Today’s gospel reading (Matthew 6: 7-15) is the account of Jesus teaching his disciples the Lord’s Prayer, the most important and profound common Christian prayer. This picture is of the Church of the Pater Noster, the traditional site for this event on the Mount of Olives overlooking Jerusalem; I expect
Continue readingOn the first Sunday in Lent we always hear one of the accounts from the gospels of Jesus stay for forty days in the wilderness – this year, from the gospel of Mark (chapter 1). As in this picture, the Lord is depicted by Mark as being at peace with
Continue readingToday’s gospel – the calling of Levi (usually identified with the apostle Matthew), in Luke chapter 5. Levi is a ‘toll-collector’ (that is a collector of indirect taxes) who in Luke’s version entertains Jesus with colleagues in his own home; Jesus is criticised for accepting this hospitality. At a time
Continue readingAs in Advent, many of our scripture readings in Lent are from the Old Testament prophets, and today from Isaiah chapter 58, a vigorous call for justice and integrity in society. In the Bible there are far more about social justice – compared to personal sinfulness – than we often
Continue readingIn our first reading at Mass today, Moses addresses the people of Israel, towards the end of their journey through the desert, Deuteronomy 30: 15-20. The people are offered a choice: ‘See, today I set before you life and prosperity, death and disaster.’ Part of what Lent is about is
Continue readingThe first day of Lent, a day of Fasting (for those between the ages of 14 and 60) and abstinence (that is, meat). Live-streamed Masses at 10am and 6pm, Rosary at 930am, Stations at 7pm. Details are on the parish website of our parish Lent course on Fratelli Tutti which
Continue readingAlthough the liturgy for the 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time takes precedence, today is also the feast of Saints Cyril and Methodius, patron saints of Europe. There is a chapter about them in the booklet I wrote about Europe’s patron saints some years ago (out of print but if anyone
Continue readingTomorrow is the Day of Prayer for the Unemployed. I am repeating this post from our website from a couple of years ago, as the message remains the same essentially; of course lots of people, including many of you, have lost their jobs because of the pandemic. God bless and
Continue readingOne in three people round the world does not have access to safe drinking water. You have the power to change this through your support of Cafod. Why not join our Walk for Water challenge, 10,000 steps a day every day for 40 days? Lent begins on February 17th; maybe
Continue readingToday is the feast of St Scholastica, the sister of St Benedict. A good day to pray for female Religious, especially the two communities in our parish, the Missionary Sisters of St Peter Claver and the Salesian Sisters. She shared her brother’s vision for the religious life in sixth century
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