Reflections

The Parable of the Alien Once upon a time, an alien crash-landed in the middle of the Kimberly ranges. While Alien Freddy could find no one around to ask about our lifestyle and culture he managed to access our internet and social media sites. He spent hours scrolling through people’s postings and pictures. He read...Continue reading→

Lent 3 March 3rd Jesus overturns the money changers' tables They followed him. With all sorts of motives and for all sorts of reasons. Some were anxious or battling pent-up anger. Others were excited, bewildered or bewitched. The kettle was boiling. Hissing insistently. But no one could lift it from the heat. There was an...Continue reading→

The value of the greeting card. From time to time it is my undeserved and thrilling privilege to write a greeting card. Having been here 4 and half years I think that we have graduated from a formal email or letterhead, to a more personal approach. I try to pick the card carefully so that...Continue reading→

Restlaufzeit Restlaufzeit is a German word roughly translated as ‘The remaining time’ or ‘The remaining term’. It’s a concept that is hard to comprehend. We are often looking to the present or the past. They are quantifiable, easy-to-understand concepts and terms. But we are a bit squidgy when it comes to placing a limit of...Continue reading→

Lent 2 Sunday 25th of February Jesus rides on a donkey part 2. Now, in the days that had led to this day, he had said other uncomfortable things as well. He had taken the Twelve to one side and said to them, ‘See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man...Continue reading→

Mary Ann Steuternanm Mary Ann Steutermann is the director of campus ministry at Assumption High School, a Catholic all-girls school in Louisville, Kentucky. She's also a freelance writer whose articles have been published in this magazine and on the popular Catholic website BustedHalo.com. Mary Ann lives in Louisville with her husband and son. Ash Wednesday  Giving...Continue reading→

Lent 1 18/2/24 Bishop Stephen Cottrell  The things he did. He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. Part 1. Jerusalem was in ferment. Knives were being sharpened. Well-worn grooves were smoothed and oiled. Loose tongues wagged. Accusing fingers jabbed. Small children either ran for the cover of their mother’s apron or picked up stones ready...Continue reading→

Let's see what's in your show bag. It’s the time of year when I burn last year’s palm crosses to make some ash for Ash Wednesday. Something is alluring about gazing off into the middle distance as the flames consume the faded palm crosses. The oddest things come to mind. Like… well… I’ve made it...Continue reading→

The Leprous Chatterbox. Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”  Instead, he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news....Continue reading→

Tolerance + Silence = Agreement + Collusion. You may be surprised that I did not have an easy time at school. I was unabashed about my faith and this was not a good thing in the popularity stakes. In the end, my parents took pity on me and I moved to a different school where...

Bread or stones. Today's hurdy-gurdy begins with Jesus leaving the synagogue with James and John. They go to Simon’s place to heal his nameless mother-in-law. Then there is more action where the whole town gathers around Jesus to have the sick healed and the possessed… well dispossessed. Whew! What a flurry of activity. What a...Continue reading→

Imagine I recently discovered a person called Simon Barrow. He is a practical theologian, (ie. who thinks outside the traditional box and language) a commentator, a journalist, an adult educator and a trainer. So he is no slouch and I’m glad that he’s on the side of the ‘good guys’. His work was passed onto...Continue reading→

Be still and know… There is a bit of a theme happening in the readings today, and that theme is ‘knowing’ or knowledge In the Psalm, we are told The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding In the second lesson, St. Paul also has...Continue reading→

Our Missing Hearts I’ve read a book by Celeste Ng called ‘Our Missing Hearts’. The book is fiction but the plot is disquietingly familiar. Us versus them, the targeting of a specific group of people because they appear different. The consequences, fall out and fear of such a mindset. Think of George Orwell's ‘Animal Farm’,...Continue reading→

Having More Than One Go. Those of you with a fine eye for detail will have noticed that our first reading actually begins in the 3rd chapter of Jonah. In today’s apparently happy story, Jonah asks the people to repent, they do and everything is squared away. All is sweet and dandy and they all...Continue reading→

The conversation I never had They were a smart couple. Attractive, young and obviously ‘together.’ They were shown to a cosy table just for two. They ordered and then I thought they would hold hands, look into each other's eyes and mutter luscious things to each other. Not so. Instead of gazing at each other's...Continue reading→

Speak Lord… A bit of background for today's first lesson. At the time of our first reading, the Israelites were in a state of moral decline. The judges who had led them previously had sadly passed away, and the Israelites had turned to their old ways of idol worship. The people were crying out for...Continue reading→

Our Defining Discussions. I once made the point that the Archangel Gabrielle knows before he visits the Virgin Mary that this will be a defining discussion. He is well aware that once he steps over the threshold, Mary’s life will be changed forever. There can be no going back to her uncomplicated, quiet life. The...Continue reading→

Baptism of Our Lord. January 7th. OK… so what happens next? The couple who have been together for several years are walking along a stunning mountain track when they come across an open plateau. The vista and scenery are spectacular. The handsome young man goes to set up his camera equipment a little way off...Continue reading→

Making the world a place of possibilities It's a great phrase. It sounds as if anything could be possible. I wanted to clasp it firmly in my right hand like a baton and run with it and surely this is the vocation of us all. To make the world a place of possibilities. As I...Continue reading→