Sunday Reflection - 7th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Posted: Sat, 19 Feb 2022 05:57
Today we come to the true heart of what it means to truly love, according to the vision of Jesus. It is a call to love—above and beyond! It is a love that can be challenging, as it calls on each of us to rise above our petty squabbles and more serious disputes. It is a challenging love as it asks us to love those we might find hard to show compassion for:
But to you who are listening I say: Love... Read More »
And tonight's guest is...
Posted: Tue, 15 Feb 2022 14:27
Across the world we are aware of what I like to call 'sofa TV'. While serious debate can be carried out with politicians and experts on Westminster Green, there is a cosiness with interviews seen in programmes like the 'One Show'. The chat show format is popular and can be used by Oscar hopefuls to promote their latest movie, or popular authors to encourage us to read their new blockbuster. On 'sofa... Read More »
Sunday Reflection - 6th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Posted: Sat, 12 Feb 2022 11:28
Over the next three weeks we will be sharing Luke's 'Sermon on the Plain' that corresponds to Matthew's 'Sermon on the Mount.' Today's gospel starts with Jesus coming down from the mountain: he has spent time in retreat with these twelve new friends. He comes down from the place of encounter with God and, immediately, wants to share that goodness of God. We are told that a huge crowd gathered to listen... Read More »
Sunday Reflection - 5th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Posted: Fri, 4 Feb 2022 10:32
The request of Jesus in today's gospel, 'put out into deeper waters' is something that we need to hear especially in these pandemic times. These past few years have seen us needing to draw from reservoirs of strength and integrity that, in some instances, we never knew we had. Covid-19 brought such misery and heartache to so many across the world, as we were forced to move out of established comfort... Read More »
From Hero to Zero
Posted: Wed, 2 Feb 2022 11:02
I suspect a lot of us can identify with the apostle Peter in our lives today: we want the very best for our families and friends. When he hears of Jesus speaking of the pain and suffering that going to Jerusalem will bring, Peter, as a good friend, urges him not to go forward—he wanted to ensure the safety and well-being of his friend. None of us willingly want our loved ones to suffer, and we... Read More »
Sunday Reflection - 4th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Posted: Sat, 29 Jan 2022 09:44
Rejection is always hard to accept. Years ago, I applied for a scholarship for Oxford University that I hoped would have improved my teaching. When I received the letter of rejection, I was very disappointed and took it personally. However, it forced me to work harder on a new letter of application and the interview process that followed—my semester at Manchester College, Oxford, as a Farmington... Read More »
Sunday Reflection - 3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time
Posted: Thu, 20 Jan 2022 16:22
There is a great tradition here in UK when the Queen officially opens Parliament—this happens annually and, in the "Queen's Speech", the government of the day lays out its policy for the upcoming year. It offers the world a chance to see British pageantry at its best, with slamming doors and the solemn walk of MPs from the Commons to the Lords, with party differences set to one side for a couple... Read More »
Sunday Reflection - 2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time
Posted: Sat, 15 Jan 2022 12:06
After the rest and excitement of Christmas and the New Year, today we return to the beautifully termed 'ordinary time'! However, as this past month has shown us, the birth of the Messiah changes everything—the reality is that, for Christians, nothing can be termed as 'ordinary' again. The mystic, John O'Donohue writes about finding God in the everyday: 'the Eucharist of the ordinary' is something... Read More »
Empathy
Posted: Wed, 12 Jan 2022 14:42
There are two big news stories, from both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, that have caught my attention recently—me and millions of others I suspect. Over one year on, the citizens of the USA are still coming to terms with a violent attack on their Capitol Building. A good democracy is rooted in the notion of free and fair elections, where everyone who is eligible has a vote that is counted. For... Read More »
Salesian Strenna 2022
Posted: Wed, 12 Jan 2022 11:00
(ANS - Rome) - After the official preview presentation to the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians last December 27, and after the interview the following day in which the Rector Major illustrated the message of the Strenna for 2022, on the theme, "Do all through love, nothing through constraint," the video of the Strenna is finally being officially released and accessible to all.
The video, lasting... Read More »