Mass Reading: Sunday - 03rd August 2025

First reading
Ecclesiastes 1:2,2:21-23
Vanity of vanities; all is vanity

    Vanity of vanities, the Preacher says. Vanity of vanities. All is vanity!

    For so it is that a man who has laboured wisely, skilfully and successfully must leave what is his own to someone who has not toiled for it at all. This, too, is vanity and great injustice; for what does he gain for all the toil and strain that he has undergone under the sun? What of all his laborious days, his cares of office, his restless nights? This, too, is vanity.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 89(90):3-6,12-14,17

O Lord, you have been our refuge from one generation to the next.

You turn men back to dust
    and say: ‘Go back, sons of men.’
To your eyes a thousand years
    are like yesterday, come and gone,
    no more than a watch in the night.

O Lord, you have been our refuge from one generation to the next.

You sweep men away like a dream,
    like the grass which springs up in the morning.
In the morning it springs up and flowers:
    by evening it withers and fades.

O Lord, you have been our refuge from one generation to the next.

Make us know the shortness of our life
    that we may gain wisdom of heart.
Lord, relent! Is your anger for ever?
    Show pity to your servants.

O Lord, you have been our refuge from one generation to the next.

In the morning, fill us with your love;
    we shall exult and rejoice all our days.
Let the favour of the Lord be upon us:
    give success to the work of our hands.

O Lord, you have been our refuge from one generation to the next.

________

Second reading
Colossians 3:1-5,9-11
You must look for the things that are in heaven, where Christ is

    Since you have been brought back to true life with Christ, you must look for the things that are in heaven, where Christ is, sitting at God’s right hand. Let your thoughts be on heavenly things, not on the things that are on the earth, because you have died, and now the life you have is hidden with Christ in God. But when Christ is revealed – and he is your life – you too will be revealed in all your glory with him.

    That is why you must kill everything in you that belongs only to earthly life: fornication, impurity, guilty passion, evil desires and especially greed, which is the same thing as worshipping a false god; and never tell each other lies. You have stripped off your old behaviour with your old self, and you have put on a new self which will progress towards true knowledge the more it is renewed in the image of its creator; and in that image there is no room for distinction between Greek and Jew, between the circumcised or the uncircumcised, or between barbarian and Scythian, slave and free man. There is only Christ: he is everything and he is in everything.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Jn17:17

Alleluia, alleluia!

Your word is truth, O Lord:
consecrate us in the truth.

Alleluia!

Or:
Mt5:3

Alleluia, alleluia!

How happy are the poor in spirit:
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
Luke 12:13-21
Fool! This very night your soul will be demanded of you

    A man in the crowd said to Jesus, ‘Master, tell my brother to give me a share of our inheritance.’ ‘My friend,’ he replied, ‘who appointed me your judge, or the arbitrator of your claims?’ Then he said to them, ‘Watch, and be on your guard against avarice of any kind, for a man’s life is not made secure by what he owns, even when he has more than he needs.’

    Then he told them a parable: ‘There was once a rich man who, having had a good harvest from his land, thought to himself, “What am I to do? I have not enough room to store my crops.” Then he said, “This is what I will do: I will pull down my barns and build bigger ones, and store all my grain and my goods in them, and I will say to my soul: My soul, you have plenty of good things laid by for many years to come; take things easy, eat, drink, have a good time.” But God said to him, “Fool! This very night the demand will be made for your soul; and this hoard of yours, whose will it be then?” So it is when a man stores up treasure for himself in place of making himself rich in the sight of God.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

 

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 03rd August 2025

 

ECC 1:2, 2:21-23; PS 90:3-6, 12-13, 17; COL 3: 1-5, 9-11; LK 12:13-21

Today’s readings come as a pat on the back from Heaven for all of us striving to live a stewardship way of life. They remind us why we live the way we do, make the choices we make, and leave other things aside. Let’s face it, if we truly embrace this way of life, there will be people who find our choices downright foolish. Today we will see what God thinks. Spoiler alert: turns out Christian stewards are not the fools!

Our First Reading from the book of Ecclesiastes contains the famous line, “Vanity of vanities! All things are vanity!” The narrator, Qoheleth, points out that we toil and labor all day, worry all night about our work and all we still have to do, and for what? Essentially, he asks what is the point of constantly “stressing out” about things that won’t last anyway? That’s no way to live! Christian stewards already know this. We live for a higher purpose — we live for our God and for the things that matter to Him. Our time, talents, and treasure have an everlasting focus because we recognize that these things are all gifts from God and we use them in gratitude to give Him glory.

Our Second Reading, from St. Paul’s letter to the Colossians, reminds us how to go about making decisions so that we can make the best use of the gifts we have been given. In making decisions about our use of time, talent and treasure, he gives us this advice: “Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.” He adds, “Take off the old self with its practices and put on the new self which is being renewed for knowledge in the image of its creator.” This is precisely what is taking place within us as we embrace the spirituality of stewardship. We find ourselves living in a continuous process of sloughing off our selfishness (the “old self”) and living more and more for God and others.

To many people in our materialistic world, setting priorities that are not focused on earthly goals like wealth, status and power, is foolish and naive. But look at what Jesus has to say about priorities in today’s Gospel passage from Luke. He makes it clear that life is not about “stuff.” “Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.”

Then Jesus goes on to tell the parable of the wealthy businessman who thought he had everything figured out. The man had such an abundance of “stuff” that he didn’t have room to store it all. So, thinking of earthly things and not on what is above, he decided to build a bigger place to store all that stuff. Patting himself on the back, he thought about what good times he would have in the years ahead. But Jesus tells us that day would turn out to be the man’s last day on the earth. And he had spent it thinking only of himself. How foolish! What vanity of vanities!

Don’t be ashamed of living differently from the people around you. Be confident as you set priorities based on what is above. You are wise in God’s eyes, Christian steward. And you will be rich in what matters most.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 27th July 2025

First reading
Genesis 18:20-32
Abraham negotiates with the Lord

    The Lord said, ‘How great an outcry there is against Sodom and Gomorrah! How grievous is their sin! I propose to go down and see whether or not they have done all that is alleged in the outcry against them that has come up to me. I am determined to know.’

    The men left there and went to Sodom while Abraham remained standing before the Lord. Approaching him he said, ‘Are you really going to destroy the just man with the sinner? Perhaps there are fifty just men in the town. Will you really overwhelm them, will you not spare the place for the fifty just men in it? Do not think of doing such a thing: to kill the just man with the sinner, treating just and sinner alike! Do not think of it! Will the judge of the whole earth not administer justice?’ the Lord replied, ‘If at Sodom I find fifty just men in the town, I will spare the whole place because of them.’

    Abraham replied, ‘I am bold indeed to speak like this to my Lord, I who am dust and ashes. But perhaps the fifty just men lack five: will you destroy the whole city for five?’ ‘No,’ he replied ‘I will not destroy it if I find forty-five just men there.’ Again Abraham said to him, ‘Perhaps there will only be forty there.’ ‘I will not do it’ he replied ‘for the sake of the forty.’

    Abraham said, ‘I trust my Lord will not be angry, but give me leave to speak: perhaps there will only be thirty there.’ ‘I will not do it’ he replied ‘if I find thirty there.’ He said, ‘I am bold indeed to speak like this, but perhaps there will only be twenty there.’ ‘I will not destroy it’ he replied ‘for the sake of the twenty.’ He said, ‘I trust my Lord will not be angry if I speak once more: perhaps there will only be ten.’ ‘I will not destroy it’ he replied ‘for the sake of the ten.’

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 137(138):1-3,6-8

On the day I called, you answered me, O Lord.

I thank you, Lord, with all my heart:
    you have heard the words of my mouth.
In the presence of the angels I will bless you.
    I will adore before your holy temple.

On the day I called, you answered me, O Lord.

I thank you for your faithfulness and love,
    which excel all we ever knew of you.
On the day I called, you answered;
    you increased the strength of my soul.

On the day I called, you answered me, O Lord.

The Lord is high yet he looks on the lowly
    and the haughty he knows from afar.
Though I walk in the midst of affliction
    you give me life and frustrate my foes.

On the day I called, you answered me, O Lord.

You stretch out your hand and save me,
    your hand will do all things for me.
Your love, O Lord, is eternal,
    discard not the work of your hands.

On the day I called, you answered me, O Lord.

________

Second reading
Colossians 2:12-14
Christ has brought you to life with him and forgiven us all our sins

    You have been buried with Christ, when you were baptised; and by baptism, too, you have been raised up with him through your belief in the power of God who raised him from the dead. You were dead, because you were sinners and had not been circumcised: he has brought you to life with him, he has forgiven us all our sins.

    He has overridden the Law, and cancelled every record of the debt that we had to pay; he has done away with it by nailing it to the cross.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Jn1:14,12

Alleluia, alleluia!

The Word was made flesh and lived among us:
to all who did accept him 
he gave power to become children of God.

Alleluia!

Or:
Rm8:15

Alleluia, alleluia!

The spirit you received is the spirit of sons,
and it makes us cry out, ‘Abba, Father!’

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
Luke 11:1-13
How to pray

    Once Jesus was in a certain place praying, and when he had finished one of his disciples said, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.’

    He said to them, ‘Say this when you pray:

‘“Father, may your name be held holy,
your kingdom come;
give us each day our daily bread,
and forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive each one who is in debt to us.
And do not put us to the test.”’

    He also said to them:

    ‘Suppose one of you has a friend and goes to him in the middle of the night to say, “My friend, lend me three loaves, because a friend of mine on his travels has just arrived at my house and I have nothing to offer him”; and the man answers from inside the house, “Do not bother me. The door is bolted now, and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up to give it you.” I tell you, if the man does not get up and give it him for friendship’s sake, persistence will be enough to make him get up and give his friend all he wants.

    ‘So I say to you: Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For the one who asks always receives; the one who searches always finds; the one who knocks will always have the door opened to him. What father among you would hand his son a stone when he asked for bread? Or hand him a snake instead of a fish? Or hand him a scorpion if he asked for an egg? If you then, who are evil, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 27th July 2025

 

GN 18:20-32; PS138:1-3, 6-8; COL 2:12-14; LK 11:1-13

The teachings of our Catholic faith are inexhaustibly deep, but they are also amazingly simple. Today’s readings take us back to the basics, reminding us how we as Christian stewards are to approach our relationship with God and others.

The First Reading gives us an early glimpse of the extravagance of God’s mercy revealed in the very first book of the Old Testament. In this passage from Genesis, we find Abraham testing the limits of God’s kindness and patience with His people. God tells Abraham that despite the terrible depravity in Sodom and Gomorrah, for the sake of just a handful of innocent people, He would spare them all. This passage illustrates two basic truths of Christian stewardship: what an infinitely loving God we serve and what a privilege we have in our gift of faith, a gift that we must share for the sake of others.

The Second Reading, from St. Paul’s letter to the Colossians, reminds us of this stewardship basic: Christ “brought you to life along with him, having forgiven us all our transgressions; obliterating the bond against us…nailing it to the cross.” Jesus loves us so much that he took on our sins to free us from death and offer us eternal life. What a generous Savior we have who gives us the gift of eternal life. This truth should fill us with overwhelming gratitude, inspiring us to share our lives generously with others as faithful disciples of our Lord.

The Gospel reading from Luke takes us back to the basics of prayer, offering us both a method of prayer from Jesus Himself and the encouragement to persist in prayer. In this passage, some of His disciples ask our Lord to teach them how to pray. Jesus instantly offers them the beautiful prayer which we, of course, call the Our Father. This prayer is so rich that it still forms the basis of our approach to God the Father over 2,000 years later. At the same time, it is so simple, we teach it as a first prayer to young children.

The Our Father is truly a steward’s prayer. In it, we call upon God in an intimate way, as Father. We ask that His will be done (not ours!) and that His kingdom come (not ours!). In other words, we remember that He is our Creator, everything is His, and our focus in life should be on His priorities, not our own. Then we ask Him to supply our needs (to give our daily bread), forgive our sins, and protect us from evil. That is, we proclaim that we trust completely in His provision for us and mercy towards us. We, too, commit to extending mercy ourselves (as we forgive those who sin against us).

As we pray the words of the Our Father, we recognize this basic truth about ourselves and God: God is our Father, and we are beloved and infinitely blessed to be His children. This is the basis of a stewardship way of life.

After giving us the Our Father, Jesus shares the funny little story of the man who bugs his neighbor for bread in the middle of the night. The man’s persistence pays off. How much more perfectly the Father will answer the prayers of His children when we persist in going to Him with our needs.

At the end of the Gospel passage, Jesus offers one more “basic” for us stewards about our relationship with the Father: Ask Him, seek Him, knock on His door! He can hardly wait to bless us, HIs children. Remember that this week, then go, be a blessing to others! Stewardship is just that simple.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 20th July 2025

First reading
Genesis 18:1-10
'Next year your wife Sarah will have a son'


The Lord appeared to Abraham at the Oak of Mamre while he was sitting by the entrance of the tent during the hottest part of the day. He looked up, and there he saw three men standing near him. As soon as he saw them he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them, and bowed to the ground. ‘My lord,’ he said ‘I beg you, if I find favour with you, kindly do not pass your servant by. A little water shall be brought; you shall wash your feet and lie down under the tree. Let me fetch a little bread and you shall refresh yourselves before going further. That is why you have come in your servant’s direction.’ They replied, ‘Do as you say.’

Abraham hastened to the tent to find Sarah.’ ‘Hurry,’ he said ‘knead three bushels of flour and make loaves.’ Then running to the cattle Abraham took a fine and tender calf and gave it to the servant, who hurried to prepare it. Then taking cream, milk and the calf he had prepared, he laid all before them, and they ate while he remained standing near them under the tree.

‘Where is your wife Sarah?’ they asked him. ‘She is in the tent’ he replied. Then his guest said, ‘I shall visit you again next year without fail, and your wife will then have a son.’


The word of the Lord.




________




Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 14(15):2-5


The just will live in the presence of the Lord.

Lord, who shall dwell on your holy mountain?
He who walks without fault;
he who acts with justice
and speaks the truth from his heart;
he who does not slander with his tongue.

The just will live in the presence of the Lord.

He who does no wrong to his brother,
who casts no slur on his neighbour,
who holds the godless in disdain,
but honours those who fear the Lord.

The just will live in the presence of the Lord.

He who keeps his pledge, come what may;
who takes no interest on a loan
and accepts no bribes against the innocent.
Such a man will stand firm for ever.

The just will live in the presence of the Lord.



_________




Second reading
Colossians 1:24-28
A mystery hidden for generations has been revealed to God's saints


It makes me happy to suffer for you, as I am suffering now, and in my own body to do what I can to make up all that has still to be undergone by Christ for the sake of his body, the Church. I became the servant of the Church when God made me responsible for delivering God’s message to you, the message which was a mystery hidden for generations and centuries and has now been revealed to his saints. It was God’s purpose to reveal it to them and to show all the rich glory of this mystery to pagans. The mystery is Christ among you, your hope of glory: this is the Christ we proclaim, this is the wisdom in which we thoroughly train everyone and instruct everyone, to make them all perfect in Christ.


The word of the Lord.




________




Gospel Acclamation
cf.Ac16:14


Alleluia, alleluia!

Open our heart, O Lord,
to accept the words of your Son.

Alleluia!


Or:
cf.Lk8:15


Alleluia, alleluia!


Blessed are those who,
with a noble and generous heart,
take the word of God to themselves
and yield a harvest through their perseverance.

Alleluia!



________




Gospel
Luke 10:38-42
Martha works; Mary listens


Jesus came to a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. She had a sister called Mary, who sat down at the Lord’s feet and listened to him speaking. Now Martha who was distracted with all the serving said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her to help me.’ But the Lord answered: ‘Martha, Martha,’ he said ‘you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part; it is not to be taken from her.’


The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 20th July 2025

 

GN 18: 1-10A; PS15:2-5; COL 1:24-28; LK 10:38-42

Today’s readings are chock full of inspiration for living a stewardship way of life, starting with our first reading, from Genesis. Here we see the stewardship concept of hospitality at work as Abraham offers a generous welcome to three mysterious men who appear at the entrance to his tent. Some Church fathers hold that the three men are an early symbol of our Triune God; others that the three are angels. In any case, Abraham welcomes them warmly in true stew-ard-ship hospitality, offering them a good meal and some cool water with which to refresh themselves. In return for his generosity, one of the three men promises that Abraham’s elderly wife would miraculously give birth to a son, a promise which indeed comes true.

In our Second Reading, from St. Paul’s letter to the Colossians, Paul uses the term “steward-ship” to describe the particular mission that has been entrusted to Him by God. That is why, he explains, that all the sufferings he endures as part of his ministry are a joy for Him — be-cause they come as a part of the privilege of serving the Lord. This is equally true for each one of us today. We are all called to be the Lord’s faithful stewards, spreading the Good News of the Gospel in our sphere of influence. And while serving the Lord (through formal ministry or just in the daily duties of everyday life) involves some suffering, like Paul, we should count this as part of the privilege of being called His stewards.

Finally, in today’s Gospel reading, from St. Luke, we receive a reminder about the proper use of the gift of time, a fundamental aspect of a stewardship way of life. Our passage highlights one of the most famous dinner parties ever thrown, recalling the day that Martha and Mary hosted our Lord in their home. We are told that Martha, as a good steward, welcomes Christ in but then becomes “burdened with much serving” while her sister and fellow hostess choose to simply sit with Jesus, listening to Him speak.

Martha becomes indignant at Mary’s behavior and complains to Jesus, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” But Jesus, in His infinite wisdom, refuses to get pulled into this sisterly spat. Instead, He offers Martha a fresh way to look at the situation. “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing.”

What is that one thing? It is to put Jesus first in our lives and above all other things; to “sit at his feet” and listen as Mary did, giving Him the priority of our time no matter how busy we think we are.

When we truly commit to putting Christ first in our daily lives through a regular time of prayer and frequent participation in the sacraments, we will find that all our other concerns become less pressing and less overwhelming. Why is this so? Because the time we invest in our rela-tionship with God saturates all aspects of our lives with His grace. And because God cannot be outdone in generosity. He will abundantly reward any sacrifice we make to spend time with Him.

In the week ahead let’s examine how well we show “hospitality" to our Lord by putting Him first through our stewardship of time. If you do not have a daily habit of prayer, commit to five minutes for the next seven days. If you are already in the habit of daily prayer, make sure you are listening at least as much as speaking. Either way, you will be blessed. What a privilege to be His stewards!

Mass Reading: Sunday - 13th July 2025

First reading
Deuteronomy 30:10-14
The Law is not beyond your strength or beyond your reach

    Moses said to the people: ‘Obey the voice of the Lord your God, keeping those commandments and laws of his that are written in the Book of this Law, and you shall return to the Lord your God with all your heart and soul.

    ‘For this Law that I enjoin on you today is not beyond your strength or beyond your reach. It is not in heaven, so that you need to wonder, “Who will go up to heaven for us and bring it down to us, so that we may hear it and keep it?” Nor is it beyond the seas, so that you need to wonder, “Who will cross the seas for us and bring it back to us, so that we may hear it and keep it?” No, the Word is very near to you, it is in your mouth and in your heart for your observance.’

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 68(69):14,17,30-31,33-34,36-37

Seek the Lord, you who are poor, and your hearts will revive

This is my prayer to you,
    my prayer for your favour.
In your great love, answer me, O God,
    with your help that never fails:
Lord, answer, for your love is kind;
    in your compassion, turn towards me.

Seek the Lord, you who are poor, and your hearts will revive

As for me in my poverty and pain
    let your help, O God, lift me up.
I will praise God’s name with a song;
    I will glorify him with thanksgiving.

Seek the Lord, you who are poor, and your hearts will revive

The poor when they see it will be glad
    and God-seeking hearts will revive;
for the Lord listens to the needy
    and does not spurn his servants in their chains.

Seek the Lord, you who are poor, and your hearts will revive

For God will bring help to Zion
    and rebuild the cities of Judah
    and men shall dwell there in possession.
The sons of his servants shall inherit it;
    those who love his name shall dwell there.

Seek the Lord, you who are poor, and your hearts will revive

________

Second reading
Colossians 1:15-20
All things were created through Christ and for Christ

Christ Jesus is the image of the unseen God
and the first-born of all creation,
for in him were created
all things in heaven and on earth:
everything visible and everything invisible,
Thrones, Dominations, Sovereignties, Powers –
all things were created through him and for him.
Before anything was created, he existed,
and he holds all things in unity.
Now the Church is his body,
he is its head.

As he is the Beginning,
he was first to be born from the dead,
so that he should be first in every way;
because God wanted all perfection
to be found in him
and all things to be reconciled through him and for him,
everything in heaven and everything on earth,
when he made peace by his death on the cross.

The word of the Lord.

___________

Gospel Acclamation
Jn10:27

Alleluia, alleluia!

The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice, 
says the Lord, 
I know them and they follow me.

Alleluia!

Or:
cf.Jn6:63,68

Alleluia, alleluia!

Your words are spirit, Lord, and they are life;
you have the message of eternal life.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
Luke 10:25-37
The good Samaritan

    There was a lawyer who, to disconcert Jesus, stood up and said to him, ‘Master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ He said to him, ‘What is written in the Law? What do you read there?’ He replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbour as yourself.’ ‘You have answered right,’ said Jesus ‘do this and life is yours.’

    But the man was anxious to justify himself and said to Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbour?’ Jesus replied, ‘A man was once on his way down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of brigands; they took all he had, beat him and then made off, leaving him half dead. Now a priest happened to be travelling down the same road, but when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. In the same way a Levite who came to the place saw him, and passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan traveller who came upon him was moved with compassion when he saw him. He went up and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them. He then lifted him on to his own mount, carried him to the inn and looked after him. Next day, he took out two denarii and handed them to the innkeeper. “Look after him,” he said “and on my way back I will make good any extra expense you have.” Which of these three, do you think, proved himself a neighbour to the man who fell into the brigands‘ hands?’ ‘The one who took pity on him’ he replied. Jesus said to him, ‘Go, and do the same yourself.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 13th July 2025

DT 30:10-14; PS 69:14,17,30-31, 33-34, 36, 37 or PS 19:8-11; COL 1:15-20; LK 10: 25-37

Today’s readings show us that to live as good stewards means to follow God’s commands and to live our lives as a gift in service to others.

The First Reading, from the ancient book of Deuteronomy, reminds us that God’s laws are not inaccessible to us. Rather, they are written on our very hearts. Moses says to the people in today’s passage that God’s commands are “very near to you, already in your mouths and in your hearts; you have only to carry [them] out.” And as we see in today’s Gospel passage, God gives us these laws so that we may inherit eternal life. God’s commands are meant to help us to live as His good stewards and lead us to Heaven.

In our Second Reading, from St. Paul’s letter to the Colossians, we see God’s instruction made even more explicit, in the very person of His Son, Jesus Christ. The Father has sent His own Son to demonstrate how to obey Him and to give us a living example of how we should live our lives as a gift. As St. Paul says, “Christ Jesus is the image of the invisible God.”

Finally, in today’s Gospel passage, from Luke, we read the well-known parable of the Good Samaritan. Here, Jesus Himself teaches us in rich detail what stewardship in action looks like. In fact, this parable could just as accurately be called the parable of the Good Steward. Let’s study the actions of this good steward.

The first thing we note about the Good Samaritan is that he is aware of the needs of those around him and responds generously. While the priest and Levi brush right past the man on the side of the road, the Samaritan is watching for those who might be in need. He has a hos-pitable way of looking at the world around him and so he is able to “see” in a way that the oth-ers did not, and he was “moved with compassion at the sight” of the man.

Next, we see the Good Samaritan spring into action to serve this man, setting aside his own schedule and plans in order to meet his needs. He does not just give the man a few dollars or offer some quick words of encouragement from across the road. He goes right up to the man. He cleans and bandages his wounds. He puts the man on his own animal and brings him to an inn where he can heal. He ensures that the innkeeper would continue to look after him and he commits to returning to the man on his way back.

This type of hospitality and generosity in serving others are essential to a stewardship way of life. Do we have this same hospitable openness to others around us, both to those who may feel on the outskirts of our parish family and to those “on the margins” of our wider communi-ty? What can we do to become more aware of the needs of others and more open to setting aside our own plans to care for those needs?

That is how we live out God’s commandments.

That is true hospitality and service.

That is how a good steward springs into action when he comes upon a neighbor in need. And Jesus says to each of us personally, just as He did in today’s Gospel, “Go and do likewise.”

Mass Reading: Sunday - 6th July 2025

First reading

Isaiah 66:10-14 ·

Towards Jerusalem I send flowing peace, like a river

Rejoice, Jerusalem,

be glad for her, all you who love her!

Rejoice, rejoice for her,

all you who mourned her!

That you may be suckled, filled,

from her consoling breast,

that you may savour with delight

her glorious breasts.

For thus says the Lord:

Now towards her I send flowing

peace, like a river,

and like a stream in spate

the glory of the nations.

At her breast will her nurslings be carried

and fondled in her lap.

Like a son comforted by his mother

will I comfort you.

And by Jerusalem you will be comforted.

At the sight your heart will rejoice,

and your bones flourish like the grass.

To his servants the Lord will reveal his hand.

The Word of the Lord

______________

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 65(66):1-7,16,20

Cry out with joy to God, all the earth.

Cry out with joy to God all the earth,

    O sing to the glory of his name.

O render him glorious praise.

    Say to God: ‘How tremendous your deeds!

Cry out with joy to God, all the earth.

‘Before you all the earth shall bow;

    shall sing to you, sing to your name!’

Come and see the works of God,

    tremendous his deeds among men.

Cry out with joy to God, all the earth.

He turned the sea into dry land,

    they passed through the river dry-shod.

Let our joy then be in him;

    he rules for ever by his might.

Cry out with joy to God, all the earth.

Come and hear, all who fear God.

    I will tell what he did for my soul:

Blessed be God who did not reject my prayer nor withhold his love from me.

______________

Second reading

Galatians 6:14-18 ·

The marks on my body are those of Jesus

    The only thing I can boast about is the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world. It does not matter if a person is circumcised or not; what matters is for him to become an altogether new creature. Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule, who form the Israel of God.

    I want no more trouble from anybody after this; the marks on my body are those of Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, my brothers. Amen.

The word of the Lord 

_____________

Gospel Acclamation

Jn15:15

Alleluia, alleluia!

I call you friends, says the Lord,

because I have made known to you

everything I have learnt from my Father.

Alleluia!

____________

Gospel

Luke 10:1-12,17-20

Your peace will rest on that man

   The Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them out ahead of him, in pairs, to all the towns and places he himself was to visit. He said to them, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest. Start off now, but remember, I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Carry no purse, no haversack, no sandals. Salute no one on the road.

    ‘Whatever house you go into, let your first words be, “Peace to this house!” And if a man of peace lives there, your peace will go and rest on him; if not, it will come back to you. Stay in the same house, taking what food and drink they have to offer, for the labourer deserves his wages; do not move from house to house.

    ‘Whenever you go into a town where they make you welcome, eat what is set before you. Cure those in it who are sick, and say, “The kingdom of God is very near to you.” But whenever you enter a town and they do not make you welcome, go out into its streets and say, “We wipe off the very dust of your town that clings to our feet, and leave it with you. Yet be sure of this: the kingdom of God is very near.” I tell you, on that day it will not go as hard with Sodom as with that town.’

    The seventy-two came back rejoicing. ‘Lord,’ they said ‘even the devils submit to us when we use your name.’ He said to them, ‘I watched Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Yes, I have given you power to tread underfoot serpents and scorpions and the whole strength of the enemy; nothing shall ever hurt you. Yet do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you; rejoice rather that your names are written in heaven.’

The Gospel of the Lord

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 6th July 2025

IS 66:10-14C; PS 66:1-7, 16, 20; GAL 6: 14-18; LK 10:1-12, 17-20
 

In today’s Gospel passage, from Luke, we find our Lord appointing disciples to go out and prepare others to receive His invitation into the Kingdom of God. Every verse has something to say about the way a Christian steward should approach others. Let’s consider at least a few of the coaching tips Christ gives.

“The Lord appointed seventy-two others whom He sent out ahead of Him in pairs to every town and place He intended to visit.” In His wisdom, Christ sent His disciples out not as indi-viduals but in pairs, as teams. This approach to evangelization certainly provided practical advantages. The disciples could lean on each other for mutual support and encouragement, helping each other to stay on task and to put their heads together to pray and problem-solve. This teamwork approach is just as relevant to us modern-day Christian stewards. It takes courage and commitment to go out and invite others into the Christian life. We need to work together to do it well.

But there is also symbolic importance to working in teams. It points to the reality that when we invite others to embrace the Good News of the Gospel, we are not merely inviting them into a belief system, but into a relationship with Christ and through that relationship, into Christ’s family — our fellow Christian disciples near and far. 

Our parish is, in a sense, our immediate spiritual family in this extended worldwide fold. We are not meant to live as isolated individuals within the parish any more than we are meant to live in isolation within our families. We are meant to be a community. That is why it is so important for us to foster a vibrant, supportive, welcoming parish life. This is why we emphasize hospitality as one of the pillars of stewardship. It is not enough just to point others to Christ, we must in-vite them to join us in community with Him; we must offer a place and mission for them in the Church and within our parish family.

Next, Christ instructs, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” Who are the laborers that our Lord speaks of? Perhaps it is the clergy and religious who first come to mind. And we certainly have a duty to pray for an increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life. But we confirmed Catholics are also HIs laborers, called by Christ to bring others to Him and to join us in the life of Christian discipleship.

How are we to do this?  We are to go first to God in prayer. Inviting people into the Kingdom of Christ is above all a spiritual endeavor so our Lord reminds us to seek God’s wisdom before approaching others. The harvest, after all, belongs to Him. We simply have the privilege of helping with the harvesting. This also reminds us that it is not primarily through “Catholic guilt trips” that we will ignite in others a passion for serving Christ and living the Gospel. It is God Himself who must be at work in us as we call others to the Christian life.

The very next instruction Christ gives is this: “Go on your way.” Yes, we must pray for each other, for our families, and for our parish. But then we must go! The Good News of Christ is meant to be shared, and not just within the confines of our own parish family. We must take it out wherever our way leads us — in our neighborhood, at our workplace, in our social life. This is the essence and purpose of a stewardship way of life.

This week, let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work on the harvest all around us.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 29th June 2025

First reading
Acts 12:1-11
'Now I know the Lord really did save me from Herod'

    King Herod started persecuting certain members of the Church. He beheaded James the brother of John, and when he saw that this pleased the Jews he decided to arrest Peter as well. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread, and he put Peter in prison, assigning four squads of four soldiers each to guard him in turns. Herod meant to try Peter in public after the end of Passover week. All the time Peter was under guard the Church prayed to God for him unremittingly.

    On the night before Herod was to try him, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, fastened with double chains, while guards kept watch at the main entrance to the prison. Then suddenly the angel of the Lord stood there, and the cell was filled with light. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him. ‘Get up!’ he said ‘Hurry!’ – and the chains fell from his hands. The angel then said, ‘Put on your belt and sandals.’ After he had done this, the angel next said, ‘Wrap your cloak round you and follow me.’ Peter followed him, but had no idea that what the angel did was all happening in reality; he thought he was seeing a vision. They passed through two guard posts one after the other, and reached the iron gate leading to the city. This opened of its own accord; they went through it and had walked the whole length of one street when suddenly the angel left him. It was only then that Peter came to himself. ‘Now I know it is all true’ he said. ‘The Lord really did send his angel and has saved me from Herod and from all that the Jewish people were so certain would happen to me.’

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 33(34):2-9

The angel of the Lord rescues those who revere him.

I will bless the Lord at all times,
    his praise always on my lips;
in the Lord my soul shall make its boast.
    The humble shall hear and be glad.

The angel of the Lord rescues those who revere him.

Glorify the Lord with me.
    Together let us praise his name.
I sought the Lord and he answered me;
    from all my terrors he set me free.

The angel of the Lord rescues those who revere him.

Look towards him and be radiant;
    let your faces not be abashed.
This poor man called, the Lord heard him
    and rescued him from all his distress.

The angel of the Lord rescues those who revere him.

The angel of the Lord is encamped
    around those who revere him, to rescue them.
Taste and see that the Lord is good.
    He is happy who seeks refuge in him.

The angel of the Lord rescues those who revere him.

________

Second reading
2 Timothy 4:6-8,17-18
All there is to come now is the crown of righteousness reserved for me

    My life is already being poured away as a libation, and the time has come for me to be gone. I have fought the good fight to the end; I have run the race to the finish; I have kept the faith; all there is to come now is the crown of righteousness reserved for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that Day; and not only to me but to all those who have longed for his Appearing.

    The Lord stood by me and gave me power, so that through me the whole message might be proclaimed for all the pagans to hear; and so I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from all evil attempts on me, and bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Mt16:18

Alleluia, alleluia!

You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church.
And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
Matthew 16:13-19
You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church

    When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi he put this question to his disciples, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say he is John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ ‘But you,’ he said ‘who do you say I am?’ Then Simon Peter spoke up, ‘You are the Christ,’ he said ‘the Son of the living God.’ Jesus replied, ‘Simon son of Jonah, you are a happy man! Because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

 

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 29th June 2025

Acts 12:1-11; Ps 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9; 2 Tim 4:6-8, 17-18; Mt 16:13-19

Our celebrations during the month of June have spanned from June 8, Pentecost, the birthday of the Church, to June 15, the Most Holy Trinity, to June 22, Corpus Christi, to today’s Solemnity, when we celebrate the lives and faith and service of Sts. Peter and Paul.

On this day (June 29) in the year 258 Pope Sixtus VI celebrated the two together at the St. Sebastian Catacombs, and that is why we commemorate them together on this date. It is worth noting that throughout the St. Sebastian Catacombs prayers are carved on the walls by early Christians, which begin “Petrus et Paulus.” These two mainstays of our Catholic Church are almost considered as one in terms of their total impact, and they have been for centuries.
The readings for this Solemnity touch on the significance of both Sts. Peter and Paul and expand the understanding of how deep their influence was on the Church as well as on those of us who are among the faithful of that Church. The first reading from the Acts of the Apostles focuses on Saint Peter, although the martyrdom of Saint James is also important.

We deem Peter as our first Pope, and every Holy Father since has served in the succession of Peter. According to The Catechism of the Catholic Church (552-553): “Simon Peter holds the first place in the college of the Twelve; Jesus entrusted a unique mission to him. Through a revelation from the Father, Peter had confessed: ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ Our Lord then declared to him: ‘You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.’ Christ, the ‘living Stone’, thus assures his Church, built on Peter, of victory over the powers of death.

Because of the faith he confessed, Peter will remain the unshakeable rock of the Church. His mission will be to keep this faith from every lapse and to strengthen his brothers in it.” The fact that St. James (the Greater) was martyred and Peter spared is a clear indication that the Lord had great things in mind for St. Peter.

In St. Paul’s letter to Timothy, the second reading, we not only hear of the special apostolate to which Paul was called, but also the eloquent way Paul describes it. Historically, it is most probable that Sts. Peter and Paul were in Rome at the same time. Scholars have concluded that Peter was martyred in 64 A.D. under the emperor Nero (Peter would have been approximately 65 years of age), and that Paul was martyred a short time later, also by the Emperor Nero. The fact that these two men were in Rome at the same time and died relatively close together in terms of time, also ties them together for us. So much of Paul’s statements in this reading are memorable and well known, from “I am already poured out” to “I have finished the race,” but there is special significance in his statement “the crown of righteousness awaits me.” In the original Greek, St. Paul used the word “stephanos” for “crown.” That is worth noting since that kind of crown was not a royal crown, but a victor’s crown. What makes it especially momentous is the name of the first martyr who suffered under Paul’s persecution — Stephanos (St. Stephen).

We have already referred to the Gospel in which Jesus identifies St. Peter as the “rock” on which He will build His Church (There could be no clearer indication that we are part of the Church established by Jesus and initially developed by Peter).

Like Jesus and the Blessed Mother, Sts. Peter and Paul are at the apex of stewardship examples to all of us. Peter exemplifies stewardship in his loyalty to Jesus (like us, however, he was wonderfully human in that regard) and in his steadfast way of establishing the Church. Paul represents the wisdom of stewardship. Both remind us of how we, too, can overcome doubt: Peter denied the Lord but repented; Paul resisted the truth, but came to believe.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 22nd June 2025 CORPUS CHRISTI

 

GN 14:18-20; PS 110:1-4;1 COR 11:23-26; LK 9:11B-17

Today we observe the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. This beautiful feast celebrates the gift of the Eucharist, which the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches is the source and summit of our Christian faith. “For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ Himself” (CCC paragraph 1324).

The very word, Eucharist, means “thanksgiving” or “gratitude” and so this feast is especially meaningful to all of us who are striving to live as grateful stewards of all God’s blessings to us. Surely the Eucharist is the greatest of all blessings because it is not only from God, it is God — the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Today’s second reading from St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians reminds us of the depths of love our Lord has shown us in the gift of the Eucharist, recalling Christ’s words at the very first Eucharistic celebration. “The Lord Jesus… took bread, and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, ‘This is my body that is for you.’” In that moment, and at every celebration of the Mass thereafter, Jesus gives us His very self in an act of complete humility and perfect love. How can we possibly show our gratitude for such a sublime gift?

We can (in our own imperfect way) follow our Lord’s example by giving generously of ourselves to others. Our Gospel reading from Luke recounts the miraculous multiplication of the loaves and fishes when Jesus took the small offering of the five loaves and two fish and produced enough to satisfy the whole crowd with twelve baskets full of leftovers. This event is widely understood as a foreshadowing of the miracle that takes place at every Mass as the words of consecration are spoken by the celebrant and God transforms bread and wine into the Precious Body and Blood of Jesus.

And in contemplating this stunning show of Jesus’ power in feeding the crowd that evening, it is easy to overlook an important detail for us Christian stewards found in the brief statement our Lord makes just before performing the miracle. When the apostles suggest to Jesus that He should dismiss the hungry crowd so they could go and find some dinner, Jesus has another idea. “Give them some food yourselves,” He tells them. This is a seemingly impossible command. It would take work, effort, energy, and resources the Apostles simply did not have. But Jesus is not asking the impossible. He is asking us to give Him what we do have for the sake of others — and let Him do the impossible with it.

This is the way we can at least attempt to thank Him for all His gifts and goodness to us. This is the essence of a stewardship way of life. When we gratefully offer back to our Lord the gifts He has given to us, He takes those same gifts and multiplies them beyond our wildest imaginings. And yet another miracle occurs — this sharing of ourselves and our gifts does not leave us with less, but with more — the satisfaction of living as Christ’s own disciple and an instrument of His grace in the world.

As we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, let us receive the gift of the Eucharist with the greatest possible reverence and love. And let’s give ourselves generously to others in the week ahead to show our gratitude for this wondrous gift — the gift of God Himself.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 22nd June 2025 CORPUS CHRISTI

First reading
Genesis 14:18-20
Melchizedek brought bread and wine

    Melchizedek king of Salem brought bread and wine; he was a priest of God Most High. He pronounced this blessing:

    ‘Blessed be Abram by God Most High, creator of heaven and earth,
and blessed be God Most High for handing over your enemies to you.’

And Abram gave him a tithe of everything.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 109(110):1-4

You are a priest for ever, a priest like Melchizedek of old.

The Lord’s revelation to my Master:
    ‘Sit on my right:
    your foes I will put beneath your feet.’

You are a priest for ever, a priest like Melchizedek of old.

The Lord will wield from Zion
    your sceptre of power:
    rule in the midst of all your foes.

You are a priest for ever, a priest like Melchizedek of old.

A prince from the day of your birth
    on the holy mountains;
    from the womb before the dawn I begot you.

You are a priest for ever, a priest like Melchizedek of old.

The Lord has sworn an oath he will not change.
    ‘You are a priest for ever,
    a priest like Melchizedek of old.’

You are a priest for ever, a priest like Melchizedek of old.

________

Second reading
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
Every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are proclaiming the death of the Lord

    This is what I received from the Lord, and in turn passed on to you: that on the same night that he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread, and thanked God for it and broke it, and he said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this as a memorial of me.’ In the same way he took the cup after supper, and said, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Whenever you drink it, do this as a memorial of me.’ Until the Lord comes, therefore, every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are proclaiming his death.

The word of the Lord.

________

Sequence
Lauda, Sion

*Behold the bread of angels, sent
For pilgrims in their banishment,
The bread for God’s true children meant,
    That may not unto dogs be given:
Oft in the olden types foreshowed;
In Isaac on the altar bowed,
And in the ancient paschal food,
    And in the manna sent from heaven.

*Come then, good shepherd, bread divine,
Still show to us thy mercy sign;
Oh, feed us still, still keep us thine;
So may we see thy glories shine
    In fields of immortality;

*O thou, the wisest, mightiest, best,
Our present food, our future rest,
Come, make us each thy chosen guest,
Co-heirs of thine, and comrades blest
    With saints whose dwelling is with thee.

Amen. Alleluia.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Jn6:51

Alleluia, alleluia!

I am the living bread which has come down from heaven, 
says the Lord.
Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
Luke 9:11-17
The feeding of the five thousand

    Jesus made the crowds welcome and talked to them about the kingdom of God; and he cured those who were in need of healing.

    It was late afternoon when the Twelve came to him and said, ‘Send the people away, and they can go to the villages and farms round about to find lodging and food; for we are in a lonely place here.’ He replied, ‘Give them something to eat yourselves.’ But they said, ‘We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we are to go ourselves and buy food for all these people.’ For there were about five thousand men. But he said to his disciples, ‘Get them to sit down in parties of about fifty.’ They did so and made them all sit down. Then he took the five loaves and the two fish, raised his eyes to heaven, and said the blessing over them; then he broke them and handed them to his disciples to distribute among the crowd. They all ate as much as they wanted, and when the scraps remaining were collected they filled twelve baskets.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reading: 15th June 2025

First reading

Proverbs 8:22-31 ·

Before the earth came into being, Wisdom was born

The Wisdom of God cries aloud:

The Lord created me when his purpose first unfolded,

    before the oldest of his works.

From everlasting I was firmly set,

    from the beginning, before earth came into being.

The deep was not, when I was born,

    there were no springs to gush with water.

Before the mountains were settled,

    before the hills, I came to birth;

before he made the earth, the countryside,

    or the first grains of the world’s dust.

When he fixed the heavens firm, I was there,

    when he drew a ring on the surface of the deep,

when he thickened the clouds above,

    when he fixed fast the springs of the deep,

when he assigned the sea its boundaries

    – and the waters will not invade the shore –

    when he laid down the foundations of the earth,

I was by his side, a master craftsman,

    delighting him day after day,

    ever at play in his presence,

at play everywhere in his world,

    delighting to be with the sons of men.

The word of the Lord 

________

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 8:4-9

How great is your name, O Lord our God, through all the earth!

When I see the heavens, the work of your hands,

    the moon and the stars which you arranged,

what is man that you should keep him in mind,

    mortal man that you care for him?

How great is your name, O Lord our God, through all the earth!

Yet you have made him little less than a god;

    with glory and honour you crowned him,

gave him power over the works of your hand,

    put all things under his feet.

How great is your name, O Lord our God, through all the earth!

All of them, sheep and cattle,

    yes, even the savage beasts,

birds of the air, and fish

    that make their way through the waters.

How great is your name, O Lord our God, through all the earth!

________

Second reading 

Romans 5:1-5 ·

The love of God has been poured into our hearts

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, by faith we are judged righteous and at peace with God, since it is by faith and through Jesus that we have entered this state of grace in which we can boast about looking forward to God’s glory. But that is not all we can boast about; we can boast about our sufferings. These sufferings bring patience, as we know, and patience brings perseverance, and perseverance brings hope, and this hope is not deceptive, because the love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given us.

The word of the Lord 

________

Gospel Acclamation

cf.Rv1:8

Alleluia, alleluia!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;

the God who is, who was, and who is to come.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel

John 16:12-15

The Spirit of truth will lead you to the complete truth

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘I still have many things to say to you

but they would be too much for you now.

But when the Spirit of truth comes

he will lead you to the complete truth,

since he will not be speaking as from himself but will say only what he has learnt; and he will tell you of the things to come.

He will glorify me, since all he tells you

will be taken from what is mine.

Everything the Father has is mine;

that is why I said:

All he tells you will be taken from what is mine.’

The Gospel of the Lord 

 

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 15th June 2025

PRV 8:22-31; PS 8: 4-9; ROM 5:1-5; JN 16: 12-15

Today we celebrate the feast of the Most Holy Trinity. This feast is rather unique in that it honors a doctrine rather than an event. What we are commemorating today is a central reality of our Christian faith, that God is Trinitarian in nature — three distinct persons — Father, Son and Holy Spirit — in one God. 

The Church calls this truth a mystery, as indeed it is. It is not a mystery in the sense that it is a question that must be answered but rather in the sense that the depths of this truth are far beyond our human comprehension. Some have said that “mystery” in this context is “not a wall to run up against but an ocean in which to swim.”

Contemplating the “ocean depths” of this mystery can make us humans feel so small, and almighty God so far from us. Yet nothing could be further from the truth as today’s readings demonstrate. 

The first reading, from Proverbs, says that God ”found delight in the human race.” The greatness of God in no way puts Him at a distance from us. In fact, one of the facets of the Trinitarian nature that we can understand is that God is, by nature, relational. So, it makes sense that He would delight in being in relationship with us whom He made in His own image and likeness.

In the second reading, St. Paul reminds us that not only does God delight in us, but He is intimately connected to us. “The love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.” Not only does God permit us to draw near to Him, He wants to live in the very depths of our being and in all the intimate details of our lives if we will let Him.

Finally, in the Gospel from St. John, we learn that God holds back nothing of Himself from us. Jesus tells His disciples (this includes us!) that the Holy Spirit “will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything the Father has is mine.” Thus, we find ourselves drawn right into the midst of this Trinitarian love. In fact, if the mystery of Holy Trinity is an ocean which to swim, the “water” that makes up that ocean is love.  

What then should be the response of the Christian steward to this sublime mystery? All we can do is worship. And offer our lives back to God in total gratitude for calling us to live in the richness of such unfathomable love. This week let’s re-invite God into the midst of our lives and make sure the way we spend our time and energy each day shows Him our profound gratitude for His many gifts to us, but above all the gift of Himself in the Trinity — Father, Son and Holy Spirit

Mass Reading: Sunday - 08th June 2025

First reading
Acts 2:1-11
They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak

    When Pentecost day came round, they had all met in one room, when suddenly they heard what sounded like a powerful wind from heaven, the noise of which filled the entire house in which they were sitting; and something appeared to them that seemed like tongues of fire; these separated and came to rest on the head of each of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak foreign languages as the Spirit gave them the gift of speech.

    Now there were devout men living in Jerusalem from every nation under heaven, and at this sound they all assembled, each one bewildered to hear these men speaking his own language. They were amazed and astonished. ‘Surely’ they said ‘all these men speaking are Galileans? How does it happen that each of us hears them in his own native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; people from Mesopotamia, Judaea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya round Cyrene; as well as visitors from Rome – Jews and proselytes alike – Cretans and Arabs; we hear them preaching in our own language about the marvels of God.’

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 103(104):1,24,29-31,34

Send forth your spirit, O Lord, and renew the face of the earth.

Bless the Lord, my soul!
    Lord God, how great you are,
How many are your works, O Lord!
    The earth is full of your riches.

Send forth your spirit, O Lord, and renew the face of the earth.

You take back your spirit, they die,
    returning to the dust from which they came.
You send forth your spirit, they are created;
    and you renew the face of the earth.

Send forth your spirit, O Lord, and renew the face of the earth.

May the glory of the Lord last for ever!
    May the Lord rejoice in his works!
May my thoughts be pleasing to him.
    I find my joy in the Lord.

Send forth your spirit, O Lord, and renew the face of the earth.

________

Second reading
Romans 8:8-17
Everyone moved by the Spirit is a son of God

    People who are interested only in unspiritual things can never be pleasing to God. Your interests, however, are not in the unspiritual, but in the spiritual, since the Spirit of God has made his home in you. In fact, unless you possessed the Spirit of Christ you would not belong to him. Though your body may be dead it is because of sin, but if Christ is in you then your spirit is life itself because you have been justified; and if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, then he who raised Jesus from the dead will give life to your own mortal bodies through his Spirit living in you.

    So then, my brothers, there is no necessity for us to obey our unspiritual selves or to live unspiritual lives. If you do live in that way, you are doomed to die; but if by the Spirit you put an end to the misdeeds of the body you will live.

    Everyone moved by the Spirit is a son of God. The spirit you received is not the spirit of slaves bringing fear into your lives again; it is the spirit of sons, and it makes us cry out, ‘Abba, Father!’ The Spirit himself and our spirit bear united witness that we are children of God. And if we are children we are heirs as well: heirs of God and coheirs with Christ, sharing his sufferings so as to share his glory.

The word of the Lord.

________

Sequence
Veni, sancte Spiritus

Holy Spirit, Lord of Light,
From the clear celestial height
Thy pure beaming radiance give.

Come, thou Father of the poor,
Come with treasures which endure
Come, thou light of all that live!

Thou, of all consolers best,
Thou, the soul’s delightful guest,
Dost refreshing peace bestow

Thou in toil art comfort sweet
Pleasant coolness in the heat
Solace in the midst of woe.

Light immortal, light divine,
Visit thou these hearts of thine,
And our inmost being fill:

If thou take thy grace away,
Nothing pure in man will stay
All his good is turned to ill.

Heal our wounds, our strength renew
On our dryness pour thy dew
Wash the stains of guilt away:

Bend the stubborn heart and will
Melt the frozen, warm the chill
Guide the steps that go astray.

Thou, on us who evermore
Thee confess and thee adore,
With thy sevenfold gifts descend:

Give us comfort when we die
Give us life with thee on high
Give us joys that never end.

________

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia, alleluia!

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful
and kindle in them the fire of your love.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
John 14:15-16,23-26
The Holy Spirit will teach you everything

    Jesus said to his disciples:

    ‘If you love me you will keep my commandments.
I shall ask the Father,
and he will give you another Advocate
to be with you for ever.

    ‘If anyone loves me he will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we shall come to him and make our home with him.
Those who do not love me do not keep my words.
And my word is not my own:
it is the word of the one who sent me.
I have said these things to you while still with you;
but the Advocate, the Holy Spirit,
whom the Father will send in my name,
will teach you everything
and remind you of all I have said to you.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 08th June 2025

 

ACTS 1:1-11; PS 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34; 1 COR 12:3B-7, 12-13or ROM 8:8-17; JN 20:19-23 or JN 14:15-16, 23B-26


Today we reach the finale of the Easter season with the celebration of the great Feast of Pentecost. Reflecting on today’s readings inspires a sense of awe as we consider the mighty power of the Holy Spirit at work giving birth to and sustaining our Church. Just as awesome — the same Spirit is calling to us this day to take up our part in the Church’s saving work.

In the first reading, from Acts, we see the creative genius of the Holy Spirit moving through the newly confirmed Apostles “who began to speak in different tongues as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.” The large crowd, gathered from all over the world were “amazed” and “astounded” that each one could understand the Apostles speaking in their own language.

Each one of us, young and old alike, is personally called today by the Holy Spirit into the same mission as that of the first Apostles — to advance the Kingdom of God in our corner of the world. Just as He did on that Pentecost day, the Holy Spirit speaks to us in our “own language” to give us the Good News of the Gospel and urge us to share it.

We can think of our own language as the particular gifts, talents, and passions we possess. We truly serve a personal God who sees each of us as unique and individual creations. Therefore, each one of us has a personal mission to fulfill through the use of our personal gifts and talents in grateful service of the Kingdom of God.

We see this described in our Second Reading from St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians where he explains: “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God…To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit.”

When we consider the stewardship way of life we are called to live, we often focus on the challenges it poses. And living as a modern-day steward is indeed challenging. But on this feast of Pentecost, when we reflect on the unleashing of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the Apostles, and through them the crowd, let’s remember that we Christian stewards have much to celebrate.

When we surrender ourselves to God, putting Him first in all aspects of life — our time, talents, and finances — we can count on a life that is challenging, yes, but even more so a life that is exciting, creative, and deeply rewarding. In other words, we can experience life as a great adventure because it is a life guided and directed by the very source of power and creativity— the Holy Spirit.

What’s more, when live in grateful dependence on the Holy Spirit, we can count on not only adventure, but peace — the peace that cannot be found in a “worldly” way of life where one tries to find security in wealth or prestige or self-indulgence. Rather, It is the peace that Jesus brings to us as we commit ourselves to Him. As He said to the Apostles in today’s Gospel reading from John, He says to us today, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”

As we celebrate the birthday of the Church today let’s give thanks to God for calling us, His stewards, to the adventure of a lifetime!