March 26, 2023
Stay awake, praying at all times...
With Passion Week soon approaching we are reminded of Jesus exhorting his disciples to be on the alert: “Stay awake, praying at all times for the strength to survive all that is going to happen, and to stand with confidence before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21-36)
March 25, 2023
Dear children, May this be a time of prayer for you.
Sé do bheath' a Mhuire,
atá lán de ghrásta, tá an Tiarna leat.
Is beannaithe thú idir mná
agus is beannaithe toradh do bhruinne losa.
A Naomh Mhuire, a mháthair Dé,
guí orainn na peacaithe, anois is ar uair ar mbás. Amen.
March 25, 2023
The Annunciation
The above scene is detail from one of Leonardo da Vinci’s earliest paintings, The Annunciation. It shows the angel Gabriel arriving before the Virgin Mary with a message from God that she will conceive by the Holy Spirit and bear a son to be named Jesus.
What isn’t commonly known about this painting is that Leonardo embedded references to the three Abrahamic religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Not only that, he also made comparisons with Mary and Gabriel to two figures from Greek mythology, Athena Parthenos and her servant Nike.
In Lebanon, since 2007, the association “Together around Mary, Our Lady” has celebrated the Feast of the Annunciation every year on March 25. This celebration is attended by both Christians and Muslims as well as religious leaders.
• More at this link.
March 19, 2023
Feast of St Joseph
The angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:20-21
March 17, 2023
Taking my lead from the Trinity
I spent this morning, St Patrick’s day, in a hospital whose main entrance is opposite a church named after St Patrick. I was there for a procedure generally referred to as a “box change”, a change of pacemaker with a built-in defibrillator.
The pacemaker has three leads which feed into my heart, the leads remain in place while the “box change” is made. Ever since the leads were first inserted into my heart seven years ago, I’ve always referred to them as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, because they stimulate and resynchronise my heart, physically and even spiritually. (More details at this link).
St Patrick used the shamrock with its three petals in one leaf to describe the Holy Trinity.
Sometimes God can manifest himself in our lives in the most mysterious and surprising ways. Today was one of those occasions.
March 10, 2023
A beggar before the throne of God’s mercy
I confess to Almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and ion what I have failed to do, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask Blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord or God.
February 27, 2023
A fresh opportunity...
St Francis de Sales, in a very comforting image, reminds us that every distraction in prayer becomes a fresh opportunity to turn our hearts yet again towards the Face of Jesus.
source: wordonfire.org
February 26, 2023
“Whoever sees me, sees the one who sent me”
I never knew or met my father. Once I asked an uncle, “What did my father look like? He replied, “I’m looking at him!”
No one has ever seen God; it is the only Son, who is nearest to the Father’s heart who has made him known. John 1 : 18
February 25, 2023
“Keep looking at my Son and follow Him...”
February 22, 2023
Ash Wednesday
Lent is a season of grace when we can rebuild our relationship with God and with others, opening our hearts in the silence of prayer and emerging from the fortress of our self-sufficiency.
Pope Francis, February 22, 2023
February 10, 2023
Mary’s Meals Syria Earthquake Appeal
On 6 February, two earthquakes – registering 7.8 and 7.5 magnitude – hit Syria and Turkey in the space of just 12 hours, killing many thousands of people and causing widespread devastation. Mary’s Meals have launched an emergency appeal to support to children and families as they fight for survival. With its local partner, the charity is working around the clock to feed people in the city of Aleppo. But there’s so much more Mary’s Meals can do to help communities affected by these terrible earthquakes – and stand ready to expand its emergency response as funds allow. Please give what you can today – no donation is too small. More details on how to donate at this link.
February 5, 2023
You are the light of the world
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lamp-stand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.”
Matthew 5 : 14-16
February 1, 2023
This is what Christ wants...
“That is what Christ wants… He wants to anoint us with His forgiveness, to give us peace and the courage to forgive others in turn, the courage to grant others a great amnesty of the heart. What great good it does us to cleanse our hearts of anger and remorse, of every trace of resentment and hostility!”
Pope Francis, February 1, 2023, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
January 25, 2023
At a crossroads in Samaria
“If you only knew what God is offering and who it is that is saying to you ‘Give me drink’, you would have been the first to ask and he would have given you living water.”
John 4 : 10 – Jesus among the Samaritans 4 : 1-42