Tag Archive for ‘suffering’
Enjoying Ill Health
A much-loved member of our Australian Marist community, who died quite some years ago now, used to provide us with great amusement through his tall tales of the real or imagined past, and the seemingly endless library of his illnesses and injuries. One of the worst insults you could offer him was to tell him […]
Saturday 15 December
Ecclesiasticus 48:1-4, 9-11; Psalm 79 (80):2-3, 15-16, 18-19; Matthew 17:10-13 Prepare the way As they come down the mountain after the transfiguration, the disciples, prompted by having seen Elijah, question Jesus about a popular belief. In the last days, Elijah was expected to return to prepare the way of the Messiah. Jesus agrees with this […]
Saturday 15 September
Our Lady of Sorrows Hebrews 5:7-9; Psalm 31; John 19:25-27 Sharing the burden We search for the meaning of our sorrows, we search for the meaning of suffering. Did Mary understand what the slaughter of her son on the Cross was for? Did she wonder why this had to happen? The point of this feast […]
Wednesday 18 July
Isaiah 10:5-7, 13-16; Psalm 94; Matthew 11:25-27 My God is my rock As the media so often brings us news of discord and enmity between groups of people in various parts of the world and the consequent suffering of innocent persons, I hear myself say with the psalmist, "how much longer are the wicked to […]
The Death of Jesus
The disbelief One of the objections devout Muslims have to Christianity is that the All Holy and All Powerful One could die as a man. Others, who lean towards conspiracy theories, believe that Jesus’ disciples rescued him from the cross, then hid him, while spreading abroad the story that he had risen. They, like many […]
Meditation for Lent – The Cross
One year I took my then four year old granddaughter to church and we happened to sit beside the twelfth Station of the Cross. When I explained about the Crucifixion and the events that had led up to it, she looked very solemn and, understandably, said that she thought “His mummy must have been very […]
Friday 29 December
1 John 2:3-11; Psalm 96; Luke 2:22-35 Simeon in the temple We meet today another witness to the birth of the messiah in the person of Simeon, an “upright and devout man”. When he sees Jesus he thanks God and says he can "go in peace" now that he has seen the saviour. He also […]
Wednesday 6 September
Colossians 1:1-8, Psalm 52, Luke 4:38-44 Healer and challenger St. Peter’s mother-in-law was suffering from a fever. Jesus Christ did not waste time in making her better. He simply healed her. When I get in a tizz, a 'fever,' about the trials of being a family person trying to follow Jesus Christ, he comes to […]
Sunday 3 September
22ND Sunday in Ordinary Time Jeremiah 20:7-9, Psalm 63, Romans 12:1-2, Matthew 16:21-27 Hope through suffering Peter’s reaction to Christ’s information is a classic response of a human being to a god. We want our gods to be gods, not human like us. Jesus Christ is true God and true man. He wants to be […]
Thursday 20 July
Exodus 3:13–20; Psalm 105; Matthew 11:28–30 Come to me The invitation of Jesus, ‘Come to me…’ echoes Wisdom’s call (Proverbs 9:4– 5) and extends to ‘all.’ Everyone not yet disciples and who are wearied and burdened by human existence are invited to find salvation. ‘Heavy laden’ describes the ‘heavy yoke’ of daily life. According to […]
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