Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica

The most important temple is the temple of a person’s soul because God dwells within each one of us, in the most secret centre of our being. 

In addition to the temple of the soul, there are many sacred places throughout the world.  There are shrines, churches, basilicas, grottos, cathedrals, and other holy places that are set aside for the sole purpose of worshipping God.  They are to be a Heaven on earth, a place where we join with the Seraphim and Cherubim singing praises to the Most Holy Trinity.  Today’s feast commemorates one such a place.  In the city of Rome, there are four major basilicas.  St John Lateran is one of them and it is the oldest and most important, because it is the Pope’s cathedral.  Not the Vatican which most people think about. 

This means St John Lateran Basilica is not only the mother church of the Archdiocese of Rome but also the mother church of the entire Catholic Faith.

In 312 when ‘Constantine the Great’ became ruler of the Western Roman Empire, he took possession of the Lateran Palace and gave it to the Pope.  The construction of the first Basilica in Rome began.  Upon its completion in the year 324, it was dedicated by Pope Sylvester and given the name the ‘House of God’, with a special designation to Christ the Saviour.  ‘Constantine the Great’ did much to help the Catholic Church flourish after legalising its practice.  He saw to it that the Lateran Basilica was beautifully decorated. 

Up until that time, the Church had suffered greatly, always fearing persecution and death.  Now it has its first cathedral in the heart of Rome, with the Roman Emperor’s full support.

In the Gospel, we witness Jesus entering the Temple in Jerusalem and driving out the money changers.  His zeal for His Father’s house is striking: “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.”  This moment is not just about cleansing a physical space, it’s a prophetic act pointing to a deeper truth.  When challenged, Jesus says, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” St. John tells us He was speaking of the temple of His body, when he laid in the tomb for three days before His Resurrection.

The Lateran Basilica stands as a symbol of unity in the Church. We worship in many parishes and chapels, we are one Church, one Body in Christ.  This feast reminds us of our communion with the Pope and with one another.  It is a call to build up the Church not just with bricks, but with lives of holiness, charity, and fidelity.

As we celebrate the dedication of this ancient basilica, let us renew our dedication to being living temples of God.  

May our hearts be places of prayer, our lives signs of unity, and our communities reflections of the holiness of the Church.

And may Christ, who zealously cleansed the Temple, purify us so that we may truly be His dwelling place.

Today, we also pray for our own Diocese of Lancaster and Bishop Paul, all the religious orders throughout the UK, and the Universal Church in general. 

Our churches are sacred places that exist to be places where we can come to encounter the Lord.  So, we pray especially for the Pope Leo today, asking the Lord to help him and support him, in mind, body and soul, may he receive many blessing on his Papal See. 

All Souls

Today, as we commemorate All Souls’ Day, we bring before the Lord the memory of all our departed loved ones.  We pray for their eternal rest, trusting in the mercy of God who is the Lord of life.

In the Gospel, Jesus comes to a town called Nain, a small village about six miles from Nazareth.  He sees a funeral procession of a young man who had died, and his mother, a widow, is heartbroken.  She had lost her only son and without a husband she has lost all means of support.  Jesus can see her pain and was deeply moved.  This moment shows us the heart of Jesus, perhaps He sees in the situation a foreshadowing of the sorrow of his own mother, at His pending death on the cross.  As the Lord of life, He doesn’t ignore the situation, He steps into it.  He brings comfort, healing, and hope.  His word brings life, even in the face of death.

Today, we remember that death is not the end.  Jesus has conquered death through His Resurrection.  The raising of the widow’s son reminds us that Jesus has power over death and He promises eternal life to those who believe in Him.

On this feast of the Commemoration of the Faithful Departed, we pray for all the souls who are on their final journey towards Heaven. 

We ask the Lord to guide them, and to bring them to the doors of paradise through the intercession of All the Saints, especially the Blessed Virgin Mary.

We remember all our loved ones who have died, also for all the Holy Souls who have no one to pray for them.

As Christians we all belong in the One Body of Christ, a community that is visible and invisible.  Our prayers for the dead are always heard, and it helps them to move closer to the Lord, bringing them peace and eternal rest to their immortal souls. 

During our Mass today, we place all our petitions upon the altar, remembering all the people currently listed in our Holy Souls box, our family members, friends, teachers, work colleagues, our war dead and all the parishioners in our diocese who have gone before us, they will always remain with us, in the depths of our inmost hearts.

Let us spend a moment of silence today as we bring our thoughts to mind, remembering the old good times, the happy times, when they were still with us, memories that we will always treasure and hold most dear. 

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them, may they rest in peace.  Amen.

All Saints

Today, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of All Saints, a feast that lifts our eyes to heaven and reminds us of our true destiny. It is a day of joy, hope, and deep spiritual reflection. We honour not only the canonised saints whose names we know within the Canon of the Church, but also the countless unnamed saints who lived holy lives in the sight of God.  They are our ancestors, our neighbours, perhaps even our family and friends.  Today, we celebrate the great multitude “from every nation, race, people, and tongue” who now rejoice in the presence of God.

The Saints, show us the way of God’s divine path, that long straight, narrow path, that many of us fall and trip upon, but we need to have the courage and the faith to climb back onboard, and carry on.  The examples of the Saints encourage us and spurs us on, telling us that our future is with God, since we are his adopted children.

The Gospel today was the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, the Beatitudes.  These words of Jesus are at the very heart of the Christian life.  They describe the character of the saints and the path to holiness.  In a sense they portray Jesus Christ Himself.

Blessed are the poor in spirit:  To be poor in spirit is to recognise our dependence on God.  The saints were not self-sufficient; they were humble.  They knew that everything they had was a gift.  St Teresa of Calcutta, for example, lived among the poorest of the poor, yet she radiated joy because she relied entirely on God’s grace and love.  

Blessed are those who mourn:  The saints were not indifferent to suffering.  Think of St Monica, who wept for years over her son Augustine until he turned to God.  Mourning in this sense is not despair, but a deep compassion and longing for God’s redemption.

Blessed are the meek:  Meekness is not a weakness.  It is a strength.  The saints were not aggressive or domineering; they were gentle and patient.  Jesus Himself said, “Learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart.”  Meekness allows us to respond to others with love. 

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness:  The saints were passionate for justice, truth, and holiness.  They did not settle for  common ground.  They longed for God’s will to be done here on earth.  This hunger drove them to prayer, to service, and to sacrifice.

Blessed are the merciful:  Mercy is the beating heart of the Gospel.  The saints were merciful because they had experienced God’s mercy themselves.  They forgave, they healed, they welcomed.  St John Vianney spent hours in the confessional, offering the mercy of God to sinners, giving people spiritual comfort.

Blessed are the pure in heart:  Purity of heart means having a single focus, a focus on the Lord.  The saints were not divided in their loyalties.  Their hearts were undistracted by worldly ambition.  They saw God in prayer, in the poor, and especially in the Eucharist.  Purity opens our eyes to the divine presence of all those around us.

Blessed are the peacemakers:  Peacemakers are not just those who avoid conflict, but those who actively build bridges.  The saints reconciled enemies, healed divisions, and brought unity.  They were children of God because they reflected the Father’s love for all His children.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake:  Many saints suffered greatly, some even gave their lives.  However, they did so with joy, knowing that their reward was in Heaven.  Persecution did not defeat them; it purified them.  Their witness inspires us to remain faithful, even in our darkest of moments.

The Beatitudes are a way of life.  They are the path to Sainthood.  Sainthood is not reserved for a few extraordinary souls.  It is the universal call, our common vocation of every Christian.  

Let us thank God for giving us ‘ordinary folk’, the ability to become Saints in the Kingdom of Heaven.    

May we one day join that great multitude of Angels and Saints in Heaven, as they sing in one chorus of exultant praise, to the Lamb of God.

30th Sunday of Ordinary Time – Year C

‘The tax collector beat his breast and said “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”’  The Lord presents to us today an image of two people praying in the temple.  The pharisees stands in prayer, his mind focused on how loyal he is to the temple, always keeping to the rules of fasting and almsgiving twice a week.  He is pleased with his outstanding level of piety and religion, oozing with pride and a sense of great security in his own uprightness. 

The tax collector, who is a social outcast, and conscious of his wrongdoing humbly confesses his sinfulness and asks for God’s mercy.  This humble prayer touches the tender heart of God, and he receives forgiveness.

Many of us, will be able to relate to the tax collector’s sheer state of sorrowfulness of heart.  Possible that he was on his knees, unable to raise his eyes to heaven, in total shamefulness of his sins.  Being desperate to receive the God’s love and mercy, he poured out his heart and soul to the Lord.  How many of us, have done the same throughout the years, in total desperation, pouring out our hearts to the Lord?  Knowing that God is the only person we can turn to.  God is our final hope.    

In the psalms we read “The lowly one called, and the Lord heard him.”  In the most desperate of times, when we are at our lowest, the Lord is always there. 

He is waiting at your side, knocking at the door to your heart, so, let us have the courage, to open that door and invite him in.

The words in the poem ‘Footprints in the sand’ seems appropriate:

 “I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life there was only one set of footprints.  I don’t understand why, when I needed you the most, you would leave me.  The Lord whispered, my precious child, I love you and will never leave you, when you saw only one set of footprints, it was when I was carrying you.” 

In our first reading we hear that ‘The prayer of the humble pierces the clouds.”  In our humbleness and total desperation, it is like pressing a red button, to turbo-boost our prayer past all other prayers, piercing through the clouds, and going straight to the altar of the Lord.  In the Lord’s loving kindness, he answers our prayers immediately, giving us instant comfort and consolation through his grace.  The Holy Spirit covering us in his presence, giving us peace in mind, heart and soul.

During our Mass today, when I offer up the gifts of bread and wine placed on the altar, you can also place all your troubles and concerns through prayer, and together, we will offer everything up to the Lord, to his Holy Altar in Heaven.

We are members the Body of Christ, a community who serves the Lord, as humble servants.  May we lose our pridefulness that eats away at the core of our heart. 

May we empty ourselves of all pride, so that, we can rely solely upon the Lord Jesus, who guides our daily thoughts.

Prayer comes from a sincere and humble heart.  If we want it to be heard, let us imitate the tax collector’s humbleness, during our next recitation of the penitential prayer of the ‘I confess’ remembering to beat our breasts at the words, “through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault,” and the Lord will hear you and give you mercy through his loving kindness.  

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year C

Today’s readings speak powerfully to us about perseverance, especially in prayer, in faith, and in our mission as disciples.  In a world that often demands instant results and quick fixes, the Word of God invites us to a deeper, and a more enduring trust in the Lord.

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus tells the parable of the persistent widow who keeps coming to the unjust judge, pleading for justice.  Though the judge neither fears God nor respects people, he eventually gives in, not because he is righteous, but because the widow refuses not to give up.  Jesus uses this image to teach us about the power of persistent prayer.  “Will not God grant justice to His chosen ones who cry to Him day and night?”  The answer is clear: Yes, God hears us. But yet, Jesus adds a sad and tender question, asking whether:  “When the Son of Man comes, will He find any faith on earth?”

This question shifts the focus from God’s faithfulness to our own faith.  Will we remain faithful?  Will we keep praying, even when answers to our prayers seem delayed?  Will we trust in God’s justice, even when the world seems unjust?

In our First Reading from Exodus, it gives us a vivid image of perseverance in action.  As Israel battles Amalek, Moses stands on the hill with the staff of God raised in his hands.  As long as his hands are raised up, Israel prevails. But when he grows tired, the tide turns.  So Aaron and Hur support his arms, helping him to remain steadfast.

This is a beautiful image of intercessory prayer and community support.  We are not called to persevere alone.  We need one another, to lift up each other, to hold each other in prayer, and to stand together in faith.

The Second Reading, from St Paul’s letter to Timothy, reinforces this call to perseverance. St Paul urges Timothy to remain faithful to the Scriptures, which are “inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” He exhorts  him to “proclaim the word, in season and out of season.” This is the mission of every Christian: to be rooted in the Word, to live it boldly, and to share it patiently, even when it’s difficult or unpopular.

So what does this mean for us today?

First, it means we must be a people of prayer.  Not just occasional prayer, but persistent, daily prayer, the kind that shapes our hearts and opens us to God’s will.

Prayer is not about changing God’s mind; it’s about aligning our hearts with His.  Like the widow, we must keep coming to the Lord, trusting that He hears us and will act in His time.

Second, we must be people of faith.  Faith is not just belief, it is trust, even when we don’t see results.  It is the conviction that God is good, that He is working, and that His justice will prevail.  

In times of trial, when we feel weary like Moses, we must allow others to support us, and be willing to support them in turn.

Third, we must be people of the Word.  Scripture is our foundation.  It teaches us who God is, how He acts, and how we are to live.  In a culture that often distorts the truth, we must be rooted in the truth of the Gospel, proclaiming it with love and courage.

Finally, we are reminded that God is not like the unjust judge.  He is our loving Father, who knows our needs and desires justice for His children.  However, He also desires our hearts:  Hearts that trust Him, hearts that persevere, and hearts that will remain faithful.

So let us take courage from today’s readings.  Let us be persistent in prayer, steadfast in faith, and bold in proclaiming the Word of God. And when the Son of Man comes, may He find in us, a faith that endures forever.

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year C

“Finding himself cured, one of them turned back praising God and thanked him.”  Today’s theme is about giving gratitude to God, and allows us to ask the question:  are we grateful to God for what he has done in our lives? 

It is so easy to take things for granted.  Good health, good friends, good food.  All these have been given by God as a gift, and it only takes a second to say a meaningful ‘thank you’.

I should have been more grateful when I was studying in seminary college.  Good company of friends, cheap beer in the bar, and sausages every Sunday for breakfast, with the customary HP Sauce.  Ah, the good old days.  In parish life it is lucky if I have time for toast and a coffee before the phone rings or the door-bell sounds.  I didn’t appreciate the timetable I had, time set aside for prayer, study and relaxation.  The only thing on seminarians minds was the date to leave college, in order to be ordained and start parish ministry.      

Ingratitude is probably the most common of all human failings.  Being taken for granted without a word of thanks can be so hurtful.  What causes most pain is the neglect and coldness of those, for whom we have done our best for.  I remember when I was a young boy, at Christmas my Mum would say to me, make sure you note down everybody’s names who had given you these Christmas presents, so you can write to them and say thank you. 

Even though it was time consuming and slightly boring, I did write those letters of thanks, saying how grateful I was to receive my gift.

If neglect and ingratitude are painful to our own friends and family, how much more is it painful to the Lord, who has given us everything? 

In the Gospel ten lepers in their misery, cried out for mercy to the Lord.  These lepers were treated as outcasts and isolated from their community.  So, Jesus answered their prayers and all ten were cleansed, but only one came back to say thank you … only one. 

Jesus expressed genuine disappointment towards the attitude of the other nine, they missed the great richness and inner joy that comes from giving thanks.  The Samaritan man returned glorifying God, who Jesus refers to as being a foreigner.  By doing this Jesus is overcoming the barrier between Jews and non-Jews, thus fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy:

“Foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, will be brought to my holy mountain.  They will be joyful, for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.”

Jesus said to the Samaritan, your faith has saved you.  Suggesting that the Samaritan received more than a physical healing, like the other nine lepers, but for the Samaritan who returned, his faith in the Lord Jesus led him to Salvation.

In our first reading today, we heard about Naaman an Aramean officer who also suffered from leprosy.  He was instructed by his King to see the prophet, Elisha.  When he arrived at an unimpressive location, Naaman half-heartedly agrees to bathe in the river Jordan.  However, his efforts were rewarded, and he was cured. 

In gratitude Naaman returns to the prophet now convinced in Israel’s God is the One true God and asks Elisha if he could take back some Israeli soil, so he could offer sacrifices to God on Holy Land, while he was back at home. 

God has brought us out of darkness into his most wonderful light.  Jesus as conquered Sin for all humanity, by His Death, Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven.  That is more than enough to be grateful for. 

We are God’s Holy people, he has done so much for every one of us.  Let us take the Samaritan’s example today, by returning to the Lord, giving praise and glory for his steadfastness of love and mercy towards us, especially in our time of need. 

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year C

Today’s readings speak to us of faith, a faith that endures, a faith that trusts, and a faith that serves.  In a world where uncertainty often clouds our vision and where suffering can shake our confidence, the ‘Word of God’ invites us to rediscover the power and necessity of faith in our lives.  The disciples ask for an increase in faith, they consider the faith they already have to be too weak.  Jesus’ reply indicates that even a little faith, small as a mustard seed, has great power, that can do the impossible.

However, we first begin with the prophet Habakkuk, who cries out to God in anguish: “How long, O Lord, must I cry for help and you do not listen?” His words echo the cries of many hearts today, those who suffer injustice, those who feel abandoned, those who wait for healing, for peace, for answers.  Habakkuk’s lament is not a lack of faith, but rather a raw and honest expression of it.  He dares to bring his pain before God, trusting that God hears him and will respond.

This is the heart of our readings today:  faith as the foundation of our lives.  Not just belief in doctrines or creeds, but a living faith, a breathing trust in God’s promises, even when they seem distant.  Faith is not a passive waiting, but an active endurance.  It is the courage to keep walking when the road is dark, to keep sowing seeds even when the harvest seems so far away.

In the second reading, St. Paul writes to Timothy, urging him to “fan into a flame, for the gift of God”.  St Paul knows that faith can grow cold if left unattended.  Like a fire, it needs to be fed, fanned, and protected.  He reminds Timothy, and us, that we have not been given a spirit of cowardice, but of “power, love and self-control.”  These are the fruits of living the faith.

Then we come to the Gospel, where the apostles make a simple but profound request: “Increase our faith.”  It’s a prayer we can all relate to.  We want more faith, especially when life is hard, when prayers seem unanswered, when we feel inadequate.  Jesus responds not by giving them a formula or a lecture, but by referencing to a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds.  In other words, it’s not about the quantity of faith, but its quality.  Even the smallest amount of genuine faith can move mountains, or uproot a mulberry tree and plant it in the sea.

So, what can we receive from today’s readings?

Firstly, like Habakkuk, we are invited to bring our questions and toils to God.  Faith does not mean pretending everything is fine.  It means trusting that God hears us, even in the silence of our hearts.

Secondly, like Timothy, we are called to rekindle our faith.  Perhaps we’ve grown weary or discouraged.  Perhaps we’ve let fear or doubt creep in.  But the Spirit within us, is not one of fear, it is one of power, love, and self-control.

And thirdly, like the apostles, we are reminded that even a little faith, when placed in the hands of God, can do great things.  We are not called to be heroes, but to be faithful servants, doing our duty with love and trust, even when we cannot see it.

Let us pray with the apostles, asking the Lord to increase our faith.  Let us allow our prayer, by trusting God in our trials, to rekindle the flame of faith within our hearts, and serve him with humility and love.

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year C

Abraham replied, “remember that during your life good things came your way, just as bad things came the way of Lazarus.”  Today this gospel speaks to us about brotherly love.  If we love someone, we share our possessions and our time with them.  But greed gets the better of us and we become selfish to our neighbour. 

We hear the rich man enjoying a life of luxury, eating and drinking the best foods.  However, he was not being reprimanded for this.  We can live comfortably and enjoy good food and drink, there’s no problem with that. 

The problem the Lord is addressing is that Lazarus was ignored, he was not given any support.  There was no charity towards him.  The sin is that the rich man, did nothing, nothing at all.  It is similar to the parable of the Good Samaritan.  When the Priests and Levites crossed over to walk on the other side, ignoring the beaten man.  How often do we ignore our neighbour in need?  Is it something we need to address ourselves in our daily life? 

The story of Lazarus is providing us today, with an opportunity to exercise charity, to overcome selfishness in order to attain eternal salvation. 

We hear the rich man wanting to send down a message to his five brothers, so they won’t fall into the same fate. 

We can also see this in ourselves, being like the ‘five brothers.’  We have been told the Good News, through the Church, at School and possibly through further studies.  However, do we accept it, do we allow it to change and mould our lives.  Nobody is exempt from the responsibilities that we have been given through Baptism to help the less fortunate.  As Christians we have an obligation to help the poor and the needy.

Times are stuff at the minute with financial pressures.  Many people are wondering how to pay the bills and also how to provide food for the table.  This is causing grieve and anxiety around the UK.  Supporting local charities like food banks will always help people who are like Lazarus needing that extra bit of support.  May we could be outreaching in our generosity. 

We have all one common vocation in life.  There is only one reason why we are here on earth.  Through God’s love, he gives us life, a free gift, in order for us to be united with him forever.  Our common vocation is Sainthood.  We are all called to become Saints, united with the Trinity.  In our second reading today, we have heard “O man of God, pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, and gentleness.”  We can only do this with God’s grace.  Through prayer and receiving the Sacraments of the Church.  Jesus Christ, the Word of God, is the source of Our Good News.

We, as human beings are unique, we are all different, in one way or another.  We are all priceless in God’s eyes, and we should also see our neighbour as being priceless in our eyes too.  People are more precious than any job or money that is earnt.  When something is priceless, we look after it well.  May we do the same with the poor and disadvantaged in our world.  As a disciple of Christ we are asked to be an example to others to follow. 

If you ever get struck and unsure what you should do in a situation, ask yourself what would Jesus do, and the Holy Spirit will guide you along the right path. 

May God’s Word, penetrate your hearts, in Hope, Love and Charity.  May we never deviate our focus on doing what is right, looking forward towards Jesus Christ, for the Glory of the Kingdom of Heaven. 

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year C

“You cannot be the slave both of God and money.”  In this passage Jesus highlights the importance of being ‘trustworthy & faithful.’  ‘The man who can be trusted in little things, can be trusted in great.’  The parable tries to explain how God expects his disciples to use wealth, as to receiving a true reward in heaven.  One’s own wealth really belongs to another, namely God.  By treating money as your own, ends up by trusting in wealth, rather in the God who allowed you to have that money.    

The manager’s behaviour in the parable seems to be dishonest and self-centred at first, always thinking about himself, asking the question ‘What shall I do?’  But the manager was trying to change his ways.  He was basically the ‘middle man’ for his masters business.  He would add on a lump sum, on top of item prices, to make a nice bonus of the sale item.  When the manager was told, he was getting the sack, he started to panic and decided to contact his masters customers, telling them of the reduce price as he removed his additional bonus from their bill.  I guess, it is like going to an expensive restaurant and when it is time to pay, you notice a ‘service charge’ that has been automatically added, and we start to grumble and moan, wondering if we have to pay this unreasonable extra amount.   

There is a link here to our first reading in the Book of Amos.  God is warning the Israelites who were trampling on the needy, by raising up the shekel and tampering with the weights on the weighing scales. 

God said he will bring judgement to the Israelites since they have failed to love their neighbour because they were abusing the poor.  They failed to love God since they were worshipping false gods in their money and wealth.

What can we take away from the Gospel parable today?  Jesus wants us to use the same effort on building up heavenly things as we would normally do towards earthly materials.  If we use the same zeal into the affairs of our soul, we would then become strong and trustworthy in faith for the Lord.

Jesus explains that God is a merciful father, and even when we are being a slave to money, we can change our ways, by repenting and practicing the virtues of the faith.  As we know, striving to help the poor in almsgiving or giving to other charitable organisations is so important.  This was the case for Zacchaeus the Chief Tax Collector, who undertook to restore fourfold anything he had unjustly taken, he also gave half his wealth to the poor.  The Lord declared on that day, salvation had come to that house.    

So, how should we behave?  We have been told the answer within our second reading.  St Paul says: ‘First of all, there should be prayers offered for everyone.  So that we may be able to live religious and reverent lives.’ 

These prayers will allow us to see that everything is a gift from God, and the Holy Spirit will guide our hearts towards works of charity.

Our service to the Lord Jesus requires us, to direct all our daily efforts and actions towards him.  As Christians we shouldn’t divide our time between God and money.  Everything we do should be to the service of God and to our neighbour, in faithfulness and right conduct. 

It is only through the grace of the Holy Spirit that we can give our total commitment to God and have a healthy detachment from material goods.  With prayer and thanksgiving, we can see the bigger picture, enabling us to focus on our heavenly rewards, building up our relationship with the Lord. 

We do it, because we love Him, unconditionally, with all our hearts, for the Glory of God the Father and through His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, to the praise and honour of His Holy Name.

The Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, a day that invites us to gaze upon the Cross not as a symbol of defeat, but as the very throne of victory, the instrument of our salvation, and the deepest revelation of God’s love for us.

In our first reading from the book of Numbers, it states that through Israel’s disobedience, God sent poisonous snakes as a judgement against the Israelites.  The Israelites failed to understand the deeper meaning of their sins, and their unwillingness to trust in God. 

God instructed Moses to make a bronze serpent and set it on a pole.  Whoever is bitten shall look at the ‘bronze serpent’ and live.  This shows confession being both a community and an individual responsibility, the raising of the bronze serpent reminded the people of the need to turn and repent to God for his healing power and forgiveness.  

In our Gospel we read “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”  This is the first of three occasions in the Gospels where Jesus refers to his death on the cross as being ‘lifted up’. 

The verb ‘lifted up’ has a twofold meaning.  It can mean being physically ‘lifted up’ from the ground.  Or being ‘lifted up’ in the sense of being exalted. 

For Jesus both these meanings are valid.  Jesus was ‘lifted up’ from the ground on the cross because His hour had come. 

And He was also ‘lifted up’ to be Exultated and Glorified, showing God’s love to the world. 

The book of Numbers reminds us that healing comes through looking upon the source of salvation.  In the desert, the Israelites were healed by gazing upon the bronze serpent; now after the Passion, we are healed by gazing upon Jesus Christ himself, being lifted high and Glorified for all the world to see.

The Cross shows us a God who enters into our pain, who does not shy away from the brokenness of the world, but embraces it fully.  Jesus did not merely teach love, He lived it to the end, stretching out His arms in a total self-gift.

We exalt the Cross today, not because we glorify in suffering, no, but because we see in it, the depth of divine love.  The Cross is not just a historical event, it is a living reality.  Every time we suffer, every time we carry burdens, we are invited to unite ourselves with Christ crucified, knowing that He is always walking by our side.

As we know, the act of crucifixion was recognised as the lowest point of humiliation given to criminals by the Roman empire.  This humiliation of the cross was undone by His ‘Own Divine Majesty.’  It was Jesus’ finest ‘hour’, conquering death forever, saving his people from their sins, and opening up for us the gates of Heaven.

The Cross is not the end, far from it, it is the beginning of the birth of the Church, where the grace of the Sacraments flow in abundance, from the pierced side of Jesus’ heart, that gives us eternal life.  The Cross is the place where mercy and justice meet, where sin is conquered, and where death is defeated.

So, as we celebrate this feast day, let us renew our devotion to the Cross.  When we make the sign of the Cross do it with reverence, wear it with pride around our necks, and live it with courage.

Never forget that in every Mass, we are brought to the foot of the Cross, where heaven and earth touch, during the Eucharistic prayer.  We see the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ being raised high above the altar.  We are looking at Jesus at Golgotha being Exalted & Glorified, during his ‘finest hour,’ his only Sacrifice, to save the world from all sin and evil, in order that we may enter paradise with Him, for all eternity.