Sunday Reflections

This weekend we celebrate an important Feast in the liturgical year – Pentecost.  We celebrate that the Holy Spirit, which Jesus had promised, came upon the first disciples, empowering them to go out and preach the Good News, and to BE the Good News.  We have all received the Spirit, in the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation, however for many this dynamic role of the Holy Spirit remains dormant and the grace of God unused because we have not opened ourselves to the Spirit.  This requires a risk on our part, because the Holy Spirit, active in us, will manifest itself in in

In William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Juliet says to Romeo, as they separate until the next day: “Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow….” Clearly, it is a sorrowful moment for anyone in love to be separated from the beloved for even a short time. The parting is sorrowful because there is something in the relationship that has come to an end.

With five words Jesus raised the bar in relation to what true love means, especially love inspired by Jesus.  When he said, “as I have loved you”, he gave each of us “the commission” to love as he loves – a love that is self-giving, forgiving, and thanksgiving.  Love can take many forms.  It can be selfish and self-serving, controlling and insincere.  But, this is not the love modeled and inspired by our Saviour.  In today’s gospel Jesus calls us to a deeper love, which will “make his joy complete”.  This is the love that Jesus has shown to us by his life, and

The readings today underline the importance of our relationship to Christ and how that can be transforming. Thus, as we read in Acts, Paul, because he was honest, embraced the truth about Jesus and, through the intervention of Barnabas, was embraced by the Christian community and began to boldly proclaim the truth about Jesus.

One of the most beautiful images that Jesus gives us of himself in John’s gospel is that he is the Good Shepherd who knows his sheep, calls them by name, and is willing to lay down his life for them (John 10: 11).

Many years ago I was involved in a car accident, when another driver drove into us.  I was relieved when an independent witness came forward and said that the other driver drove into us (not as the other driver alleged).  It was great to have a witness.  Jesus tells us that "we are witnesses".  But, to whom and to what?  If we are truly DISCIPLES of Jesus we have seen, heard and experienced things at his side.  If we are then truly an APOSTLE of Jesus we share what we have seen, heard and experienced.  How can we keep it a secret?  We are called to be

This weekend’s Gospel presents us with a scene of the disciples after Jesus’ death.  They are afraid.  They are on their own.  So, they do what seems natural—they locked themselves in a room for protection.  They surmise that this will keep them safe.  This will keep them secure.  But, how will they ever continue Jesus’ mission in such circumstances?  It is like the verses from the song The Rose: “It’s the heart afraid of breaking that never learns to dance; it’s the dream afraid of waking that never takes a chance.”  Left to their own insecu

Just last week on Passion Sunday, we heard the cry of Jesus from the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mk 16:34).  All seems lost in this haunting question.  Jesus has trusted in God to be with him as he sought to follow God’s will of showing compassion toward all and including all people.  As Jesus ministered this way in word and deed, he proclaimed that we are all God’s children, deserving of love.  The religious authorities, however, saw him as a deceiver of the people who must be put to death.  In the eyes of the world, the mission and ministry

I always think of this as ‘fickle’ Sunday.  It is the only Sunday in which we hear two Gospels – the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, and the Passion.  In the first the people shout, “Hosanna”, “Blessed is he”.  They welcome Him, and put down their cloaks and palm branches to form a carpet for the King of Israel.  Yet, a few days later, the same crowd (with the influence of the Pharisees) are shouting, “Crucify him!”  With which crowd do we want to associate?

There was a woman who was often short of breath and she started having pains in her arms and chest.  She finally went to the doctor and after being admitted to the hospital, she was told that she was placed on the transplant list.  She asked what the criterion was for a new heart.  The doctor told her, “You need one!”