At the sight of a large hungry crowd, Jesus responds in a very different way to his followers. They wanted him to send the crowd away. He wanted them to try to feed the crowd. Even though they protested that…

John’s martyrdom foreshadows that of Jesus. As Jesus hung from the cross he too had no power. As Paul says, “he was crucified in weakness.” Yet at that moment he had great authority, the authority of a life of integrity…

They recognized him as the son of the carpenter, whose mother, Mary, and whose brothers and sisters were known to them. He is one of their own, a working man just like themselves. Yet, in ways he is not like them…

Today we have the end of Exodus, as important in the Old Testament as are the gospels in the New. We conclude a major section in Matthew’s gospel, on the mystery of the kingdom of God. Both readings speak of being drawn under God’s gracious influence…

The prospect of leaving all behind to embrace something radically new…

As Moses entered this tent, the column of cloud came down to its entrance, and there…

There is a fine appraisal of Martha and Mary by Saint Augustine, in today’s Liturgy of the Hours…

Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn..

We need to set the Decalogue alongside the parable of the sower and the seed. Morality is essentially linked to growth and development, to bear fruits of positive goodness, as God wants of us.

Today’s feast celebrates the more prominent James, the son of Zebedee, one of the twelve apostles. This “greater” James was one of the first disciples to join Jesus, in Capernaum.

Jesus had no illusions about the frailty of humankind — he met it every day. But he also recognised great potential in many ordinary people that he met…

1st Reading: Galatians 2:19-20 It is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives…

As one who suffered in her mental health (being rid by Jesus of her “seven demons”) Mary Magdalene probably had to endure negative responses from others. Who would want to go near a madwoman? Yet Jesus reached out to her in kindness, reached out to the real Mary,..

Like Jesus we have some power to cure and heal, quietly, without ostentation…

The Pharisees emphasised what was forbidden on the Sabbath than its purpose..