Reflections for Lent

Our Gospel for Ash Wednesday emphasizes a very private form of penance (Mt 6:1-6, 16-18). This is something that we feel comfortable with. We are unlikely to be amongst those who want to make an exhibition of ourselves. The crazies who walk up and down with placards declaring the end is nigh – that’s definitely […]

Hosanna, hosanna, let the good times roll! … the whole multitude of his disciples began to praise God aloud with joy for all the mighty deeds they had seen. They proclaimed: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest.” Our Sunday with palms

All of us live our lives moving from our past into our future. For some we are driven forward by our past: our awareness of heritage, our upbringing, people we have known who have inspired us, challenges we want to overcome. These things push us into our future. For others, the future pulls us forward:

I’ve never been quite sure how you get to be an ambassador. It seems like some unlikely people get to be asked, but I rather doubt I’m on anyone’s list. However it does turn out there is a list I am on. You are too. In our Readings today we hear, for another time, the

As we come to the middle of Lent we hear stern words from Jesus (Lk 13:1-9). People are chattering about the latest news. Doubtless they have been catching up on the latest posts from their Facebook friends, or checking their Twitter feed. Maybe some had even been watching CNN or just possibly reading a newspaper,

Last week we spoke about how Moses wanted to emphasize his connection back to his father Abraham, the wandering Aramean. And how we ourselves are connected back to Jesus. Today our first Reading (Gn 15:5-12, 17-18) gives us the central account of that father of Moses, who is our forefather also. We hear how God

“My father was a wandering Aramean”. That’s how Moses describes himself on behalf of the Israelites (Dt 26:4-10). He wanted them to be tied to their history, to their origins. You may be fascinated by your personal history. It seems a lot of people are. I confess I’m a fan of the show ”Finding Your

Our Gospel reading as we start our Lenten season is a familiar one (Mt 6:1-6, 16-18). Jesus is warning us that if our pious practices are intended to raise our status with those around us then they are worse than useless. We are better off to keep our penitence hidden and purely between us and

”It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” Even if your knowledge of Charles Dickens stops at the Muppets’ Christmas Carol (one of my favorites, I confess) you might also have heard that quote. It’s the opening words of a Tale of Two Cities (the cities being Paris and London). The

Jeremiah is known as the prophet of doom and gloom – and there is plenty of doom and gloom in his writing. It was not an easy time for the Israelites. But it’s not all doom and gloom – in today’s reading we hear Jeremiah foretelling a new start, another covenant: I will place my