Sep 12 – Most Holy Name of Mary This feast is a counterpart to the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus (January 3); both have the possibility of uniting people easily divided on other matters. The feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary began in Spain in 1513 and, in 1671, was extended... Continue Reading →
11 September, Friday — On Regret
Friday of Week 23 in Ordinary Time 1 Cor 9:16-19,22-27Lk 6:39-42 “Hypocrite! Take the plank out of your own eye first, and then you will see clearly…” My father-in-law has lost the battle with cancer and dementia. We are gathered as a family, to witness his last few days, and pray for him as he... Continue Reading →
10 September, Thursday — On Death
Thursday of Week 23 in Ordinary Time 1 Cor 8:1-7,11-13Lk 6:27-38 “…for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate.” My father-in-law is dying. He has been declining since Christmas, battling first dementia and more recently, cancer. I think we were all in denial, which is... Continue Reading →
9 September, Wednesday — Rely on the Unchanging
Sep 9 – Memorial for St. Peter Claver, Priest St Peter Claver was born in Catalonia and studied at the University of Barcelona. He became a Jesuit; and while he was studying philosophy in Mallorca, the door-keeper of the college, Alfonso Rodríguez, saw that his true vocation was to evangelize the New World, and encouraged... Continue Reading →
8 September, Tuesday — Miracles in Small Places
Sep 8 – Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary The birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary announced joy and the approaching salvation of a lost world. Mary was brought into the world not like other children of Adam, infected with the contagion of sin, but pure, holy, beautiful, and glorious, adorned with... Continue Reading →
7 September, Monday — A Loving Obedience
Monday of Week 23 in Ordinary Time 1 Cor 5:1-8Lk 6:6-11 “I put it to you: is it against the law on the sabbath to do good, or to do evil; to save life, or to destroy it?” Is there love in obedience? Why do we obey? Sometimes we obey because we are at the... Continue Reading →
6 September, Sunday — Love Your Neighbour As Yourself
23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Eze 33:7-9Rm 13:8-10Mt 18:15-20 "For where two or three meet in my name, I shall be there with them.” Today's readings simplify for us how God desires for us to live. And that is, to love your neighbour as yourself. In the second reading, it says, "Avoid getting into debt,... Continue Reading →
5 September, Saturday — Strengthening our relationship with Jesus
Sep 5 – Feast of St. Teresa of Calcutta Mother Mary Teresa Bojaxhiu (born Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu, 26 August 1910 – 5 September 1997), honoured in the Catholic Church as Saint Teresa of Calcutta, was an Albanian-Indian Roman Catholic nun and missionary. She was born in Skopje (now the capital of North Macedonia), then part of the Kosovo Vilayet of the Ottoman Empire. After living in Skopje for eighteen years, she moved to Ireland... Continue Reading →
4 September, Friday — Judge Not
Friday of Week 22 in Ordinary Time 1 Cor 4:1-5Lk 5:33-39 There must be no passing of premature judgement. Leave that until the Lord comes… “Do not judge, and you will not be judged; because the judgements you give are the judgements you will get, and the standard you use will be the standard used... Continue Reading →
3 September, Thursday — Learning from Peter, the sinful man
Sep 3 – Memorial for St. Gregory the Great, Pope and Doctor St. Gregory (540-590) collected the melodies and plain chants so associated with him, that they are now known as Gregorian Chants. He was elected by unanimous acclamation for pope. Incidentally, he was also the first monk to be pope. Before his papacy, he... Continue Reading →