Advocate
14 May 2023
The Sixth Sunday in Easter, Year A Play MP3 | Watch video When I was a kid, I kind of grew up with a lot of science fiction as part of my diet, both in reading and and watching TV. And one of the wonderful things about sci-fi is you can kind of imagine almost…
Called and Chosen
12 May 2023
Mass from St John the Evangelist Catholic Church, Campbelltown with Fr Richard Healey Friday in the Fifth Week of Easter (Friday 12 May 2023) First Reading ‡ Acts 15:22-31 It has been decided by the Holy Spirit and ourselves not to burden you beyond what is essential. Responsorial ‡ Psalm 56:8-12 I will praise you…
Chosen
7 May 2023
Easter – Sunday 5 Play MP3 Watch video Resources 00:00:00 Sometimes it can be really difficult to accept the simple claims that the gospel makes to know that we are indeed loved with this amazing intimacy of life and goodness to trust. 00:00:21 That God actually wants us to have that experience of this intimacy,…
More than enough life
30 April 2023
Easter, Sunday 4, Year A. One of my pet peeves are the shallow stereotypes that abound around ideas of “What does it mean to be a Christian?” Tight-laced, Straight. Goody 2 shoes. Narrow. Conservative. Anti-Environment. Homophobic. Backward. It is really hard to live well against this. I’m sure you faced this often enough when you…
Hope along the road
23 April 2023
Sunday 3 in Easter, Year A In this Catholic Mass, we celebrate the 3rd Sunday of Easter with a focus on the Gospel of the road to Emmaus (Luke 24). Join us in exploring the theme of Hope along the road as we reflect on the journey of the disciples on their way to Emmaus….
Breathing Mercy
16 April 2023
Sunday 2 in Easter – Sunday of Divine Mercy This year, during this season of Easter, we will be working our way through this first letter of Saint Peter. We don’t really know when it was written, there were no markers to kind of indicate when that happened. Peter used a secretary called Sylvanas to…
Resurrection Bodies
9 April 2023
Easter, New Creation, Seasons, Teaching
First Reading ‡ Acts 10:34.36-43We have eaten and drunk with him after his resurrection from the dead. Responsorial ‡ Psalm 117:1-2.16-17.22-23This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad. Second Reading (option 1) ‡ Colossians 3:1-4Look for the things that are in heaven, where Christ is. Gospel ‡ John 20:1-9The…
Why did Jesus die?
8 April 2023
A reflection on the Passion of Jesus in the Gospel of John. Play MP3 When I was a kid, the only thing that I seemed to want to do was to be older and bigger, you know, big enough that I was able to go out the back with my older brothers, with Dad on…
Passionate love revealed
3 April 2023
Palm Sunday / Passion Sunday, Year A Commemoration of the Lord’s EntranceYear A ‡ Matthew 21:1-11Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. At the Mass First Reading ‡ Isaiah 50:4-7 I did not cover my face against insult and I know I will not be ashamed. Responsorial ‡ Psalm 21:8-9.17-20.23-24 My…
Unbind him
25 March 2023
Lent 5. Year A Lazarus – El’Azar (God is my help) we are told that Jesus loves Lazarus, along with his two sisters, Miryam + Marta. Yet, when he hears that Lazarus is sick, he delays. How odd! What is going on? Have you felt like God is delaying in answer to your prayers? WTF?…
Mary says ‘yes’
25 March 2023
The Annunciation of the Lord (25 March 2023) This feast originated in the East during the sixth century and gained universal observance in the West during the eighth century. It is a feast of the Lord, commemorating the announcement to the Virgin Mary of the Word made flesh, Mary’s acceptance of God’s will, and the…
Trusting and Believing
20 March 2023
19 March (20 March 2023) St Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary 02:53 Reading 1 – 2 Samuel 7:4-5.12-14.16 03:58 Psalm: The son of David will live for ever. 05:09 Reading 2 – Romans 4:13.16-18.22 07:35 Gospel – Matthew 1:16.18-21.24 08:53-11:49 Homily – Trusting and believing Play MP3 Watch Video
Will you believe?
19 March 2023
Fourth Sunday in Lent, Year A First Reading ‡ 1 Samuel 16:1,6-7,10-13 In the presence of the Lord God, they anointed David king of Israel. Responsorial ‡ Psalm 22(23) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. Second Reading ‡ Ephesians 5:8-14 Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you….
Called in love
17 March 2023
17 March – St Patrick, evangelist First Reading ‡ Jeremiah 1:4-9 Go now to those to whom I send you. Responsorial ‡ Psalm 116 Go out to all the world and tell the Good News. Second Reading ‡ Acts 13:46-49 We must turn to the pagans. Gospel ‡ Luke 10:1-12.17-20 Your peace will rest on…
Thirsty
12 March 2023
First Reading ‡ Exodus 17:3-7Give us water to drink. Responsorial ‡ Psalm 94:1-2,6-9If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Second Reading ‡ Romans 5:1-2,5-8The love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given us. Gospel [longer form] ‡ John 4:5-42The water that I shall…
Guided by a cloud
5 March 2023
To have a sense of where you’re going is something that is so crucial. We all now take it for granted with our phones offering us GPS and our cars giving us guidance and direction along the way. But it’s still within our living memory of what it was like to try and find your…
Temptation Training
26 February 2023
Lent Sunday 1, Year A Remember the last big meal. How did you feel after? Food coma. Not clear thinking. Sleepy. Suggestible. Jesus goes into the wilderness. 40 days and nights. He fasts, so he’s not in a food coma. Open to God. 40 – highly symbolic. Israel in the wilderness 3 testings – very…
Following the Father
19 February 2023
Sunday 7 in Year A First Reading ‡ Leviticus 19:1-2.17-18You must love your neighbour, as yourself. Responsorial ‡ Psalm 102:1-4.8.10.12-13The Lord is kind and merciful. Second Reading ‡ 1 Corinthians 3:16-23All things are yours, but you belong to Christ and Christ belongs to God. Gospel ‡ Matthew 5:38-48Love your enemies. Play MP3 Watch Video
Living in Integrity
12 February 2023
Sunday 6, Year A. First Reading ‡ Sirach 15:15-20He never commanded anyone to be godless. Responsorial ‡ Psalm 118:1-2.4-5.17-18.33-34Happy are they who follow the law of the Lord! Second Reading ‡ 1 Corinthians 2:6-10God in his wisdom predestined our glory before the ages began. Gospel [longer form] ‡ Matthew 5:17-37Such was said to your ancestors;…
Salt and Light
5 February 2023
First Reading ‡ Isaiah 58:7-10Your light will shine like the dawn. Responsorial ‡ Psalm 111:4-9A light rises in the darkness for the upright. Second Reading ‡ 1 Corinthians 2:1-5I came to you to proclaim Christ crucified. Gospel ‡ Matthew 5:13-16You are the light of the world. Generated Transcript: So, we continue to read through…
Being Blest
28 January 2023
The Blessings (Beatitudes in Latin) are not replacements to the Ten Words / Commandments from the Book of Exodus 20 or Deut 5. They are not things that we have to strive to achieve, or conform our lives to. They are states of life where if we draw near to Jesus and allow him to…
Calling Disciples
21 January 2023
I asked ChatGPT this prompt: Write a short sermon on Mt 4:12-23 with a focus on the call of the four brothers as a model of discipleship. This is the response: In Matthew 4:12-23, we see the story of Jesus calling four brothers, Simon, also known as Peter, Andrew, James, and John, to be his…
Behold the Lamb of God
15 January 2023
As we move into this ordinary time of the year and this cycle of readings from what should be the Gospel of Matthew in Year A. We now have a reading from the Gospel of John – because we need to hear this witness of John the Baptist and John the evangelist presents him in…
Called to Worship
7 January 2023
The Epiphany of the Lord First Reading ‡ Isaiah 60:1-6The glory of the Lord shines upon you. Responsorial ‡ Psalm 71:1-2.7-8.10-13Lord, every nation on earth will adore you. Second Reading ‡ Ephesians 3:2-3.5-6The revelation means that pagans now share the same inheritance, that they are parts of the same body. Gospel ‡ Matthew 2:1-12We have…
Being Blessed
31 December 2022
Mary, Mother of God – Octave Day of Christmas My dear mother has kept a diary all her adult life. It does not contain her deepest thoughts, feelings or secrets, but it is an accurate chronicle of the events in her life and that of our family, with all the comings and goings, trips and…
Christmas Reversals by day
24 December 2022
We are all very familiar with the Christmas story and the Christmas Gospel that we just read from the Luke 2. But in some ways the story is even more familiar than we think – and yet still radically different. For we all know stories that begin about the rich and famous. Our newspapers and…
Christmas Reversals by night
24 December 2022
We are all very familiar with the Christmas story and the Christmas Gospel that we just read from the Luke 2. But in some ways the story is even more familiar than we think – and yet still radically different. For we all know stories that begin about the rich and famous. Our newspapers and…
Advent Bodies
17 December 2022
Sunday 4 in the Season of Advent This week saw the release of the first post-Covid super blockbuster movie, the sequel to the 2009 movie Avatar, which is still the highest-grossing movie at the box-office (US$2.9b). I saw the new movie on the opening day, in 3D. Avatar: The Way of Water, runs to over…
Advent Questions
10 December 2022
Third Sunday in Advent, Year A. John began his ministry as we saw last week with a very clear idea about where he sat, where he fitted within the broad spectrum of Jewish life and indeed of what we call salvation history. His sense that like Elijah that he clearly knew the kind of model…
Advent Call
4 December 2022
Second Sunday in Advent, Year A First Reading ‡ Isaiah 11:1-10He judges the poor with justice. Responsorial ‡ Psalm 71:1-2.7-8.12-13.17Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever. Second Reading ‡ Romans 15:4-9Christ, the hope of all people. Gospel ‡ Matthew 3:1-12Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. Play…