30 November, 2019. St Andrew, apostle
God’s call in our own lives is perhaps not all that different to how he called Andrew and Simon. We can be called to change from one lifestyle to another, to go beyond…
29 November, 2019. Friday of Week 34
This strange, apocalyptic message predicts the new heavens and the new earth. Weird as the vision may seem to us, our world will blossom…
28 November, 2019. Thursday of Week 34
St Mark links the fall of Jerusalem with the end of the world, but Luke separates these two events. Writing after Jerusalem’s destruction, he knew that …
27 November, 2019. Wednesday of Week 34
The Greek word for patience (hypomoné) suggests consistency and dependability. The ideal pervades today’s gospel…
26 November, 2019.Tuesday of Week 34
At the end of the liturgical year we read the most symbol-laden literature in the Bible, popular among people who love apocalyptic science fiction.
25 November, 2019. Monday of Week 34
The “widow’s mite” conveys the paradox that while large donors may be sacrificing little, whereas the poor, when giving a little, are actually giving a lot….
Presider’s Page for 24 November (Christ the King)
We celebrate the feast of Christ the King this Sunday, remembering that our king’s life ended on a cross. Today we worship this wounded and resurrected God, who promises us a place in Paradise.
24 November, 2019. Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
People with imperial power were at a loss in face of the moral power of Christ. Their reaction was to strike out blindly, to violently crush his threat to their power…
23 November, 2019. Saturday of Week 33
The Sadducees confront Jesus with a scenario seeking to mock his known belief in life after death. “Whose wife will she be?” …
22 November, 2019. Friday of Week 33
Jesus cleanses the sanctuary that was profaned by the traders. We need to make of our lives and our church more truly a house of prayer, a temple pleasing to God…
21 November, 2019. The Presentation of Our Lady
Due to her dedication to God from an early age, Mary of Nazareth became an even greater sanctuary than God’s temple in Jerusalem…
20 November, 2019. Wednesday of Week 33
In all pre-Christian Jewish literature, this text is the clearest statement of belief in life after death. A dissident Jewish group resists the pagan lifestyle being imposed on ….
19 November, 2019. Tuesday of Week 33
To meet Jesus, Zacchaeus was willing to set aside his dignity by climbing up the sycamore tree. And Jesus is willing to dine in the house of a sinner…
18 November, 2019. Monday of Week 33
Undeterred by calls to be silent, the blind man models for us what persevering prayer looks like. It was driven by his need and his confidence in Jesus…
Presider’s Page for 17 November (Ordinary Time 33)
The readings this Sunday focus on the end of the world, though we are also reassured that people of faith have nothing to fear.
Today is World Day of the Poor, an annual day of significance established by Pope Francis in 2016.
17 November, 2019. 33rd Sunday (C)
As the church’s year is ending, we remember the ‘last things’ and in particular, the promise of Our Lord’s return. This invites us to live our lives in the light of eternity…
16 November, 2019. Saturday of Week 32
Jesus asks, “When the Son of Man comes, will he find any faith on earth?” Will some, llike the resilient widow, have persevered? Or will people have lost heart and given up?…
15 November, 2019. Friday of Week 32
Those who try to save their life at all costs, will lose it; whoever is willing to forfeit life for a noble cause, will keep it for eternity…
14 November, 2019. Thursday of Week 32
“Oh world invisible, we see thee… Inapprehensible we clutch thee.” We can miss something of great significance; even if it is right before our eyes…
13 November, 2019. Wednesday of Week 32
We need faith like that of the leper, knowing that we depend on God for life and health. Faith helps us appreciate others on the journey of life…