Category: Reflections

by Fr Christopher Maseko

In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus preached the sermon of blessings and woes. Those who suffer now for Christ’s sake would be blessed, but those who rejoice now, shall suffer in the life to come. The opposite of a blessing is a curse. The very word frightens us, and hardly dare speak of it. We are deeply afraid of a curse, and we wish only to receive a blessing. But who is the kind of a person who deserves a blessing? And who is the kind of a person who deserves a curse: “A curse on the man who puts his trust in man, who relies on things of flesh, whose heart turns from the Lord.” On the other hand, “a blessing on the man who puts his trust in the Lord with the Lord for his hope. He is like a tree by the waterside, that thrusts its roots to the stream: when the heat comes it feels no alarm, its foliage stays green, it has no worries in a year of draught and never ceases to bear fruit.” Continue reading “Reflection for the sixth Sunday – Year C” →

by Fr. Joseph Laramie

article has been taken from: http://popesprayerusa.net

Which is better: a paper cup that you use once, or a metal mug that you drink from again and again? The decision is clear. Reusable goods are better for the environment and cheaper in the long run.

What about people? Is it better to use someone once and then toss them aside, or to use them again and again? What?! Humans should not be treated like objects. We rightly feel confused and horrified by this example. But it happens everyday. There is a name for this modern crime: human trafficking.

Continue reading “February 2019: Human Trafficking” →

by Fr Christopher Maseko

Click HERE for this Sunday’s readings in SiSwati

Are we at all amazed by the faith and obedience showed by Peter towards Jesus when he was ordered to deep his net for a catch. Maybe yes, or not. Peter and companions were experts/professionals in fishing and no one could ever tell them where and when to fish, mind you, they had toiled the whole day and they knew very well that any possibility of catching any fish was next to zero. Due to his humility and perhaps about the previous miracles he had witnessed being performed by the Lord prompted him to obey and lower himself. Though he had a hazy picture about Jesus but because of his faith he felt compelled to abide by the instruction which subsequently elevated him to a higher position.
Continue reading “Reflection for the fifth Sunday – Year C” →

by Fr Christopher Maseko

4^TH SUNDAY of the Year

When our Lord Jesus Christ was baptised at the river Jordan by John the Baptist, the Holy Spirit descended upon him in the form of a dove. That was the beginning of his public ministry because he was strengthened by to face the challenges associated with the cooperation with God for the work of salvation. He could not accomplish anything meaningful on his own unless he subjected himself to the will of the father who had declared his undying love and support for him as He said; “this is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased.”

Continue reading “Reflection for the fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time C” →

by Fr Christopher Maseko

When people have a truly great leader, they gather round the leader as the plan of action is explained to them. We, Christians, have such a great leader. We gather round Christ as he unfolds his plan of action with the words ‘I am sent to bring the good news to the poor. I’m sent to proclaim liberty to captives, and to the blind new sight.’

Christ says these words to us, because we are sent with him: I am sent and you are sent. We are sent to bring the good news to the poor. After the baptism in the Jordan and the temptations in the desert, Christ went to Galilee where, according to the Synoptic Gospels, most of his public life was spent. The power and the Spirit of God had descended on him in the Jordan. He was the Messiah. He had received the power and spirit of the prophets of old. His divine sonship was yet hidden, that the crowds who gathered to hear him saw was that he was the man of God, whose words and work proved he was sent by God. He was listened to and honoured by all. It was the custom of the Rabbi of the synagogue to ask a visitor to read the lesson of the day. Christ began his preaching in the synagogues of Galilee, and at first was well received by the Jews. The Messiah would be moved and enlightened by God. He would work miracles of healing and preach deliverance for all. He will bring the great Jubilee, when all God’s people would rejoice and receive God’s favours.

Continue reading “Reflection for the third Sunday in Ordinary time C” →

by Fr Christopher Maseko

In the Old and New Testament marriage expresses the summit of the Covenant between God and Israel or between the Lord and Humanity. At Cana it is a question of a human wedding, the feast celebrating the love of a man with a woman… it is with joyful humanity, at the act of founding a human family, that Mary participates. Her presence is mentioned before the one of the Son. This week’s readings remind us that God is like a bridegroom to us, and we, all of us together, are his bride, invited to the wedding feast.

Continue reading “Reflection for the second Sunday of the year C” →

by Fr Christopher Maseko

Now that we have completed our Christmas Octave celebration and have also celebrated the Epiphany of the Lord, we begin to turn our eyes to Jesus’ public ministry. He begins it with his baptism by John the Baptist at the river Jordan. Sent by the Father to overcome evil with good, to proclaim the will of God, to face jealousy, persecution and death.

It was for this task that Jesus was strengthened at his baptism by the Holy Spirit. The feast, therefore reminds us of our own baptism and confirmation. Being a good and faithful Jew, Jesus does not singularize himself in any way. Since all the people had had themselves baptised, he, too, would have himself baptised. Christ sanctified the waters of baptism. The water of baptism, by the power of Christ who himself is baptised in it, calls back the dead to new life. In the story of the flood, there the dove carrying the olive branch in its beak brought solace to Noah and his family, because the flood was over. Here at the baptism of Jesus the Holy Spirit coming in the form of a dove reveals to us our merciful saviour.

Continue reading “Feast of the Baptism of our Lord” →

by Fr. Jacob Boddicker, SJ.

‘That young people, especially in Latin America, follow the example of Mary and respond to the call of the Lord to communicate the joy of the Gospel to the world.’

The world ushers in a New Year each January, so named after the Latin word for “door”: we stand on the threshold of another Year of Our Lord. It is the world’s New Year; as a Church we’ve already celebrated the new liturgical year with the First Sunday of Advent, a season in which we prepared for the coming of the New Man. December is a month of celebrating something new—a child!—while the world around us sees only what is old, thinks only about the past year. Now the world looks to the New Year and we, instead, look to Mary: we thus begin with the great Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God on January 1st. Continue reading “January 2019: Young People and the Example of Mary” →