21st Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year C

The disciples asked “Lord, will those who are saved be few?”  Today is a hard Gospel teaching.  Many people will have mixed feelings and emotions, but do not be dishearten. 

I wonder why they asked Jesus this question?  Maybe, it was because after spending so much time listening to Jesus’ teachings and then realising what he was asking them to do, many of them might have thought it would be too difficult and for others impossible to follow. 

On their own, it would be very difficult, but with Jesus and the Holy Spirit, being at their side, anything is possible.  We can all be saved.  However, unfortunately, it is not under our own terms, there are rules and commandments to follow. 

In this secular world of ours today, people are probably thinking all I need to do, to go to heaven, is to ‘be nice.’ …  Just – ‘be nice’.  However, the bible is not saying that.  The bible is warning us.  The Good news is that we can all be saved, and inherit eternal life.  But the Bad news is that not everybody in the world is going down that path, that the Lord has given them, out of their own free will.

Jesus says to the disciples, ‘Try your best to enter by the narrow door, many will try to enter and will not succeed.’  Jesus gives us today a very serious dose of reality.  There are those who will make it, and those who will not.

Pope Francis explained during one of his Papal audience addresses, that the ‘narrow door’ is Jesus himself.  He is he door, He is the gateway to Salvation.  The ‘narrow door’ is made up of our responses of obedience to Jesus’ teachings.  So, the easiest way to ensure salvation is to know what Jesus is teaching, and to put it into practice, in full trust and fidelity.  To analyse our personal responses to his call, and see if our reply is good enough, if not, then we have work to do, to remedy the situation.

Life is such a wonderful gift of love from the Lord, so valuable.   Being with Jesus forever in heaven is so precious, that there is nothing on earth that is worth sacrificing and taking a chance upon.  Keep our gaze, our goal, firmly on our eternal reward. 

So, let us today seek out the ‘narrow door’ with all our hearts.  Let us obey Jesus’ commands and continue to proclaim the Good News to the world.  Rooted in the Sacraments of the Church, may our hearts and minds be ready, focused on the ultimate goal of Eternal joy of Righteousness in the Glory of Heaven, with all the Angels and Saints, celebrating in one chorus of exultant praise in the Heavenly banquet of the Lord. 

Eternal Paradise is ours if we truly want it, by following the Lord closely in Word and deed.  

So, ‘enter by the narrow door, and recline at table, in the Kingdom of God.’

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year C

For people of the ancient world, just as for people today, it is hard to think of a greater thrill than to participate in the Olympic games, cheered on by the vast crowds towards the finish line.  This exhilarating scene is a far cry from Christian life of the readers of the Hebrews, who were discouraged as they were being persecuted because of their faith.  However, according to scripture, as disciples we are on a racecourse heading towards a triumphant goal.  The Saints from the past rooting for us and passionately interested in the outcome of our lives. 

This great contest calls for a decisive response, to rid ourselves of every burden.  The verb for ‘rid oneself’ can be translated to ‘lay aside’, ‘throw off’, and is often applied to what people have to discard when following the Lord Jesus. To throw off the works of darkness, rid yourselves from falsehood, anger, gossip, moral impurity, malice and deceit.  Like disciplined athletes who shed all excess body weight for the games, we should do well to remove any bulk or burden that might impede our progress from reaching the finishing line and winning our reward in Heaven.

So, let us today ask the Lord for perseverance and endurance in our Christian lives, since our race is not a sprint, but rather a distance that will include many long uphill climbs and rough terrain.  Let us keep our eyes fixed on the Lord Jesus always, since he is the one, that will bring our faith and knowledge to perfection.  With the Saints as our spectators, let us as for their intercession to help us complete the race we have started, and win a wreath that will never wither away. 

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year C

‘Blessed are the people the Lord has chosen as his own.’  Today’s theme is all about ‘Faith’.  We read in the second reading that it was ‘faith’ that made Abraham obey the call of God, to set out for a distant country which would become the promise land.

It was ‘faith’ that made Sarah, even in her advanced age, able to conceive a son, because she believed that God, who made the promise, would be faithful to it.

It was by ‘faith’ Abraham was put to the test and offered up Isaac as a sacrifice.  And it will be through Isaac’s line that the ‘faith’ will be carried on, to the number of descendants that cannot be counted, as many as the stars of heaven, or grains of sand on the seashore.  We are counted as those descendants as Christians, the Children of God.

However, is our soul ready for the Lord’s return?  We read in today’s Psalm ‘Our soul is waiting for the Lord, He is our help and our shield.’ 

The need to be ready and waiting is a key message in today’s Gospel ‘Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes.’  St. Paul in his letter to the Thessalonian’s taught that we should ‘Rejoice always and pray without ceasing.’  That is why the Church has always encouraged us to pray continually throughout the day.  In the ‘Divine Office, the Liturgy of Hours’ the Church prays at least five times a day. 

This is done by religious and lay people alike.  These people who are living in all the many different time zones, are reciting the Divine Office in one continuous prayer, for the needs of the world throughout the whole day. 

This means there is always one person in the world praying for each and every one of us, interceding to the Lord on our behalf.  Therefore, ask the Holy Spirit today to make our hearts ready for the Lord’s return.

Prayer is what makes us stay awake, as the Lord will come at an hour we do not expect.  So, don’t give up, saying to our ourselves: ‘Relax, because the Master is taking his time in coming’  No, keep the Faith alive and active, keep on praying. 

Our Faith is not just about prayer, but also about works.  In the book of James, it says ‘Faith is dead, if it has no works’.  Faith and Works go together, hand in hand.  St. James believes that our faith in Jesus Christ and trusting in God, will make us feel compassionate for each other, and to act in good charity to our neighbour. 

The Gospel highlights the importance to build up Treasures in Heaven, where no thief or moth can destroy.  The lesson here is to keep God in the centre of our lives.  We should not be too busy to pray to the Lord and thanking him for the many blessings we have received.  This refers back to last week’s Gospel, of the ‘Rich Fool’ who was too busy hoarding his wealth rather than sharing it with the poor. 

So, let us today keep the Lord close to our hearts and minds, strong in Faith.  Awake, praying and being active in works of charity, making treasure for ourselves in Heaven. 

This will make us ready for the Lord’s coming, as he takes us by the hand into paradise for all eternity when he returns again.

St Dominic – 8th August

St Dominic was born in Spain in 1170.  He spent six years studying theology and four years in the arts.  In 1191 a famine hit, and many people were left desolate and homeless.  Dominic sold everything he had, including his furniture and clothes and bought food for the poor.  He also sold his study books and manuscripts saying: ‘Would you have me study from these dead skins, when people are dying of hunger?’

On two other occasions, Dominic attempted to sell himself into slavery to obtain freedom for others.

In 1194 Dominic joined a Benedictine Order of the Canons Regular in Osma, there is became the prior of the chapter in 1201.

Later he joined his bishop and they journeyed to Rome, to speak with Pope Innocent III about pursuing a new mission for the conversion of unbelievers.  The Pope sent them to south France to convert the heretics back to the true faith.  The heresy at this time was an understanding that Human beings were spirits trapped in a physical body, and all materials including the body itself were fundamentally evil. 

A group of monks known as the Cistercians were assigned to combat this heresy through prayer, fasting and instruction, but they made little headway.  St Dominic and his companions debated with the heretics but could not defend themselves, and they were threatened with violence. 

Dominic recognised the need for a physical institution in South France to help preserve the teachings of the faith against the heresies.  Dominic established the first Dominican house for Catholic women. 

In 1214 an apparition of the Virgin Mary appeared to him, and St Dominic received the Most Holy Rosary during a period of prayer at the abbey and she told him to go forth and preach to the people.  With beads in his hands, he restored the courage of the Catholic troops and led them to victory against overwhelming numbers – finally crushing the heresy completely.  The Rosary became popular following this event, suggesting that the legend of Mary’s appearance was true. 

St Dominic’s words of preaching rescued countless souls and at the young age of 51 on the 6^th August 1221 he gave up his soul to God.

May we take inspiration about the life story of St Dominic, we can easily see the words of today’s Gospel working in his life. 

‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.’

May we ask God for the same determination in our own lives, through devotion to prayer and helping the poor, to bring people to the true understanding of the faith.  Let us continue to be a good examples of being God’s faithful children, by building up souls for the Kingdom of Heaven.

St Dominic:  Pray for us.

Tuesday of the 18th Week in Ordinary Time – Year C

In the Gospel today we hear Jesus walking on the water.  A dramatic encounter with God involving an intensive manifestation of Jesus’ divine power and presence.  The disciples came face to face with the divine person of Jesus, his shroud of mystery, briefly pulled back to reveal his true identity.

At the start of this narrative, we hear Jesus didn’t not accompany his disciples in the boat.  Instead, he sends them ahead to the other side, while he stays behind.  His intention was to create an opportunity for prayer.  He seeks solitude up in the mountains to pray to His heavenly Father, in secret. 

Meanwhile the disciples were fighting against the bad weather for much of the night, the wind blowing hard against their boats, churning up big angry waves upon the sea of Galilee.  The disciples managed to get across, a few miles from shore, during the 4^th watch of the night, which is between the hours of 3am to 6am.  Then they suddenly see Jesus walking towards the boat.  Their first reaction was terror, as they thought it was a ghost.  However, Jesus responds, ‘It is I’, hoping to calm their fears. 

As we know, Peter asks to join him on the water, at first things start to go well, as Peter begins to stride across the waves, his every step supported by a miracle of God.  Peter shows himself courageous towards his fellow disciples.  However, the situation quickly changes. 

Peter seeing how strong the wind was, let fear overpower his faith, Peter, took his eyes off the Lord, and he began to sink.  All Peter could do, is to cry out, saying:  Lord, Save me!

How many times in our lives do we panic and all we can do is cry out in desperation saying:  Lord, Save me! 

We all find ourselves in stormy situations, sometimes we prevail and grow stronger, sometimes we falter.  It is in these times of testing that can show us where our spiritual development is and where we need improvement, to grow in our Christian maturity.

The Lord shows himself being patient with us to, he will never abandon or allow us to drown in the midst of our personal trials.

God is with us, his hand outstretched, ready to lift us up again.

The challenge for us today, is to learn from our mistakes, like Jesus wanted Peter, to learn that distractions and doubt were the reasons for his failure at sea.  May we be encouraged, that the Lord is always at our side, we just need to call on him in prayer, by saying:  Lord, Save me! 

18th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year C

After reading today’s Gospel, I chuckled to myself as the topic of inheritance is currently a hot topic in the family at the minute.  In one area, the topic of inheritance tax my brother and I will have to spend on my mother’s estate.  And on the other, the various loans and handouts my brother is currently receiving from my parents, to spend his newish house, specifically, on new solar panels and batteries, to me, it sounds a lot like all my inheritance money is quickly disappearing down the drain.  

In Gospel we are moving away from Jesus’ teachings to the disciples about not to ‘worry’ or ‘be afraid’ about facing persecution, but now instructs the crowds not to worry about lacking of material goods.

He makes his point with the parable of the rich fool, which is unique to Luke’s Gospel.  The man is obsessed with his material goods, his only concern is about ‘my harvest, my barns, my grain’.  In contrast, Jospeh in the book of Genesis, (the one with Technicolour dream coat) when he became second in command to Pharaoh, he also collected grain abundantly, however, for the sole purpose to feed the country, and the surrounding area in times of famine.  In today’s Gospel the man was focused on himself alone, thinking that he is in total control of his life.  We hear, that he congratulates himself on having so many good things stored up, and therefore he can rest, eat, drink and be merry, knowing that he is now secure in the many years to come.  God calls him a fool, a term Jesus applies to the Pharisees earlier in the Gospel.  ‘The fool says in his heart, there is no God.’ 

Realistically, the rich man behaved as if there is no God, since he has put his trust in his possessions rather than in God.  However, his plans came to nothing, because that very night his life was demanded of him.  The ‘life’ that the man considered to be his own, was really on loan from God.  The man wishing to save his life, ended up losing it.

The lesson today is:  To always keep God in the picture.  We should always view earthly things, whether negative or positive, in the view of eternity, in the view of God’s plan for us.  This is precisely what the foolish rich man did not do.  He was too busy thinking about himself, rather than thinking about God, and thanking him for all the many blessings he has received.  Too busy hoarding his wealth, rather than sharing it with the poor.  Stored up treasure for himself, rather than treasure up in heaven.  The man was not rich in God’s eyes.  

We to, can overcome our temptation for greed, by helping those who are less fortunate than ourselves. 

What is given to others is not lost but is transformed into treasures for eternity.  Or in my brothers case, new solar panels for his house.

Regarding myself, I need to stop thinking about the safety of money after I retire, and how much I’ll be receiving from the parents after they die.  I need to remind myself of the time, I gave up my flat, my possessions, including my career in the NHS,  and handed it all over to the Lord, as I pursued a life in the Priesthood.  I said to myself then, I am going to leave it all in the Lord’s hands, and ten’s years later, being three years Ordained, I need to remember that I am still in the Lord’s hands, and to trust in him fully, building up treasures for myself in Heaven.  

Feast day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Yr C

Sea Sunday

‘Who is my neighbour?’ this is the key question in today’s Gospel.  We hear about the parable of the Good Samaritan.  A man who did all he could for his neighbour, a beaten man, lying half dead on the ground.  He patched him up and took him to a nearby Inn to be looked after, even paying extra expenses to the inn keeper.  Why the extra money, you may ask?  Because if the money had ran out, the Inn Keeper was well within his rights, to sell him into slavery to be reimbursed.  This man would have ended up in a worst situation, than he was before.  The Good Samaritan covered all the bases, to give the beaten man the best chance possible for recovery.  The Samaritan was surely a man of mercy and compassion for his neighbour.

Today is Sea Sunday, and we remember all the hard work the Catholic Organisation of Stella Maris do around the world.  Chaplains who bear the burden of dealing with the many hardships of our Fishers & Seafarers, who work in very challenging conditions out at Sea, for our benefit, bringing food and goods into the UK.

There are many reports that crew members are getting only a few hours of sleep per night, due to stress and being overworked.  This is making their safety vulnerable because they are completely exhausted.  Stella Maris, are able to ground ships, allowing the crew to get some much needed rest.  They also provide warm dry clothes and phone cards to many who are feeling homesick.   

The work of Chaplains in our ports provide support in emergencies, and giving spiritual and emotional support to Seafarers all around the world. 

May the Lord provide them with grace and support that they need to carry the ‘yoke’ of their ministries, as they administer to God’s faithful people at sea.

We also remember all our lost souls who have tragically lost their lives at sea.  It is getting more and more common now in the news, with small inflatable dinghies crossing from France to England capsizing and sinking.  We keep all the faithful departed in our prayers. 

On this day, I seem to remember the movie Titanic.  The big sea disaster, about a ship that was said to be unsinkable, hitting an iceberg on its way to America.  In the movie, you may recall, if you’ve seen it, a group of musicians, who sacrificed their lives to bring peace and harmony during the time of the disaster, by playing hymns and classical music, while the Titanic was sinking.

It sank on the 15^th April 1912, and 1,503 souls were lost in the icy waters.  Onboard the Titanic was a 42 year old priest called Fr Thomas Byles, and he is known for his heroic actions during the sinking.  On this 10^th anniversary of his priesthood, he decided to visit his brother in New York, so he bought a 2^nd classed tickets for the Titanic. 

While onboard he would celebrate Mass for the 2^nd and 3^rd class passengers, and during his last sermon on the boat, he explained that the prayers and Sacraments of the Church were our spiritual lifeboats, to use when we are in danger from our spiritual shipwrecks of temptation.

According to eyewitnesses, Fr Thomas was out on deck praying his breviary shortly before midnight, when the ship hit the iceberg. 

When the captain ordered the launching of the lifeboats, Fr Thomas made his way down to help people navigate the stairwells to the upper deck, but many found themselves trapped behind locked iron gates.  Fr Thomas calmly led the third-class passengers to where the lifeboats were located. 

He was also offered a place on the Lifeboat, but he refused.  When the ship was going down Fr Thomas was with people from all different religions, resighting the rosary together, while Fr Thomas was praying for the repose of their souls, as he administered the Last Rites, giving them general absolution for their sins. 

Fr Thomas was an extraordinary man, who gave his life for others, and his actions were praised by Pope Pius X. 

So today, may we keep the work of Sea chaplains in our prayers, and the support the Stella Maris Catholic Organisation.  May the Lord watch over all the faithful departed who have been lost at Sea and bring them into eternal life.  Amen. 

The First Martyrs of the See of Rome

The First Martyrs of Rome stand out as powerful witnesses to the faith.  Their stories, marked by unparalleled courage and horrific suffering, that developed against the backdrop of the Great Fire of Rome in 64AD.

This fire blazed for nine days, consuming vast sections of the city, by the time the fire was out, two-thirds of Rome lay in ruins.

Facing mounting public outrage and a desperate effort to deflect the blame onto someone, Emperor Nero needed a scapegoat, someone to hold responsible.  He found one in the ever increasing Christian community, a relatively new and misunderstood religious group in Rome.  Christians were already viewed with suspicion due to their refusal to participate in the traditional Roman practices at the time.  Christians were arrested en masse, subjected to public scorn, and condemned to die gruesome deaths. 

The methods of execution were designed not only to kill, but to inflict maximum amount of terror and humiliation.  Many were sewn into the skins of wild animals and thrown into a pack of wild dogs from them to eat.  Others were crucified.  Others again, were smeared with oil and wax, placed on stakes and set alight to serve as human torches in the streets and gardens.

The martyrdom of these early Christians had a great impact on the Roman world. 

The steadfastness and faith of the martyrs in the face of such extreme persecution served as a powerful testimony to the truth of their beliefs.  Their willingness to endure unimaginable suffering rather than renounce their faith, helped others to embrace and join the Christian community.

The memory of the First Martyrs of Rome inspired and strengthened Christianity.  Their sacrifice laid a foundation for growth in the Church, which would ultimately spread throughout of the whole Roman Empire and beyond.

Their legacy is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the transformative power of faith and prayer in the face of such evil.

As we ponder these unnamed heroes, we continue to look up to Saints Peter and Paul whose feast day was yesterday, Martyrs of the faith.  Let them be our inspiration to follow them, in the footsteps of Christ Jesus, with zeal for spreading the Gospel message to the people of our world today.

St Peter and St Paul

Today we remember two great Apostles, two pillars of the Church, St Peter and St Paul.  At the heart of their stories we hear an encounter with Jesus that changed their lives.  They both received the love that healed them and set them free.

As we know Peter was a very skilled fisherman from Galilee, but we hear in the Gospels, that many times, he tasted the bitterness of frustration, especially when he hadn’t caught anything all night.  He was tempted to pull up his oars and give up.  Nevertheless, Jesus loved Peter and encouraged him not to give up, asking him to lower his nets once more, or maybe joining him to walk on the water, or finding the strength to accept his own frailty, and giving his life for his friends by becoming a ‘shepherd of the flock’.  In this way, Jesus sets Peter free from fear and all worldly concerns.  He gave him the courage to risk everything and the joy of becoming a fisher of men, by coming the first Pope of the Catholic Church.

When Peter denied Jesus three times, in the courtyard at Jesus’ trial, while keeping warm over a charcoal fire, he rejected his relationship with Jesus, by saying: ‘he didn’t know the man.’  After the Resurrection, Jesus gives Peter the opportunity to undo that rejection.  Through Jesus’ great love and mercy he invites Peter to repent and return to him by professing his love for him three times, this act undoes the threefold denial in the courtyard, and so restores the relationship between them both. 

Jesus’ mercy is so complete, that he does not hold anything against Peter, but instead, gives him the honour and the responsibility of serving him as the ‘Shepherd of his people’.

St Paul also experienced the freedom that was brought by Jesus.  He was set free from the slavery of himself.  From Saul he became Paul, and moved away from being a zealous defender of his ancestral traditions, into a zealous defender of the Faith in Jesus Christ.    

He became open to the love of God and was given the mission to evangelise to the Pagans.  The strain of his physical health, the violence and persecution towards him, being shipwrecked several times, the daily pains of hunger and thirst, and finally in his own words: the painful thorn in the flesh, didn’t make him give up. 

St Paul came to realise that God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong, and we are able to do all things through Jesus who strengthens us and nourishes us, since nothing can ever separate us from the love of the Father.

The Church looks towards these two giants of faith and sees two Apostles who were set free by their encounter with the Lord.  Jesus did not judge them, instead he shared their life with affection and closeness.  He supported them by his prayers, and at times reproached them to make amends.  To Peter, Jesus said gently ‘I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail.’  And to Paul he said, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’

Jesus speaks the same with us, but re-assures us of his closeness through prayer by interceding on our behalf before the Father. 

May we continue to mould ourselves closer to the Lord’s Love, making us holier in his sight, by the receiving of the Most Holy Eucharist.  When times are tough, may we never give up, asking the Lord for strength and guidance. 

We are the Children of God, united together in the ‘Body of Christ’ within the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, with St Peter as our Rock and St Paul as our zealous defender of love and faith. 

May we call on their intercession today, to encounter the Lord in our own lives bringing us joy, happiness and peace.

St Peter & St Paul – Pray for us.