemplative life versus the active life. Even though Mary seems to be the hero of the story, it is Martha who is honoured with the feast day (29 July) – perhaps that at least provides some balance for the…
The Samaritan redeemer
10 July 2010
In the parable of the ‘Good Samaritan’ in Luke 10, the Fathers of the Church saw so much more than a simple moral parable. They saw the whole story of salvation of every one of us as the one who stops and shows compassion provides healing, nourishment and redemption for every person who journeys down…
On a mission from God
4 July 2010
14th Sunday in the Season of the Year (C) Having just moved from Nowra to Fairy Meadow parish, I can see why Jesus instructs his disciples not to move from house to house: for any of you who have moved recently, you will know what a pain it is to pack and move. In this…
Freedom and the iPhone 4
26 June 2010
Discipleship, Season of Growth, Teaching, Year C
13th Sunday in the Season of the Year (C) – Setting our face toward the Lord. In the first reading from I Kings, we meet Elijah at the end of his ministry, when his service begins to be more about Elijah than the Lord, so the Lord essentially tells him that his services are no…
Jesus in 3D
20 June 2010
Experiencing Jesus in 3D. Often we are content to stay with the images or ideas that we had about Jesus from our childhood. But there is so much more that we can experience about the historical and spiritual reality of Jesus of Nazareth, as he puts the same question to us that he put the…
Hair and tears
12 June 2010
Season of Growth, Solemnity, Year C
11th Sunday in the Season of the Year. Also Immaculate Heart of Mary (Diocesan Feast) and Mission Sunday Appeal. Also the Sunday when my move to Fairy Meadow Parish was announced… Announcement of Co-Cathedral Like a great artistic masterpiece, Luke tells the story of the day that a Pharisee invited Jesus to a festive meal,…
A priest of El Elyon
6 June 2010
The first reading from Genesis presents the intriguing character of Melchizedek, king of Salem, and priest of El Elyon (God Most High) who offers Abram a sacrifice of bread and wine. Why is this significant for the celebration of this feast of the Eucharist? There are two significant points of distinction about the passage from…