Today Fr Paul Gooley reads from the Gospel of John (3: 22-30) in which John the Baptist says, ‘The bridegroom’s friend who stands there and listens is glad when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. This same joy I feel, and now it is complete. He must grow greater; I must grow smaller’. Fr [...]
Today Fr Paul Gooley reads from the Gospel of Luke (5: 12-16) in which Jesus, reaches out to the leper, touches him and heals him. Fr Paul says the meaning of ‘epiphany’ is ‘manifestation’, ‘appearance’. In the Eastern Church this is the major festival, greater that the celebration of the birth of Jesus. [...]
Today Fr Paul Gooley reads from the Gospel of Luke (4: 14-22) in which Jesus, with the power of the Spirit in him, returned to Nazareth where he had been brought up and read from the scriptures in the synagogue on the Sabbath. Fr Paul says Luke adapts and expands Mark’s story of [...]
Today Fr Paul Gooley reads from the Gospel of Mark (6: 45-52) in which Jesus seeing the storm, comes to his disciples, walking on the water, and says to them, ‘Courage! It is I – do not be afraid’. Fr Paul says the story of the walking on the water is less dramatic [...]
Today Fr Paul Gooley reads from the Gospel of Mark (6: 33-44) in which Jesus, using a few loaves and a couple of fish, feeds a large crowd – all ate, all were satisfied. Fr Paul says this story can be read on several levels. It is a foretaste of the Eucharist, the [...]
Today Fr Paul Gooley reads from the Gospel of Matthew (4: 12-17,23-25) in which Jesus left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum after hearing that John had been arrested. Fr Paul says this is the very beginning of Jesus’ ministry. The first thing Matthew does is introduce us to Galilee, characteristically quoting [...]
Today Fr Paul Gooley reads from the Gospel of John (1: 35-42) in which two disciples who heard John the Baptist call Jesus ‘the Lamb of God’, get up and follow Jesus. Fr Paul says this story of the call of the first disciples takes place in the Jordan valley, where John was [...]
Today Fr Paul Gooley reads from the Gospel of John (1: 29-34) in which John the Baptist says of Jesus, “Look, there is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I spoke of when I said, ‘A man who comes after me who ranks [...]
Today Fr Paul Gooley reads from the Gospel of Matthew (23: 8-12) in which Jesus says, ‘The greatest among you must be your servant’. Afterwards Fr Paul shares a little about the lives of St Basil and St Gregory whose memorials we celebrate today. Fr Paul says St Basil was born in the [...]
Today as we celebrate the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, Fr Paul Gooley reads from the Gospel of Luke (2: 16-21) in which the shepherds find Mary and Joseph, and the baby, Jesus, who was lying in the manger. Fr Paul says way back in 431, there was a bitter controversy among [...]