Association Of Catholic Bloggers

  ' I die His Majesty's good servant - but God's first.'  St Thomas More A Man for all Seasons Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Gospel  Matthew 22:15-21 ( English Standard Version Anglicised) Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words.   And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone's opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances.     Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”   But Jesus, aware of their malice, said,  “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites?   Show me the coin for the tax.”  And they brought him a denarius.   And Jesus said to them,  “Whose likeness and inscription is this?”   They said, “Caesar's.” Then h

Apostle Peter in Prison , Rembrandt, 1631 Gospel Luke 7:9:18-24 ( NRSV, Catholic Ed ,Can) Once when Jesus was praying alone, with only the disciples near him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” They answered, “John the Baptist; but others, Elijah; and still others, that one of the ancient prophets has arisen.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “The Messiah of God.” He sternly ordered and commanded them not to tell anyone, saying, “The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” Then he said to them all, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it. Sir Thomas More , Hans Holbein the Younger, 1527 On 12 June 2013 the Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of the Republic of Ireland