I Met God Today

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Reflection on the readings   24 July 2022    ‘Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.’  Be careful what you pray for! This Sunday’s readings offer lessons on prayer. The Gospel passage opens with Jesus at prayer – a familiar scene in Luke – and with an intriguing request from the disciples: ‘Lord, teach us to pray.’ Why do they ask this? Presumably well-tutored already in those prayers recited in the synagogue and Temple, the disciples do not need to learn more. They speak of John and his disciples, but perhaps this is really about Jesus and them as His disciples. Do they hope to learn to become more like Jesus, to approach their God as Jesus does? Whatever their motivation, Jesus responds positively. The disciples do not learn specific words for reciting by rote. Instead, Jesus teaches them about relationship with God. He offers guidance on how to pray and what to pray for, on the importance of perseveran...

‘The harvest is rich … ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest’ Today’s Gospel may prompt us to pray for vocations to religious life but it prompts us too to something more (Matthew 9:32-38). ‘The harvest is rich’ Do you hear the invitation these words contain?   ‘The harvest is rich’ Many hands are needed to bring in this rich harvest, to join Jesus’ mission of making the Kingdom present in our world, to bring God’s good news to those who need it today.   ‘The harvest is rich’ Jesus’ words are an invitation to consider your call as a disciple of Jesus, an identity that became yours at your baptism.   What does Jesus ask of you, his disciple? Will you say yes? Will you be part of the people who bring in the harvest?   ‘The harvest is rich’  

SAINT VALENTINE'S DAY  Today is a day for all who love - in whatever form of life is theirs - because we are all born for love; we are all born to love and to be loved. Saint John teaches us that 'we love because God loved us first' (1 John 4:19)   ... and also that ... God so loves the world and God so loves you! Live loved! We are all called to love and to live knowing we are loved. Happy Saint Valentine's Day

Feast of the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple           'suddenly there will come to the temple the Lord whom you seek' (Malachi 3:1-4) Today, Mass begins with these words of prayer:       Brothers and sisters,        forty days have passed since the solemnity of Christmas.        Today the Church once again prepares to celebrate the day in which Mary and Joseph       presented Jesus in the Temple.        With that ceremony our Lord submitted himself to the prescriptions of the old law       and came to his people, who waited for him with faith.        Guided by the Holy Spirit,       the old, holy people Simeon and Anna came to the temple;        Illumined by the same Spirit,       they recognised the Lord and full of joy gave wi...

God is love ... Today, the first reading at Mass teaches us about love and about God, who loves us beyond our wildest imagining. If we could grasp that immensity of love with which God holds us in being, imagine how our world would be ... If we could live from a soul-knowing of that vast love, imagine how we might live ... If we could love from a heart-knowing of that immensity love, imagine how we might love ... God so loved the world ... and God so loved you!

Happy New Year! May 2022 be a year abundant with God's blessings!