Sunday 4th November 2018 Gospel: Mark 12:28-34

Today we hear a very famous Gospel passage which we might dismiss easily because we feel we know it so well. Love God. Love your neighbour. It sounds simple, yet it can be so difficult. Loving God in our world today means being counter-cultural; often we are afraid to even admit that we are believers. Finding time for God can be impossible due to our hectic lifestyles; we are addicted to ‘busy’ and have become ‘time poor’. Yet we can learn to see God in the everyday, right before us, in each task, in nature, in our friends and family. We might ask ourselves today, what prevents me from loving God, for making time for God in my life? For nourishing my relationship with God?

The love of neighbour which Jesus speaks of is a controversial love. It involves a love of people we don’t know or like. It is a radical love of those that society wants to dismiss: love of the migrant, love of the homeless family, love of the drug addict, love of the prisoner, love of the earth, love of the climate refugee. Love God and Love Neighbour – it sounds so simple yet these are the toughest, most radical lines in the Gospel. It sounds like two commandments and yet they are one, interconnected and inseparable, for to love God we must love our neighbour. And by loving our neighbour we are loving God. Today let us all ask ourselves how we can live more fully this great commandment and be a shining example of Christ’s love in the world. 

November 1st - All Saints Day 2018

Who is your favourite super hero? What’s their super power? What super power would you like to have? It might be invisibility; being able to fly; shooting webs when you need to (like Spider Man!). Today we celebrate All Saints Day and, in a way, we think of the Saints as the superheroes of the church. They seem to be the ones who discovered the real. We look up to them for guidance and for prayerful help; they are like guides holding a torch for us to show us the way. We are all called to be Saints, called to be ‘holy’ like them. It often seems impossible however. We might have a favourite saint who we pray to and who we feel intercedes for us when we need it the most. So today is a very special feast as we remember those very special people who have shown us how to be better followers of Christ.

Today is also about celebrating those saints who are with us on our life journeys, those saints we know personally and love. Saints have to work against the grain and be counter cultural. Saints are all around us, pointing the way for us, teaching us something about God through their lives. They are quietly working in our communities, our families and some are well known public figures, shining examples of the love of God in our world. We might pray today especially for those who are living saints in our own lives and for the grace to be more like those ‘superhero’ saints who point us towards Christ through their lives.

Sunday July 29th 2018 ~ John 6:1-15 Jesus comes to serve.

 In John’s version of the Feeding of the 5,000 Jesus performs this great miracle and it is the sign the crowds were waiting for. There is a lot of rich symbolism in this passage referring to Jesus as the Bread of Life, the one who will satisfy people’s hunger, the great teacher. But perhaps the final lines tell us a lot about the type of ‘King’ Jesus really is. The crowds are so enthused by Jesus’ miracles and teaching that they want to ‘take him by force and make him King’. Jesus tries to discourage them from their own ideas of Kingship. His Kingship involves a different path to the one the crowd are expecting. Jesus is cautious and to escape the attention, perhaps to be alone and pray, he takes himself out of this situation and retreats to the mountain. It could be tempting to give in to the crowd and have them declare you as their king. Jesus’ example of leadership is service in today’s Gospel, feeding the people, nourishing the people, meeting their needs. It also shows us how God can work with what we have to offer, no matter how little that sometimes is, He can turn this into much fruit.

A final lesson may be for those in authority of any sort, that they know when it is time to leave the people they serve, to reflect on their mission, to recharge and nourish themselves. Only in this way can they listen to the Spirit and experience the inner freedom necessary to lead as servant.

July 22nd 2018 Gospel: Mark 6:30-34 Crowds and Shepherds

The Gospel today emphasises the importance of taking time for yourself as Jesus takes the disciples to a deserted place after all their hard work. It teaches an important lesson about remaining connected to Jesus if we are to be his followers. It is unfortunate for them that their break is interrupted. The crowd are thirsty for more and suffering from a lack of real leadership. Jesus has so much compassion for the people that the phrase Mark uses actually means he felt compassion in his intestines! A biblical way of saying he felt compassion for them in the pit of his stomach.

Next month we greet the shepherd of the Catholic Church as Pope Francis comes to Ireland for the World Meeting of Families. It will be a momentous occasion, a once in a life-time experience to see and to hear from a Pope who has so much to say to us about sharing the Gospel message in our world. He calls us to be joyful Christians, to reach out to the poor and abandoned, to be disciples in our families, communities, on the streets and to help build a world that is true to Christ’s vision for this world. Pope Francis is a leader who inspires many. Whether you are travelling to the festival or watching it at home we pray for the success of this extraordinary event. Let us pray today for leaders in our church and in our communities that they will inspire people, nurture people and listen to the Spirit who guides us on this path.

July 15th 2018 Gospel: Mark 6:7-13 A better world.

Being a follower of Jesus means to be ‘sent out’. Our spiritual lives ought to be visible on the outside through our actions and dealings with others. The disciples are sent in twos for companionship but also as a team, one person cannot have all the gifts and there is support in working with another.

We might interpret the many demons that they cast out as all those things in the world that are not of the Spirit, the injustices in our world. Jesus sends the disciples out to work for a better world, to bring more love, compassion and peace to those that they encounter. They go and urge people to repent, to turn around. This is one of the goals of their mission and Jesus’ mission: to turn the world around.

Jesus’ instructions to shake the dust from their feet when they feel unwelcome may seem harsh at first. We too may fear rejection and when we experience it, it can leave us feeling exhausted and upset. Perhaps the message here is to free ourselves and move on; to not let that disappointment and upset control our lives because if we do, we lose our freedom, it holds us back and it starts to define us. In the midst of that experience, our true mission can become lost. As we prepare to welcome Pope Francis to Ireland, let us go out and bring joy and hope to those we encounter.

  “You might be the only Gospel which people read.”

July 8th Gospel: Mark 6:1-6 Prophets & Home Countries

Prophets and home countries – it’s a well known phrase. You don’t have to go too far to see examples of this Gospel around you. Anyone who returns to their home town with new knowledge and wisdom will soon be put in their place. This is what occurs in Jesus’ home town of Nazareth in today’s Gospel. Even though the crowd are impressed by the local carpenter’s son, astounded even, and note that he has great wisdom, still He could do no deed of power there. It is definitely a reality check experience. Have you ever had this experience in your own life? A time you were really excited about a new found knowledge or inspired by a great event or speaker; yet when you returned to tell friends or family members they made fun of you or greeted you with cynicism? Or you can imagine yourself in the crowd today, listening to the local carpenter’s son, so full of wisdom and great teachings, yet you can’t quite believe it. In the end the Gospel tells us that Jesus, having been unable to do any deeds of power there, left and went around the villages teaching. Simply put, there are times when you have to move on.

“Lord how often you have sent Jesus to us in the form of someone we knew well, but they were just too ordinary for us. All we could see was the carpenter, the son of our neighbour . . . So the great miracle you had in store for us could not be worked. Lord have mercy.” (Michel de Verteuil)

July 1st 2018 ~ Talitha Kum!

Today’s Gospel offers us two stories of the healing miracles of Jesus showing us something of how God’s grace can enter our lives and transform our situations. We can all recall times when we were struggling, whether it be with a relationship or illness. We needed something to move us, to help us forgive, to help us walk away or to relieve us of physical pain. In the end it can be the simple gestures that save us: a kind word, someone praying for us, a gentle touch or we reach out to someone and like the woman with the haemorrhage we suddenly feel within ourselves that we are healed.

The woman is physically healed through her faith-filled action but Jesus reaches out to her in another way by calling her ‘Daughter’. He restores her status among the people. She would have been completely outcasted in society because of her illness and Jesus does not let social convention dictate who he should or should not acknowledge. All are children of God. We are called to do the same, to reach out to those whom society declares ‘unclean’ and those with whom we would rather not be associated. Jesus reminds the people of this woman’s true identity as a child of God. 

As Mark returns to the account of Jairus’ daughter we hear how Jesus restores the young girl to life with the simple words: ‘Talitha, Kum!’ (little girl, get up). God’s grace is gentle yet can bring life to situations of death. What do you need healing from today? Ask the Lord for what you need.

Sunday June 24th 2018

Today we celebrate the birth of John the Baptist and listen to Luke’s account of his nativity. John’s story is one of sacrifice and humility. His parents know there will be something very special about this child. The circumstances surrounding his birth already have people amazed. Jewish historians account that John was a preacher around the time of Pontius Pilate who went around calling people to renewal! He spent a lot of time in the wilderness, eating wild things and wearing sackcloth. He must have been a very interesting and attractive figure as we are told in the gospels that people flocked to the River Jordan to be baptised by him; a sign of their repentance or renewal of relationship with God. John gathered so many followers around him that he was considered a threat to Herod Antipas who feared he might begin a rebellion. John was a preacher, a prophet, a signpost pointing people in the right direction: towards Jesus of Nazareth.

We can pray today for all those people who acted as signposts in our lives and brought us closer to God in some way, those who guided us and pointed us in the right direction when we needed it. We too are also called to be signposts for others.

‘Lord, we thank you for people who guided us, but did not try to possess us: parents, teachers, spiritual guides, friends. For a time we stood with them. Very simply, like John the Baptist, they said to us, “Look, there is the one you should follow,” and hearing this we followed that person.’

Michel de Verteuil

June 17th: Gospel: Mark 4:26-34

From small seeds:

The parable of the mustard seed seems pretty straight forward at first glance, but as always there is more to it than first meets the eye. Jesus did not compare the Kingdom of God to a majestic tree. There is an ancient text which forbade planting mustard seeds in Palestinian gardens because the shrub takes over wherever it is planted. It is wild, gets out of control, and attracts unwanted birds. The Kingdom of God grows from something small to something large, but more than that, its growth is overwhelming and it will grow even where it is not wanted. Author and activist, Shane Claiborne, compares it to kudzu, a wild vine that could blanket entire mountain areas, smother trees, even crack cement buildings.

People of Jesus’ time may have preferred the image of the lofty ‘cedars of Lebanon’ to explain God’s kingdom, where the nations could build nests like the eagles do. Now that image may have gotten a few cheers from the crowd! Mustard plants however, only stand a few feet tall. Jesus is turning the ideals of power and triumph on their head again. The image we have here is of the birds who find a home in this little shrub which cannot be curtailed. It will grow even where it is not wanted. Watch out this week for glimpses of this ‘mustard seed’ Kingdom, quietly growing. 

Sunday 10th June 2018 Gospel: “He has gone out of his mind”

In the Gospel today we hear that Jesus made a visit home. Word about this radical Teacher had gotten around and the religious leaders are not happy. In an effort to protect their son and brother, Jesus’ family try to restrain Him in order to protect Him. The people who have gathered try to dismiss Jesus’ teachings saying that he has ‘gone out of his mind’.  The religious leaders even go so far as to say that He is possessed by a demon! Perhaps their way of explaining away someone that they could not cope with. Who in our society today is explained away? Who do we wish would stop speaking out because it makes us uncomfortable? Who do we know who is speaking the truth and yet is dismissed by those in authority? Who tries to silence others?

One of the criticisms of Christians today is that we are not Christ-like or we are no longer challenged by the Gospel message. Sometimes it is easier to ‘keep your head down’. But Jesus knows that in order to bring change, to work for God’s Kingdom of love and justice and peace, this involves sticking your head above the parapet, whether that be in our communities, our families or in our church. 

“I began to wonder if anyone still believed Jesus meant those things He said. I thought if we just stopped and asked ‘what if He really meant it?’ it could turn the world upside down. It is a shame Christians have become so normal.”  (Shane Claiborne, The Irresistible Revolution)

June 3rd 2018 Corpus Christi

On the feast of Corpus Christi we celebrate the gift of the Eucharist. It was one of the last actions of Jesus to give us this nourishment for our life journey, to remember Him and to help us to live out His teachings in our daily lives.

As Christ’s followers we are all called to change from within so that we can be part of the building of a Kingdom of love, justice and peace in this world, so that we ourselves are transformed in some way. The Eucharist, as Pope Francis says, “is not a prize for the perfect but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak”. It is a call for all of us to grow and to share with one another Christ’s message of love and peace. The Eucharist sustains us on this Christian path and brings us together as sisters and brothers travelling together on this journey of faith. We should leave this table changed by the encounter, a little lighter, a little more hopeful and joyful, a little stronger. In a movie I saw recently there was a line which said ‘the world will only change as we change’. The Eucharist invites us to this transformation. Because “in the Eucharist, God comes to us not from above, but from within. In the Eucharist the whole cosmos gives thanks to God… it is itself an act of cosmic love... The Eucharist joins heaven and earth; it embraces and penetrates all creation.” (Pope Francis, Laudato Si).

April 29th – 5th Sunday of Easter: Gospel: John 15:1-8

Stay connected…

As with all good vine growers, God cares for His crop, nurturing it, pruning it, giving it all it needs so that it can grow and reach its full potential. We are no doubt the branches. What does it mean to be a branch? Branches must be connected to the vine or they bear no fruit. Even those branches that do bear fruit, they need pruning so that they can grow and bear even more fruit. As we are all too well aware, productivity seems to be the measure of success in the world today, in our education systems, in the workplace, in economics; we are measured by what we produce. Is Jesus really adding on the pressure in this Gospel passage by telling us that he wants to see results or else!?

Perhaps we can read this passage in terms of connectivity. Think of your most intimate friendships and relationships. You don’t measure their weight in terms of produce do you? But you do want to stay connected right? It is this closeness, this intimacy that Jesus calls us to: “abide in me”. Are you connected or disconnected? If the connection is strong, then fruit bearing comes naturally and people will see the Gospel in our lives and in the way we respond to the world. If we are connected, all manner of things are possible for us.

“People see the Gospel in our lives; let them read our lives” Pope Francis

April 22nd 2018 4th Sunday of Easter - Gospel: John 10:11-18

The Good Shepherd

In Jesus’ time, being a shepherd was not a pleasant job. Sheep became easily lost and the shepherd’s job was to guide them back to safety. There were many dangers and the sheep were totally dependent on the shepherd. Shepherds would round up their sheep in the evening and guide them into their pen. But it had no gate so the shepherd would have to lie across the space in case the sheep were attacked in the night. The shepherds literally lay down their lives for their flock. John compares the sacrifice of the shepherd to the ‘hired hand’ who is not really committed to the flock. He does what he has to but flees at the first sign of trouble.

This Good Shepherd Sunday the Gospel describes Jesus as the ‘genuine’ Shepherd who wants a personal relationship with each one of us and who would lay down his life for us. The Gospel emphasises the importance of relationship as the shepherd knows his flock and cares for them. They ‘Follow Him’ and it is not a Facebook or Twitter type of following, rather it is a genuine relationship. Everyone matters to the Good Shepherd, regardless of their situations. We are told “I know my own and my own know me”. We are called today to follow Jesus in a more personal more intimate way. Even when we stray off the path and get lost, it is then especially that the Good Shepherd comes looking for us.

“We think we are feeling from God, but in fact we are running into his arms”. (Meister Eckhart)

Easter Sunday 1, 2, 3 . . . 2018 (Year B)

April 1^st 2018 – Easter Sunday Gospel: John 20:1-9

For as yet they did not understand . . .

Today we celebrate the highpoint of the Christian calendar, Easter. The Gospel tells us that Mary Magdalen is the first witness to the Resurrection. ‘It was still dark . . .’ when Mary went to the tomb but it was also the ‘first day of the week’, a new beginning. We might recall those situations in our lives which seemed so dark, where we felt that there was no light at the end of the tunnel.

Whatever our ‘death’ experiences may be, we revisit them, going to the tomb as usual. And then we realise that something has changed, the stone has rolled away. Let the stone and linen wrappings in this text today represent all that keeps us from being free; all that keeps us captive, emotionally, physically, spiritually, in our broken relationships and struggling communities. However big that stone appears to be our faith in the resurrection of Jesus tells us that this stone can be moved. Think of all the situations in our world which need transformation, the homelessness crisis, the violence on our streets, our own sorrow. The Easter Gospel shows us that these situations can be transformed, even though it is often a painful journey. Once we experience the resurrection we are called to radical change and to share this transformative joy with others.

“Jesus you are with us. Keep us ever mindful of how you are a part of our lives in a deep and profound way. Surprise us with a touch of your love in places where we never thought that we would find you.” (Joyce Rupp)

April 8^th – 2^nd Sunday of Easter: Gospel: John 20:19-31

We do not come through suffering and difficult times unscarred. We are changed by them. Often it brings some sort of growth into our lives and usually it is not a pleasant experience. Today’s Gospel shows us that even in those difficult times, faith can be transformative. Jesus came and stood amongst the disciples even though the doors were firmly closed. The peace that he gives them (Shalom) is a peace of body, of mind and of spirit and it moves the disciples from despair and being ‘lock away’ to ‘rejoicing’. Jesus then asks the disciples to be an unending witness to God’s love. They, and we, must be for others what Jesus has been for them. The Risen Jesus is active in all our lives and in the world around us, but we must be careful not to close ourselves off or let fear take over. It is not easy as we often meet cynicism and doubting. Yet, John tells us that he writes these things so that we may come to believe and have life; reminding us of the importance of the Word of God for our lives. Through the Word we come to know Jesus more deeply and can experience this Peace that he offers us.

“For even if the whole world believed in resurrection, little would change until we began to practice it. We can believe in CPR, but people will remain dead until someone breathes new life into them.” Shane  Claiborne

April 15^th 3^rd Sunday of Easter Gospel: Luke 24:35-48

“You are Witnesses of these things”

Today’s Gospel is one of the resurrection accounts from St. Luke’s Gospel. It begins with the disciples recalling their experience on the road to Emmaus and how they recognised Jesus in the breaking of the bread. The Gospel continues into another account of the Risen Jesus with his disciples. Jesus interrupts the disciple’s story and greets them with “Peace” (Shalom) yet, in this account, they are terrified by this. Jesus shows them his wounds and Luke tells us that they are full of joy, but they still can’t believe it and think it is a ghost. Jesus shows them that he is no ghost as he asks for food and eats fish with them. Jesus then journeys with them back through the scriptures in order to open their minds. He speaks to them compassionately.

Jesus tells the disciples that ‘you are witnesses of these things’. Luke wants to establish an important point, that these disciples are witnesses to the Resurrection, they ate with Jesus after his death and he opened their minds. The Resurrection accounts in the Gospels are not fantasy, they are the actual experiences of Jesus’ disciples. Our Easter faith is based on their testimony. Once Jesus has opened their minds to understand the scriptures he tells them to go out and preach it in His name.  

“Every year the dull and dead in us meets our Easter challenge: to be open to the unexpected, to believe beyond our security, to welcome God in every form, and trust in our own greening.” (Joyce Rupp)

Second Sunday of Lent: Transfiguration

Can you recall a time when you had an ‘aha moment’? One of those moments when something suddenly makes perfect sense to you. It may have been a long time coming, a combination of various pieces of a jigsaw fitting together or it may be an insight you receive from prayer or spiritual practice. These are really special moments. We are never quite the same afterwards, something changes, even a small thing, but something in us changes. These ‘aha’ moments even move us outside of ourselves or beyond ourselves in some way. They are moments of transfiguration. This is what is happening to the disciples in today’s Gospel: a very deep and significant ‘aha moment’. Peter is desperate to stay on the mountain in that blissful moment with Jesus, so much so that he offers to build tents. One can understand Peter’s request, after such an occurrence of course he would want to stay there. 

What moments of encounter in your own life do you recall? An encounter that you simply did not want to end? It may be something very deep and meaningful which gave you a glimpse of God or a moment of complete contentment? As with all blissful moments, the disciples must come down from the mountaintop. Jesus’ way involves walking a very different path, a path that will not be so easy. Jesus’ way is different to what Peter may have had in mind. No doubt these moments of Transfiguration strengthen us all for walking the more difficult paths.

First Sunday of Lent 2018 ~ Operation Transformation

I love Lent, it’s a great season where we can get in ‘transformation’ mode. Regardless of whether or not someone is still ‘practicing’ their faith, people still seem to get on board with Lent. We usually give something up but remember it’s not simply about weight loss or getting fit. By doing these things we are trying to make room for something deeper. It’s a spring cleaning sort of time. What needs clearing out in my life so that I can make more room for God? 

Or often we need to make more room for what God has planned for us? We can get stuck, especially when we are comfortable and don’t really want too much to change. But without change we can’t grow and things fast become stale in our lives. God is always urging us on because God knows just what possibilities there are for each of us. So Lent might be a time where in giving up something or taking on something, we make space for something new. The Gospel today is short and sweet – Jesus is sent into the desert and we too are invited into a desert time. Deserts are interesting places which can allow us to reflect, give ourselves space and we should not be afraid because as the Gospel tells us clearly today, it is a SPIRIT LED desert. God is with us in this desert. So enjoy Lent, embrace it. How we make use of this time determines what will be.

Sunday February 11th Gospel: Mark 1:40-45

“Stretched out his hand…”

Jesus, in today’s Gospel, cures a leper by the healing touch of his hand. A leper was completely out-casted from society, and still today there are many people in our own society who are completely alienated and stigmatised.  Jesus is moved with pity for this man. What moves you with pity? Who do you pity? What alienates you from others? Who is alienated in our communities? Who is it that we need to reach out to? Jesus’ ‘pity’ also conveys anger at the leper’s situation. Jesus sends the man to the priests, as a testimony to them. It is the religious of Jesus’ time who have alienated this man. What they are incapable of doing, Jesus has done by ‘stretching out his hand’ in love.

Jesus, in Mark’s Gospel, is forever asking people to keep quiet and not tell anyone about what he does. Yet, after such a radical encounter with God which frees this man from all that keeps him trapped, of course he would be shouting from the roof tops.  Why would Jesus want his miracles to be kept a secret? Jesus wants to be able to fulfil his mission without attracting the wrong kind of attention. Eventually those who are against him will compile evidence but, for now, the less they know the better.  We might think today of those who bravely speak out, even if it means they are punished in some way. May all of us have the courage, like the man who is healed in the Gospel today, to proclaim the truth, even if it costs us.

Sunday February 4th - Gospel: Mark 1:29-39

Jesus the Healer

In today’s Gospel we read about Jesus’ first healing in Mark’s Gospel. Jesus hears of the illness of the mother of Simon’s wife and goes to her. Due to the purity laws of his time this scene would have been considered controversial. His first healing is of a woman and we are told that he touches her, raises her up; he completely restores her to health. Many of his actions here would be considered taboo.

The ‘whole city’ was crowded around the door as people wanted to also be healed. What a commotion! Jesus, very early on in his ministry is clearly a very popular, attractive figure.  Jesus is The Healer. We might ask ourselves today: who do we know who is in need of healing of any kind? This week, how can we reach out to them?

Another important aspect of this story is that Jesus does not remain comfortable in this house. He keeps moving, keeps going outward. This requires so much energy and an outpouring of love for those in need. Jesus shows us in today’s Gospel what it takes to stay connected, to re-energise ourselves for our various tasks: quiet time and space for real encounter with God. Even then, the people hunted for him. ‘Everyone is searching for you’, and still today, everyone is searching. It is up to all of us to help those on this journey, the seekers, the lost and those in need of healing. We cannot break new ground unless we are inwardly free and connected to that Divine Presence within us and in our world.

Luke 2 ~ Presentation of Jesus in the Temple

Simeon and Anna welcome Mary, Joseph and Jesus to the Temple. They have been waiting for this moment. What kind of Messiah were they expecting? Simeon welcomes this family who must have seemed ‘ordinary’ and poor. He can see that this child will be ‘a light…for the glory of your people’. Already there is a note of reversal; of boundaries being stretched. Mary is told that this child ‘is destined for the fall and the rising of many’. There will be trouble ahead; there will be challenges for many. Simeon knows that many thoughts will be exposed, what people really think will be revealed, who they welcome and who they exclude will be challenged; for God’s invitation and welcome has no boundaries. This will be uncomfortable for some. 

Anna rejoices for all those who were looking for a change, for hope, she knows that this child will overturn systems of oppression and exclusion. Luke is interested in how humanity responds to the Gospel. If Jesus’ message is really good news, then this requires a shakeup; a shakeup which challenges comfortable assumptions about the way God works. God’s abundant invitation to all may not sit comfortably with many. While Anna prays and fasts for a change of heart in the way Jerusalem operates, Simeon warns Mary that this will not be an easy road. 

What situations in our own society and in our church require a shake-up, an uncomfortable but necessary change so that God’s love and welcome can shine through?