Category: Reflections

by Fr Sandile Mswane

Last Sunday in Ordinary time, year B
Christ the King, Solemnity

The celebration of the feast Christ our universal king confirms what is narrated by the prophet Isaiah (9:1-7), and the evangelists in the nativity stories of our Lord where we heard that a king to rule over Israel was born. Born in the royal line of King David. When this son to be king was born, the whole world was shaken. Wise men from the east came to see him, shepherds were told of his story. King Herod heard of the news which he did not receive with delight. He felt intimidated, he sensed the arrival of a rival. Continue reading “Reflection on the Solemnity of Christ the King” →

by Fr Sandile Mswane

The pilgrim church here on earth awaits the second coming of its Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. For He has promised that He will come again (Mark 13: 26) to gather His faithful to Himself, take them to His Fathers kingdom. Without any doubt we know that Jesus will come back because God is always faithful to His word. What He says He will do He does it. He never breaks His promises. He is not like us as we never stick to what we have said. It is the goal of every Christian, to be in heaven (not in hell of course) with God as we have been promised that we shall see Him as He really is. The pilgrim church is moving very steadily but it is sure that it will reach where it is going. Some have reached as we also talk of the church in heaven our saints. Continue reading “Reflection for the thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary time – Year B” →

by Fr Chris Chatteris SJ

Pope’s Prayer Intention, November 2018.

In the Service of Peace. That the language of love and dialogue may always prevail over the language of conflict.

This is an intention well-suited to the age of Twitter and other forms of social media. There seems to be evidence that these new technologies somehow encourage people to verbalise their coarser, less worthy thoughts, often with disastrous consequences for relationships. Maybe it’s because we haven’t got used to them yet. We haven’t developed ways to bite our tongues, as it were, when we are on our devices. Hence, the language of conflict can get out there more easily and be widely disseminated in viral fashion. Careers can end; people can self-destruct; relationships can collapse because of a few words which are harsh or vulgar or racist and which were tweeted in a moment of loss of self-control. Continue reading “November 2018: In the Service of Peace” →

by Fr Sandile Mswane

click here for Sunday’s readings

Like always, scripture reminds us of that which we do not want to do. It tells us that which we do not want to hear. We want to go to heaven yet we do not want to travel on the right path to heaven. We want to take our own whereas that one leads to destruction.

Looking at this Sunday’s readings, they reminded me of the conversation between Jesus and the rich young man. When Jesus told the rich young man to go sell what he possessed and to give to the poor and by so doing he will have his treasure in heaven. Surprisingly, instead of accepting the words of our Lord with joy, for this man also wanted to go to heaven, in contrary “when the young rich man heard this he went away sorrowful” (Mt. 19:21-22). Continue reading “Reflection for the thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary time – Year B” →

By Fr Sandile Mswane

click HERE for Sunday’s readings

Watching one religious programme on the television one evening, I noted the preacher referring to his congregation as saints. A bit puzzled at first as a Catholic but immediately I comprehended that the preacher was imitating St. Paul in the scriptures who referred to Christians as saints. A Catholic, in his or her mind, might ask the question why did Paul refer to living Christians as saints because according to the Catholic teachings it is not like that. In answering that question maybe we can first look at the etymology of the word Saint. It comes from the Greek word hagios which means dedicated or consecrated to God, holy, sacred, pure, pious. Continue reading “Reflection on the Solemnity of All the Saints, year B” →

by Fr Francis Onyango IMC

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B
Jeremiah 31:7-9
Psalm 126:1-6 (R. cf. 3)
Hebrews 5:1-6
Mark 10:46-52

THEME: Called back to the fold

In our first reading today we see God bringing his people back to the fold. The Lord says: “I will bring them from the north country and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth, among them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her who is in travail together; a great company they shall return here.” Similarly in the gospel, the Lord brings back to the fold Bartimaeus the blind beggar. He heard that Jesus was passing by and he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” When Jesus heard his voice, He stopped and said, “Call him!” The Lord called him from his state of desperation back to the fold and when the Lord cured him, he did not walk away but joined the company and followed him on the way.
Continue reading “Reflection on the 30th Sunday in Ordinary time B” →

by Fr Francis Onyango IMC

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B
Isaiah 53:10-11
Psalm 33:4-5.18-20.22 (R. 22)
Hebrews 4:14-16
Mark 10:35-45

THEME: Call to Service

The gospel this Sunday reminds us that; ‘The Son of man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.’ Following in the footsteps of Christ means following the path of service. Christians should not be like guests at a wedding who wait to be shown where to sit, to be served and pampered and entertained and made to feel comfortable by others; no, Christians are like soldiers in a battle-field getting bruised, sweating and working hard so as to attain victory. We are the Lord’s army; fighting injustices, unfairness, hatred, divisions, laziness, and all the evils in the world. We are like farmers; sowing seeds of love, friendship, peace and consolation. A Christian is always an agent not a client because a client comes to be served while an agent does the serving!
Continue reading “Reflection on the 29th Sunday in Ordinary time – B” →

by Michael Pakaluk (the Catholic Thing website)

Like other professional men, if I want to attend weekday Mass, I have a choice between an early Mass in my parish and a mid-day Mass near my work.  I love seeing colleagues at the later Mass, and the thrill of the sacrifice, which comes specifically from putting work aside for the moment and giving that time directly to God. But at the morning Mass I have the great blessing of being instructed in Christian wisdom by the moms there with little children.

At most parishes there will be a couple of moms like this, not always the same ones at every Mass. In a city, where there are many parishes, and people improvise to catch the most convenient Mass, these moms with children will come to know one another, forming a kind of secret conspiracy of real Catholic devotion. Continue reading “Moms at Mass, and Other Heroes” →