Teaching Posts

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How to evangelise

This week my homily was about about evangelisation, sharing the good news of forgiveness. Here is another homily on the same subject from Father Stephen Wang, a very gifted preacher. I came across it on  Father Wang's blog, Jericho Tree, which is worth a visit for its perspectives on faith and life.

 

I came across this...

... when going through the filing cabinets in the presbytery. We remembered Fr Peter's anniversary last week and here he is again! I found it fascinating to reread some of my own words at his funeral Mass. May he rest in peace. Amen.

Newsletter for 25/26 January - Sunday 3(A)

Click here to read this week's newsletter.

Memorial of Blessed Cyprian Tansi

Blessed Cyprian,
during your life on earth
you showed your great faith and love
in giving yourself to your people
and by the hidden life
of prayer and contemplation.
Look upon us now in our needs,
and intercede for us with the Lord.
May he grant us the favours we ask
through your prayers. Amen.


More about Blessed Cyprian here.

Sentimental?

In my homily this weekend I referred to the old anthem 'All in the April Evening.' It is very sentimental music and, in many ways, not to my taste. However, it strikes me that it moves us on from a sentimental pastoral scene to the stark reality of Jesus, the Lamb of God, who offers his life to take away the sin of the world. What John the Baptist says is so important that his words are echoed at Mass in the Gloria, the Agnus Dei, and in the invitation to Holy Communion. I stressed two essential truths: sin is real; God offers us forgiveness for our sins.

Here is the anthem, with a few noises off! What do you think?

 

Preparing for Sunday

This year, nearly all the Gospel Readings at Sunday Mass during Ordinary Time are from St Matthew's Gospel. The second Sunday of the Year, however, has a Gospel Reading from St John in all three years. It always reinforces themes we have met at Epiphany and the Baptism of the Lord.

In preparation why not look at the Gospel Reading, and maybe the other readings with this resource.

And/or simply turn over these words in your mind: Look, there is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. These are words which are echoed in every Mass?
What do they mean?
What do they mean to me?