Fr Paul reads from the Gospel of John (4: 43-54) about the royal official who, when he hears of Jesus’s return to Galilee, goes to him and begs Jesus to heal his son who is gravely ill in Capernaum.Fr Paul says this story of the official’s son appears in three Gospels with slight [...]
Fr Paul reads from the Gospel of Luke (18: 9-14) in which Jesus tells the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector – two men, two prayers, two attitudes, two verdicts.Fr Paul says Luke is a real promoter of prayer and he frequently offers hints about it. Jesus in Luke’s Gospel is [...]
Today as we celebrate the solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, Fr Paul reads from the Gospel of Luke (1:26-38) in which Mary, after being visited by Angel Gabriel with a message from God, responds saying ‘I am the handmaid of the Lord, let what you have said be done to me’. Fr [...]
Fr Paul reads from the Gospel of Luke (11:14-23) in which Jesus, after driving a demon out, says ‘Every kingdom divided against itself is headed for ruin, and a household divided against itself collapses’.Fr Paul says in today’s Gospel Jesus is accused of being in league with the devil and, even though these people [...]
Fr Paul reads from the Gospel of Matthew (5: 17-19) in which Jesus says ‘Do not imagine that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have come not to abolish but to complete them’. God’s covenant with Moses on Mount Sinai was the basis of Israel’s life. It set out [...]
Fr Paul reads from the Gospel of Matthew (18: 21-35) in which Jesus, through the parable of the unmerciful servant, teaches about forgiveness.Today’s Gospel is a favourite parable of Matthew as it continues the theme that forgiveness is central for any Christian community. Fr Paul notes, the reality is that we cannot live [...]
Fr Paul reads from the Gospel of Luke (4: 24-30) where Jesus came to Nazara and spoke to the people in the Synagogue about how no prophet is accepted in their own country. Fr Paul says the impact of this Gospel only occurs if we remember that this event occurs in Nazareth at the very [...]
Fr Paul reads from the Gospel of Matthew (1: 16,18-21, 24) where Joseph accepts Jesus as His Son. Fr Paul says today we celebrate the Feast of St Joseph. Apart from what is prescribed in the scriptures we know very little about the life of St Joseph. We know he was a carpenter, we know [...]
Fr Paul reads from the Gospel of Matthew (21: 33-43, 45-46) where Jesus shares the Parable of the Tenants. Fr Paul says, the Gospel we hear today, not surprisingly, introduces a series of confrontations between Jesus and the Jewish leaders. Jesus uses the story about the tenants of a vineyard to show that the leaders [...]
Fr Paul reads from the Gospel of Luke (10: 1-12, 17-20) where Jesus sends out the seventy-two to all of the towns He intended on visiting. For today’s Gospel reflection we celebrate the life of St Patrick. Fr Paul says, Patrick was born in Roman Britain in the year 385. As a Missionary Bishop he [...]