Fr. Jude Botelho:
In today’s first reading Jeremiah initially gives vent to his despair, he makes a desperate statement of how he is being persecuted with terrors all around. But immediately he also makes a confident statement of his trust in the Lord to deliver him. Perhaps many people could identify with Jeremiah’s situation. In their despair they are overwhelmed by those seeking to destroy them, yet they also trust in God as their caring deliverer. Jeremiah refused to be intimidated by attacks upon his character, and so he was unafraid to speak out in the name of the Lord. Jeremiah accused the people of sin and warned of God’s judgement upon them. He condemned reliance on military pacts rather than on God. Jeremiah was forced into exile but refused to be silenced.
Corpus Christi - Feast of the Body and Blood of Christi
From Fr. Jude Botelho:
| Food for the Journey I traveled to a place in the northern tip of Ireland one night to say Mass for a Prayer Group. It was a wild wintry night and, when the Mass was over, I was anxious to get on the road for home. As I dashed towards the car, I was stopped by an elderly lady, and I wasn't too please at the prospect of having to listen to her tale of pains and aches, while I was impatient to get going. I was very taken aback when she handed me a small boat-shaped basket, filled with triangular sandwiches, with all kinds of fillings. The basket was covered with cling film. "I just thought, Father, you might like to eat those on your journey home." She turned and went back into the church. For once I was stuck for words..! I still have the basket on my desk as I write here now. When I look at it I think of the Eucharist, 'food for the journey.' Jack McArdle in 'And that's the Gospel Truth" |
Holy Trinity
In the first reading, God reveals that his name is Yahweh, which means ‘I am who I am’. The God of Sinai is not just the fearsome God. When Israel had sinned and broken the covenant, he shows himself as one who loves and forgives. He is forever the God of Israel and has bound his destiny to them. Moses his faithful servant pleads on behalf of the people: “Lord if we have found favour come with us! True, we are a headstrong people but forgive us our faults and our sins and adopt us as your heritage.” God has made us forever his people, members of his household. He reveals himself as the Father-God, our Abba forever.
Pentecost ABC
From Fr. Jude Botelho:
The first reading begins with the apostles huddled in the upper room after the death of their Master fearful that His fate might be their own. Suddenly they hear what sounds like a powerful wind, it fills the whole room, they see tongues of fire resting on each of them and they receive the gift of speech. The coming of the Spirit breaks all barriers filling the world with God's presence. The tongues of fire remind us of the tongues of fire that were seen when God made a covenant with Moses at Mount Sinai. That was the first covenant made by God with his chosen people. Pentecost is the new covenant made by the Spirit with the new people of God, His Church. A sign of this covenant is the gift of speech, the gift of communication, the gift of being able to express oneself and be understood in one's own language. The language understood by all is the language of the spirit, the language of love. Whereas Babel was man's effort to reach God that led to confusion, Pentecost is God's initiative reaching out through one another leading to unity and understanding
The first reading begins with the apostles huddled in the upper room after the death of their Master fearful that His fate might be their own. Suddenly they hear what sounds like a powerful wind, it fills the whole room, they see tongues of fire resting on each of them and they receive the gift of speech. The coming of the Spirit breaks all barriers filling the world with God's presence. The tongues of fire remind us of the tongues of fire that were seen when God made a covenant with Moses at Mount Sinai. That was the first covenant made by God with his chosen people. Pentecost is the new covenant made by the Spirit with the new people of God, His Church. A sign of this covenant is the gift of speech, the gift of communication, the gift of being able to express oneself and be understood in one's own language. The language understood by all is the language of the spirit, the language of love. Whereas Babel was man's effort to reach God that led to confusion, Pentecost is God's initiative reaching out through one another leading to unity and understanding
Ascension - 2017
From Fr. Tony Kadavil’s Collection:
1. Solar Power:
One of the national coordinators of Sun Day, held early in May every year, is Denis Hayes. He worked as researcher at a Washington D.C. ‘think-tank’ and has written a book on solar energy entitled Rays of Hope: The Transition to a Post-Petroleum World. Hayes claims that we are at the crossroads of making a critical choice for mankind – the choice between going solar or going nuclear for a power source. Hayes opts for the sun because it is “the world’s only inexhaustible, predictable, egalitarian, non-polluting, safe, terrorist-resistant and free energy source.” We’ve already learned to use the power of the sun to grow food, make wine and operate greenhouses. All we need to do is develop better technology to harness solar energy to heat houses, drive our cars and run our industry. People like Hayes are looking at the sky with its sun as the main source of our future energy supply. Today we turn our attention to the sky for another reason – to commemorate our Lord’s Ascension into heaven. In the first reading, from Acts, Jesus makes a promise: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes down on you.” That Spirit is the power source that can give all the energy we need to live our lives to the full. (Albert Cylwicki in His Word Resounds).
Easter 6 A
From Fr. Tony Kadavil's Collection:
1: The Winners:
Upon until 1987, only eleven horses had won the coveted Triple Crown in Thoroughbred racing. What is it that makes some horses winning thoroughbreds? Why is it that some horses have more speed, strength and stamina than other horses? Essentially, of course, these traits have to come from within the horses themselves: from their own inner capacity and from their inherited gene structure. Still, it seems that they also need help from outside. To become champions, they need the help of expert trainers and skilful jockeys to activate and develop their inner powers. It is the same with us. Born human, we have within us capacities to love, learn, choose, work and so on. But we need the help of parents, teachers and friends to activate and develop these capacities so that we can reach our full human potential. That is why we need the Holy Spirit and why Jesus promised to send Him to us: “I will ask the Father and He will give you another Paraclete – to be with you always; to remain with you and be within you.” (Albert Cylwicki in ‘His Word Resounds)’
Easter 5A - Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life
From Fr. Tony Kadavil’s Collection
1) ”My Father’s house.”
When St. John Chrysostom was summoned before the Roman Emperor Arcadius and threatened with banishment, he replied, “You cannot banish me, for the world is my Father’s house.” “Then I will kill you,” exclaimed the Emperor angrily. “No, you cannot,” retorted Chrysostom, “because my life is hidden with Christ in God.” “Your treasures shall be confiscated,” the Emperor replied grimly. “Sir, you can’t do that because my treasures are in heaven as my heart is there.” “I will drive you from your people and you shall have no friends left,” threatened the Emperor. “That you cannot do either, Sir, for I have a Friend in heaven who has said, ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.’” In today’s Gospel Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life, gives us the same assurance. “In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be.”
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