Sunday Reflections

Jesus’ criticism of the religious authorities for laying heavy burdens upon the people (Mt 23:4) “without lifting a finger to help them,” provides the contrast for our Gospel reading today. In the time of Matthew’s predominantly Jewish community, people are being faced with a choice of following the religious authorities and their rigorous interpretation of the Law, or of following Jesus who offers them “rest.” This “rest” is not the absence of work or activity.

Those who do not take up their cross and follow me cannot be my disciples (Mt. 10: 38).  This is quite a strong statement made by Jesus.  He was not trying to minimalize or trivialize the demands necessary to be his followers. We are invited to say “yes” or we also have the freedom to say “no.”  There is no “in between.”

The biblical emphasis in all our Liturgies is on “us/we” and not on “I/me.” See today’s Entrance Antiphon that uses “people” twice and “heritage” as a reference to the people; see also the expression, “the eyes of all”, in the Communion Antiphon.  Theologically, the People of God is the plural form that includes all of us before the beautiful face of God.  In our present society and culture, the emphasis is on “I” and “me” and our importance whereas before God “we” and “us” constitute the family of God.

I have been in Tanzania for about 11 months now. One of the most striking aspects of the people is their genuine hospitality. The greeting in Swahili of “Karibu” (“welcome”) is constantly among the first phrases that people speak when they see me. But, it is not just the words, but the actions of people that speak volumes. I have been welcomed into simple dwellings and have been served food and drink that is dearly secured for their own existence. I have been hesitant to take the little that people have, but to refuse would be an insult to their gracious generosity and hospitality.

A reflection for Trinity Sunday from your Lutheran Anglican Roman Catholic Interchurch Committee, LARC.

Pentecost occurs 50 days after Easter and the story of Pentecost is clearly recorded in Chapter 2 of the Acts of the Apostles.  The Jewish festival of Pentecost is the harvest on the fiftieth day after the second day of Passover (see Leviticus 23:15-16); later in Judaism Pentecost was “the anniversary of giving the Law on [Mount] Sinai” (The Concise Oxford Dictionary).

I have always been fascinated by the line in the First Reading (Acts 1:11) when the angels says to the disciples “Why are you men from Galilee standing here looking into the sky?”  It is a time to act, not to gaze into the sky, to where Jesus has ascended.  We have a mission, that Jesus has given us in His parting words.  And He has given us the Holy Spirit to strengthen us to complete that mission.  He has not left us alone or abandoned.  He assures us that “I am with you always”.  What more do we need?  Let us be about the work of the Lord, and give Him

             The words of Jesus that he will give the disciples “another Paraclete,” suggests that Jesus has already acted in this capacity, and now as he prepares for his departure, he is sending another paraclete to be with the disciples until the end of time.

The Pandemic of the COVID-19 continues to stay with us and it is really changing our lives now.  The transformations are almost unbelievable and surrealistic.  In the face of such a reality, we as believers continue to sing a new song to the Lord! Today’s Entrance Antiphon from Psalm 97 beautifully declares: “O sing a new song to the Lord, for the Lord has worked wonders in the sight of the nations the Lord has shown the Lord’s deliverance.”

Jesus tells us that His sheep “know his voice”, whereas they “do not recognize the voice of strangers”.  That is the key to being one of the fold of Jesus Christ.  We know his voice!  This means fine-tuning our ears to His voice – in prayer, in the Scriptures, and in the teachings of the Church.  This awareness sends us running in the opposite direction from those voices which call us away from gospel-values, away from the kingdom of God, and away from God’s love and truth as revealed in the Good Shepherd.  However, as faithful sheep, we are also called to ‘shepherd