Tag Archive for ‘prayer’
Monday 5 December
Isaiah 35:1-10; Psalm 85; Luke 5:17-26 Courage The Advent readings encourage us to be real when we meet God in prayer. ‘Courage, it is I, do not be afraid.’ The invitation to have courage calls us beyond our own strength. Even when we feel weary, the promise is that ‘God is coming to save you.’ […]
Saturday 26 November
Apocalypse 22:1-7; Ps 95; Luke 21:34-36 Stay awake Jesus stresses the need for watchfulness and prayer today. There are so many traps for the unwary. We are sinners who have been saved by Jesus, and are being saved. So we need to beware of backsliding. As Catholics we have the blessing of the sacrament of […]
Monday 14 November
Apocalypse 1:1-4, 2:1-5; Ps 1; Luke 18:35-43 What do you want? In the Gospel passage, why does Jesus ask the blind man what he wants? Surely Jesus could see he was blind? The man was desperate, screaming to get the Lord’s attention. Not a mild, gentle request but a full-blown plea. Is the force of […]
Monday 14 November
Apocalypse 1:1-4, 2:1-5; Ps 1; Luke 18:35-43 What do you want? In the Gospel passage, why does Jesus ask the blind man what he wants? Surely Jesus could see he was blind? The man was desperate, screaming to get the Lord’s attention. Not a mild, gentle request but a full-blown plea. Is the force of […]
Thursday 13 October
Ephesians 1:1-10, Ps 98, Luke 11: 47-54 St Paul’s hymn of salvation The introduction to Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is one of his most beautiful writings. Part hymn, part prayer, part credo, it has the effect of filling our hearts with light. Compare this with the gospel reading. Paul preached the freedom of God’s […]
Saturday 8 October
Galatians 3:22-29, Ps.105, Luke 11:27-28 Blessings and Blessings Students of ancient Aramaic say that the words called by a woman in the crowd, were a standard blessing often used, and not specific to Jesus’ mother. This puts Jesus’ answer in another context: More blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it. […]
Wednesday 5 October
Galatians 2:1-2, 7-14, Ps 117, Luke 11:1-4 The layers of prayer Jesus had been praying, and it’s likely his prayer was different to the one he offered his disciples. The two versions of The Lord’s Prayer in the gospels are practical instruction for pilgrims on the way and we should not take them lightly. Today, […]
Liturgy and the early Catholic missionaries to New Zealand (2)
This article was first published in the Auckland Diocese Liturgy magazine. It is used with permission. Karakia, prayer and chants, were already part of Māori culture. The innovation brought by the Catholic Missionaries was a new set of prayers, not the idea of prayer. Fr Forest tells Fr Colin about a missionary trip in the […]
Wednesday 28 September
Job 9:1-12, 14-16, Ps 88, Luke 9:57-62 Song of Songs 2:9 Job addresses God as other. After a time, Christ appears to the disciple in prayer as a Deer or Lamb, or other animal. In this moment the disciple is asked to give away childish things (1 Cor 13:11). The disciple, having progressed in the […]
Tuesday 6 September
1 Corinthians 6:1-11, Ps 149, Luke 6:12-19 A disciple prays in the hills over one night Prayer is kneeling before the Father not knowing which 12 companions to choose. Prayer is resting with open hands. Prayer is brutal honesty. Prayer is enduring the pain of being empty. Prayer is the opening of the tomb. Prayer […]
Entries(RSS)