Reflections for Ordinary Time

Isaiah says: “Here is your God … he comes to save you” (Is 35:1-6a, 10) Words like these have doubtless been used at many times in many different situations. The psalm we use today says “The Lord God keeps faith forever, … The Lord shall reign forever”. (Ps 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10) John the Baptist channels that […]

Last week we were challenged to consider what it means to be alive. We probably don’t think about it much on a day to day basis, but what it is to be alive is not as obvious as we might expect. My mother spent the last years of her life unable to communicate and without

Jesus had many debates with the religious authorities of his time, typically referred to as the Scribes and Pharisees. Usually they were complaining about something he had done, or trying to trip him up in some legalistic argument. Typically he diverts their comments in an unexpected direction as he tries to get them (or us)

Our first reading today from the Book of Wisdom gives us as tender a view of God as any that we might find in the New Testament or the writings of any Christian mystic. you love all things that are, and loathe nothing that you have made;how could a thing remain, unless you willed it?O LORD

Today we come to the end of the readings from Paul’s letters to Timothy which we have listened to over the past few weeks. We hear someone who knows that the end of his life on earth is near, but he is OK with that. Paul is on the one hand a perfect example of

A couple of weeks ago we touched on the topic of perseverance. This week it comes front and center: ‘pray without becoming weary’ is the clear message from Jesus and the story of Moses. The example of Moses goes a little further and points out that it’s also good to have help. Clearly both Moses

Ten lepers were healed (Lk 17:11-19). How many were saved? One for sure, but the other nine – that’s not so clear. The story in today’s gospel does however make it clear that there is a difference between being loved and cared for by God, and being “saved”. Being saved requires that we respond. The

How long, O LORD?  I cry for help but you do not listen!I cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not intervene.Why do you let me see ruin; why must I look at misery?Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and clamorous discord. Hab 1:2-3; 2:2-4 Does Habakkuk’s complaint sound familiar? I read an article recently

This week more of the same? Amos denouncing the rich (Am 6:1a, 4-7); Paul encouraging Timothy (1 Tm 6:11-16); Jesus pointing out how the poor will end up in heaven, and the rich maybe not (Lk 16:19-31). But there is something more – in the last comment Jesus makes: “even if someone were to rise

Today’s Readings are about wealth and how to use it, or at least not to abuse it. Amos thunders against those who gain wealth by exploiting the poor (Am 8:4-7). We hopefully are not amongst those, but there clearly is exploitation of the poor as much in our society as there was in Amos’ time.