Thoughts and Reflections

Isaiah 49:3, 5-6/ Ps 40(39)/ 1 Corinthians 1:1-3/ John 1:29-34 As the memory of Christmas recedes we are called to recognise who the baby born in a stable so long ago is and what he means to us in our lives. John the Baptist gives us the answer with the words: "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world." These words are so familiar to us, we hear them at every Mass. The priest lifts the consecrated host and makes John's proclamation: "Behold the Lamb of God

Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7/ Ps 29(28)/ Acts 10:34-38/ Matthew 3:13-17 Few of us will remember our baptism with most being newly born babies when our parents brought us to church with our godparents and promised to bring us up in the faith. It is a useful reminder today of what that baptism meant for us. Baptism is the first and most important of the sacraments because it is the normal way to salvation and is the gateway sacrament without which none of the other sacraments can be rece

Sirach 24:1-2, 8-12/ Ps 147/ Ephesians 1:3-6, 15-18/ John 1:1-5, 9-14 What presents did we receive this Christmas? As the day recedes in our memory let us again consider the greatest gift we have been given. While the world has already packed away Christmas, moving on to sales and resolutions, we are still here, still standing at the manger, still pondering the incredible mystery of who this child is. So we should be, because this isn't just a nice holiday story that fades wi

Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14/ Ps 128(127)/ Colossians 3:12-17/ Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23 Today we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, a celebration that comes in the Christmas season, reminding us that the Word made flesh did not come into this world as a solitary figure, but as a member of a family. The God who created all things chose to enter human history through the most fundamental human institution. The Gospel today might come as a bit of a shock. We

Isaiah 52:7-10/ Ps 98(97)/ Hebrews 1:1-6/ John 1:1-5, 9-14 So here it is, merry Christmas! Everybody's having fun. Look to the future now, it's only just begun. Those of us of a certain age will recognise these lyrics from Slade's 1973 song that has become a staple of Christmas music heard every year. Christmas is indeed here. We have waited in anticipation and prepared for it during the weeks of Advent. We are celebrating with family and friends, and we traditionally look to