ponderings on life and faith
Gospel: Matthew 11:25-30 At that time Jesus said, ‘I thank* you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and […]
In our Gospel reading for this fifth Sunday of Lent, Jesus’ friend Lazarus heard the voice of God and was transformed from death into life. Do you hear the voice of God? because he is talking to you – right now, right here. Do you hear him? No? The problem is not that God has […]
In my Homily reflections about Prayer and Lazarus, (and again in 2020 in our reflections during a pandemic) I had suggested that as Catholics we have a real need to be able to listen to the voice of God – which is increasingly difficult in this noisy modern world and our hectic lifestyles. Just suggesting that […]
As we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, I am drawn to ask “What does it really mean to be Baptised?” Most of us were very young when it happened, and so we can be forgiven for not remembering much about the ceremony. So, I would like to go back to that day […]
I have a well loved book of poems and reflections by John Shea. Its binding glue has failed, its pages often slip out. It is the “Velveteen Rabbit” on my bookcase. I remember meeting Mr. Shea, tattered book in hand, to be graced with his autograph. And the smile on his face as he saw his […]
Late last year, Pope Francis released an exhortation (think of it as an encouraging letter to us all) called Evangelii Gaudium …. The Joy of the Gospel. It is a fascinating read. Insightful, pastoral, challenging. With something for everyone. Please add it to your reading list for these cold winter days and nights …. you […]
One of the beautiful gifts we have in our Catholic tradition is the “Spiritual Director”. Despite its name, a Spiritual Director does not really “direct” a person. In reality, they become a companion on a person’s spiritual journey. A spiritual “co-discernor”. Someone who can assist you is seeing and hearing how God is calling you to […]
I have always found John Shea’s reflections to be powerful and inspiring. Used, with permission, I would like to share one with you this Christmas 2013. Blessings ! …….. Seeing Haloes – For Anne Even at Christmas,when haloes are pre-tested by focus groups for inclusion in mass market campaigns, they are hard to see. Annie Dillard […]
We are a life surrounded by God. In our first reading today, we heard Isaiah prophesy that the Messiah would be named “Immanu el – God is with us”.And our Psalmist told us that “The earth is the Lords and all that is in it “…that everything belongs to God, the whole kit and caboodle […]
Reflection for the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C Hello. My name is Gary. I am not God. I am just a servant of God. A broken and wounded person in need of healing. But that’s OK And that’s enough. Like you, my faith is at times challenged. You and I go through times of joy, […]
11th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Luke 7:36One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table. And a woman in the city, who was a sinner, having learned that he was eating in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment. She stood […]
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you Those were Jesus’ words to apostles in today’s Gospel . The words you hear at the Eucharist each Sunday. And the last word you hear in the liturgy of the Mass – Go in Peace It’s what most of us seek desperately in our […]
What gifts do YOU bring to Jesus? Gospel reading today is found only in Matthew’s gospel. In fact, we are not sure how many Magi there were … but because there were 3 gifts, tradition has been three magi. What we do know is that they were powerful politically, literally “king-makers”, and used astrology and […]
After some 24 years in the Parish, and 22 years serving the St. Aidan Community as Deacon, it was with a lot of emotion, and a few tears, that we left to join the pastoral team at St. John’s in Newmarket. The parish hosted a farewell party, and I was humbled by how many of […]
33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B Mark 13:24-32 ‘But in those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see “the Son of Man coming in clouds” […]
5th Sunday in Ordinary time (B)Mark 1: 29-39 And immediately he left the synagogue, and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever, and immediately they told him of her. And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and […]
But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he journeyed he approached Damascus, […]
I could have referred to us as Human Beings. In fact, in virtually all that we read, we are referred to that way. Yet, to find a person who actually defines herself or himself by what they are, and not what they do, is a rare event.If we pause for a moment to think of […]
Men of all ages in our culture are in such a sad state that it is no surprise that we wonder what planet they come from …….During their childhood and adolescence, they are more likely to suffer from slow mental development, a short attention span due to hyperactivity, behavioral problems, hyperanxiety, schizoid difficulties, transient or […]
I spent quite a few years (decades, actually) in the business world, and found that many senior businesspersons delighted in using metaphor. Perhaps it was because the more strategic the thinking, the more limited technical language (or language in general) becomes in communication concepts. Metaphor can often provide a structure, a paradigm, with which to view […]
