A Catholic Monthly Magazine

Tag Archive for ‘Holy Spirit’

Francis Speaks – Do Not Be Afraid

In these days, news reports and scenes of death continue to enter our homes, even as bombs are destroying the homes of many of our defenceless Ukrainian brothers and sisters. The vicious war that has overtaken so many people, and caused suffering to all, has made each of us fearful and anxious. We sense our […]

Sunday 9 January

The Baptism of the Lord (F) Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7; Psalm 103:1-4, 24-25, 27-30; Acts 10:34-38; Luke 3:15-16, 21-22 Holy Spirit and fire Baptism was a common ritual with many meanings. A baptism “with Holy Spirit and fire” goes beyond religious ritual. The whole created order will be transformed just as fire changes the material state […]

Pentecost

It was a Saturday morning in early December 1991 in Samoa. I was moving furniture away from the louvre windows because cyclone-driven rain was blowing through them. Then there was a bit more noise, and the room suddenly became very bright. No one had turned the lights on. The explanation was simple — there was […]

We grow by giving

An extract from Pope Francis’ homily on the Solemnity of Pentecost, 31.05.2020: The secret of unity in the Church, the secret of the Spirit is gift. For the Spirit himself is gift. He lives by giving himself and in this way he keeps us together, making us sharers in the same gift. It is important […]

Pentecost — A Tap on the Shoulder

A little group of bewildered men, together with Mary and who knows who else, huddled together in a room for the comfort of one another’s company and in fear of what lay beyond — hardly an image that inspires hope. There’s no social distancing here, just a small scrum of fear. The one who had […]

Saturday 19 October

Romans 4:13, 16-18; Psalm 105; Luke 12:8-12 The Lord remembers his covenant Because Abraham accepted the gift of faith to know God, Abraham became the Father of Israel, from whom – by Mary and the Holy Spirit – would be born Jesus of Nazareth, our Lord and Saviour. In the Gospel, Jesus challenges his disciples […]

Thursday 10 October

Malachi 3:13-20; Psalm 1; Luke 11:5-13 The one who asks always receives The parable of the friend knocking on the door at midnight to ask his friend for bread contrasts the miserly response of the sleepy friend: “Do not bother me”, with the generous response of Jesus: ”Ask and it will be given to you […]

Saturday 5 October

/p> Baruch 4:5-12, 27-29; Psalm 69; Luke 10:17-24 The eternal God reared you Baruch told the Jewish people that while their going into exile was due to their disobedience, God still loved them. In the Gospel, Jesus chastises Chorazin and Bethsaida (Jewish towns) for rejecting him. “For if the miracles had been done in Tyre […]

Monday 26 August

1 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 8-10; Psalm 149; Matthew 23:13-22 Intrigued or transformed Surely Jesus is talking to Scribes, Pharisees and hypocrites, not to me! Do I radiate God’s love with the ‘utter conviction’ of faith and power of the Holy Spirit? How have I put my faith into action today? Have I asked the Holy Spirit […]

Tuesday 6 August

The Transfiguration of the Lord (f) Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14; Psalm 97; 2 Peter 1:16-19; Luke 9:28-36 Radiate God’s love today We sometimes say that a pregnant woman looks radiant. Something hidden fills her with love and life. At the Transfiguration, the Kingdom of God is unmasked in Christ and the hidden glory of God shines […]