30th Sunday C 26 October 2025 Sermon

30th Sunday C    26 October 2025 Humility

The readings today present us with a closer look at a very important quality, namely humility.

Humility is not just putting oneself down, for example saying that I am no good at anything. It is not so much about what is wrong with me as what is right with  God. Not so much my weakness as His strength.

It is God's perfections which make us humble, as we realize we are a long way short of what He is (like an insect comparing itself to a mountain).

We are humbled as we consider that one so great can find  time for my conversation. World leaders would  not be so interested in my life as God Himself is!

We are dust and ashes by comparison but confidently expect to be glorified one day. To dust we shall return but after that we will rise in glory.

But all the while staying humble, because this would  not happen without God, who thought of the whole thing and watches over its progress.

We follow Our Lady who saw herself as the lowest of the low yet marvelled that God would lift her  so that all ages would call her blessed. Her humility can be likened to a very clean window letting in the full sunlight.  Or a clearing of a path of obstacles, enabling the entry of something desirable. Prepare ye the way of the Lord!

If we should take a false step and forget our humble status we become distorted and all manner of irregular things happen. The fallen angels thought they were equal to God or maybe better.

We can learn from the publican  God, be merciful to me a sinner. (Lk 18,13)

That’s all he said and all it needed. The prayer was probably better for being short, as even prayer can be a source of pride, as we see with the pharisee.

To find our true status is the necessary goal. We interpret everything that happens in terms of God's view of things, not our own view.

If a particular decision has to be made, or attitude adopted, or outcome to be sought – it is to God that we look. Thy will be done!  God's will is better for me than to follow my own will.

The prayer of the humble man will pierce the clouds (Sir 35,21) first reading). Humility will get further than pride because it is more harmonious with God. It is a meeting of like with like and will bring forth even better still.

Humility is power, a shock reversal of worldly thinking where military and economic might are considered the source of power.

Stalin is supposed to have said; how many divisions does the pope have? Meaning military strength. The humble Church will triumph over its persecutors. We can win another way.

When we click into our exact place with God, we will see miracles coming, good things happening, bad things averted.

Especially is this so when several people do this. A family, a parish, a diocese, the Church – all can do this. And be like the publican, in humble bearing.

The message is frequent through the New Testament – Clothe yourselves in humility: Ephesians 4:2

Colossians 3:12  believers should be completely humble, gentle, and patient, bearing with one another in love.

Philippians 2:3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself".

1 Peter 5:6 encourages, "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time". 

And Our Lady herself: ‘He has brought down the proud and raised the lowly.’ (Lk 1, 52)

May she help us to be truly humble and contrite before the majesty of God: God, be merciful to me, a sinner.

29th Sunday C 19 October 2025 Sermon

 29 C  19 October 2025 Persistent Prayer

 The course of a battle depends on whether one man has his arms raised or not! A strange story (today’s first reading: Ex 17,8-13) but one which affirms the power and the importance of prayer.

In an age which looks for practical solutions and is impatient with prayer, the word of God reminds us that prayer is the beginning and end of all human activity.

Moses’ prayer has a direct, visible effect on the course of the battle. It is not always so obvious when we pray, but the same principle is always at work.

When we pray we are bringing the power and the love of God into action at the scene of our prayer.

And, yes, there is still a battle going one. The battle is at the spiritual level, between good and evil. God and Satan are fighting over which one will possess us for all eternity.

It is a furious battle and one which is mostly invisible, but no less real for that.

And being an invisible battle, it is easy for us to be distracted from attention to it.

Moses could see what happened when he prayed, and when he stopped praying. We are not so fortunate to see the results so clearly.

But we need to understand that while our arms are lifted up in prayer the forces of good are making progress, and if we relax our efforts and become complacent, the forces of evil make progress.

The prayer has to be continuous, and persistent. Like the widow in the Gospel (Lk 18,1-8), we keep knocking on the door of heaven. Lord help us, save us.

Even when there is nothing in particular going wrong, that we can see, we keep praying because the battle is still raging.

We might think of our prayer as an individual matter. I have said my prayers for today.

But think of a soldier going into battle. He does not say: I’ve fired my bullets for today, so now I can relax. He knows that while he is out there on the battlefield he is involved and committed, and must keep shooting.

This is our position. It is not bullets we fire, but prayer, while keeping a constant state of alertness. It is hard to keep up this attitude, but the Church itself helps us.

Just as Aaron and Hur help up Moses’ arms, so the whole Church holds us up when we grow tired.

Of course, we must sleep and rest, and must attend to other things. But somewhere in the world, someone is praying while we rest. The Church is always at prayer. There is always a Mass going on somewhere, always a rosary being said.

This is comforting, but we always need more prayer and more intensity.

Given some of the issues we face in our time, we cannot just rest with a few short prayers before we go to bed. We have some major problems on our hand and need to bring them to some serious prayer.

What about the young people? What about all the lapsed Catholics? The abortions? The divorces, the suicides, the drugs, the disasters, the terrorism.... and on and on.

There are more things to pray about than we have minutes in the day. No one person can address them all, but the more time and energy we do put into our prayer the better things will get.

We support each other here in this church, in this parish. It is easy to be discouraged, to give up, to feel alone. But see the tide of battle turning and realize that you could be part of that, as courage and energy return.

May the Lord sustain us in our prayer, as we call upon Him.

28th Sunday C 12 October 2025 Sermon

28^th Sunday C     12 October 2025 Gratitude

If we are rescued from a crisis our gratitude will be greater according to the size of the crisis.

An acute  need draws all our attention. Everything else seems unimportant at that moment.

For example being lost, wanting to find a reference point. Or in a struggling aeroplane – we are grateful if we can find solid land again. In difficult situations we might pray to God for help; and we might promise God that if He gets us out of this trouble, we will be especially good for the future!

Such promises may not be kept, once the focus shifts to other things.

But in essence that is what we are doing all the time in relation to God. We are grateful to Him for creating us, saving us, guiding us - all for our benefit and from His generosity.

We have received many  blessings from God, but we do not necessarily value those blessings.

In the spiritual world it is possible to miss the various snares we face and so think we have no particular problem, when really we have.

We need to cultivate gratitude and let that gratitude lead us to better understanding.

Take the story of the unforgiving debtor. Forgiven a large amount of money he then went out to throttle the other servant who owed him only a small amount (Mt 18,21-35). The first servant was not grateful enough to make him see anything differently.

We could thank God day and night and for a long time, and we would not get to the end of the blessings.

God does not need our thanks but we need to give thanks. He has made us to live in relationship with him. If we ignore Him we are losing part of ourselves, stunted in spiritual growth.

The primary way we can express thanks to God is to take part in the Mass.

In every Mass the Church speaks as one in thanksgiving, and benefits from the experience.  The Father and the Son are in constant exchange of offering, receiving, thanking, and they include us in the experience. We are taken up into their world, and we need to be grateful for that.

At each Mass we thank God the Son for His death and resurrection. These events lift us out of sin and death, a problem we may not have known we had. But as we discover the mercy of God and how much He has forgiven (first debtor) we become more grateful.

The prayers of the Mass make continuous references to God’s goodness to us. The psalms in particular express this response, which we need to make our own. We say lots of words with our voices; the next step is to say them in our hearts. For example: Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord; praise the Lord, my soul. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.

Continuous praise and thanksgiving will melt hard hearts as we discover a new way of seeing things.

Finally, we will have a sense of gratitude proportionate for the magnitude of the occasion.

We realize what we could have lost, but we did not lose it; and here we are celebrating our union with God, and our hope of eternal life.

Each act of thanksgiving should make us more ready for the next one.

The one leper is immortalized because he came back to give thanks. We hope he stayed grateful. We hope we will ‘come back’ and stay grateful; it is a hope we can make certain.

 

 

27th Sunday C 5 October 2025 Sermon

 27^th Sunday C   5 October 2025 Obedience of faith

 “If you had faith as a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this sycamine tree, ‘Be rooted up, and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. (Lk 17,6 Gospel)

Not many have that sort of faith, but we can move in that direction.

Our Lord expands the theme by likening it to a master-servant relationship.

Servants interpret everything in terms of what they must  do for the master.

The servant must obey the master at all times. So must we be on a permanent footing of obedience to our Master, Almighty God.

Obedience to a kind and just master will draw one closer to that master, in terms of wanting to please him, anticipating his wishes, making sacrifices for  his sake.

This is about us and our Master, Jesus Christ.

If we are obedient to Him He will entrust us with more (cf parable of talents – you have been faithful in small things, I will entrust you with greater Mt 25,14-30.)

God created us to share His life, to participate in His ruling of the earth.

The first man, Adam, enjoyed supernatural authority over creation. Had he not sinned he would have grown in faith and power, also love for God.

If the wind had been blowing too strongly, for example, Adam could have stilled the wind with a word (just as Jesus could calm the storm Mt 8,23-27).

We find ourselves a mixture of power which is still there, and power lost through sin.

If we would come back to a perfect relationship with God we would be working miracles too, or at least contributing to them.

The key is to obey, even if it is against our inclinations. If we do obey we will be coming into right order with God and all His creation.

Many have given up on prayer thinking that it does not ‘work’. It will work when the one praying makes a resolution to obey God in all things.

Increase our faith , say the apostles in today’s Gospel.

Every prayer, every good work can help us to grow in our understanding of God, and willingness to please Him.

This has to be every day. We are told in other spheres of life that we have to eat well, get enough sleep, enough exercise etc. Even more so, we have to get enough supernatural life - enough prayer, communing with the Divine, gradually coming into better relationship with all who seek union with God.

We make this world a place where God is taken seriously. This would be the ‘kingdom’ for which we pray.

We can tell God that we are not happy with the current state of affairs, provided we are humble and respectful. (today’s 1^st reading Hab 1,2-3 and 2,2-4). How long am I to cry for help, Lord, while You will not listen?

God does not tell us much, as in words we can hear. But He shows us a lot, leaving it for us to put two and two together, and adjust our position accordingly.

We are asking not because we are losing faith, but because we need help piecing it all together.

We know that the fault cannot be with God, so it must be somewhere else, maybe a lot of places, where God is not honoured.

Any way we can unravel the difficulties the better off everyone will be.

Just simple obedience will set things off in the right way. Do whatever He tells  you  (Jn 2,1-11).

And watch what happens! 

 

 

 

 

 

26th Sunday (C) 28 September 2025 Sermon

26^th Sunday (C ) 28 September 2025 Multiculturism.  Today is the 111^th world day of migrants and refugees, and we celebrate it here in this parish, combined with the main theme of the Jubilee year - Pilgrims of Hope.

In this parish we have a lot of evidence of different cultures blending harmoniously. We take the chance to pray for all the relevant and connected themes of the day.

That we can all live in peace is a constant prayer. Whenever we look at any country or region we see too many signs of discord.

Everyone should treat everyone with respect, but it does not always happen. Through our prayer we express the hope that it can be done differently; that the change brought about in the human condition by the coming of Christ will penetrate hearts and change will result at the ground level.

The place to start is to recognize the common humanity which binds us, either in an already established peace, or in a peace which is waiting to be realised.

St Paul tells us that now there is no Jew or Greek, but only Christ (Ga 3,28).

Christ made us one, and can keep us one if enough people will unite themselves with Him.

We can speak of two things that need to happen.

One, as we have been saying, is that we learn to live in peace, so that no matter how many people are in one area they can learn to get along.

Two, is that as many as possible, and potentially the whole world, can come to an explicit complete union with Our Lord Jesus Christ, through faith and baptism. This is the source of unity that St Paul was speaking about.

We offer to those of other religions, or no religion, the greatest gift of all – the knowledge of Jesus Christ, the pearl of great price (Mt 13,45-46), for which we should give up all we have.

Our primary method of influencing others to believe in Christ is to be the very best disciples we can be.

We are to be Pilgrims of Hope, one of the main themes of the Jubilee year.

We can achieve peace (important) through faith, hope and charity (even more important).

Christ is the overall source of culture, if we take ‘culture’ to mean the way people live, the way they set values, make decisions.

We can still celebrate our differences on less essential matters. So nations have different customs on matters of art, literature, food, clothing, music, language, history, geography, sport etc.

Being Christian does not mean we have to be the same on all points. As long as we have that unity with Jesus Christ we can then expand into other areas, never losing our focus on Him.

We are one when we need to be, and diverse when appropriate, but never forgetting where all this richness comes from.

We become more like Him, and meet in the middle, where He is found.

Mentally it is easy to see that we are all one, or should be, but who is going to live like that?

We have to forgive everyday, seeking a standard of holiness which is demanding but also rewarding.

History has been pushed out of shape many times, and the world we have now is very different from that which Christ would have wanted for us. But such is the marvel of God's mercy that from any position on the spectrum He can forgive us and give us a new start.

Genuine repentance, seeking the approval of God is the key. Always we are saying, Lord have mercy. Always He is granting it. Today, may He forgive all sins against unity in Him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

25th Sunday C 21 September 2025 Sermon

 25 C 25 Taking part   21 September 2025

When I was at school they would say to sporting teams, it is not whether you win or lose but whether you take part.

I don’t think anyone believed that very strongly. But it did make a  valid point.

To do something well for its own sake regardless of other results, must have a place in human wisdom. Better to finish second in a strong field than to win in a weak field.

We might understand that God values our ‘taking part’ more than the result of what we do.

Mother Teresa said once that the important thing is not whether we have succeeded in life, but whether we have loved.

God would agree. He can make things happen at will; He does not need our input. But He wants that input from us so we can give Him something.

God could make a road, build a bridge, rain down food from heaven, much better than we could do it, but if we do those things with a desire to please Him, that is what He wants from us.

The second reading: I want the men to lift their hands up reverently in prayer, with no anger or argument. It is not so much the achievements of the governing body but whether or not they responded to prayer.

We pray that they do respond, and this is the Kingdom of Heaven coming into operation.

What does a government have to do but keep good order, enabling God's will to come into operation?

Many earthly governments forget that they are answerable to a higher  authority and so they try to ‘win’ rather than ‘take part’. They  have forgotten the God who made them, who has made the whole of reality.

God says that He does not require any more bullocks or sacrifices. He owns all the bullocks anyway! (Ps 50,11)

What He wants from us is our sincere worship, to express our humble dependence upon Him, and let whatever society emerges from that.

We do our best, but always submitting to God's greatness over us.

We give everything to God in trust that He will know what to do.

Or as Jesus said to Peter : do you love Me? (Jn 21,15) After all the miracles, all the sermons, all the healings the question that remained : do you love Me? This is what God wants from us.

We may be talented, or clever, but do we love God? Again it comes back to a very simple matter.

We are like children before God.

Sometimes people expect God to intervene and make everything go right. He does not have to do that. Things are already going right if people are seeking to please God.

The universe has a direction after all. It is not a random meaningless process, but watched over by God at all times, intervening to teach us what matters most to Him.

This understanding should help us handle all the different parts of our lives . such as the pursuit of money alluded to in the other readings.

We don’t need so much money if we have trust in God.

God would have us use all our resources for the collective good of all, so that everyone has enough to eat, and other necessities.

Again the simplicity is evident. If we seek to pile up so much money that we do not need God, then we come to grief like the rich man who built bigger barns (Lk 12,16-21)

So that we may be able to live religious and reverent lives in peace and quiet (Second reading, 1 Tim 2,2)

Exaltation of the Holy Cross 14 September 2025 Sermon

Exaltation of the Cross 14.9.25

God can do things differently than we would have expected. And the Cross is at the forefront of those things.

In the Cross of Jesus Christ God is giving us a lesson for which we probably did not ask.

In human wisdom we usually look for the shortest way to get from the problem to the solution.

If we are to try to understand God's ways, we need to know His main objectives. With regard to us (humans) God seeks to save and sanctify. To save means to rescue from all forms of evil and sin. To sanctify means to cleanse at the deepest level of a person – the heart and the will.

We might settle for feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless  - treating the exterior, not worrying what the person is like.. (Much like governments do; they do not explore the spiritual element.) But God does get into that element, and wants to take us there too.

And strangest of all is that God has sent His Son. Why would you send you son from the peace of heaven to a barbaric tribe, knowing that he will be tortured humiliated killed etc… and the people did not ask for it, and would be content to settle for just the external matters, like food and health.

God is fixed in His purpose. He comes among us, is taken for a slave and put to death, offering eternal life to any who will express gratitude and loyalty to Him. He will not push away anyone who sincerely seeks Him.

He seeks to waken in us a level that we may not know we had, a level of charity which comes direct from the heart of God, and comes through to those who are joined to Him.

We can imitate something of the style of Jesus’ actions, if not the same intensity.

Thus we become people of the cross. Willing to lay down our lives, or at least to endure ridicule and persecution, for the motive of saving and sanctifying others (not excluding ourselves).

This is our glory as spiritual beings; that we share in heavenly ways.

People wonder why does God not make it easier, more obvious, but He leads them instead to something deeper.

If we can hold off from trying to kill the Son (Mt 21,38) we will discover great joy in expressing the charity of Christ to those around us.

The Cross is a frequent reminder to us of all that is going on here. What sort of a god would do that? The one who actually exists. It is a surprise but we can get used to it.

God could  have done differently, and done things more in line with worldly wisdom.

He could have come off the cross; could have risen sooner; could have performed non- stop miracles in front of everyone.

Instead He gives us a way of pondering and seeing where His actions apply to us.

We need to remember that we have been sent and we will be called in to give an account of  ourselves. (Rom 14,12) We can forget this because it is not usually a visible part of our lives.

Today’s feast restores us to the proper vision. It is harder to take the spiritual view, but much more rewarding.

1 O cross of Christ, immortal tree on which our Saviour died,
the world is sheltered by your arms that bore the crucified.

2 From bitter death and barren wood the tree of life is made;
its branches bear unfailing fruit and leaves that never fade.

3 O faithful cross, you stand unmoved while ages run their course:
foundation of the universe, creation's binding force.

4 Give glory to the risen Christ and to his cross give praise,
the sign of God's unfathomed love, the hope of all our days.

(Stanbrook Abbey Hymnal)

The Sorrows of Mary (a reflection)

 The Sorrows of Mary (feast 15 September) 

 The prophecy of Simeon. (St. Luke 2:34, 35)

The flight into Egypt. (St. Matthew 2:13, 14)

The loss of the Child Jesus in the temple. (St. Luke 2: 43-45)

The meeting of Jesus and Mary on the Way of the Cross.

The Crucifixion.

The taking down of the Body of Jesus from the Cross.

The burial of Jesus.

 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The last four of the sorrows deal with Our Lord's death, the first three with the earlier years.

The last three sorrows coincide with the last three stations.

All mothers feel the pain that their children feel. Mary felt the pain a million times more – having more capacity to love, and having more to weep about, given that Christ is more important than any other child.

The invitation/challenge for us is to see how much we can identify with her sorrow: Is there one who would not weep, whelmed in miseries so deep, Christ’s dear Mother to behold?

We are aware of the sensation we can have in following a story about other people, where there is suffering involved. It actually does us good, because it opens our hearts to a greater compassion. It takes us out of ourselves, for a while at least. We are less worried than usual about ourselves and what happens next.

This is especially so with this story of Mary and Jesus. The more fully we enter it the more we are going to be transformed, not just in how we feel, but actually becoming more charitable, better people.

Is there one who would not weep? Can the human heart refrain from partaking in her pain, in that Mother’s pain untold?

We would need to have hearts of stone not to be affected by the sight.

We can be very stony in our disregard of other people’s sufferings, because we think we have already enough for ourselves.

We can even be indignant at our own troubles, declaring life to be unfair. We can break free from these attitudes with enough contemplation of higher things, such as the sorrows of Mary.

We can do ourselves a lot of good, but we can also help Mary and Jesus, by helping them carry the load. And also help them to convey their love out to the world.

We might think we cannot do much good, but each person that comes onside is changing the overall balance.

We become more willing to help others in need, and less likely to cause harm ourselves.

Through sorrow we learn the pain that is caused by sin, and the need that we have to overcome sin, and transform it by love.

This is the key: we do not want to kill sinners but turn them into good people. This, at least, is what God wants, and He wants us to take on His view of others.

This is something good that comes from the Cross, even though it is an event that should not have happened.

The love of Jesus and Mary, called into action by the cruelty of man - then comes to help man stop being cruel!

We share in this transforming, ourselves becoming less ‘cruel’ (generally nasty), and more useful in extending the power of the cross to the world around us.

The world is still crucifying Him, or would do so again if He let them. They do not care about Him now for the same reasons as then.

We have to go against the tide and be with Mary - eyes fixed on the cross. If there are tears they are tears of hope not despair; hope that all this suffering will turn to joy.

Our Lady of Sorrows, help us to take our part in these great matters.

22nd Sunday (C) 31 August 2025 Sermon

22^nd Sunday C  31August 2025 Humility

There  are layers of meaning in this parable (the dinner guests Lk 14,7-14).

At the simplest level we would exercise good manners and not push in above our status. And if in doubt, yes we would take the lower place. Much like we let someone else go through the door ahead of us. After you!

At another level we could see the seating model as a more general expression of how we deal with life and other people.

The arrogant and the bullying will see everything in selfish terms and use other people as seems expedient.

The humble of heart will be prepared to give way to others, even if they (the humble) have higher claims. Other factors may have to be considered but the essence of humility will always be present.

Christians should not be afraid to use their talents, but always with deference to God, His wisdom and power.

The follower of Christ must have a share in His humility, never forgetting the communal nature of the Church. We seek the benefit of all, including ourselves, but always aware of belonging to something bigger than just ourselves. This is ‘loving one another’(Jn 13,34).

Then we can take things to a wider level still, applying this image of the dinner guests to our overall relationship with Almighty God.

God has made many different types of creatures, but only to angels and humans has He given the privilege of communicating directly with Him.

All other creation is irrational, not having the power to reflect on things, to praise God, to ask for favours etc.

Having this privilege of communication with God means that we have the ability to reject Him. This is what many of the angels did, turning into demons instead.

And it means for us humans that we can commit sin, something which the animals cannot do.

Why would we want to pit ourselves against God? Well, we do not usually put it in such plain terms, but when we sin we are putting our own will ahead of God's will. Whatever we call it, or think we are doing, we are not being humble at that point!

Pride is at the root of all sinful behaviour; it is trying to take the highest place from God Himself.

If we really humble ourselves before God, we will be prepared to trust His holy will over our own.

If God wants things a certain way, and I want them another way, who is more likely to be right?

Of course, it will always be God who knows best, both as to my interests and for the overall situation, how others are affected. This applies to everything, large or small. God knows what needs to happen.

We place ourselves at the lowest point of His table and wait for further instructions.

The humblest person to have ever lived was also the best person, Our Lady.

God was able to work through her because she offered Him no resistance. Be it done unto me according to thy word (Lk 1,38)

Imagine if there were more people like that. Imagine if most people were like that!. With less resistance to the will of God the world would start to be unrecognisable. It would start to look like the kingdom of God.

By the grace of God we can be part of that humble response. If we are humble enough to obey God readily, we can then be entrusted with more (Mt 25,21 the faithful servant).

We thank God for giving us the power to choose, but we also ask Him for the wisdom to choose the right way, hoping to hear the words from today’s Gospel, Friend, come up higher (Lk 14,10).

 

21st Sunday C 24 August 2025 Sermon

 21^st Sunday C   24 August 2025 Regrets

Regrets I’ve had a few, says Frank Sinatra. As we reach adult years we can recall probably more than a few regrets.

We regret that we cannot change the past; however, we can ‘change’ the future, insofar as we make better decisions as to how we live. 

So we become unlikely to repeat the same mistakes of the past. This is why there is a constant call to repentance in our faith. And why we have penitential rites, and seasons like Lent; and call for mercy in our prayers (especially the Mass).

A lot of people do not pray, it seems, yet Jesus is so welcoming - like the generous father who welcomed back the prodigal son. The  son did not like his chances of being forgiven, but gave it a try. So should anyone do who feels alienated from God. Approach Him and see what happens  (Lk 15,11-32) 

Yet the Gospel today (Lk 13,22-30) sounds uninviting. To be saved you have to get through a narrow door. Even calling on God may not be enough. Yet God will never ignore a cry of true repentance. Jesus uses this image to stress the need for sincere repentance, not just pretending.

Peace of soul comes with repentance, and we feel put back together, re-integrated - all parts working together.

We can have that peace. One could be a dropout, never making it in the eyes of the world.

But with a sincere act of repentance there is mercy and new life. Lord, have mercy on a sinner (The publican Lk 18,9-13).

We can all do this and converge on Heaven, having been transformed by the love of God.

Jesus is putting things in such urgent terms, to give the Jews of His time a wake-up. He tells them that others will get there before them. There is no pre-determined limit to Heaven. We can all get in. but we must all be busy about it, not growing complacent or cynical.

For those who have not needed a dramatic conversion because they have been living a good and orderly life so far – there is an urgency to pray for others who are not so well placed. And as we learn from sport – don’t declare victory until it is over.

We pray for  others, that they will find the narrow door and the path that leads to it. Our prayer can generate grace, which will make it easier for others to repent.

Whatever we have been or have done, we can call down the mercy of God in the present moment.

Some deal with guilt by trying to deny it. But if the guilt is real it has to be addressed. Like with a disorder in the body, we cannot just talk it away.

Complete repentance requires that we change our behaviour, but once we taste the mercy of God we are glad to do that. There is joy in Heaven over one sinner who repents (Lk 15,7); and that joy can be anticipated on earth too, cf Zacchaeus Lk 19,1-10).

The  door to which Our Lord refers is narrow because there is so much falsehood around it. It is harder to stay on course when there are many alternatives on offer. We make the door wider by our personal choices for good. It is not meant to be so hard as it is to live a good life,

It is just that many make the wrong turn-offs in their particular pathway. Then the destination can seem a long way off. And the whole society can get muddled, as much of ours is now.

Some correct turns will make all the difference.

20th Sunday C 17 August 2025 Sermon

20^th Sunday (C)  17 August 2025 Union with Christ

Our Lord does not really want anyone fighting – such as mother and daughter, as put in today’s Gospel (Lk 12,51).

He has indeed come to bring peace, but it has to be first peace with Himself, then with each other.

If we are all looking to be at one with Him then we will automatically become one with each other. (Like converging on the same place, we all meet there).

He did not want division between people, but He knew His coming would have that effect. Some would accept Him; some would reject Him.

Jesus knew that people could be changeable, spiteful, vengeful, and the like. They could rebel against God and each other. He came to set up a renewed humanity that would not be like that.

Humanity could not be fully saved unless the healing go deep down in the heart, the centre of all desires.

Only those who would allow Him to take over their minds and wills would learn what the peace of Christ really meant.

We are made for God and cannot change that. The best idea is to accept that status and find out where it leads.

Christ dwells in us and guides the way we think, the way we love, what we pursue.

It does not lead to peace at first because there is resistance.

1 ) When missionaries would take the gospel to new places they would meet persecution  (cf first reading, the mistreatment of Jeremiah). It is easier to kill the messenger than to heed the message.

2) Or there is a kind of diluted acceptance, whereby people will accept the Gospel but not as the central driving force of their lives, more as an add-on, a contributing factor but not the main event.

3) Or they will resolve to keep the new doctrines, but keep the old ones as well. So there is always the temptation to worship false gods, in whatever form they come.

No, there is only one God, and one Saviour. Union with Him is like being married; fidelity is essential.

4) Or they will say that we should not preach the Gospel anyway; better to leave everyone as they are. That would bring a measure of peace, but not with Christ. It is good if we do not kill each other, but we still need Christ front and centre.

And where we express this unity with Christ and each other most fully is here in the Church, the people of God.

5) Or they will try to be ‘Christian’ but without Christ. This is when Christianity is reduced to a set of ethics. Jesus was a teacher, nothing more.

No, we cannot have the body without the head. It is one unit, one person who unites all others.

Ethics are essential but they do not stir the soul. We need supernatural help, and we get that from prayer and sacraments.

Let Him be the head and we will learn a lot faster.

Jesus is more than teacher; He is the source of all mercy and grace. He enables all who want to live the new life He demonstrates.

In His personhood He can gather in all who want to be gathered.

We come to love Him, not just obey.

We pray that the mercy of Christ will reach every heart, and thus there would be the peace that Jesus came to bring. This is the fire that He was anxious to light.

If He divides us it is only to reunite us with something better. No less than Himself.

19th Sunday Ordinary Time (C) 10 August 2025 Sermon

19^th Sunday (C )  10  August 2025 Security

When we talk about faith, there are two meanings. Faith is an intellectual assent to what is stated in the creeds. And faith is trust, trusting in God not to let us down.

It is this sense of trust that Jesus is asking of us in today’s Gospel. Faith is the opposite of fear or doubt.  I cannot be afraid if I am on trusting terms with God.

Though ten thousand rise against me (Ps 3,6).

 Though the stalls stand empty of cattle (Hab 3,17). Though the mountains may fall (Is 54,10) – yet will I trust in the Lord, and I will not fear.

In all these texts our security is found in God, not in the lesser things we are inclined to rely on - such as money, physical protection, locked doors.

In all trials I will stand firm. We have many saints, especially the  martyrs, to inspire us by their example.

We have direct access to God's grace and power through prayer and sacraments.

How can we lose? The only way we can lose all this is if we neglect the sources of help which are provided. If we do not pray, nor meditate on these things, and put them into practice, we will be fearful always, unless we change direction.

Jesus tells us not to trust things of earth which thieves or moths can destroy (Lk 12,33-34) Better to build up one’s treasure in Heaven where we will collect it one day.

It is like having shares in a company - we have a share in God. We cannot possess Him but we can share in His life.

We do what we can to stay safe, to stay alive. We are careful what we eat, careful crossing the road, careful going out alone, wearing  seat belts, locking the house, and  money in the bank etc.

These things are all good in their way, but our real security, the one that cannot be taken from us is to be in a state of union with God.

This union is the basis of our trusting God. He will not let us down. Either He will give us what we ask, or something different, at least equally good.

Filled with trust in Him we can then be like the servants who will be found being active when the Master returns. (Lk 12,42-48)

We will do things He wants us to do, whether great or small, from choosing a career to helping a stranger.

We will not grow slack with the passing of time, but use all the time remaining to us to make known the kingdom of God.

The word ‘security’ might convey that we are hiding in shelters, just trying to survive. The stronger disciples are proactive, seeking out ways of serving the Lord.

In our way of looking at things, even to die for Christ can be seen as the work of an active servant.

Our concept of success and failure is different from the world’s. Look at Our Lord Himself. To die on the Cross seemed a very strange way of spreading the kingdom but that is what happened.

We might face unexpected challenges, but we trust that God will bring a good result from it all.

We face many difficulties, but God is bigger than all of them. And to the extent that we ourselves might doubt His power or goodness, He can help with that too.

Many despair but not us. For us it is hope and faith, all the way to the gates of Heaven.

We thank God for His faithfulness to us!

18th Sunday of Year (C) 3 August 2025 Sermon

 18^th Sunday of year (C)     3 August 2025 Pilgrims

God gives us a world full of beauty and then tells us not to become too attached to it!

This we might perceive to be somewhat cruel on His part, but He has our wellbeing in mind.

It is something like you get a box of chocolates for your birthday but you know you should not eat them all at once.

Life is like that. We are tempted to throw off restraint and indulge ourselves with various passions, either wrong in themselves, or taken out of their proper balance. Eg too much computer use or social media. 

What is God doing to us? He is training us, forcing us to go through certain exercises to become more sharply focused. 

See how you go at being generous with  your time and possessions. 

See how you go at being ready to give things up, if required. 

These are areas where we can learn and improve. We do it for other areas of life, why not the spiritual life? 

The rich man forgot that he was on a journey, that he was not in his final home. He became too attached to his surroundings. 

We should get ready for Heaven. It is coming closer in time, and in our readiness to enter there. 

By a combination of sorrow for past sin, and making new resolution we can make progress, and this is the idea. 

I am going to heaven means union with God and all the other heavenly citizens. It is not just a place of pleasures, but of deep union with God, for which we were created. 

God expects us to go through this life aspiring to be with Him not allowing ourselves to be too immersed in this life. If there is any immersing it is with God, not the things God has given us. 

To be totally immersed in God's will and so grow in stature spiritually. 

It just takes a bit of discipline. And perseverance. 

And coming back again and again to the main point. Do not make the same mistake as the rich man. He forgot he was going anywhere. He did not consider his immortality. He forgot to consider the end of his life – end in ‘time’, and end in ‘purpose’. 

We need to know the end before setting out. We take provisions for the journey insofar as we equip ourselves like the wise virgins (Mt 25,1-13). 

Our prayers and sacraments help us to get back on the road.

Many lose faith in God when they are deprived of something or someone they love.

We entrust those we have loved to God's mercy. We hope to see them again, but even that will not be the main point. First we will be in union with God.

We could see this life as a training ground, like a camp. We gradually catch on.

Whatever we use or have in this life we express gratitude and detachment.

The Lord giveth, the Lord taketh. Blessed be the name of the Lord (Job 1,21).

And what joy when our journey is complete; then there is no more giving up or taking away.

We grasp all this and then we explain it to our neighbours, if they will listen!

Every situation, every experience can be a winner, a chance for correction and growth.

We encourage each other as we are all in the same boat, trying to bring that boat to the eternal shore.

It is all a matter of directing our desires to the right place. If we love this world too much we love Heaven not enough.

Think of whatever we love here as a preview of Heaven. To stimulate our appetite.

Like the deer that yearns for running streams, so my soul is thirsting for You, my God (Ps 42,1).

17th Sunday (C) 27 July 2025 Sermon

17th Sunday (C )  27 July 2025 United with God

God will give you what ask though it might take a while.

It sounds easy the way it is put in the Gospel. Just ask and you will receive.

But it takes a long time, or never, in some cases.

If we ask something that is not God's will it cannot happen, no matter how much we ask, or how well.

If we do not get what we want we can be discouraged and even angry. Still, prayer is never wasted; we hope for other benefits to come from the prayer.

It is not so simple to ask and receive when there are multiple factors involved. So many things are out of place in the surrounding culture.

We would get a lot more prayers answered if we behaved better, the ‘we’ being the whole Church or whole human race.

We have to pray for the surrounding factors as well; see the whole context of the prayer objective.

For example, to pray for peace requires that everyone has to have peace in their hearts. And that is a big operation. Much more than stopping a particular conflict somewhere.

Praying for things to happen should flow from the closeness of our relationship with God, rather than only when there is a  crisis - which would suggest we do not have a strong connection with God.

Our Lady had the desirable link with God, and so was able to pray for a miracle at Cana, without making any song and dance, but simply calling on her union with her Son. It was like taking heat from the sun, without affecting what remains with the sun.

This is how God wants us to approach Him, and how He can offer so much success in our prayer.

Our prayer can help sort out the surrounding issues as well as the one on which we are focused.

For example, vocations. If we want vocations we have to pray another prayer for conversion of the young to the true faith.

The idea of drawing from the source, the sun, leads to a need for perseverance. We cannot simply name a prayer and then walk off as though we had done enough. We have to stay connected like a plug, ready to be switched on anytime.

We pray all the time in the sense that we are needing to maintain that constant union with God.

If we have that closeness to Him we can pray anytime and always achieve at least some improvement in the outcome.

If we slacken off with the prayer we will have that much more ground to recover each time.

Seeing God as only a provider of miracles is not going to work. We need to be in relationship with God?

So we find ourselves praying for particular goals, while seeking a general movement towards Him.

We seek to restore the order of God’s kingdom, where there is no opposition to God's will.

Stability is needed. Today we honour grandparents for their special role in the Church and wider society.

For those families fortunate enough to have grandparents, and a basic unity, we see in the older generations a foundation for the younger ones to build upon.

Grandparents represent order, stability, wisdom etc. Something like the stability we have in going back to Gd and His kingdom.

For fractured families we pray for as much order as can be retrieved. We need lots of reassurance in today’s world.

For the young, listen to the elders, and avoid a lot of the self-destructive behaviour  that otherwise might follow.

16th Sunday Ordinary Time C 20 July 2025 Sermon

16^th Sunday Ordinary Time C 20 July 2025 Union with God

You are watching your child compete and he comes last. Do you cease from loving him?

When we love people it is for ‘who’ they are, not ‘what’ they can do. ‘Being’ rather than ‘doing’.

You don’t love someone who is a good cook or a handyman who can fix anything. It is good if others have talents, but there has to be more to love than abilities.

Think of a baby who can do nothing at all but is much loved.

We are encouraged in today’s Gospel to pray. Prayer has a lot to do with love.

Prayer can be seen as impractical, as not getting the job done. There is a temptation to skip the prayer and just do whatever work is required. See a problem, fix it.

It is good to have a work ethic, but necessary that we pray also.

Prayer is a communication in love, a communing. God wants us to be one with Him, to have a union of hearts and minds.

Martha was impatient to get the job done; Mary had the better part. She had a deeper love and was happy just to be with Our Lord (Lk 10,42).

You would not have to convince Romeo that he needs to see Juliet once a week! He would want to do that more than anything else, and this is where God wants to see us heading – that we learn to love Him, to seek Him out, and be happy to rest in His presence.

We can find prayer hard work, not always enjoyable and not always obviously fruitful. Many dismiss it as a waste of time. But remember Romeo or Mary of Bethany.

Then there is the temptation to cut corners. I don’t go to mass because I am out helping people. But if you go to Mass you will help them more effectively.

And growing from one week to the next we get more and more ‘practical’.

And the work we do will be better guided. Setting the right objectives, better time management - these will come from prayer.

As one Christian said: if I have more work than usual to do, I pray more so that I can do it!

Prayer is practical, after all. It gets things done and it can also be seen as itself a kind of ‘job’.

To worship God is one of our main ‘jobs’. God does not need our praise, but we need to praise Him.

This desire is planted in us; it is part of our nature. We need to be loved, but we also need to love. Many stop with human love, but we have to go one stage further – to love God.

Loving God for what reason? Certainly we thank Him, but we do not see him just as provider or organizer.

It is again ‘who’ rather than ‘what’.

We identify with mind and heart. We think the same thoughts and want the same things as God does – always allowing for our inferior status.

When two hearts beat as one. Think of Mass as being with someone you love, and therefore enjoyable and fruitful.

‘All we can do is pray’ is often said in a tone of resignation. It actually means more than it sounds.  Prayer makes things happen.

We pray that others will join us, will lift their hands to God; that churches will be overflowing.

For what we have not been getting right, there is a prayer for that too - Contrition restores things at any time by humbly seeking God's mercy.  Lord, teach us to pray (Lk 11,1).

15th Sunday Ordinary Time C 13 July 2025 Sermon

15th Sunday Ordinary Time (C) 13 July 2025 Good Samaritan 

This parable can be understood from different points of view. We can see Christ as the good Samaritan. We can see ourselves being that Samaritan in imitation of Christ. Or we can see ourselves as the victim, the one who is bashed.

To take the second view, we wonder with the lawyer who is my neighbour, hoping for less responsibility; but it turns out to be everyone is my neighbour.

We can prove this by imagining a person lying bashed on the road. Whom can we refuse to help? Someone of a different colour, religion, social standing? We see at such times that we must disregard any prejudice, and do something to help.

What unites us here is our common humanity. Everyone is a child of God.

We are tempted to restrict our responsibility to lesser numbers or lesser commitment.  Lesser numbers, meaning people like us, people we know.

Lesser commitment meaning we do what we have to do to help, but we do not want to get involved in anyone else’s problems. The Good Samaritan, as we see, took far more trouble than the minimum, and that is Our Lord’s way.

And we are tempted to exclude from our love those who are unlovable, or worse still, they could be our enemies, even people deliberately setting out to harm us. Surely not them too? Yes we have to do good to them if we can (Ga 6,10).

St Paul says: while we were still sinners Christ died for us (Rm 5,8).  God can love those who have nothing to recommend them. And we must follow the same line.

Whatever practical action may have to be taken, we are always praying for the wellbeing of others; praying for each and every person that they find their true place with God. Praying that they will be saved, eventually entering Heaven.

We want them to achieve their full potential – not necessarily in worldly terms but in spiritual. This means that we want others to know, love and serve God.

We want everyone to know Jesus Christ. Anyone can change. Some will need more prayer than others. Some may be beyond reach but we do what we can. We must want it (salvation) to happen even if we do not think it is likely.

Some people do not want to be helped, especially if it is a religious-based solution!

We do not force anyone, neither does God. The most we do is offer a way out of their troubles. We wish them well, and pray they will see the light.

People who have been changed through an encounter with God's grace and mercy are grateful for the experience. Those who reject God would be happier if they accepted Him instead.

It is like realising after years how good our parents were, or certain teachers at school etc. It can take a while to sink in. The same extends to God as well; we can complain and argue at first, but later we see how He was helping us.

God creates all of us and all of them, and wants to draw all people to Himself (Jn 12,32).

He will hear the prayer of any repentant sinner. And all the more so if others are praying for that same sinner. Our combined prayer makes a stronger assault for good.

This is the way that divine love works. It breaks down the barriers that people put up to resist God, and wins their assent (still voluntary).

While we broaden our own outlook on charity we are being set free ourselves from lack of charity, a more urgent problem than from being bashed and robbed!

14th Sunday Ordinary Time 6 July 2025 Sermon

14^th Sunday Ordinary Time C  6 July 2025 Harvest

Our Lord issues instructions to the 72 disciples. There is a tone of urgency to the whole matter. Take no provisions; we have a world to save, we must get to it.

Gathering in the harvest is a symbol of salvation, as people who walk in the dark see a great light (Is 9,2). The harvest is rich and must be gathered. The labourers are few.

The harvest refers primarily to people, individual souls. We draw them in from all over the world.

The sooner we can gather them in the more quickly we can gather those who are still resisting in some way. We hope to gain momentum in the task.

There are walls of resistance which we need to get around.

We say to the doubters: turn to God and obey Him. Cast your sins before Him and He will forgive. Serve Him and you will find the key that opens ever door.

To come from death to life is our reward when we do this. Thie behavior to which we are called equals the reward that is offered. Once you are working in the kingdom of God you are happy. To know His ways is to live in the kingdom.

We come to understand that what we believe in is better than all the alternatives.  False religions, no religion – they all lead to darkness.

We believe that we possess the truth, but we do not think ourselves superior. We marvel at God's goodness in a respectful way, not thinking ourselves better than others.

It is hard to sell a truth which repels as it attracts. People would come here for free food or drink etc, but heavenly truth makes certain demands, such as discipline and self–restraint.

Worldly pleasure can be more attractive, at first. Would you prefer a free meal or some gradual growth in virtue?

The physical lays strong claim on us, being more instantaneous. But the spiritual wins out over time. If we do things God's  way we experience great joy. Can we believe it? Try it and see!

This could be seen as another meaning of the harvest.

We have such richness around us in terms of the word of God to teach us, and the grace of God to enable us.

It is as easy as reaching out and taking. When we make any sort of movement towards God we cannot fail to gain something from the operation. We are harvesting God’s goodness.

We are offering Heaven and the way to Heaven, as both happy states.

The idea of  harvesting people would arouse some objection as to individual liberty etc.

But we are talking about voluntary submission to captivity, to become a slave for love of God (Rm 6,22). There is no harm in this, in fact joy.

And for us too, though we already possess the faith. We continuously reach out for more, and are refreshed. More of God, more of goodness. Our faith is rekindled and grows stronger.

It is just a matter of seeing what is there and always has been, but can be missed.

It will often require self-discipline or sacrifice of some kind. St Paul say: I am crucified to the world (Ga 6,14).

Whatever we give up will come back in greater amounts.

Is St Paul too intense? He is just expressing what we find if we take this path.

We are supposed to be intense, not with a wild-eyed manner, but simply pursuing the logic of one good decision after another.

We move into these truths. They are bigger than we are. And we know they are worth having even if we do not have them yet.

Thus the urgency of the disciples’ mission. We need all  this to sort out as soon as possible. The harvest is rich and waiting for us!

Feast of Sts Peter and Paul 29 June 2025 Sermon

Feast of St Peter and Paul 29 June 2025 

We can consider Peter and Paul at the personal level, and also for what they symbolise.

At the personal level we see that both men had transforming experiences. Peter probably would have been happy to end his days as a fisherman and would not have expected to go down in history in such a famous role.

But he was called to greatness, and with some hesitation, fulfilled his destiny.

Many identify with Peter as a person who speaks before he thinks, yet who has an admirable warmth and sincerity. Peter needed his honesty and directness harnessed for a higher cause.

Paul had great zeal for the things of God. But he had the wrong belief. He did not believe that Jesus was the one to be following. He saw the new Christian religion as a heresy, to be stamped out.

But as soon as he met the Risen Lord he accepted correction humbly. Then, without missing a beat, he applied the same zeal in the right cause.

Both men convey a quickness to grasp an ideal and immediately apply it.

They had passionate natures, enabling them to keep to the difficult course which lay before them.

It is good to be passionate when the cause is right. Passionate means we are convinced of the right cause and confident that the necessary help will be there.

So we believe in Jesus Christ, convinced that He is the true Messiah, Son of God. To whom else can we go ( Jn 6,68)

If we give Him our allegiance, we will be open to receive any call or command and have the necessary grace to carry out the task.

At Mass, among other things, we are here for repairs, to be made ready for whatever may come.

This much we learn from Sts Peter and Paul at the human level.

At the more symbolic level: Peter, we could say, represents the fixed nature of the Church and Paul the mobile.

What happens when an irresistible force meets an immovable object? The Church needs to be both these things.

Immovable, insofar as we possess the core truth. We stand as a house of rock which will not fall over no matter how strongly the winds of adversity blow.

Immovable object? We cannot change the basic teaching we have received from the Lord, and passed down to us. We can change our behaviour (for the better) and we agree we should do that, but not the teachings, the sacraments, or the mission. The Church is like a rock,  not obstructing but enabling, giving security. Stand on the rock of Peter and we know we have the true faith.

Irresistible force: is represented by Paul, the great evangeliser and missionary. He understood that the Gospel is meant for the whole world, all nations.

The Gospel can be resisted for a time, but eventually prevails. My word does  not return to Me empty (Is 55,11). The Gospel is truth and charity, bringing healing to all who are open to receive it.

Importantly, St Paul understood that the Church was the new Israel, no longer confined to the Jewish people, but meant for the whole world. There is no racial discrimination in the Church. And the Jews are not excluded. Paul, himself a Jew, understood this very clearly.

(cf Romans, chapters 9-11)

Why does the Church canonise certain people and not others? The canonised ones took it to the limit; they pursued the logic of the Gospel, that demands personal commitment, and expands outwards. Those who believe and live on that belief are likely to stand out as worthy of imitation The two passionate men we honour today are certainly worthy of that.

Sts Peter and Paul, pray for us.

 

 

 

Corpus Christi 22 June 2025 Sermon

Corpus Christi 22 June 2025 One with Christ

When we prepare to receive Holy Communion we are expressing a desire to be one with Christ.

The Eucharist makes us one with Christ, and with all others who are receiving Him.

What is the attraction? God, perfect Man, Healer, Miracle-worker, Teacher, Prophet, Lamb of sacrifice, King of kings and so on…perfect in holiness.

To be near Him is to derive some of the goodness which radiates from Him.

People crowd to see celebrities. No one could rival this celebrity!

Even just to be in the same place is something. But to receive Him as food, that is another level again.

And this is what He wants us to do – to take and eat, for this is My Body.

To eat His body is to eat goodness, with all that could mean.

Jesus wants us to be hungry for Hiim, and all His many good qualities.

This is spiritual nutrition, better than any earthly food. When we eat this ‘bread’ we are eating food that comes directly from Heaven. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

It will do us good, in proportion to how much we desire it. The food is perfect; now we can work on how perfectly we receive it.

We want to come before Him with pure hearts, free from sin. Then we want to benefit as much as possible from the encounter. We have expectant faith. We do not know what exactly each Communion may bring, but we expect something good each time.

We want him to meet our temporal needs – health, family, jobs, etc. He will help with those, but better still to be able to learn to love, as He does. To be people who can make sacrifices for the good of others. This is charity and the greatest gift of all.

We should grow into a little more of charity each time we receive our Lord.

And more wisdom, and courage, and all the various gifts and grace which come from Himself, the source and embodiment of all that is good.

The Eucharist is a means of communicating between God and us, to our benefit and His glory.

It is a simple procedure calling us to a simple response of love to God.

It is a mysterious event, calling us to search for deeper meanings.

Jesus expected the people who witnessed His multiplication of the loaves to look deeper at what they wanted from Him.

When we eat this bread we are unlocking the mystery, connecting with Jesus Christ, being drawn into a life previously unknown. We take on His character, His ways. Not to the same degree but at least the same idea.

Unfortunately, not everyone pursues the search for deeper truth. Not seeing instant results they stop coming to Mass and so deprive themselves of many blessings.

But if we stay on course and keep coming, we will discover this whole new dimension.

It is in the form of food for a reason. We cannot get by with once a year. That leads to spiritual malnutrition. We need this heavenly food, and we need it often.

The Lamb of God wants to be food for all. Everyone is a potential Christian and called to the banquet.

This is the deepest level of understanding. When we take the Eucharist we are seeking this level of unity, with Him and one another.

Trinity Sunday 15 June 2025 Sermon

Trinity Sunday 15 June 2025 Divine Love

It is difficult for a lesser being to explain the greater one,  and that is where we are with reference to Almighty God.

We can at least, however, talk to each other and pool our knowledge, seeking some clarity.

God is eternal, very hard to conceptualise, without beginning or end.

He is outside of time, and that is also hard to grasp, but it makes sense. The Creator has authority over all aspects of His creation, including time.

God had no need of us but chose to make us so that we could share in His glory.

We are invited to choose. Are we with God or against Him? Do we love Him or not?

Many see God as too far away to matter, but it is He alone who keeps us in being.

A life of sin will lead to false perceptions. Our present culture carries on as though there were no God. We cannot unmake Him by anything we may do. Nor can we make Him irrelevant. He is not easy to remove!

We who believe in Him have a duty to atone for the blasphemies and sacrileges committed against Him. As far as we can.

And we give Him the glory that He deserves from us, again the best we can do. This is a relatively straightforward obligation, but how many do not do it! Nor have they done it through all the centuries of time.

On this feast day we make God Himself our main focus. We could call this God's feast day, as we have days for the saints - this one is for God.

We atone for insults to Him; we offer Him praise and thanksgiving; we seek to live in union with His holy will.

And we share our knowledge of Him.

God is mysterious but He has told us certain things about Himself. Such as that He loves us, and desires to save us; that He can forgive our sins, that He will reward the good we do in His name.

He has told us something about His inner life, the interactions between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The Church has studied the nature of the Trinity and comes up with this summary: The Father gives of Himself; the Son receives the Father’s giving, and returns it. The love between the Father and the Son is itself a divine Person, the Holy Spirit.

The love between the divine Persons is much stronger than merely human love.

We are beginners at love, compared with God. Still, our capacity to love can increase as we contemplate divine love.

Many would settle with human love thinking that is all they need.

Human love is an important part of proceedings but is not the end of the journey. God wants us to search for Him, like a deer for running streams (Ps 42,1), like the watchman who longs for the dawn (Ps 130,6). The more we look for Him the more apparent His blessings become.

It does us good to praise God. We are caught up in the divine fire of giving and receiving. When born we received love from those around us. As we grew older we learned to return love. And we might even be capable of giving more love than we receive. If so, this is progress in sharing the life of the Blessed Trinity.

As we grow in love for God we desire to be part of His saving plan for the world. We want what He wants, as we lock into union with His will. Once we do that we have achieved the main purpose of our lives – to know, love and serve God. All praise to the Blessed Trinity!

Pentecost Sunday 8 June 2025 Sermon

Pentecost Sunday 8 June 2025 Forever young

We can think of Pentecost as like a nuclear explosion but with good effects instead of destruction.

All that energy flowing out from one room, a new beginning for the human race.

And in this case the explosion is still happening, as waves of love and peace, and all good qualities go out over the world. For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. (Hab 2,14)

When this force meets its target something dramatic happens. Instead of death there is life. All the negative elements are turned into the corresponding good. So despair becomes hope, fear becomes courage, hate becomes love etc.

Unlike a bomb which destroys all in its path the Spirit will go usually where He is welcomed. People can resist but He remains available to be called upon.

Today we express our desire to grow in personal renewal, on one hand, and to facilitate the spread of such a good influence on others, as many as we can reach.

It has never been as straightforward as we would have wished, but still it has been impressive.

Millions have been reached and still at least one billion people claim a link with the Church.

Pentecost has changed history and will greatly influence the future as well.

It will happen a lot more strongly the more people line up on the right side. Good v Evil, we need to know which side we are on.

We cannot have all the enthusiasm we need for the rest of our lives all at once.

We can guarantee, however, that we can always replenish the necessary strength.

 [T]there came in my heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was wearied, not being able to bear it. Jer 20,9)  We need that fire always.

We could liken each church to an ‘upper room’; we continue what began back there.

Here, once again, we can make contact with the powerful goodness of God.

God never depreciates or grows old. We could say we grow younger when we interact with God, because we are being reborn all the time.

It is not so easy even to organize ourselves, but we have to conquer or re-conquer the whole world.

The explosion can be resisted in this case. Love invites but does not force.

The new order will remain in place, however, as God seeks to claim the lost sheep.

It is a struggle to regain the lost and claim those never reached, while holding those we have.

God has no borders. He regards the whole world as His – a reasonable position insofar as He created it all! Every nation, every person is His.

The world sees so much suffering; now we see that there is a ray of hope. Pentecost reminds us of all the reasons we are still hoping.

The more we hope, the more we leave room to the Holy Spirit to work His wonders. The greatest wonder is when a person takes God at His word and comes to life.

Every year, every day we pray, at least by implication: Come, Holy Ghost. On each and all of us, and all others besides.

Ascension of the Lord 1 June 2025 Sermon

Ascension of the Lord 1 June 2025 Our true home

In a little while you shall not see Me, and again a little while and you shall see Me  (Jn 16,16-22).

Our Lord was referring to His crucifixion as the first separation, and then His Ascension as the second time, anticipating a glorious reunion in each case.

For us it is still a time of separation, to be resolved individually at death, and overall at His second coming.

One good thing about separations is they can increase our desire to see one whom we love. Our Lord wants us to use this present time of our lives, increasing our desire for Him, longing for reunion with Him, and then eternal union.

He leads us on as He offers us something better, our true home.

In the meantime, our waiting is not just idle; we should do good in every way possible (For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people 1 P 2,15).

We might think God is being cruel keeping us at such distance from Him and not ending our exile quickly.

He is never cruel, just firm. Whatever He does is aimed at giving us the best possible outcome. If we learn to wait for our fulfilment in Him, we will be a lot happier overall than if we expect instant delights at every turn.

He will give us all the qualities we need to serve out our time of separation. All our prayer has a certain longing quality about it. The Advent prayer, Come, Lord Jesus says it all.

He offers Himself in sacramental form to keep us on track. There is great power in the sacraments if we let them take full effect.

We are generally too much absorbed in this life and not really trusting God to provide.

We cannot guarantee that we will always be comfortable physically, but we can ensure that we always have spiritual aid, helping us to keep everything in balance.

We learn to keep always one eye on eternity, the long view.

We learn to live each moment for God, without useless worry or futile distractions.

We worry about many things; we have many deadlines to meet, recurring tasks to fulfil. Always there is something to claim our attention.

We can take all that in our stride if we are sufficiently grounded in Christ.

We will find the wisdom and the energy to deal with each problem as it arises.

We have the benefit of God's power and love at every moment. We cannot lose on that basis.

The future is very strange to us;  even as to this life the future is a complete blur. We have no idea what will happen even tomorrow, let alone the rest of our time on earth.

What happens after death is more mysterious still.

Not fully knowing something does not make it untrue.

The atheists and the agnostics ridicule Heaven and the whole spiritual world because they do not see with the physical eyes.

We trust that whatever God tells us is true, whether we understand it or not, whether we have experienced it or not. It is a joy for us waiting to find out what Heaven is like.

The future and the past are all one to God, and so it should be to us as far as faith is concerned. We should be able to believe in future events as surely as those in the past.

And this earth, weighed down by so much suffering as it is, can be enjoyed on the same principle, that nothing can separate us from the love of God (Rm 8,39).

He is testing us to see if we are capable of trusting Him to such an extent, at the same time enabling us to do so.

So, the daily grind goes on – for now - but not forever.

In a little while….