2010

Luke 11 - Lord teach us to pray. If we are honest, I suspect that most of us would admit that we are not very good at praying, or at least that our prayer life is not nearly as good as it should be. So what do today's reading have to offer in answer to the question that the disciples put to Jesus?

Recorded at St John Vianney (8.30am, 7'54")

The short story of Martha and Mary (Luke 10:38-42) is often told in terms of the contemplative life versus the active life. Even though Mary seems to be the hero of the story, it is Martha who is honoured with the feast day (29 July) - perhaps that at least provides some balance for the weight of history going down in favour of her sister?

In the parable of the 'Good Samaritan' in Luke 10, the Fathers of the Church saw so much more than a simple moral parable. They saw the whole story of salvation of every one of us as the one who stops and shows compassion provides healing, nourishment and redemption for every person who journeys down from Jerusalem to Jericho.

Recorded at St John Vianney (10'23")

14th Sunday in Season of the Year (C). We continue the journey with Jesus to Jerusalem, where he sends out 72 disciples to prepare the way for him. This is the mission of the Church - to be bearers of this wonderful freedom from the Lord. Yet if this seems too much to bear, we can find deep consolation in the image of God as a mother tenderly caring for her child from Isaiah 66.

Recorded at St John Vianney Church (7'49")