Reflections for May 2022

The Ascension of the Lord

May 29, 2022

All the Gospels agree in broad terms about the death and resurrection of Jesus. However the picture after the resurrection is less clear. There are big variations between accounts in how long Jesus remained visible to the disciples, where they went, and what they did. Only Luke has the stories of the Ascension and Pentecost […]

The Ascension of the Lord Read More »

Sixth Sunday of Easter

May 22, 2022

As we move towards the end of our Easter season, our readings remain on the three parallel tracks they have followed from the beginning. We have Luke’s account of day-to-day life in the early Church; the ecstatic vision of John of Patmos; and John the Evangelist’s reflections on the relationship between Jesus, the Father, the

Sixth Sunday of Easter Read More »

Fifth Sunday of Easter 

May 15, 2022

The One who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” We are familiar with a “new day”, a “new start”, even a “new life”. We use those expressions all the time. Sometimes they imply a big change, sometimes not so much. When John sees in his vision (Rev 21:1-5a) a “new

Fifth Sunday of Easter  Read More »

Fourth Sunday of Easter 

May 8, 2022

“The disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.” –– Why? Because everything was going great? From what we hear in our first Reading about Paul and Barnabas’s visit to Antioch is doesn’t sound like it (Acts 13:14, 43-52). Sure, there were people who were glad to see them, and maybe more were converted,

Fourth Sunday of Easter  Read More »

Third Sunday of Easter

May 1, 2022

Last week we heard the final chapter in John’s gospel. However there is another section which follows after this (which we hear today – Jn 21:1-19). It seems to have been added later by a different author. We might well wonder why. The main focus of this additional section is the role and responsibility of

Third Sunday of Easter Read More »