A Catholic Monthly Magazine

Tag Archive for ‘Sunday’

Sunday 30 October

Thirty First Week of Ordinary Time Wisdom 11:22-12:2; Psalm 145:1-2, 8-11, 13-14; 2Thessalonians 1:11-2:2; Luke 19:1-10 Seeing Jesus Zaccheus is a counterbalance to the previous chapter’s respectable, controlling Rich Young Man whose wealth blocks him from following Jesus (‘What must I do?’). Zacchaeus is also rich – but despised by his community. His physical limitation […]

Sunday 23 October

Thirtieth Week of Ordinary Time Sirach 35:12-14, 16-19; Psalm 34:2-3, 17-19, 23; 2Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18; Luke 18:9-14 Lord have mercy They say that the Mass is a celebration. So wouldn’t you expect to begin with a cheery greeting, a glass of fizz and a feel-good story? Instead, straight in, we ‘call to mind our sins.’ […]

Sunday 16 October

Twenty Ninth Week of Ordinary Time Exodus 17:8-13; Psalm 121:1-8; 2Timothy 3:14-4:2; Luke 18:1-8 The judge and the widow The Greek translates, ‘lest she give me a black eye’. Figuratively it would mean, ‘lest she besmirch my reputation.’ Yet we know he does not care about public opinion. The story is potentially comic: perhaps a […]

Sunday 9 October

Twenty Eighth Week of Ordinary Time 2 Kings 5:14-17; Psalm 98:1-4; 2Timothy 2:8-13; Luke 17:11-19 Ten Lepers This story (Ten Lepers) is sometimes told to children as a teaching text to say ‘thank you’ (and while we are at it, to say ‘please’). However, thanking people is hardly a biblical practice. This is the only […]

Sunday 2 October

Twenty Seventh Week of Ordinary Time Habakkuk 1:2-3; 2:2-4; Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9; 2Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14; Luke 17:5-10 Mustard seed The apostles ask for greater faith. Curiously, the key is not great faith but faith in the great God. Even if their faith were only the ‘size’ of a mustard seed (and it is implied […]

Sunday 25 September

Twenty Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time Amos 6:1,4-7; Psalm 146; 1 Timothy 6:11-16; Luke 16:19-31 A poor man and a wealthy man James K. Baxter, a New Zealand poet, wrote a pithy summary of today’s Gospel: “For Lazarus had crippled bones, but Dives a crippled heart.” The word ‘Dives’ comes from the Latin for ‘rich […]

Sunday 18 September

Twenty Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time Amos 8:4-7; Psalm 113:1-2, 4-6, 7-8; 1 Timothy 2:1-8; Luke 16:1-13 You can’t take it with you Two observations: “Money is a good servant, but a very poor master to have. Choose well!” “Richer than gold is the love of my Lord, better than splendour and wealth” The next […]

Sunday 11 September

Twenty Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time Exodus 32:7-11, 13-14; Psalm 51:3-4, 12-13, 17, 19; 1 Timothy 1:12-17; Luke 15:1-32 Parable of the forgiving father Three parables in this chapter of Luke: a lost sheep, a lost coin, a lost son. There is searching, finding, rejoicing, within each story. You may like to consider – the […]

Sunday 4 September

23rd Week ORDINARY TIME Wisdom 9:13-18; Psalm 90:3-6, 12-17; Philemon 9-10, 12-17; Luke 14:25-33 Growing in goodness May the green vestments of this time of the year suggest to us growth in good habits, growth in our lives as disciples of the Lord Jesus. Disciple means learning to be Christ-like. Being prepared to follow as […]

Sunday 21 August

21st Sunday of Ordinary Time Isaiah 66: 18-21; Psalm 117: 1, 2; Hebrews 12: 5-13; Luke 13: 22-30 Knocking on the door Door knocking can be a fascinating exercise. Sometimes no-one answers even though we are sure someone is there. There can be outright rejection. There can be the door half-open that reveals suspicion. But […]