A Book to Read Forever
10th Sunday after Pentecost Everyone who exalteth himself shall be humbled, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. The spectacle offered to us in today’s Gospel reading should put us on our guard against the Pharisee that we all have hidden in us. The Pharisee goes up to the Temple to pray, but he […]
Are There Ten?
9th Sunday after Pentecost The scene of today’s Gospel takes us back to Palm Sunday. As Our Lord and His disciples approach the city, they reach a promontory today known as the Dominus flevit, where Our Lord halts, takes in, across the valley, the spectacular sight of the holy city, and, unexpectedly, begins to weep. […]
Astute Financier
8th Sunday after Pentecost On this eighth Sunday, we find ourselves taken back to Pentecost. Indeed, at the very heart of today’s liturgy lies the resplendent mystery of the Church as presented in the great Pentecostal Psalm (Psalm 47). Great is the Lord, and exceedingly to be praised in the city of our God, in […]
The Unhurrying Chase
7th Sunday after Pentecost In the epistle of today’s Mass, St Paul points out that if we have in the past handed over the members of our body to impurity, now that we are baptised, this is no longer possible, nor is it profitable. For indeed, the flesh produces death. If you live for the […]
You Are Not Yours
6th Sunday after Pentecost This morning at Matins, we were given to read of the exemplary penance of King David after his double crime of adultery and murder. David’s fall was tragic; it was a disgrace. After all he had received from God, he fell into the most abominable of crimes. And so far was […]
Honouring All Men
5th Sunday after Pentecost Today’s Gospel reminds us of our common origin. All men are brothers because they are all born of the same first parents and are all redeemed with the Precious Blood of the same Saviour. This being so, it is incumbent upon us to treat each other as brothers, that is to […]
Fear Not the Deep
4th Sunday after Pentecost In today’s Gospel, we contemplate Our Blessed Lord in Simon Peter’s boat, preaching to the people on the shore. At the end of His teaching, Jesus gives to Peter alone the command: launch out into the deep. Peter replies that they have spent the whole night fishing and have found nothing. […]
The Heart of the Apostles
Saints Peter and Paul On this day, the blood of the two apostles of Rome, the pillars of the Church, Peter and Paul, was poured out in sacrifice. Like his Saviour, St Peter was crucified, but out of humility, asked to be crucified upside down, esteeming himself unworthy to suffer as Our Lord. He was […]
La Fête-Dieu
Corpus Christi This feast, which we refer to as Corpus Christi, is known to the French as la Fête-Dieu, an expression that carries a double meaning. It is the Feast of God, for on it we honour God who is among us in the Most Blessed Sacrament, but it is also a feast that God […]