Lord, help me to show mercy to others and to walk the path of peaceNATIVITY OF THE LORD (Day Mass) : Sunday 25th December 2022Is. 52:7-10; Ps. 97:1,2-4,5-6; Heb. 1:1-6; Jn. 1:1-18 (or 1-5,9-14) (Psalter proper) The Gospel of John uses poetry to describe Christmas. Poetry has a great capacity to convey layers of meaning…
Lord, help me to show mercy to others and to walk the path of peace4th Week of Advent (A) : Saturday 24th December 20222 Sam 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16; Ps. 88:2-5,27, 29; Lk 1:67-79 (Ps. Wk. IV) Often people want to do favours for God without really consulting Him. David wanted to build a ‘house’…
St John of Kanty, priest4th Week of Advent (A) : Friday 23rd December 2022Mal. 3:1-4,23-24; Ps. 24:4-5,8-9,10,14; Lk. 1:57-66 (Ps. Wk. IV) Malachi prophesied that God would send a special messenger. This messenger would arrive before the Lord’s return to Hs temple. But this would not be easy for the people, for there was refining…
Lord, may I rejoice in Your greatness daily4th Week of Advent (A) : Thursday 22nd December 20221 Sam. 1:24-28; (R. Ps.) 1 Sam. 2:1,4-5, 6-7,8; Lk. 1:46-56 (Ps. Wk. IV) When Hannah bears her son, she names him Samuel, which means “he who is from God”. When she brings him to the temple, it is…
They are happy, whose God is the Lord4th Week of Advent (A) : Wednesday 21st December 2022Songs 2:8-14 or Zeph. 3:14-18a; Ps. 32:2-3,1 1-12,20-21; Lk. 1:39-45 (Ps. Wk. IV) Zephaniah was a prophet (640-621 B.C.) to the people of Judah who had forsaken God, worshipped idols and lived sinfully. The book’s first two chapters warn…
Mother Mary, thank you. Help us to say YES to our God too4th Week of Advent (A) : Tuesday 20th December 2022Is. 7:10-14; Ps. 23:1-2,3-4,5-6; Lk. 1:26-38 (Ps. Wk. IV) Today, we are invited once again to recall and meditate on the moment when our Christmas joy began to enter our human history: the Annunciation…
Lord, help me to be a faithful believer in Your goodness4th Week of Advent (A) : Monday 19th December 2022Jgs 13:2-7, 24-25a; Ps. 70:3-6,16-17; Lk 1:5-25 (Ps. Wk. IV) Today’s readings are about barren women who were given a son by the power of God. In Judges, there is an account of a barren woman…
All Glory be to Jesus. our Messiah and King4th Week of Advent (A) : Sunday 18th December 2022Is. 7:10–14; Ps. 23:1-6; Rom 1:1-7; Mt. 1:18–24 (Ps. Wk. IV) When we contemplate the ‘Annunciation’, we often pray with Mary, but today’s Gospel reading focuses on the role of Joseph. We see in Joseph one who submitted…
All Glory be to Jesus. our Messiah and King3rd Week of Advent (A) : Saturday 17th December 2022Gen. 49:2,8-10; Ps. 71:1-2,3-4,7-8,17; Mt. 1:1-17 (Ps. Wk. III) The first reading describes Jacob’s deathbed blessing of his sons and the characteristics and future destiny of the twelve tribes of Israel. What is clear is the allusion to…
Thank you, Father God, for sending Jesus your Son to us3rd Week of Advent (A) : Friday 16th December 2022Is. 56:1-3, 6-8; Ps. 66 (67):2-3, 5, 7-8; Jn 5:33-36 (Ps. Wk. III) Jesus says He is the truth and is doing the Father’s work because the Father has sent Him. Yes, understanding what is true…