2nd Sunday of Advent Bar 5:1-9Phi 1:4-6,8-11Lk 3:1-6 Peace through integrity, and honour through devotedness. The words ‘peace through integrity, and honour through devotedness’ in our First Reading of Baruch caught my imagination today. That word ‘integrity’ is used more often these days in referring to honesty and moral principles, especially when we think of... Continue Reading →
4 December, Saturday — The good in counsel and wisdom is managed by God’s grace
Dec 4 – Memorial for St. John Damascene, priest, doctor of the Church St. John Damascene was born in Damascus about 675. After holding public office for a time, he withdrew to the monastery of Sabas near Jerusalem. He wrote ‘The Fount of Wisdom’, in which he presented a comprehensive teaching on Christian doctrine, which had... Continue Reading →
3 December, Friday — Time invested in hope in God has His grace as the dividend
Dec 3 – Feast of St. Francis Xavier, presbyter, religious, missionary (Principal Patron of Foreign Missions) St. Francis Xavier (1506-1552) was a nobleman from the Basque region. He studied and taught philosophy at the University of Paris, and planned a career as a professor. He was a friend of St. Ignatius of Loyola, who convinced him... Continue Reading →
2 December, Thursday — God works with the heart that accommodates truth
Thursday of the 1st Week of Advent Isa 26:1-6Mt 7:21,24-27 Let the upright nation come in, she, the faithful one whose mind is steadfast, who keeps the peace, because she trusts in you. An error is a form of aberration and could come through inadvertent or purposeful incorrectness. It requires a discerning mind to bring... Continue Reading →
1 December, Wednesday — With God, there is no impossibility
Wednesday of the 1st Week of Advent Isa 25:6-10Mt 15:29-37 That day, it will be said: See, this is our God in whom we hoped for salvation; the Lord is the one in whom we hoped. We exult and we rejoice that He has saved us... When in pains and waiting for survival, safety seems... Continue Reading →
29 November, Monday – Let’s go to God’s House
Monday of the 1st Week of Advent Isa 2:1-5Mt 8:5-11 Just give the word... “How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth” (Psalm 119:103). Imagine this Psalm, that the word of our Lord is sweeter than honey and in today’s gospel we are reminded that His words healed... Continue Reading →
28 November, Sunday – To You O Lord I lift up my soul
1st Sunday of Advent Jer 33:14-161 Ths 3:12-4:2Lk 21:25-28,34-36 Beware that your heart does not get drowsy If you and I lift our souls to the Lord and allow Him to direct our paths (Psalm 25:4-5) our hearts will never get drowsy and we will never be consumed by the cares of our life. Most... Continue Reading →
28 December, Monday — The goodness we seek
Dec 28 – Feast of the Holy Innocents, martyrs The Holy Innocents are the children slaughtered by Herod the Great when he tried to kill the infant Christ. Patron Saint Index The children died for Christ, though they do not know it. The parents mourned for the death of martyrs. The Christ child makes of... Continue Reading →
23 December, Wednesday — Do not ignore your spiritual life!
Dec 23 – Memorial for St. John of Kanty, presbyter St. John of Kanty (1390-1473) was a Polish country lad. A brilliant student at the University of Krakow, Poland, he became a priest and professor of theology at the University of Krakow, where he was falsely accused and ousted by university rivals. At the age of... Continue Reading →
22 December, Tuesday — God’s greatness in small things
Tuesday of 4th Week of Advent 1 Sam 1:24-28 Luke 1:46-56 “The Almighty has done great things for me” There has been a lot of sadness during this COVID-19 period. Case numbers keep rising, the death toll keeps mounting, many in the working population were or have been retrenched, religious rites and festivals are not... Continue Reading →
OXYGEN 