The Sunday Gospel Ex 24:3-8 Ps 116:12-13, 15-16, 17-18 Heb 9:11-15 Mk 14:12-16, 22-26 “Be what you see, become what you receive!” With these words, the saintly bishop Augustine urged his flock to deepen their understanding of the gift and mystery of the Eucharist. The good bishop reminded the faithful that the Eucharist transforms them…

In much of the secularised world today, we live in a climate that’s somewhat anti-Christian and anti-Church (as contradictory as this may sound in a culture that still considers itself Christian). But the truth is that in many circles today it is fashionable to bash Christianity, especially its churches, be they Roman Catholic, Protestant, or…

The Sunday Gospel Dt 4:32-34, 39-40 Ps 33:4-5, 6, 9, 18-19, 20, 22 Rom 8:14-17 Mt 28:16-20 Periodically, people ask me, “What is your favourite part of being a deacon?” Near the top of my list would have to be the opportunity to celebrate the sacrament of baptism. There’s just nothing like it. There is…

What is the Ascension? The Ascension is an event in the life of Jesus and his original disciples, a feast day for Christians, a theology, and a spirituality, all woven together into one amorphous mystery that we too seldom try to unpackage and sort out. What does the Ascension mean? Among other things, it is…

The Sunday Gospel Acts 2:1-11 Ps 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34 1 Cor 12:3b-7, 12-13 or Gal 5:16-25 Jn 20:19-23 or Jn 15:26-27; 16:12-15 When St John Paul II was elected to the papacy in 1978 among his first words to the world, spoken during his inaugural homily, were, “Be not afraid! Open wide the…

We are all priests from our baptism, and with that comes an invitation, namely, to pray for the world as a priest through the prayer of Christ and the Church. What does that mean exactly? Everyone who is baptised as a Christian is baptised into the priesthood of Jesus Christ. The priesthood is given to…

This is a Sunday of beginnings and endings. We hear the very first words of the Acts of the Apostles – and then, moments later, the last words of the Gospel according to Mark. Both focus on The Ascension – a moment that ties together two remarkable parts of our salvation, marking the end of…

I work and move within Church circles and find that most of the people there are honest, committed, and for the most part radiate their faith positively. Most churchgoers aren’t hypocrites. What I do find disturbing in Church circles though is that many of us can be bitter, mean-spirited, and judgmental in terms of defending…

The Sunday Gospel Scripture Reflection for May 5, 2024, Sixth Sunday of Easter Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48 Ps 98:1, 2-3, 3-4 1 Jn 4:7-10 Jn 15:9-17 In a digital culture dominated by social media and technological means of communication, the idea of friendship can often be reduced to superficial exchanges. Friendship is measured by numbers…

Why do we no longer get along with each other? Why is there such bitter polarisation inside of our countries, our neighborhoods, our churches, and even in our families? Why do we feel so unsafe in many of our conversations where we are perpetually on guard so as not to step on some political, social,…