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Showing posts with the label Sunday Reflections

'Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country.' Sunday Reflections, 4th Sunday of Advent, Year C

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Visitation Luca della Robbio [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan,) Readings   (English Standard Version, Catholic Edition: England & Wales; Scotland)  Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Luke 1:39-45  (English Standard Version, Anglicised)    In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah,   and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.   And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,   and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!   And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?   For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.   And bl...

As an illegal worker she was often subjected to different abuses. Sunday Reflections, 3rd Sunday of Advent, Year C

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St John the Baptist Preaching Rembrandt [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan,) Readings   (English Standard Version, Catholic Edition: England & Wales, India, Scotland)  Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel  Luke 3:10-18  (English Standard Version, Anglicised)    And the crowds asked John the Baptist, “What then shall we do?”   And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.”   Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?”   And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.”   Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.” As the people were filled with ...

There is nothing further for God to say. Sunday Reflections, 2nd Sunday of Advent, Year C

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St John the Baptist Preaching Rembrandt [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, Ireland) Readings   (English Standard Version; England & Wales, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Luke 3:1-6  (English Standard Version Anglicised: India, England & Wales, Scotland) In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the w...

'The contemporary world above all needs hope.' Sunday Reflections, 1st Sunday of Advent, Year C

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Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee Rembrandt [ Web Gallery of Art ] . And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves . . .  (Luke 21:25; today’s gospel). We begin Year C, which highlights St Luke's Gospel. From this weekend the Church in England & Wales and in Scotland will be using a new lectionary based on the English Standard Version of the Bible. Readings   (English Standard Version: England & Wales, Scotland) Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, Ireland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Luke 21:25-28, 34-36  (English Standard Version Anglicised) Jesus said to his disciples: 'There will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves,   people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is c...

God's kingdom is constantly breaking through in this world, in very ordinary, unplanned encounters. Sunday Reflections, Christ the King, Year B

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From  The Gospel of John  (2003)  Directed by Philip Saville.  [John 18:33-37, today's Gospel] Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, [England & Wales], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   John 18:33-37  (English Standard Version Anglicised: India) Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the King of the Jews?”     Jesus answered,  “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?”   Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?”   Jesus answered,  “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”   Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered,  “You say that I am a king. For thi...

'Christ compares himself to the sower and explains that the seed is the word.' Sunday Reflections, 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

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The Archangel Michael Unknown Italian Goldsmith [ Web Gallery of Art ] At that time shall arise  Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time  (Daniel 12:1. First Reading).  Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Mark 13:24-32  (English Standard Version, Anglicised)    Jesus said to his disciples: “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light,   and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.   And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.   And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the fou...

'The riches of a virtuous, pure heart will bear eternal profit.' Sunday Reflections, 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

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  Tacloban City, Philippines after Typhoon Hayan/Yolanda [ Wikipedia ;  photo ] Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Mark 12:38-44 (shorter form: 12:41-44)   (English Standard Version, Anglicised)    [In his teaching Jesus said,  “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the market-places   and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honour at feasts,   who devour widows' houses and for a pretence make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.” ] And Jesus sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums.   And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny.   And he called his disciples to him and said...

'Jesus is the centre of the Christian faith.' Sunday Reflections, 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

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SHEMA YISRAEL ADONAI ELOHEINU ADONAI ECHAD [ U'SHEMO ECHAD ] V'AHAVTA ET HASHEM ELOHEICHA B'CHOL LEVAVCHA U'VCHOL NAFSHECHA U'VCHOL MEODECHA [YAIDA DAI YADA DAI YAIDADAI . . .] Hear, O Israel: The  Lord  our God, the  Lord  is one.   You shall love the  Lord  your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.   And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart (Deuteronomy 6:4-6) . [First Reading; quoted by Jesus in the Gospel]. Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Mark 12:28b-34 (shorter form: 10:42-45)   (English Standard Version, Anglicised)    One of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?”   Jesus answered,...

'Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?”' Sunday Reflections, 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

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Christ Healing the Blind Man Eustache L Sueur [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel  Mark 10:46-52 (shorter form: 10:42-45)   (English Standard Version, Anglicised)    As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside.   And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”   And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”   And Jesus stopped and said,  “Call him.”  And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.”   And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.   And Jesus said to him,...