Sunday reflections

On December 5, 2018, at the memorial service for US President George H W Bush, long time friend and former Republican Senator for Wyoming, Alan Simpson, remarked: “Those who travel the high road of humility in Washington DC are not bothered by heavy traffic!”

This has been a momentous year for the Christian, and particularly the Catholic community, with the death of Pope Francis and the election of Pope Leo XIV. From the start Pope Leo has stressed that his role as successor of Saint Peter is not to lord it over the Church or the world, but to be at everyone’s service.

Brothers and Sisters in Jesus Christ, what do we expect Jesus to bring into our lives? While we may list many things, we surely hope that our Saviour will bring peace and blessings to every one of us as His disciples and to the world.

This week we hear Jesus offer a stinging warning. Be vigilant! Live your life like servants awaiting the return of their master! But do not be afraid, he says, for your Father is pleased to give you the Kingdom.

This week’s readings explore the theme of our enduring inheritance in God. The first reading reminds us that, of earthly treasures: “All is vanity”. The psalm counsels us to realise “the shortness of our life that we may gain wisdom of heart” and encourages us to keep our gaze fixed on God for “in every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.” The second reading urges us to seek the things that are above, where Christ is, and that “the life you have is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3).

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.

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.”

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].

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Do we think of ourselves as missionaries? Probably not, though occasionally we may hear it said that we all have a vocation, a calling that is not only for priests and other religious. Whatever hesitation we may have, however, at the end of Mass we are asked to spread the word. That is the peace of Christ: it is our mission.

In this week’s gospel reading (Matthew 16:13), Jesus asks His disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”. The disciples offer various answers, including that some believe Jesus to be John the Baptist, Elijah, or Jeremiah.