Christmas 2024

Christmas Eve: the church is aglow with candlelight, the air thick with the scent of incense, children abound, life is vibrant and the choir is in song, and the pews packed with people—some regular parishioners, others unfamiliar faces. There’s something uniquely beautiful about this gathering, where everyone, regardless of their spiritual journey, feels the pullContinue reading “Christmas 2024”

To whom do we listen?

In the readings this weekend the responsorial psalm, gospel acclamation and gospel all reference sheep and shepherds. ‘The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.’ Shepherds ensured that their sheep were well-nourished and protected. They made sure the health of the sheep was attended to and the sheep were free to liveContinue reading “To whom do we listen?”

Women in Scripture that lead with strength

I recently re-read Judges Ch 4 and 5 and refreshed my memory on Deborah. Wow – what an inspirational woman. Here we have someone who is a prophetess and a judge and a military leader. The song of Deborah (Judges 5) is one of the oldest pieces of Hebrew Scripture dating back (possibly) to 12thContinue reading “Women in Scripture that lead with strength”

What will the future say about us?

What if future historians use social media to recount our history? Not a very accurate picture indeed! We hold back on posting truth to avoid being negative – how many times do we read a post about someone when our experience may be incredibly different? It is appropriate, I believe, to hold back, but whatContinue reading “What will the future say about us?”

Finding what was lost

Losing something (or someone) can be the greatest challenge. Sometimes, you can restore and locate, other times, you have to learn to move on without that person. Even when it is a person, and they will never be there again, we seek to find something to fill the gaping hole left behind. In the ParableContinue reading “Finding what was lost”

His love is everlasting

At Mass this evening the response for the Psalm was about praising God for he was good, ‘his love is everlasting’. I thought about that last phrase. Love is not restricted to God. We love. So what makes his love ‘everlasting’ or beyond our human capacity? Surely my love for my child is everlasting? Well,Continue reading “His love is everlasting”

Where the veil is thin

In the Gospel of Mark (from Palm Sunday) we hear, ‘And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom’. Now this was no mean feat! Traditionally, according to the Talmud, the veil of the Temple was about 10cm thick; it was to separate mankind from the Holy of Holies, symbolicallyContinue reading “Where the veil is thin”