Reflections for Ordinary Time

This week we hear Jesus giving three accounts of the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 13:24-43), following another that we heard last week. The Jews had a very mixed experience of kingdoms. In their tradition there were a few good kings, notably David and Solomon, and a lot of bad ones. Even the good ones got […]

We may not be as familiar with the harvest and sowing as the people of Jesus’ time or before, but we can still relate to God watering the ground and giving us food (Isaiah 55:10-11) – we repeat the sentiment every week in the Offertory prayers of our Eucharist when we thank God for the

So we’re going to have a life of ease, living at peace. Isn’t that what today’s readings promise?  Well if they do, why would you believe them. It clearly hasn’t and doesn’t work out that way. So either we ignore them or we figure out what they are telling us.  This situation isn’t unfamiliar to

We are used to having two readings in our liturgy where the first from the Hebrew Scriptures may be harsh or even violent, reflecting what we may think to be a more primitive or less developed understanding of God. Our Gospel readings, on the other hand, reflect a fuller awareness of God as revealed through

Our readings this week seem harsh and unpleasant. Jeremiah calls for vengeance and looks forward to the destruction of his enemies (Jeremiah 20:10-13). Even Jesus talks about disowning those who disown him (Matthew 10:26-33). This language of violence and conflict has been promoted in recent times to support a perspective that following Jesus is a

They got what they deserved is a satisfying way to bring something to closure. If he or she got what they deserved – their comeuppance, or some appropriate reward, then that means things turned out as they should, we’re good with that. On the other hand if you didn’t get what you deserved then that’s

We have a very complicated and possibly confused relationship to the law, or laws in general. Some we regard as essential and believe in strict punishment for lawbreakers. Some, maybe to do with our driving behavior or tax liabilities, we regard as rather more optional or flexible. Some cause great debate or conflict as to

There have been times in the history of Christianity when faith and holiness have been considered as mainly private or personal affairs. Our relationship with God is something that lives inside us.  That’s true. But what Jesus makes clear in today’s gospel is that it can’t stay inside us (Matthew 5:13-16). Being a secret Christian

Usually on a Sunday our first reading (Zephaniah 2:3; 3:12-13) and the Gospel (Matthew 5:1-12a) have a close link, the second reading follows its own path (1 Corinthians 1:26-31). Today all three readings point very clearly at the same truth. Who is God looking out for, where is his special attention focused? Yes, he loves

Last week we heard how John positioned the baptism of Jesus in the context of the prophetic role of John the Baptist. And in that account the first disciples of Jesus were previously disciples of John the Baptist – no mention of them being fishermen picked up along the beach.  Matthew goes with the fisherman