We often hear folk proclaim that their faith is a very private affair, something strictly between themselves and God. Of course there’s a place for private worship, but at the end of the day, what good is a religious conviction that rarely impacts others and fails to make the world a better place? Today Jesus tells us that if we live by our faith we
What if Jesus had asked Peter, Andrew, James and John, “How do you see yourself five years from now?” Do you think they might have replied, “Still fishing for a living, in the same old fishing boats on the same old lake!” Not likely! The early disciples knew exactly where their priorities lay and they understood the urgency of Jesus’ ministry. There was a whole
There are those in our society who stand head and shoulders above the rest of us … great entrepreneurs, politicians, writers, scientists and humanitarians. We look up to these people and wish that we were more like them. When interviewed, these great people might pass some of the credit for their success on to a teacher who has made a big impression on them, an
We embark on a diet and the days of lettuce and low calorie drinks loom gloomily. We embark on a fitness regime and our subconscious whispers, “Fifteen more minutes under a warm duvet versus a jog round a freezing park … I know what I’d choose!” In today’s gospel, John the Baptist preaches “Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” The idea of
The first and second readings give us an indication as to the sort of king that Jesus would turn out to be. In the passage from Samuel, God declares King David to be a shepherd as well as a leader of the people. And we see Paul telling the Colossians how the kingdom of Christ transcends time and space but also how Jesus will make
St. Francis of Assisi was asked one day as he was weeding in the garden, “What would you do if you knew the world was about to end?” St. Francis replied, “Continue weeding my garden of course.” The implication was that Francis didn’t have to rush around like a headless chicken putting his house in order. Francis was already living his life in a state
