Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7/ Ps 51(50)/ Romans 5:12, 17-19/ Matthew 4:1-11 We are now in the season of Lent, we join Jesus in the desert, not a physical desert of sand and stone, but a spiritual desert, forty days that stretch before us like a holy invitation. A time when we walk alongside Jesus into a place of testing, a place of hunger, a place where the devil prowls. Why do we do this? Why would Jesus submit Himself to such hardship? Because Jesus loves us. Though He was fully di

Sirach 15:15-20/ Ps 119(118)/ 1 Corinthians 2:6-10/ Matthew 5:17-37 When we go on a journey to somewhere unfamiliar, we might use a GPS. We enter the destination, the device calculates the route, and off we go. What happens if we ignore the directions? What happens when we think we know better and take a shortcut that turns out not to be a short cut after all? We end up lost, frustrated, and wasting time going in circles. God's commandments are like a GPS system for our lives

Isaiah 58:6-10/ Ps 112(111)/ 1 Corinthians 2:1-5/ Matthew 5:13-16 Have you noticed how some things lose their power when they are not used? A torch sitting in a drawer does nothing for anyone. Salt left in a salt cellar can never enhance a meal. But when these simple things are used, when a torch shines and salt seasons, they can transform things. Today, Jesus gives us two powerful images that reveal exactly who we are called to be, salt and light. Not salt sitting unused in

Zephaniah 2:3; 3:12-13/ Ps 146(145)/ 1 Corinthians 1:26-31/ Matthew 5:1-12a We live in a time when the loudest voices get the most attention, when self-promotion is considered a virtue, when influence is measured by followers and 'likes'. We are surrounded by a culture that tells us to market ourselves, to climb the ladder, to make our mark on the world. The truth we learn today is that God's way is different. The readings today call us to change, they present us with a radic

Isaiah 9:1b-4/ Ps 27(26)/ 1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17/ Matthew 4:12-17 We live in a world powered by electricity. We flip a switch, and there is light. We adjust a thermostat, and warmth fills our homes. We plug in our devices, and we are connected to the world. We take this power for granted, until suddenly, we do not have it anymore. The recent storm reminded us of this reality in a dramatic way. When the power went out, some of our homes and businesses sat in darkness for da

Isaiah 49:3, 5-6/ Ps 40(39)/ 1 Corinthians 1:1-3/ John 1:29-34 As the memory of Christmas recedes we are called to recognise who the baby born in a stable so long ago is and what he means to us in our lives. John the Baptist gives us the answer with the words: "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world." These words are so familiar to us, we hear them at every Mass. The priest lifts the consecrated host and makes John's proclamation: "Behold the Lamb of God

Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7/ Ps 29(28)/ Acts 10:34-38/ Matthew 3:13-17 Few of us will remember our baptism with most being newly born babies when our parents brought us to church with our godparents and promised to bring us up in the faith. It is a useful reminder today of what that baptism meant for us. Baptism is the first and most important of the sacraments because it is the normal way to salvation and is the gateway sacrament without which none of the other sacraments can be rece

Sirach 24:1-2, 8-12/ Ps 147/ Ephesians 1:3-6, 15-18/ John 1:1-5, 9-14 What presents did we receive this Christmas? As the day recedes in our memory let us again consider the greatest gift we have been given. While the world has already packed away Christmas, moving on to sales and resolutions, we are still here, still standing at the manger, still pondering the incredible mystery of who this child is. So we should be, because this isn't just a nice holiday story that fades wi

Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14/ Ps 128(127)/ Colossians 3:12-17/ Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23 Today we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, a celebration that comes in the Christmas season, reminding us that the Word made flesh did not come into this world as a solitary figure, but as a member of a family. The God who created all things chose to enter human history through the most fundamental human institution. The Gospel today might come as a bit of a shock. We

Isaiah 52:7-10/ Ps 98(97)/ Hebrews 1:1-6/ John 1:1-5, 9-14 So here it is, merry Christmas! Everybody's having fun. Look to the future now, it's only just begun. Those of us of a certain age will recognise these lyrics from Slade's 1973 song that has become a staple of Christmas music heard every year. Christmas is indeed here. We have waited in anticipation and prepared for it during the weeks of Advent. We are celebrating with family and friends, and we traditionally look to

Isaiah 7:10-14/ Ps 24(23)/ Romans 1:1-7/ Matthew 1:18-24 Today we light the fourth candle on the Advent wreath to mark the final week of prayer and penance as we wait for the birth of our Saviour. This final purple candle, the ‘Angel’s Candle,’ symbolises peace. It reminds us of the message of the angels: “Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Men.” In just a few days, we will gather again to celebrate the birth of Jesus. The nativity scenes are set up in our homes and churches, t

Isaiah 35:1-6a, 10/ Ps 146(145)/ James 5:7-10/ Matthew 11:2-11 Today we light the rose or pink candle on the Advent Wreath, the Shepherds' Candle, calling us to rejoice. ‘Gaudete!’ Rejoice! Maybe today as we look at the news or recall the conversations from this past week, the command to rejoice feels almost impossible. We see conflicts escalating in many places in the world, we hear of families struggling to afford basic necessities, people isolated and lonely, and many of u

Isaiah 11:1-10/ Ps 72(71)/ Romans 15:4-9/ Matthew 3:1-12 Today we light the second Advent wreath candle representing faith and called "Bethlehem’s Candle." Micah had foretold that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, also the birthplace of King David. The second candle is also purple to symbolise preparation for the coming king.         We spend much of our time waiting, sometimes patiently, sometimes not so patiently. We wait at the airport check-in, we wait at security,

Isaiah 2:1-5/ Ps 122(121)/ Romans 13:11-14a/ Matthew 24:37-44 Today we light the first candle on the Advent Wreath. This first candle, which is purple, symbolizes hope. It is sometimes called the “Prophecy Candle” in remembrance of the prophets, especially Isaiah, who foretold the birth of Christ. It represents the expectation felt in anticipation of the coming Messiah. Every year at this time the Church starts a new liturgical year. It is a fresh start, a new beginning, a ti

2 Samuel 5:1-3/ Ps 122(121)/ Colossians 1:12-20/ Luke 23:35-43 Our image of a King is someone who rules over nations, adorned in great splendour, displaying power through clothing and symbols of the finest materials and the most valuable metals and jewels. The King we celebrate today was crowned with a crown of thorns, dressed in purple by people mocking him and spitting on him. The image of the king of heaven and earth is one of a dying tortured man nailed to a roughly cut c

Jeremiah 1:4-9/ Ps 96(95)/ 2 Corinthians 3:1-6a/ John 21:15-17 Who do we see as role models, who do we look up to, who do we follow the example of? Today our world is full of celebrities and influencers. People who seek to be in the public eye and relish the thought of having hundreds or millions of followers. The church has always had its role models, they are the saints, people who in some way have lived heroic Christian lives. The saints and modern-day celebrities both com

Ezekiel 47:1-2, 8-9, 12/ Ps 46(45)/ 1 Corinthians 3:9c-11, 16-17/ John 2:13-22 Today we celebrate a building, or rather the dedication of a building, the Lateran Basilica in Rome. This might seem to be a strange thing to celebrate when our feast days are normally dedicated to people. If you have searched for a home and visited a new build or a premises that has been freshly decorated with all the furniture and fittings removed you might have noticed how cold, dead, and uninvi

Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14/ Ps 24(23)/ 1 John 3:1-3/ Matthew 5:1-12a The feast of All Saints is usually celebrated on the 1 st of November but this year it is transferred to today. All Saints is a designated Holy Day of Obligation requiring us to attend Mass on that day. Our Bishops have decided to transfer the celebration from Saturday to Sunday. This makes life easier for us in that we are not obliged to attend Mass on Saturday for the Feast Day and Sunday for our usual weekly

Sirach 35:15b-17, 20-22b/ Ps 34(33)/ 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18/ Luke 18:9-14 In our publicity fuelled world today we seem to be encouraged at every opportunity to engage in self-promotion. There are numerous TV programs promoted as ‘celebrity’ editions when the so called celebrities are either little known or only known through their ability to self-promote rather than for some outstanding achievement. The theme of the readings for today is rather counter to the expectations of

Exodus 17:8-13/ Ps 121(120)/ 2 Timothy 3:14-4:2/ Luke 18:1-8 Too often throughout history and still today God is invoked to take one side or another in disputes and wars. The first reading for today appears on the face of it to be one such occasion. When Moses kept his hands raised in prayer his side prevailed, when he grew tired and lowered his hands the enemy took the advantage. This is not an account of how God can be called upon to take sides but a lesson in the persevera