If one single word is used to describe the foundation upon which the whole Christian life is based, it is HOPE. Hope is the main theme running throughout the heart of the Bible, from Genesis down to Revelation.
Today is the First Sunday of Lent, and today’s Gospel is taken from the opening of Matthew, chapter 4. We hear the well known, dramatic story of Jesus’ temptations in the desert which takes place before he begins his public ministry.
During the American Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln was asked, “How can we get rid of our enemies?” He then asked his generals about their war strategies so that they could win battles. Then Abraham Lincoln said, “We can get rid of our enemies by making them our friends”.
Jesus, through the Gospel this 6th Sunday of ordinary time, reminds us to live out our Christian life in the light of the moral values inspired and grounded on love, because God is love.
Sometimes I ponder what sin I regularly commit? We commit sins “in my thought, in my word and in what I have done” as we often confess and ask for God’s forgiveness before Mass.
Here in Australia the idiom “turn something on its head” is used quite a lot, especially in sports. When a team is leading by a big score and then the opponent rallies and is now in the lead, you can hear commentators saying, “The game has been turned on its head”.
January, the beginning of a new year, can be a time of regret and reflection, mixed with optimism for the future, a time for new resolutions.
A few years ago I talked to my cousin from the United States over the phone and we chatted for quite a while, and, while I know that she knows me, somehow in her voice she seemed a little bit bewildered.
In this feast of the Magi, the Church celebrates the welcoming of the nations to the scene of that first holy night: Mary, Joseph, and the child Jesus.
Happy New Year! And, with the New Year we are blessed with three occasions for this day. First, we celebrate the Solemnity of Mary as Mother of God. Second, we also celebrate the Octave of Christmas and lastly, we celebrate the beginning of the New Year.
It’s difficult to say something about Christmas that has never been said before! Maybe, though, that’s not an issue, as at this special time of year, traditions are important.
There was a story of a man who was deeply devoted to St Joseph and when he died he was at the gates of heaven and being interviewed by St Peter. St Peter, after assessing the record of this man declined him entry to heaven straightaway, but the man argued that he was a St Joseph devotee.
We are getting into the spirit and the joy of Christmas. In fact, the third Sunday of Advent is called “Gaudete Sunday.” Gaudete means ‘Rejoice.’ St. Paul reminds us “rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice!! Let’s rejoice for the coming of our Redeemer, and we are called to share this joy with others, giving comfort and spreading hope.
“Look, I am going to send my messenger before you; he will prepare your way.” This gospel passage reminds me of the road from Alice Springs to Santa Teresa, which is a remote Aboriginal community where I’m assigned at the moment.
Queen Salote Tupou III was outstanding in different ways. Over 2 metres tall, she was Queen of Tonga from 1918 until her death in 1965. Greatly loved and honoured in Tonga, she was a world leader who gently commanded respect way beyond her island nation.