A Catholic Monthly Magazine

Tag Archive for ‘hands’

Tuesday 24 July

Micah 7:14-15, 18-20; Psalm 85; Matthew 12:46-50 Who is my neighbour? Today we are standing outside with Mary and some of the disciples listening to Jesus preach and heal. When his attention is drawn to our presence, he stretches his hands and embraces us as his family, his next-of-kin, if we are doing what God […]

Friday 13 July

Hosea 14:2-10; Psalm 51; Matthew 10:16-23 Guided by the Spirit In the gospel reading today Jesus describes in great detail the many ways in which his followers would suffer at the hands of those who opposed him – enough to put them off being followers! Similarly in our troubled world we could take fright at […]

Thursday 5 April – Octave of Easter

Acts 3;11-26; Ps 8; Luke 24:35-48 Jesus has risen from the dead Jesus appears to the gathering of disciples. “Peace be with you.” They are puzzled, incredulous. “It is me. Look at my hands and feet.” Then he eats with them. He goes to great lengths to prove he has risen. It is not a […]

Being Childlike

One day at Mass two little girls went up at communion time to receive a blessing. I saw them shyly wave to a couple sitting in front of me, who must have been their grandparents. After the blessing the shyness was gone and they rushed up to the couple, ran into their pew and hugged […]

Tuesday 14 November

Wisdom 2:23-3:9; Psalm 34; Luke 17: 7-10 In the hands of God In this month of the Holy Souls, we recall the good people gone before us. They are the virtuous, as the Book of Wisdom describes them. They are in the hands of God. He has found them worthy. In the words of Jesus […]

Monday 26 December

St Stephen Acts 6:8-10, 7:54-59; Psalm 31; Matthew 10:17-22 Receive my spirit The stoning of Stephen is in contrast to the peace and joy of Bethlehem. Stephen was the first to follow in the steps of Christ in martyrdom. Like Jesus, Stephen died forgiving and praying for his executioners. As he died he prayed, ‘Lord […]

Can you bear it?

Ever since he was little, a man always had a fear of someone under his bed at night. So he went to a counsellor and told him, ‘I’ve got problems. Every time I go to bed I think there’s somebody under it. I’m scared. I think I’m going nuts.’ ‘Just put yourself in my hands […]

Friday 30 September

St Jerome Job 38:1, 12-21, 40:3-5, Ps 139, Luke 10:13-16 Psalm 113:7 We end the month at the beginning. Every disciple is just a man or woman with no claim on God. Job’s silence in front of the majesty of God shows the poverty of the disciple. Prayer begins and ends with the disciple sitting […]

Tuesday 6 September

1 Corinthians 6:1-11, Ps 149, Luke 6:12-19 A disciple prays in the hills over one night Prayer is kneeling before the Father not knowing which 12 companions to choose. Prayer is resting with open hands. Prayer is brutal honesty. Prayer is enduring the pain of being empty. Prayer is the opening of the tomb. Prayer […]

Wednesday 31 August

1 Corinthians 3:1-9; Ps 33; Luke 4:38-55 God made things grow T.W. Mason wrote: “The living Christ still has two hands, one to point the way, and the other to hold out to help us along the way.” As fellow workers with God we may from time to time feel like the busy-busy day that […]