Jesus instructs his disciples Yesterday we began the mission discourse of Jesus with the naming of the twelve. Today in Matthew’s Gospel (10: 7-15) we are hearing of Jesus’ instructions to them as the commissioning of the twelve continues. Fr Paul says yesterday they were named and today they get their job [...]
Jesus names the twelve Today we move on to Chapter 10 of Matthew’s Gospel and Fr Paul says we need to be aware that Matthew’s Gospel is made up of five collections of the sayings of Jesus, or discourses as they are called. Yesterday we came to the end of the first [...]
The harvest is plenty but the labourers few Fr Paul says that in today’s Gospel (Matthew 9: 32-38) we hear of the completion of the ten miracles (or wonders) we began talking about last week. Matthew is stressing that Jesus is the Saviour of Israel and that people are in awe because nothing like [...]
Jesus cures two women Today’s Gospel is from Matthew (9:18-26) and like our reading and reflection on Saturday Fr Paul says there are a set of two things happening. Today we hear of two women being cured and through these healings two things are evident; firstly, the faith of the two women; [...]
Yesterday’s readings were replaced with those for the Feast of St Thomas so we missed hearing about Jesus eating with tax collectors and sinners in the readings for Ordinary time, in which Fr Paul says, Jesus was showing his love, care and compassion rather than sticking to the strict laws imposed by the Pharisees. In [...]
Feast of St Thomas, the apostle Today Fr Paul reads from the Gospel of John (20:24-29) about Thomas’ encounter with the risen Jesus. Apart from this passage and a couple of other places in scripture, Fr Paul says we do not know very much about St Thomas. Most of us know Thomas [...]
The power to forgive sins Today’s Gospel (Matthew 9:1-8) emphasises Jesus power to forgive sins. Fr Paul says that towards the end of the Gospel, those who have witnessed the events are filled with awe at what happened and praise God for giving such power to forgive sins to men, to us, not [...]
Jesus casts out demons In this Gospel we hear Matthew (8: 28-34) again stressing the power of Jesus. Fr Paul says we hear today of Jesus’ encounter with not one demoniac (a person possessed by an evil spirit/demon) but two. So fierce are they, that no-one can pass by that way. It [...]
Jesus calms our storms Yesterday, due to the Feast of Sts Peter and Paul, we didn’t get to hear the Gospel from Ordinary Time in which Jesus, with great crowds around him, decides to get into a boat with his disciples and go to the other side of the lake. In the [...]
Feast of Sts Peter and Paul Many questioned the wisdom of Jesus, as we hear in today’s Gospel (Matthew 16:13-19), as he appoints Peter as the rock, the foundation on which the church will be built. As we celebrate the feast day of St Peter and St Paul, we realise that they [...]