Refreshed by Love: The bond of love goes far beyond the letter of the law. In the introduction, Paul calls Philemon a beloved friend and fellow worker, and he expresses his joy and comfort in his rich friend’s love. We too are called to a love that refreshes and unites
Why be ungrateful? The nine men missed a golden chance, when they failed to say thanks. Jesus tells the one man who did come back to thank him, “Your faith has saved you.” We need a faith like this, to recognise our dependency on God for life and its blessings, including the help we get from others towards eternal life…
Applying doctrine to practice: In his advice to Titus, Paul respects the limits of the church’s local culture, yet also sets our human life within a divine framework. He begins with an appeal that our speech be “consistent with sound doctrine” and explains that the core of this sound doctrine is about…
Planted in the real world: The Scriptures for today show the interaction of ideals with hard-nosed common sense. This is evident in the Epistle to Titus, which reads like a manual for clergy, less enthusiastic than Paul’s earlier letters and focussed on practical aspects of church governance.
Every year on 9 November, we celebrate the dedication of the pope’s cathedral in Rome, the Lateran Basilica. Because that church is dedicated to our Most Holy Saviour, the celebration of this feast takes the place of the regular Sunday readings and prayers. And we praise our loving God who provides a home for us on earth as in heaven.
A House of Prayer: The Lateran was Rome’s cathedral long before Saint Peter’s was built. It is where the papacy was housed for centuries before moving across the Tiber to where Vatican City now stands…
Just as yesterday Jesus reproached idle disciples for not showing enterprise and initiative, today Paul commends his active co-workers in the service of the gospel and stresses how he himself can cope in all circumstances, whether eating well or going hungry.
What spurs us to action in our daily lives? Some seem to lack motivation while others are workaholics, swept on by drive and ambition and wanting to drive other people hard as well. A good example of the activist temperament is Paul, apostle of the gentiles..
The feast echoes the theme of “the island of saints and scholars” which was so strong in Ireland up to the middle of the twentieth century, but which might be somewhat harder to illustrate in 2014…
Today’s gospel is rather grim, if we were to read it in isolation; but it is nicely balanced by St Paul’s more optimistic message to the Philippians. He points out how a local parish or community can function in a loving way, if there’s a widespread spirit of service and goodwill. He advises them…
Members of each other
Our deepest hope is poured into us by God and offers us great future prospects. We cannot ignore or reject it, without losing out in the process. Furthermore, hope is not bestowed on us by God simply for our private, individual enjoyment. Unless it is shared, it is lost. ..
Preparing for the Hereafter: The vision in the Book of Revelation invites us to let our religious experiences flood over us, like the roar of many waters, the flashing of thunder and the flaming of torches.
The Quality of Mercy
In general, people live by the Quid pro Quo principle, of looking after our friends and paying our lawful debts, and once in a while giving something to charity. We like to think that people should get what they deserve. But Jesus seems to require a bit more than that from his true friends….
The Halloween combinatrion of All Saints Day and All Souls Day, reminds us of the reality of death and life after death. These days are a sad reminder that our bodies will one day give out. Somewhere, sometime, sooner or later, we will experience the startling reality of death. Then what? Is it all over for the individual? Will there be no more love, no more joy, no more laughter? Our faith points to a larger horizon..
Images of the World to Come
While at dinner, Jesus ignored the Sabbath curfew and cured a man from dropsy, which scandalised some…
Love will eventually win out
How narrow is that door that leads to life?
First Reading: Ephesians 2:19-22 (God has appointed apostles so that his people’s needs will be served.) So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the…
Above all, to be a healer
