Category: Reflections

by Fr Francis Onyango IMC

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B
Wisdom 7:7-11
Psalm 90:12-17 (R. cf. 14)
Hebrews 4:12-13
Mark 10:17-30

THEME: Go sell everything then come follow me

The gospel today presents us with a question many of us ask: ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ Everything we do as Christians from the Sacraments we receive, the worship, the works of mercy, the tithes we pay and the reading of the Word of God is all because of one thing: we want to inherit eternal life. The young man in the gospel today is asking the same fundamental question: ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ From his conversation with Jesus, it is evident that it is not just about obeying the commandments, there is more to eternal life than following rules and regulations, or the dos and the donts! Continue reading “Go sell everything then come follow me” →

by Fr Chris Chatteris SJ

Pope’s Prayer Intention, October 2018

That consecrated religious men and women may bestir themselves, and be present among the poor, the marginalised, and those who have no voice.

Challenging stuff from the Pope to his fellow religious. We must ‘bestir ourselves’, in other words wake up and get moving. And we cannot but be impressed by Francis’ own powerful example. Even though he is the head of a vast and complicated institution which often seems designed to cocoon its leaders from the harsh realities of life, he cuts through it all with an easy directness and is himself able to connect with and be present to ‘the poor, the marginalized and those who have no voice’. Continue reading “October 2018: The Mission of the Religious” →

by Fr Francis Onyango IMC

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year B
Genesis 2:18-24
Psalm 128:1-6 (R. cf. 5)
Hebrews 2:9-11
Mark 10:2-16

THEME: Family as the First Mission Land

October is traditionally considered a mission month; a month where we are called to focus on a more particular way in the mission of Christ. The call to share in the mission of Christ is not just a preserve for a select few and not merely for priests and religious men and women but a call for every baptised Christian. When the Lord calls, he calls with a purpose; he calls in order to send. Thus our vocation to share in the mission of Christ begins with the word ‘Come’ (come follow me) and ends with the word ‘Go’ (go and announce the gospel). One cannot come unless one wants to go and one cannot go unless one has come. Continue reading “Family as the First Mission Land” →

by Fr. Francis Huwn Msfs

“If your eye should cause you to sin, tear it out”

Numbers 11:25-29
Ps 19
James 5:1-6
Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48

A little girl had being to the church and heard the sermon on separating the sheep and the goats (Mt 25:31-46). When the mother put her to bed that night, the little girl began to cry and said, ‘ Mommy! I am afraid that I am a goat.” Mother said, “No. You are not goat. Bishop Fulton Sheen told me that you are an angel. If you die, you will go straight to heaven.” The little girl was very satisfied and went to sleep. The next night, the mother came in and the child was crying again and said, “Mommy! I am still thinking about sheep and goats.” ” I told you, you are not goat, you are an angel”, consoled the mother. “Alright Mommy” said the little girl, ” But I am afraid that you might be a goat.” Continue reading “Reflection on the 26th Sunday” →

by Fr. Francis Huwn msfs

God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble  (James 4:6)

Wis 2:12, 17-20
Ps 54:3-6 and 8
James 3:16-4:3
Mk 9:30-37

St Augustine once said: “If you ask me which is the first virtue for a Christian, I will tell you that it is humility.  If you ask me again which is the second, I will say to you it is humility.  If you again ask me which is the third, I will still say that it is humility, and as often as you ask me this question, I shall always give you the same answer.” Continue reading “Reflection on the 25th Sunday in Ordinary time B” →

by Fr. Francis Huwn Msfs

24th Sunday Year B
Is 50:5-9
Ps 114: 1-6, 8-9
James 2:14-18
Mk 8:27-35

The true Jesus always has the Cross

Who is Jesus? In order not to be confused, there is one particular thing, which will definitely identify the true Jesus: it is the cross. The true Jesus always has the cross. There is no cross-less Jesus. That is why he said: “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.”He is the Suffering Servant of Yahweh that the Prophet Isaiah talks about in the first reading. Continue reading “Reflection on the 24th Sunday in Ordinary time B” →

by Fr. Francis Huwn Msfs

Jesus changed sunset into sunrise (Clement of Alexandria)

Isaiah 35:4-7a
Psalm 146:7,8-9,9-10
James 2:1-5
Mark 7:31-37

The miracle of Jesus which was narrated in the gospel took place in the regoin of Decapolis (Deka Polis in Greek), literally translated, Ten Cities. It was a federation of ten pagan cities within the area of Israel. Everything about these ten cities was Greek, including the way they were governed and their worship using the names of Greek gods. In these cities, the people resort to different greek gods and goddesses for wealth, healing, fertility, victory etc. Something like our socio-cultural context where people resort to Inyanga: sangoma and lugedla. But when someone was suffering, such as the deaf man in today’s gospel, they knew this pagan culture did not satisfy them, their only hope was Jesus. All the glitter of the Greek culture did not really fulfil their deepest longing, only Jesus. So they brought the deaf man with the speech impediment to Jesus. Continue reading “Reflection on the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary time B” →

by Fr Chris Chatteris SJ

Pope’s Intention. September 2018:

Young People in Africa: That young people in Africa may have access to education and work in their own countries.

It is truly extraordinary what risks migrants will run to get into so-called developed countries. Young West Africans, or their families, pay traffickers to get them across the Sahara desert into Libya and thence across the Mediterranean into Europe. A considerable proportion do not make it. Some die in the desert, abandoned by their traffickers. Others are arrested and languish in detention centres. Some are being sold into slavery. The hazardous sea crossing in manifestly unseaworthy boats is perhaps the most dangerous leg of all. Continue reading “September 2018: Young people in Africa” →