14^th Sunday of Yea

‘The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ speaks all languages,

It esteems and embraces all cultures.

It supports them in everything human and,

when necessary, it purifies them.

Always and everywhere the Gospel uplifts and enriches cultures

with the revealed message of a loving and merciful God.’

Pope John Paul ll

Thirteenth Sunday of the Year

Today’s gospel contains some strong and jarring language (hyperbole) as the journey into living the values of God’s Reign continues. Jesus, heading for Jerusalem, via Samaria, sees things as never before. On this journey, going through Samaritan villages, not the done thing, he opposition from people in Samaria who were considered as half-baked Jewish people. Who is this ‘human being’ who exists on society’s fringes, not belonging, rejected, censured, finally executed, and ‘taken up’ (Luke 9:51)? He comes as man of nonviolence as he tells his disciples who want to bring down fire on the people to respond to their inhospitably. Little has changed as we observe nations and peoples taking up arms for perceived or real opposition. 

Body and Blood of Jesus

For St John Chrysostom (347-409) the person begging at the church entrance is a superior altar table than that inside the church: ‘The temple of our afflicted neighbour’s body is more holy than the altar on which you celebrate the holy offering. You are able to contemplate this altar everywhere, in the street and in the open squares.’ The Catechism of the Catholic Church, quoting John Chrysostom says, ‘the Eucharist commits us to the poor.’ This statement prompts us to question treatment through neglect and indifference to people sleeping rough, women having to ‘prove’ they are being violated, family violence, threats against neighbouring countries, the violence Israel perpetrates against Palestinian people, never-ending gun violence in the USA, and war in Ukraine, and many other countries. 

Trinity Sunday

Father Walter Burghardt sj in a homily on the Trinity said, ‘Fear not, I shall not solve the most difficult of Christian mysteries. I shall not bore you with technical theology. But, I feel I must tell you of a God who does not dwell in outer space, ‘far from’ what poet Thomas Gray called ‘the madding crowd’s ignoble strife.’ Our Trinity, God, three in one, is a God for us’ (Speak the Word With Boldness, 1994). Today’s solemnity really is simple. In Jesus, God is not only ‘for us’ but ‘with us’ and - through the presence of the Spirit - ‘within us.’

Pentecost Sunday

Today we need to reflect on our place in the community of believers. There is a clear communal dimension and no suggestion of private experiences. In the readings we seen a great transformation in Jesus’ disciples accomplished by Holy Spirit. Originally, they did not understand or care about Jesus’ vision.  They were more concerned with their own agendas, ambitions, and interests. They showed their true colours, at least the men, when Jesus was led to be crucified.