Mass Reading: Sunday - 09th August 2026

First reading
1 Kings 19:9,11-13
The Lord was not in the wind, or the earthquake, or the fire

    When Elijah reached Horeb, the mountain of God, he went into the cave and spent the night in it. Then he was told, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord.’ Then the Lord himself went by. There came a mighty wind, so strong it tore the mountains and shattered the rocks before the Lord. But the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind came an earthquake. But the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire. But the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there came the sound of a gentle breeze. And when Elijah heard this, he covered his face with his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 84(85):9-14

Let us see, O Lord, your mercy, and give us your saving help.

I will hear what the Lord God has to say,
    a voice that speaks of peace.
His help is near for those who fear him
    and his glory will dwell in our land.

Let us see, O Lord, your mercy, and give us your saving help.

Mercy and faithfulness have met;
    justice and peace have embraced.
Faithfulness shall spring from the earth
    and justice look down from heaven.

Let us see, O Lord, your mercy, and give us your saving help.

The Lord will make us prosper
    and our earth shall yield its fruit.
Justice shall march before him
    and peace shall follow his steps.

Let us see, O Lord, your mercy, and give us your saving help.

________

Second reading
Romans 9:1-5
I would willingly be condemned if it could help my brothers

    What I want to say now is no pretence; I say it in union with Christ – it is the truth – my conscience in union with the Holy Spirit assures me of it too. What I want to say is this: my sorrow is so great, my mental anguish so endless, I would willingly be condemned and be cut off from Christ if it could help my brothers of Israel, my own flesh and blood. They were adopted as sons, they were given the glory and the covenants; the Law and the ritual were drawn up for them, and the promises were made to them. They are descended from the patriarchs and from their flesh and blood came Christ who is above all, God for ever blessed! Amen.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
cf.Lk19:38,2:14

Alleluia, alleluia!

Blessings on the King who comes,
in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven
and glory in the highest heavens!

Alleluia!

Or:
cf.Ps129:5

Alleluia, alleluia!

My soul is waiting for the Lord,
I count on his word.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
Matthew 14:22-33
Jesus walks on the water

    Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side while he would send the crowds away. After sending the crowds away he went up into the hills by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, while the boat, by now far out on the lake, was battling with a heavy sea, for there was a head-wind. In the fourth watch of the night he went towards them, walking on the lake, and when the disciples saw him walking on the lake they were terrified. ‘It is a ghost’ they said, and cried out in fear. But at once Jesus called out to them, saying, ‘Courage! It is I! Do not be afraid.’ It was Peter who answered. ‘Lord,’ he said ‘if it is you, tell me to come to you across the water.’ ‘Come’ said Jesus. Then Peter got out of the boat and started walking towards Jesus across the water, but as soon as he felt the force of the wind, he took fright and began to sink. ‘Lord! Save me!’ he cried. Jesus put out his hand at once and held him. ‘Man of little faith,’ he said ‘why did you doubt?’ And as they got into the boat the wind dropped. The men in the boat bowed down before him and said, ‘Truly, you are the Son of God.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

 

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 09th August 2026

 

1 KGS 19:9A, 11-13A; PS 85:9-14; ROM 9:1-5; MT 14:22-33

Stewardship spirituality invites us to surrender control of our lives to God in grateful recognition that everything we have is a gift from Him.

Today's readings remind us that God is always in control of His creation and His people. They also reveal what can happen when we fully entrust our lives to Him — in other words, when we embrace the stewardship way of life.

In our First Reading from the First Book of Kings, the prophet Elijah is instructed to go outside and wait for the Lord. A powerful wind tears through the mountains, followed by an earthquake and then a fire. Yet the Lord is found in none of these dramatic events. Instead, God reveals Himself in "a tiny whispering sound." How fitting for our wonderfully mysterious God, who often comes to us quietly and unexpectedly. Are we attentive enough to recognize His presence and receive the guidance and gifts He continually offers us?

It is all too easy to overlook His presence in our daily lives. Taking our family, friends, work, material blessings, and even God Himself for granted is a temptation we all face. St. Paul speaks of this in today's Second Reading. He grieves that many of his fellow Israelites, despite receiving so many gifts from God — the covenants, the law, the promises, and the patriarchs — failed to recognize the gift of Christ.

The same temptation exists today. We have been entrusted with the riches of Sacred Scripture, the teachings of the Church, and the abundant grace of the sacraments, especially the gift of Christ Himself in the Eucharist. Our family, our parish, our work, and our many blessings are gifts as well. When we take our eyes off God, we lose sight of these gifts, our trust begins to weaken, and our lives no longer become a grateful response to His generosity.

Peter experiences this in today's Gospel from Matthew. Immediately after the multiplication of the loaves and fish, Jesus sends the disciples ahead of Him by boat. Later that evening, Jesus comes to them walking on the water. Peter responds, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water." Jesus simply says, "Come." Peter steps out of the boat and begins walking toward the Lord.

But when he notices the strong wind instead of keeping his eyes on Christ, he becomes frightened and begins to sink.

Imagine if Peter had never looked away from Jesus. What an extraordinary adventure he would have experienced walking on the water with his Lord. The same is true for us. When we take our eyes off Christ, His countless blessings, and His faithful love for us, we begin to sink as well.

But when we embrace the stewardship way of life, loosening our grip on our time, talents, and treasure and placing our trust in God, life becomes a great adventure rooted firmly in the One who never fails us.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 10th August 2025

First reading
Wisdom 18:6-9
You made us glorious by calling us to you

    That night had been foretold to our ancestors, so that,
once they saw what kind of oaths they had put their trust in,
they would joyfully take courage.
    

    This was the expectation of your people,
the saving of the virtuous and the ruin of their enemies;
for by the same act with which you took vengeance on our foes
you made us glorious by calling us to you.
    

    The devout children of worthy men offered sacrifice in secret
and this divine pact they struck with one accord:
that the saints would share the same blessings and dangers alike;
and forthwith they had begun to chant the hymns of the fathers.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 32(33):1,12,18-20,22

Happy are the people the Lord has chosen as his own.

Ring out your joy to the Lord, O you just;
    for praise is fitting for loyal hearts.
They are happy, whose God is the Lord,
    the people he has chosen as his own.

Happy are the people the Lord has chosen as his own.

The Lord looks on those who revere him,
    on those who hope in his love,
to rescue their souls from death,
    to keep them alive in famine.

Happy are the people the Lord has chosen as his own.

Our soul is waiting for the Lord.
    The Lord is our help and our shield.
May your love be upon us, O Lord,
    as we place all our hope in you.

Happy are the people the Lord has chosen as his own.

________

Second reading
Hebrews 11:1-2,8-19
Abraham looked forward to a city founded, designed and built by God

    Only faith can guarantee the blessings that we hope for, or prove the existence of the realities that at present remain unseen. It was for faith that our ancestors were commended.

    It was by faith that Abraham obeyed the call to set out for a country that was the inheritance given to him and his descendants, and that he set out without knowing where he was going. By faith he arrived, as a foreigner, in the Promised Land, and lived there as if in a strange country, with Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. They lived there in tents while he looked forward to a city founded, designed and built by God.

    It was equally by faith that Sarah, in spite of being past the age, was made able to conceive, because she believed that he who had made the promise would be faithful to it. Because of this, there came from one man, and one who was already as good as dead himself, more descendants than could be counted, as many as the stars of heaven or the grains of sand on the seashore.

    All these died in faith, before receiving any of the things that had been promised, but they saw them in the far distance and welcomed them, recognising that they were only strangers and nomads on earth. People who use such terms about themselves make it quite plain that they are in search of their real homeland. They can hardly have meant the country they came from, since they had the opportunity to go back to it; but in fact they were longing for a better homeland, their heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, since he has founded the city for them.

    It was by faith that Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac. He offered to sacrifice his only son even though the promises had been made to him and he had been told: It is through Isaac that your name will be carried on. He was confident that God had the power even to raise the dead; and so, figuratively speaking, he was given back Isaac from the dead.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Mt11:25

Alleluia, alleluia!

Blessed are you, Father, 
Lord of heaven and earth,
for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom
to mere children.

Alleluia!

Or:
Mt24:42 44

Alleluia, alleluia!

Stay awake and stand ready,
because you do not know the hour
when the Son of Man is coming.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
Luke 12:32-48
You too must stand ready

    Jesus said to his disciples: ‘There is no need to be afraid, little flock, for it has pleased your Father to give you the kingdom.

    ‘Sell your possessions and give alms. Get yourselves purses that do not wear out, treasure that will not fail you, in heaven where no thief can reach it and no moth destroy it. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

    ‘See that you are dressed for action and have your lamps lit. Be like men waiting for their master to return from the wedding feast, ready to open the door as soon as he comes and knocks. Happy those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. I tell you solemnly, he will put on an apron, sit them down at table and wait on them. It may be in the second watch he comes, or in the third, but happy those servants if he finds them ready. You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what hour the burglar would come, he would not have let anyone break through the wall of his house. You too must stand ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.’

    Peter said, ‘Lord, do you mean this parable for us, or for everyone?’ The Lord replied, ‘What sort of steward, then, is faithful and wise enough for the master to place him over his household to give them their allowance of food at the proper time? Happy that servant if his master’s arrival finds him at this employment. I tell you truly, he will place him over everything he owns. But as for the servant who says to himself, “My master is taking his time coming,” and sets about beating the menservants and the maids, and eating and drinking and getting drunk, his master will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not know. The master will cut him off and send him to the same fate as the unfaithful.

    The servant who knows what his master wants, but has not even started to carry out those wishes, will receive very many strokes of the lash. The one who did not know, but deserves to be beaten for what he has done, will receive fewer strokes. When a man has had a great deal given him, a great deal will be demanded of him; when a man has had a great deal given him on trust, even more will be expected of him.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 10th August 2025

 

WIS 18: 6-9; PS 33: 1, 12, 18-19, 20-22; HEB 11: 1-2, 8-19 or HEB 11: 1-2, 8-12; LK 12:32-48 or LK 12: 35-40


Whether you are just beginning your stewardship journey or have been living a stewardship way of life for years, today’s readings invite us to ask ourselves two potentially life-changing questions.

The first question is this: “What do you treasure?” Of course, we all know the “right” answer to this question: we treasure our faith, our family, and our friendships. But Jesus tells us in the Gospel passage from Luke how we can discover the real answer to this question. He says, “For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.”

To bring to light what we truly treasure in life, we can each ask ourselves, “Where do I spend the majority of my energy? Where do I find my thoughts dwelling? How do I choose to spend my time when I find myself with a few spare moments? What do my spending habits reveal about my what is important to me?

As Christian stewards, we are called to live our lives in grateful response to all that God has given us. Do I recognize and treasure these gifts?

The second question today’s readings ask is this: “What would you do if you were not afraid?” To put it another way, “What would you do if you had radical faith in God?” The second reading from the letter to the Hebrews defines faith as “the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.”

This passage inspires us with the faith shown by Abraham. “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. By faith he sojourned in the promised land... By faith he received power to generate, even though he was past the normal age.”

Abraham was a senior citizen when he received the seemingly crazy invitation from God to take his entire household and head out to an unknown destination. He was an elderly man with an elderly wife and no heirs when God promised to give him countless descendants. Putting his faith in God, Abraham rose above all the fears and doubts he may have had and set out, following God’s call to him “for he thought that the one who had made the promise was trustworthy.”

In the Gospel, Jesus tells us plainly, “Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.” If our perfect Father is pleased to offer us nothing less than His Son right now, and Heaven eventually, then what on earth have we to be afraid of?

So, what would our lives look like if we lived unafraid? If we had the kind of radical faith that Abraham showed in ancient days. What ministry might I take on? Or, what projects might I pass up at work so that I can be more present at home? What is the risk God is asking me to take as an act of faith in Him and gratitude for all He has given me?

Later in this Gospel passage Jesus challenges us with these words. “Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”

There is so much to think about this week. Let’s ask ourselves what we really treasure, and then take a bold risk — faith-filled and unafraid — to show our gratitude to God for all that He has given to us.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 11th August 2024

First reading
1 Kings 19:4-8
The angel gives Elijah food to reach the mountain of God

    Elijah went into the wilderness, a day’s journey, and sitting under a furze bush wished he were dead. ‘O Lord,’ he said ‘I have had enough. Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.’ Then he lay down and went to sleep. But an angel touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat.’ He looked round, and there at his head was a scone baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. But the angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat, or the journey will be too long for you.’ So he got up and ate and drank, and strengthened by that food he walked for forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 33(34):2-9

Taste and see that the Lord is good.

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.

Taste and see that the Lord is good.

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.

Taste and see that the Lord is good.

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.

Taste and see that the Lord is good.

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.

Taste and see that the Lord is good.

________

Second reading
Ephesians 4:30-5:2
Forgive each other as readily as God forgave you

    Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God who has marked you with his seal for you to be set free when the day comes. Never have grudges against others, or lose your temper, or raise your voice to anybody, or call each other names, or allow any sort of spitefulness. Be friends with one another, and kind, forgiving each other as readily as God forgave you in Christ.

    Try, then, to imitate God as children of his that he loves and follow Christ loving as he loved you, giving himself up in our place as a fragrant offering and a sacrifice to God.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Jn14:23

Alleluia, alleluia!

If anyone loves me he will keep my word,
and my Father will love him, 
and we shall come to him.

Alleluia!

Or:
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
John 6:41-51
Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever

    The Jews were complaining to each other about Jesus, because he had said, ‘I am the bread that came down from heaven.’ ‘Surely this is Jesus son of Joseph’ they said. ‘We know his father and mother. How can he now say, “I have come down from heaven”?’ Jesus said in reply, ‘Stop complaining to each other.

    ‘No one can come to me
unless he is drawn by the Father who sent me,
and I will raise him up at the last day.
It is written in the prophets:
They will all be taught by God,
and to hear the teaching of the Father,
and learn from it,
is to come to me.
Not that anybody has seen the Father,
except the one who comes from God:
he has seen the Father.
I tell you most solemnly,
everybody who believes has eternal life.

    ‘I am the bread of life.
Your fathers ate the manna in the desert
and they are dead;
but this is the bread that comes down from heaven,
so that a man may eat it and not die.
I am the living bread which has come down from heaven.
Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever;
and the bread that I shall give is my flesh,
for the life of the world.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 11th August 2024

 

1 KGS 19:4-8; PS 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9; EPH 4:30-52; JN 6:41-51

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”

Our readings today continue to educate us on the Eucharist.

We hear in our first reading about the prophet Elijah who is traveling in the desert as he is fleeing for his life. He cries out to God to take his life. Yet an angel appears to him giving him food to nourish and sustain him on his journey to freedom.

In different ways, we can all relate to the prophet Elijah as he “flees for his life.” We might feel like we are fleeing for our lives by running from a problem that is causing us stress, fighting an illness, or just barely making it through the week. Or, we might feel like we are stranded in a desert—empty of energy, trapped with no way out or spiritually quenched.

Just as the angel reminded Elijah, in these moments of despair or desolation, we are called not to give up but to get up and keep going. And thankfully we do not need to keep going on our own — we have Food that will nourish us and give us strength on our journey to freedom. This food is not food that perishes, but food that continues to sustain us.

Jesus tells us in our Gospel that He is this Food that sustains us as He says, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven…and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” This bread He is referring to is His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity that we receive. This bread becomes the flesh of Christ Himself.

And in consuming Him, we receive every grace we need to live forever in eternal life. We are strengthened in virtue and united more closely to Christ. This is the Food that will fill us as we journey through this life.

Mistakenly we often take the Eucharist for granted. Maybe we come to Mass to “check the box” instead of actively partaking in this intimate exchange or we receive Jesus in the Eucharist and then forget about Him the second we leave the church after Mass.

To receive all that God wants to give us in the Eucharist, we must do our part in being receptive to His grace and living out active discipleship in our day-to-day lives. As St. Paul tells us in his letter to the Ephesians, “So be imitators of God, as beloved children…”.

Let us approach the Lord acknowledging His Divine Presence and be open to all the graces He desires to pour out on us. Then we must go forth, being attentive to the moments that the Holy Spirit is calling us to act as He acts — in total love and sacrifice. “All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting and reviling must be removed” from us. We are called to be “kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.”

These are big requests. But they are made easier when we are actively living out our call to discipleship each day of our lives and not just once a week at Mass. We must carry what we receive each week into our day-to-day moments. It can start simply by incorporating daily prayer into our lives and seeking ways to serve others throughout our day. If we give God that, He will cause it to flourish.

The Eucharist affects our lives more than we can comprehend. We are receiving God Himself. Let us strive to receive Him reverently and with open hearts. And as we exit our church this week, let us not forget Who we are carrying in our hearts all week long.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 13th August 2023

First reading
1 Kings 19:9,11-13
The Lord was not in the wind, or the earthquake, or the fire

When Elijah reached Horeb, the mountain of God, he went into the cave and spent the night in it. Then he was told, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord.’ Then the Lord himself went by. There came a mighty wind, so strong it tore the mountains and shattered the rocks before the Lord. But the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind came an earthquake. But the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire. But the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there came the sound of a gentle breeze. And when Elijah heard this, he covered his face with his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 84(85):9-14

Let us see, O Lord, your mercy, and give us your saving help.

I will hear what the Lord God has to say,
    a voice that speaks of peace.
His help is near for those who fear him
    and his glory will dwell in our land.

Let us see, O Lord, your mercy, and give us your saving help.

Mercy and faithfulness have met;
    justice and peace have embraced.
Faithfulness shall spring from the earth
    and justice look down from heaven.

Let us see, O Lord, your mercy, and give us your saving help.

The Lord will make us prosper
    and our earth shall yield its fruit.
Justice shall march before him
    and peace shall follow his steps.

Let us see, O Lord, your mercy, and give us your saving help.

________

Second reading
Romans 9:1-5
I would willingly be condemned if it could help my brothers

What I want to say now is no pretence; I say it in union with Christ – it is the truth – my conscience in union with the Holy Spirit assures me of it too. What I want to say is this: my sorrow is so great, my mental anguish so endless, I would willingly be condemned and be cut off from Christ if it could help my brothers of Israel, my own flesh and blood. They were adopted as sons, they were given the glory and the covenants; the Law and the ritual were drawn up for them, and the promises were made to them. They are descended from the patriarchs and from their flesh and blood came Christ who is above all, God for ever blessed! Amen.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
cf.Lk19:38,2:14

Alleluia, alleluia!

Blessings on the King who comes,
in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven
and glory in the highest heavens!

Alleluia!

Or:
cf.Ps129:5

Alleluia, alleluia!

My soul is waiting for the Lord,
I count on his word.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
Matthew 14:22-33
Jesus walks on the water

Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side while he would send the crowds away. After sending the crowds away he went up into the hills by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, while the boat, by now far out on the lake, was battling with a heavy sea, for there was a head-wind. In the fourth watch of the night he went towards them, walking on the lake, and when the disciples saw him walking on the lake they were terrified. ‘It is a ghost’ they said, and cried out in fear. But at once Jesus called out to them, saying, ‘Courage! It is I! Do not be afraid.’ It was Peter who answered. ‘Lord,’ he said ‘if it is you, tell me to come to you across the water.’ ‘Come’ said Jesus. Then Peter got out of the boat and started walking towards Jesus across the water, but as soon as he felt the force of the wind, he took fright and began to sink. ‘Lord! Save me!’ he cried. Jesus put out his hand at once and held him. ‘Man of little faith,’ he said ‘why did you doubt?’ And as they got into the boat the wind dropped. The men in the boat bowed down before him and said, ‘Truly, you are the Son of God.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 13th August 2023

 I KGS 19:9A, 11-13A; PS 85:9-14; ROM 9:1-5; MT 14:22-23

Stewardship spirituality invites us to surrender control of our lives to God in grateful recognition that all that we have is a gift from Him. 
 
While today’s readings remind us that, of course, God is always in control of His creation and His creatures, they illustrate what amazing things can happen when we fully permit God to take charge of our lives — in other words, what can happen when we embrace the stewardship way of life.
 
In our First Reading, from the First Book of Kings, Elijah the prophet is instructed to go outside and wait for the Lord. Elijah goes out and a series of spectacular phenomena occur — strong and heavy winds that crush rocks, followed by an earthquake, and then a fire. Yet, the Lord was not found in any of those. Rather, the Almighty was found in a “tiny whispering sound.” How unexpected! And how like our wonderfully mysterious God, who comes into our lives sometimes in the most unexpected ways. Do we stay alert and sensitive to His presence to receive the instruction and the countless gifts He is always sending us?
 
It is all too easy to fail to recognize His presence and gifts in our lives. Taking things — friends, family, material gifts, even God Himself — for granted seems to be part of our human condition. Paul remarks on this in our Second Reading in his letter to the Romans. He laments that some of his fellow Israelites, God’s chosen people who have received so many gifts from God — the law, the promises, the patriarchs — fail to see the gift of Christ now offered to them. 
 
This happens to us modern-day disciples, too. We have received all the riches of Church teaching and the Scriptures, and the overwhelming treasury of graces in the sacraments, including the gift of Christ Himself in the Eucharist. Our family, our friends, our work, our parish — all these things are gifts from God as well. When we take our eyes off God, we fail to see that all is a gift from Him, we lose trust in Him and we do not make our lives a grateful response to Him. 
 
Peter makes this mistake in our Gospel passage from Matthew. Just after the multiplication of the loaves and fish, Jesus sends the disciples in a boat ahead of Him to the other side of the shore. Later that evening, Jesus casually strolls up to the boat, walking on the sea. Peter says, “Lord if it is you, command me to come to you on the water,” and Jesus responds, “Come.” As Peter begins to walk on the water, he momentarily takes his eyes off Jesus to notice the strong wind surrounding them. With that, he sinks.
 
But what if Peter had not taken his eyes off Christ? What if he had not allowed that moment of doubt, that lack of trust to overcome him? What a grand adventure he could have had out there walking on the sea with Jesus! When we take our eyes off Christ, the many blessings He has given us, and the loving way He treats us, we sink, too. 
 
But when we embrace the stewardship way of life, letting go of a tight hold over our money, time, and talents, our lives become a grand adventure, rooted firmly and gratefully in the God Who always cares for us.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 07th August 2022

First reading

Wisdom 18:6-9

You made us glorious by calling us to you

That night had been foretold to our ancestors, so that,

once they saw what kind of oaths they had put their trust in,

they would joyfully take courage.

This was the expectation of your people,

the saving of the virtuous and the ruin of their enemies;

for by the same act with which you took vengeance on our foes

you made us glorious by calling us to you.

The devout children of worthy men offered sacrifice in secret

and this divine pact they struck with one accord:

that the saints would share the same blessings and dangers alike;

and forthwith they had begun to chant the hymns of the fathers.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 32(33):1,12,18-20,22

Happy are the people the Lord has chosen as his own.

Ring out your joy to the Lord, O you just;

    for praise is fitting for loyal hearts.

They are happy, whose God is the Lord,

    the people he has chosen as his own.

Happy are the people the Lord has chosen as his own.

The Lord looks on those who revere him,

    on those who hope in his love,

to rescue their souls from death,

    to keep them alive in famine.

Happy are the people the Lord has chosen as his own.

Our soul is waiting for the Lord.

    The Lord is our help and our shield.

May your love be upon us, O Lord,

    as we place all our hope in you.

Happy are the people the Lord has chosen as his own.

________

Second reading

Hebrews 11:1-2,8-19

Abraham looked forward to a city founded, designed and built by God

    Only faith can guarantee the blessings that we hope for, or prove the existence of the realities that at present remain unseen. It was for faith that our ancestors were commended.

    It was by faith that Abraham obeyed the call to set out for a country that was the inheritance given to him and his descendants, and that he set out without knowing where he was going. By faith he arrived, as a foreigner, in the Promised Land, and lived there as if in a strange country, with Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. They lived there in tents while he looked forward to a city founded, designed and built by God.

    It was equally by faith that Sarah, in spite of being past the age, was made able to conceive, because she believed that he who had made the promise would be faithful to it. Because of this, there came from one man, and one who was already as good as dead himself, more descendants than could be counted, as many as the stars of heaven or the grains of sand on the seashore.

    All these died in faith, before receiving any of the things that had been promised, but they saw them in the far distance and welcomed them, recognising that they were only strangers and nomads on earth. People who use such terms about themselves make it quite plain that they are in search of their real homeland. They can hardly have meant the country they came from, since they had the opportunity to go back to it; but in fact they were longing for a better homeland, their heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, since he has founded the city for them.

    It was by faith that Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac. He offered to sacrifice his only son even though the promises had been made to him and he had been told: It is through Isaac that your name will be carried on. He was confident that God had the power even to raise the dead; and so, figuratively speaking, he was given back Isaac from the dead.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation

Mt11:25

Alleluia, alleluia!

Blessed are you, Father, 

Lord of heaven and earth,

for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom

to mere children.

Alleluia!

Or:

Mt24:42 44

Alleluia, alleluia!

Stay awake and stand ready,

because you do not know the hour

when the Son of Man is coming.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel

Luke 12:32-48

You too must stand ready

    Jesus said to his disciples: ‘There is no need to be afraid, little flock, for it has pleased your Father to give you the kingdom.

    ‘Sell your possessions and give alms. Get yourselves purses that do not wear out, treasure that will not fail you, in heaven where no thief can reach it and no moth destroy it. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

    ‘See that you are dressed for action and have your lamps lit. Be like men waiting for their master to return from the wedding feast, ready to open the door as soon as he comes and knocks. Happy those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. I tell you solemnly, he will put on an apron, sit them down at table and wait on them. It may be in the second watch he comes, or in the third, but happy those servants if he finds them ready. You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what hour the burglar would come, he would not have let anyone break through the wall of his house. You too must stand ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.’

    Peter said, ‘Lord, do you mean this parable for us, or for everyone?’ The Lord replied, ‘What sort of steward, then, is faithful and wise enough for the master to place him over his household to give them their allowance of food at the proper time? Happy that servant if his master’s arrival finds him at this employment. I tell you truly, he will place him over everything he owns. But as for the servant who says to himself, “My master is taking his time coming,” and sets about beating the menservants and the maids, and eating and drinking and getting drunk, his master will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not know. The master will cut him off and send him to the same fate as the unfaithful.

    The servant who knows what his master wants, but has not even started to carry out those wishes, will receive very many strokes of the lash. The one who did not know, but deserves to be beaten for what he has done, will receive fewer strokes. When a man has had a great deal given him, a great deal will be demanded of him; when a man has had a great deal given him on trust, even more will be expected of him.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 07th August 2022

WIS 18: 6-9; PS 33: 1, 12, 18-19, 20-22; HEB 11: 1-2, 8-19 or HEB 11: 1-2, 8-12; 

LK 12:32-48 or LK 12: 35-40

Whether you are just beginning your stewardship journey or have been living a stewardship way of life for years, today’s readings invite us to ask ourselves two potentially life-changing questions.

 
The first question is this: “What do you treasure?” Of course, we all know the “right” answer to this question: we treasure our faith, our family, and our friendships. But Jesus tells us in the Gospel passage from Luke how we can discover the real answer to this question. He says, “For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.” 

To bring to light what we truly treasure in life, we can each ask ourselves, “Where do I spend the majority of my energy? Where do I find my thoughts dwelling? How do I choose to spend my time when I find myself with a few spare moments? What do my spending habits reveal about my what is important to me?

As Christian stewards, we are called to live our lives in grateful response to all that God has given us. Do I recognize and treasure these gifts?  

The second question today’s readings ask is this: “What would you do if you were not afraid?” To put it another way, “What would you do if you had radical faith in God?” The second reading from the letter to the Hebrews defines faith as “the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.” 

This passage inspires us with the faith shown by Abraham. “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. By faith he sojourned in the promised land... By faith he received power to generate, even though he was past the normal age.”

Abraham was a senior citizen when he received the seemingly crazy invitation from God to take his entire household and head out to an unknown destination. He was an elderly man with an elderly wife and no heirs when God promised to give him countless descendants. Putting his faith in God, Abraham rose above all the fears and doubts he may have had and set out, following God’s call to him “for he thought that the one who had made the promise was trustworthy.”

In the Gospel, Jesus tells us plainly, “Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.” If our perfect Father is pleased to offer us nothing less than His Son right now, and Heaven eventually, then what on earth have we to be afraid of?

So, what would our lives look like if we lived unafraid? If we had the kind of radical faith that Abraham showed in ancient days. What ministry might I take on? Or, what projects might I pass up at work so that I can be more present at home? What is the risk God is asking me to take as an act of faith in Him and gratitude for all He has given me?

Later in this Gospel passage Jesus challenges us with these words. “Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”

There is so much to think about this week. Let’s ask ourselves what we really treasure, and then take a bold risk — faith-filled and unafraid — to show our gratitude to God for all that He has given to us.

The Liturgy of the Word : Sunday - 8th August 2021

First reading
1 Kings 19:4-8 ·

The angel gives Elijah food to reach the mountain of God

Elijah went into the wilderness, a day’s journey, and sitting under a furze bush wished he were dead. ‘O Lord,’ he said ‘I have had enough. Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.’ Then he lay down and went to sleep. But an angel touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat.’ He looked round, and there at his head was a scone baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. But the angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat, or the journey will be too long for you.’ So he got up and ate and drank, and strengthened by that food he walked for forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.

The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 33(34):2-9

Taste and see that the Lord is good.

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.

Taste and see that the Lord is good.

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.

Taste and see that the Lord is good.

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.

Taste and see that the Lord is good.

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.

Taste and see that the Lord is good.

---

Second reading
Ephesians 4:30-5:2 ·

Forgive each other as readily as God forgave you

Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God who has marked you with his seal for you to be set free when the day comes. Never have grudges against others, or lose your temper, or raise your voice to anybody, or call each other names, or allow any sort of spitefulness. Be friends with one another, and kind, forgiving each other as readily as God forgave you in Christ.

  Try, then, to imitate God as children of his that he loves and follow Christ loving as he loved you, giving himself up in our place as a fragrant offering and a sacrifice to God.

The word of the Lord.

---

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	John 6:41-51

Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever

The Jews were complaining to each other about Jesus, because he had said, ‘I am the bread that came down from heaven.’ ‘Surely this is Jesus son of Joseph’ they said. ‘We know his father and mother. How can he now say, “I have come down from heaven”?’ Jesus said in reply, ‘Stop complaining to each other.

‘No one can come to me

unless he is drawn by the Father who sent me,

and I will raise him up at the last day.

It is written in the prophets:

They will all be taught by God,

and to hear the teaching of the Father,

and learn from it,

is to come to me.

Not that anybody has seen the Father,

except the one who comes from God:

he has seen the Father.

I tell you most solemnly,

everybody who believes has eternal life.

‘I am the bread of life.

Your fathers ate the manna in the desert

and they are dead;

but this is the bread that comes down from heaven,

so that a man may eat it and not die.

I am the living bread which has come down from heaven.

Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever;

and the bread that I shall give is my flesh,

for the life of the world.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Readings: Sunday, 09th August 2020

FIRST READING
A reading from the first Book of Kings 19:9. 11-13
Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord.

When Elijah reached Horeb, the mountain of God, he went into the
cave and spent the night in it. Then the word of the Lord came to
him saying, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ Then he was told, ‘Go
out and stand on the mountain before the Lord. Then the Lord
himself went by. There came a mighty wind, so strong it tore the
mountains and shattered the rocks before the Lord. But Yahweh was
not in the wind. After the wind came an earthquake. But the Lord
was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire. But the
Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there came the sound of a
gentle breeze. And when Elijah heard this, he covered his face with
his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.

The Word of the Lord 



Responsorial Psalm Ps 84

Response:  Let us see, O Lord, your mercy
and give us your saving help.

1. I will hear what the Lord God has to say,
a voice that speaks of peace.
His help is near for those who fear him
and his glory will dwell in our land.

2. Mercy and faithfulness have met;
justice and peace have embraced.
Faithfulness shall spring from the earth
and justice look down from heaven.

3. The Lord will make us prosper
and our earth shall yield its fruit.
Justice shall march before him
and peace shall follow his steps.

4. Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.
O God, be gracious and bless us
and let your face shed its light upon us.



SECOND READING
A reading from the first letter of St Paul to Romans 9:1-5
I would willingly be condemned and be cut off from Christ if it could
help my brothers.

What I want to say now is no pretence; I say it in union with Christ – it
is the truth – my conscience in union with the Holy Spirit assures me of
it too. What I want to say is this: my sorrow is so great, my mental
anguish so endless, I would willingly be condemned and be cut off
from Christ if it could help my brothers of Israel, my own flesh and
blood. They were adopted as sons, they were given the glory and
the covenants; the Law and the ritual were drawn up for them, and
the promises were made to them. They are descended from the
patriarchs and from their flesh and blood came Christ who is above
all, God for ever blessed! Amen.

The Word of the Lord.



Gospel Acclamation Lk 19: 38

Alleluia, alleluia!
Blessings on the King who comes, in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heave and glory in the highest heavens!
Alleluia!

Or Ps 129: 5

Alleluia, alleluia!
My Soul is waiting on the Lord, I count on his word
Alleluia!



GOSPEL
A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew 14:22-33
Tell me to come to you across the water.

Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the
other side while he would send the crowds away. After sending the
crowds away he went up into the hills by himself to pray. When
evening came, he was there alone, while the boat, by now far out
on the lake, was battling with a heavy sea, for there was a headwind.
In the fourth watch of the night he went towards them, walking
on the lake, and when the disciples saw him walking on the lake
they were terrified. ‘It is a ghost’ they said, and cried out in fear. But
at once Jesus called out to them, saying, ‘Courage! It is I! Do not be
afraid.’ lt was Peter who answered. ‘Lord,’ he said ‘if it is you, tell me
to come to you across the water.’ ‘Come’ said Jesus. Then Peter got
out of the boat and started walking towards Jesus across the water,
but as soon as he felt the force of the wind, he took fright and
began to sink. ‘Lord! Save me!’ he cried. Jesus put out his hand at
once and held him. ‘Man of little faith,’ he said ‘why did you doubt?’
And as they got into the boat the wind dropped. The men in the
boat bowed down before him and said, ‘Truly, you are the Son of
God’.

The Gospel of the Lord.