Category: Reflections

MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS
FOR THE WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR THE CARE OF CREATION
1 September 2018

Dear brothers and sisters,

On this Day of Prayer, I wish first to thank the Lord for the gift of our common home and for all those men and women of good will committed to protecting it. I am likewise grateful for the many projects aimed at promoting the study and the safeguarding of ecosystems, for the efforts being made to develop more sustainable agriculture and more responsible nutrition, and for the various educational, spiritual and liturgical initiatives that involve Christians throughout the world in the care of creation. Continue reading “Pope Francis: Message on World Day of Prayer for Care of Creation” →

by Fr. Francis Huwn Msfs

Reflection on the 22nd Sunday, Year B

Deut 4:1-2, 6-8
Ps. 14:2-5
James 1:17-18, 21-22,27
Mk. 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

Devotion is an expressions of godliness, holiness and sanctity of one’s life. Devotion also refers to the activities like prayers, observances and the sacramental life of Christians. In short, religion is all about one’s devotion to the Lord. We all seek devotion because it is a virtue very pleasing to God. Abel pleases the Lord for his honest offerings (Gen 4:4).

Our parish community is a mixer of faithful: some belongs to Christmas and Easter Christians, some are committed leaders, some are at the forefront in matters related to donations and contributions; in kind and cash, some are committed in all church activities yet avoid confession and Holy Communion and yet some are not affected but remain cold and indifferent and enjoys every bit of parish celebrations. These are the types of devotions probably visible before us. Continue reading “Which is more important to God- clean hands or a clean mind and heart?” →

by Fr Zweli Ngwenya

First reading: Joshua 24: 1-2, 15-17
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 33
Second reading: Ephesians 5: 21-32
Gospel: John 6: 60-69

Today’s first reading contains one of the most familiar lines from the Old Testament, Joshua’s charge to “choose this day whom you will serve,” combined with his own response, “but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord”. Joshua has summoned the people to Schechem to renew their covenant with God. He recounts the history of this covenant relationship. He begins by remembering their distant past, when the ancestors of the Israelites lived in the land beyond the river. He then tells what God did for their ancestors: he gave them descendants and good land; afflicted their enemies and brought them out of slavery; brought them to a new land and gave them victory over the Amorites. Joshua exhorts the people to fear and serve God in complete faithfulness. The Israelites themselves give two answers, the first reason to serve God is because of what God has done for them. They were listening to Joshua’s sermon! They echo back the history that Joshua himself recounted in detail for them. The second reason emerges naturally from the first: If God has done this for us, then he is our God. Continue reading “Reflection on the 21st Sunday of year B” →

by Fr Zweli Ngwenya

First reading: Revelation 11: 19a, 12:1-6a, 10a-b
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 45: 10-12, 16
Second reading: 1 Corinthians 15:20-26
Gospel: Luke 1: 39-56

Today we celebrate the feast of the assumption of Mary, raised to the glory of heaven in body and soul. It is significant that Mary sings her Magnificat (song of praise) on an occasion of great fraternal charity. She received the announcement that she would become the mother of the Son of God and she visited Elizabeth. Contact with Mary is an occasion for great graces. The Gospel says that “as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.” In this communication of graces, Mary expresses her feelings of gratitude and love to God, who has done great things in and for her. Continue reading “Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary” →

by Fr Zweli Ngwenya

First reading: 1Kings 19: 4-8
Responsorial Psalm: psalm 33
Second reading: Ephesians 4: 30-5: 2
Gospel: John 6: 41-51

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In today’s first reading, Elijah literally finds himself in the wilderness. Elijah has endured a traumatic episode with the prophets of Baal. Although he successfully dispatched the prophets but still something is wrong. Elijah experiences a sense of shame and failure. It leaves him deflated, despondent and depressed. God sends unexpected help to Elijah during his time of great vulnerability. Elijah is able to overcome his great sadness through the care of the angels and the nourishment of their food. This story invites us to see how the Lord has been present to us in difficult moments. It also invites us to view our problems through a lens able to see God’s divine presence in the world. Just as God is clearly present to Elijah in order to help him overcome his travails, we must have the same confidence that God is present and will be present in our lives. We must also have the awareness that our travails and troubles are far from the whole of our story. Just as God has been present in our past, we must persevere in the hope that God will be present in our future. Such awareness and hope will only come to us if we allow ourselves to be nourished by divine food. Continue reading “Reflection on the 19th Sunday in ordinary time” →

by Fr Chris Chatteris SJ

Pope’s Intention. August 2018.

The treasure of Families. That any far-reaching decisions of economists and politicians may protect the family as one of the treasures of humanity.

There is a slew of studies these days which tell us what we already know and have always known. They inform us, often in a rather surprised tone, that marriage is good for us. For example, married people tend to be healthier, happier and even wealthier than people who are cohabiting. The children of married people also on average do better than the children of cohabiting couples. Continue reading “August 2018: The treasure of Families” →

by Fr Zweli Ngwenya

Click HERE for Sunday’s Readings

First readings (Exodus 16: 2-4. 12-15)
Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 77)
Second reading (Ephisians 4:17, 20-24)
Gospel (John 6:24-35).

Brothers and sisters on this Sunday, the readings call us to look back and be grateful to God for what he has done for us and what he continues to do for us right now. In most times we focus on what we lack or what we need and we allow that to block our vision towards the work that God is doing at the moment. Continue reading “Reflection on the 18th Sunday of ordinary time year B” →

by Fr Ncamiso Vilakati

FIVE BARLEY LOAVES PLUS TWO FISH= TRUE SATISFACTION

Click HERE for the readings in SiSwati

At the age of six, some of us who never got the opportunity to go to “kindergarten”, were introduced to simple abstract ideas, mathematics. Yes, we learnt that five plus two is equal to SEVEN. That in itself is simple logical arithmetic’s that the second sign performed by Jesus in the Gospel of John presents to us. Seven becoming a whole has the ability to satisfy five thousand men. These seven gifts are wholesome, albeit coming from an inferior source, the simplest of the whole crowd, a boy. Continue reading “Reflection on the 17th Sunday in Ordinary time” →