2010

Sunday 23 - season of the year (C); Fathers' Day

In the Gospel today, we have this most striking response by Jesus as the crowds of people flock to hear him - 'unless you hate your father, mother, sister, brother, wife/husband, children and even hate yourself, you cannot be my disciples.' Clearly Jesus needs to go back to leadership training and reread those famous books on how to win friends and influence people.

In the liturgy of this Sunday, we are given an insight into exactly what is really happening when we gather for the Eucharist, with this magnificent reading from the book of Hebrews. All that we see around us, as rich and as beautiful as it usually is, is only a glimpse of the untold beauty of the worship that is actually happening as we gather in the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem.

Recorded at St John Vianney, 8.30am (10'25")

In the gospel today, Jesus is asked the question, 'will there only be a few saved?' Although this is a question we rarely think about, it is one that many people, from the Rabbis in the days of Jesus right through the centuries have often pondered and attempted to answer. In the Gospel, Jesus doesn't answer, but tells us to 'strive to enter by the narrow gate.' So what exactly is going on? (8'51")

The liturgy of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin presents a cacophony of images to us: the Ark of the Covenant in the temple of heaven; a woman clothed with the sun with the moon at her feet and a crown of twelve stars; a pug-ugly, fearsome and hungry dragon; and then by contrast the ordinary and humble scene of a woman visiting her kinswoman which results in this most magnificent declaration of praise for what God has done by breaking into the world. Added to all these images is the equally striking declaration of St Paul when he writes to the Corinthians about the effects and consequences of the bodily resurrection of Jesus. What are we to make of all these images and how do they relate to the Assumption of Mary?

Recorded at St John Vianney, 8'49"

It is appropriate that the Australian church remembers Blessed Mary MacKillop today, with the opening line of the Gospel (Luke 12:32-48) being a powerful reminder to us the idea of grace - 'There is no need to be afraid, little flock, for it has pleased your Father to give you the kingdom.' In the Father's kingdom, there is the need to both give and receive - so sell your posessions and give alms. A great image of this that I have found helpful is the process that I like to do regularly - breathing. Because the only way to breathe well is to both breathe in and breathe out.

Recorded at St Brigid's, Gwynneville, 9am (8'36")

We have in today's Gospel one of only two times in the parables of Jesus when he describes some action committed by a person that it deserves only one judgement - death. Like the other story (the rich man and Lazarus, also in the gospel of Luke, 16:19-31) the cause of this terrible judgement is not because the person has broken one of the ten commandments, but because of an incredible greed and a selfish disregard for the needs of the poor. This view is reinforced by the selection of the first reading - the interminally depressed writings of Qoheleth (also called Ecclesiastes, from the Greek translation) who at the end of a life filled with riches and pleasure, knows that all of these things are mere vapour ('beleh') - meaningless vanity. So where do we find our hope?

Recorded at St John Vianney, 8.30am (7'08")

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")