Tag Archive for ‘Pope Francis’
Francis Speaks On Ash Wednesday
Two kinds of reward At the start of his homily, the Pope notes that, as heard in the Gospel at today’s liturgy, we need to beware of practicing our piety in order to be seen and praised by others, when instead we should seek from the Father the “eternal, the true and ultimate reward, the […]
Francis Speaks
Joseph and Mary went up “to the city of David called Bethlehem” (Lk 2:4). Bethlehem: the name means ‘house of bread’. In this ‘house’, the Lord today wants to encounter all mankind. He knows that we need food to live. Yet he also knows that the nourishments of this world do not satisfy the heart. In Scripture, […]
Francis Speaks – on Mission
Let us reflect on the key phrases that synthesise the three foundations of the life and mission of every disciple. 1. “You shall be my witnesses” (Acts 1:8) This is the heart of Jesus’ teaching to the disciples. They are to be witnesses of Jesus, thanks to the grace of the Holy Spirit that they […]
Francis Speaks – Our Lady of Tears
Mary’s tears are a reflection of Jesus’ tears. Jesus wept, the Gospel tells us of two episodes: at the tomb of his friend Lazarus (cf. Jn 11:35) and in front of Jerusalem (cf. Lk 19:41). In both cases they were tears of sorrow. But we can imagine that Jesus also wept with joy, for example when he saw the […]
“In old age they will still bear fruit”
“In old age they will still bear fruit” (Ps 92:15). These words of the Psalmist we can proclaim on this second World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. Many people are afraid of old age. The elderly, they think, should be set apart, lest we have to deal with their problems. This is the mindset of […]
Francis Speaks On the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ
Jesus Becomes Fragile in the Eucharist The Gospel presents us the narrative of the Last Supper (Mk 14:12-16, 22-26). The words and gestures of the Lord touch our hearts: He takes the bread in his hands, pronounces the blessing, breaks it and offers it to the disciples, saying: “Take; this is my body” (v. 22). […]
The Cry of the Earth
Twenty-six years ago, we lived in Motueka and one of our favourite weekend outings was to take the 12-minute drive down to the Kumaras, a wilderness reserve on the Motueka foreshore. Motueka sits to the side of Tasman Bay on the flood plain of the Motueka River, which emerges from the hills behind Motueka, runs […]
Francis Speaks…
Going to the school of Mary is going to a school of faith and life. She, a teacher because she is a disciple, teaches the ‘A’ to ‘Z’ of human and Christian life. We live in the time of the Second Vatican Council. No other council in history has given Mariology as much emphasis. This […]
World Day of the Sick (12 Feb)
The experience of sickness makes us feel fragile, and it makes us feel in need of others. Not alone, not alone. “Sickness raises the question of life’s meaning, which we bring before God in faith. In seeking a new and deeper direction in our lives, we may not find an immediate answer”. Saint John Paul […]
Bread of Life
Jesus states clearly: “I am the bread of life” (John 6:48). What does bread of life mean? We need bread to live. Those who are hungry do not ask for refined and expensive food, they ask for bread. Those who are unemployed do not ask for enormous wages, but for the ‘bread’ of employment. Jesus […]
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