Seventh Sunday of the Year

A young lad was told by his father, who was going away on business, to think what the father would do normally to help the mother around the house in terms of household tasks while he was away. On his return, the father asked the mother what the boy had done. She replied that it was very strange because ‘straight after breakfast he made himself another cup of coffee, went into the living room, put on some loud music, and read the newspaper for half an hour.’ This was not the kind of literalness he hoped the boy would emulate. 

Sixth Sunday of the Year

It can seem as if people are speaking different languages when arguing about what is entailed in being a follower of Jesus. Fr Brian Stoney often asked: do you want to be good or be a follower of Jesus. For many, life needs to be rule based, conforming and top down that preserves a status quo. Others take a Jesus-centred, heart-centred approach of mercy and compassion in the midst of mistakes and growth. 

Fifth Sunday of the Year

God’s vision is revealed in hidden and unexpected places. We are among the unexpected where God’s vision is unveiled. Jesus continually takes us back to the roots of true religion, our true connection with God which has implications for our engagement/encounter with people and creation. Having lifted up the mostly unlikely people represented as the poor in spirit, the meek and the merciful, those who mourn and those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and the persecuted – we see that living the Beatitudes means being ‘salt of the earth’ and ‘light of the world for the transformation of the earth.