28th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2 Kgs 5:14-172 Tim 2:8-13Lk 17:11-19 “…no one has come back to give praise to God, except this foreigner.” I remember in my schooling years, how I studied and ploughed through pile after pile of assessment books and when I got excellent grades, I would always thank my parents and... Continue Reading →
10 October, Friday — Choices and Consequences
Friday of Week 27 in Ordinary Time Jl 1:13-15,2:1-2Lk 11:15-26 “…he who does not gather with me scatters.” By casting out the demon from the mute, Jesus showed very clearly that He is the greater power and had authority over the former. In rebuttal to the charge from the Jewish leaders that his power was... Continue Reading →
4 October, Saturday — Taking courage by reaching out in confidence to Christ
Oct 4 – Memorial for St. Francis of Assisi Francis Bernardone (1181–1226) was the son of Pietro Bernadone, a rich cloth merchant. Though he had a good education and became part of his father’s business, he also had a somewhat misspent youth. He was a street brawler and some-time soldier. He was captured during a... Continue Reading →
28 September, Sunday — Don’t get too comfortable
26th Sunday in Ordinary TimeAmo 6:1,4-71 Tim 6:11-16Lk 16:19-31 “Woe to those ensconced so snugly…” At first glance, this Sunday’s readings seem to once again contrast woe to the rich with blessed are the poor. The first reading from Amos warns those who live complacently and securely in their comforts, that their revelry will soon end. The Gospel... Continue Reading →
27 September, Saturday — The Value of Suffering
Sep 27 – Memorial for St. Vincent de Paul, Priest St. Vincent (1581-1660) spent four years with the Franciscan friars getting an education. He was taken captive by Turkish pirates and sold into slavery, then freed when he converted one of his owners to Christianity. He started organisations to help the poor, nursed the sick,... Continue Reading →
25 September, Thursday — The Gaze I Fear, the Face I Seek
Thursday of Week 25 in Ordinary Time Hag 1:1-8Lk 9:7-9 And he was anxious to see Jesus. Herod was a powerful man. He had soldiers, wealth, influence. Yet, Luke tells us he was anxious to see Jesus (Lk 9:9). That word ‘anxious’ is striking. It suggests restlessness, urgency, even discomfort. Why would someone like Herod,... Continue Reading →
24 September, Wednesday — Travelling Light: Trusting God on the Journey
Wednesday of Week 25 in Ordinary Time Ez 9:5-9Lk 9:1-6 “Take nothing for the journey…” Every time I plan for a holiday, I find myself thinking carefully about my outfits, how to pair them, and where I will stay. I enjoy planning and like to be sure that my accommodation is comfortable and convenient. And... Continue Reading →
23 September, Tuesday — To Be His Mother and Brothers
Sep 23 – Memorial for St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio), Priest St. Pio (1887-1968) was ordained when he was 22. He founded the House for the Relief of Suffering in 1956, a hospital that serves 60,000 a year. In the 1920s he started a series of prayer groups that continue today with over 400,000... Continue Reading →
21 September, Sunday — Networking for God’s Kingdom
25th Sunday in Ordinary Time Amo 8:4-71 Tim 2:1-8Lk 16:1-13 “You cannot be the slave both of God and of money.” When I first read this parable as a child, I was confused. I thought, “Why would Jesus tell a story where a steward is rewarded for morally questionable actions?” More than a decade later,... Continue Reading →
14 September, Sunday — Climbing the Tree of Life
Sep 14 – Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross The feast was celebrated in Rome before the end of the 7th century. Its purpose is to commemorate the recovering of that portion of the Holy Cross which was preserved at Jerusalem, and which had fallen into the hands of the Persians. Emperor Heraclius... Continue Reading →
OXYGEN 