There are two versions of the Lord’s Prayer in the gospels. The shorter version is Luke 11:1-4, and the longer version is Matthew 6:9-11. The two versions are addressed to different ethnic groups. Luke is writing for Gentile Christians who had not learned to pray like their Jewish counterparts whom Matthew addresses in his Gospel.
Praying though not always receiving-Gospel Reflection Read More »
Jokes A contractor dies in a car accident on his 40th birthday and finds himself at the Pearly Gates. A brass band is playing, the angels are singing a beautiful hymn, there is a huge crowd cheering and shouting his name, and absolutely everyone wants to shake his hand. Just when he thinks things can’t
Human nature doesn’t seem to change very much. Writing some 750 years before the coming of Christ, the prophet Amos is complaining about the rich and powerful exploiting the poor and oppressed.
In the service of others Read More »
The responsorial psalm begins with an important question; “Lord, who shall dwell on your holy mountain?” One of the main themes of the Old Testament was determining how human beings, separated from God’s holiness due to sin, can once again “live in the presence of the Lord.”
Living in God’s presence-Gospel Reflection Read More »
Jokes A highway police officer was sitting in his car, radar in his hand, when a car crawled past doing exactly 25 kilometres per hour in a 100 km zone. He blinked in astonishment. “Now that’s just as dangerous as speeding,” he muttered. He pulled the car over and walked up to the driver’s side
You can sometimes see it in a person’s eyes. They are trying their very best to put on a brave front. They are telling the world and trying to convince themselves that everything is fine. However, all is not well. They are one small step away from falling apart and breaking down.
Who is there for the heavy lifting? Read More »
The late Pope Francis reflected on the Parable of the Good Samaritan as a “ray of light” for our contemporary world where people too often fail to respond to the needs of the poor and vulnerable. Francis presented the Samaritan – whom he called “a stranger on the road” – as a symbol of fraternity and social friendship creating “a culture of encounter” that builds bridges of love among all people [“Fratelli Tutti”, No. 2].
Being neighbourly-Gospel Reflection Read More »
Jokes A man asked his wife one morning why she kept staring out of their loungeroom window. Taking a deep breath, she replied, “I’m really fed up with the state of Mrs Brown’s blinds. Mrs Perkins’ are not much better. And that Mrs Lewis – honestly! Look at her blinds. They are filthy. They’re
