Tuesday of 2nd Week of Lent Isa 1:10,16-20Mt 23:1-12 "The greatest among you must be your servant." I was in a snow ski resort with my family in Japan for a family holiday recently. I am unable to walk, so I move around in a wheelchair. But it was very difficult for my wheelchair to... Continue Reading →
28 February, Tuesday – Beautiful Beginnings
Tuesday of the 1st Week of Lent Isa 55:10-11Mt 6:7-15 "Y"...your Father knows what you need before you ask him." A few years ago, I made the difficult decision to leave a job I enjoyed and a team I loved. It was a decision I came to after considerable discernment – I knew that I... Continue Reading →
27 February, Monday – Love God, Love People
Monday of the 1st Week of Lent Lev 19:1-2,11-18Mt 25:31-46 But love your neighbour as yourself I often hurry into the season of Lent, bent on setting my heart and mind to practice some form of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. The priest would be preaching during Ash Wednesday mass and my mind would often be... Continue Reading →
25 February, Saturday — Repentance
Today we welcome Andrew Sia, who grew up Catholic since birth. For him, weekly Sunday mass and Christmas was about spending time in church. Then at age 27, he was asked to convert to become a Baptist in order to marry his Protestant girlfriend. Standing before Mother Mary’s altar in the Church of St Francis... Continue Reading →
5 February, Sunday — Of use
5th Sunday in Ordinary Time Isa 58:7-101 Cor 2:1-5Mt 5:13-16 “It is good for nothing, and can only be thrown out to be trampled underfoot by men.” Sometime after my wife’s baptism, her sister, who had not yet met Jesus, remarked to me that her sister is different. She said “She isn’t as hot tempered... Continue Reading →
4 February, Saturday — Is God truly your shepherd?
Saturday of Week 4 in Ordinary Time Heb 13:1-8Mk 6:14-29 …to become the Great Shepherd of the sheep by the blood that sealed an eternal covenant… Today, we read one of the church’s favourite Psalms – Psalm 23, The Lord is Our Shepherd. But when worries and troubles and doubts arise, do we treat God... Continue Reading →
3 February, Friday — Blessing our Throats
3 Feb – Memorial for St. Blaise, bishop and martyr; Memorial for St. Ansgar, bishop St. Blaise (d. 316) was a physician and Bishop of Sebaste, Armenia. He lived in a cave on Mount Argeus. He was a healer of men and animals. According to legend, sick animals would come to him on their own... Continue Reading →
1 February, Wednesday — “Give Thanks. Always.”
Wednesday of Week 4 in Ordinary Time Heb 12:4-7,11-15Mk 6:1-6 “My soul, give thanks to the Lord all my being, bless his holy name.My soul, give thanks to the Lord and never forget all his blessings.” Almost everyone that has attended the Conversion Experience Retreat (CER) would know and love this song: “Bless the Lord,... Continue Reading →
31 January, Tuesday — “Catholic? Who? Me?…”
31 Jan – Memorial for St. John Bosco, priest St. John Bosco (1815-1888) was the son of Venerable Margaret Bosco. His father died when he was just two years old, and as soon as he was old enough to do odd jobs, he did so for extra money for his family. Bosco would go to... Continue Reading →
30 January, Monday — “I am with you always…”
Monday of Week 4 in Ordinary Time Heb 11:32-40 Mk 5:1-20 “Go home to your people and tell them all that the Lord in his mercy has done for you.” As we approach the end of the first month of the year, have we made any resolutions? And have we taken steps to keep them?... Continue Reading →