It was not too long ago that this last Thursday was everywhere the feast day of the body of Christ (in Latin, Corpus Christi) and the first day of July was the feast day of the blood of Christ. But these days, the two have been lumped together into one feast day on the Thursday,Continue reading “The Sacrament of Love (Corpus Christi Sunday)”
Author Archives: Father Kevin
Reading through the book of Judith
This is another folk-story (like the book of Tobit) with so many names of people and places changed that the historical situation cannot be matched to historical documentation and stands apart from any historical situation. If you happen to be using a protestant Bible, you may not have this book in (unless you have anContinue reading “Reading through the book of Judith”
Love is three, and Love is one (Trinity Sunday)
I shouldn’t try to explain in ten minutes the greatest mystery that is present to us in our religious tradition. Ever since the Holy One revealed Himself to us as somehow three while being one, those who hate the Church have ridiculed our embrace of this mystery of the Trinity. Of old, great masters ofContinue reading “Love is three, and Love is one (Trinity Sunday)”
Reading through the prophecy of Joel
It’s Pentecost Sunday, and the prophet of Pentecost is Joel; so let’s have a run through this short book of prophecy… Joel begins with a great calamity upon the nation of Israel: either some terrible invading army that is figured as swarms of locusts has destroyed the countryside, or else some terrible natural calamity (likeContinue reading “Reading through the prophecy of Joel”
Engraved upon our hearts (Pentecost Sunday)
We suitably terminate our seven weeks of Easter with today’s festival of Pentecost. This is not necessarily a Christian system; it is a Jewish one. Long before our Lord walked this earth as a man, the Hebrew nation celebrated their liberation from slavery in Egypt with the festivals of Passover and of unleavened bread. ImmediatelyContinue reading “Engraved upon our hearts (Pentecost Sunday)”
Elected out of this world (Sunday after the Ascension)
Following Thursday’s feast of the Ascension (forty days after Easter Sunday), we are now on the approach towards Pentecost Sunday (fifty days after Passover/Easter). That’s what Pentecost means : fifty days in weeks. And our readings now relate to the promise of the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Who will animate the Church while ChristContinue reading “Elected out of this world (Sunday after the Ascension)”
The unifying love that is friendship (Sunday VI of Easter)
Cornelius, a leading character of our first reading this weekend, was a Roman, and so not Jewish, although not necessarily a pagan, for he was sufficiently devoted to the God of Israel to received the angelic vision that led him to call for the Apostle S. Peter. The Romans looked down upon the Jews asContinue reading “The unifying love that is friendship (Sunday VI of Easter)”
The Bishop’s letter for Safeguarding Sunday
for parish newsletters and / or parish noticeboardsSixth Sunday of EasterSaturday 4th and Sunday 5th May 2024 “This is my commandment, love one another as I have loved you.”(John 15:12) “Today is Safeguarding Sunday. It’s an opportunity to reflect a little on our ongoing journey as a diocese to build a safer environment for every person. YouContinue reading “The Bishop’s letter for Safeguarding Sunday”
Reading through the letter of S. James
The first bishop of Jerusalem, Saint James the Just, was greatly honoured during his lifetime, by Christian and Jew alike. The tradition of the Church speaks through S. Jerome who quotes an older description of him thus: “After the apostles, James the brother of the Lord surnamed the Just was made head of the ChurchContinue reading “Reading through the letter of S. James”
One in Christ, Jew and Gentile (Sunday V of Easter)
One of the books I have been reading this week was written by a Jewish rabbi from Rochester in the US, who a few decades ago came to a understanding of Our Lord Jesus Christ that his fellowmen mostly abhor. He realised that Christ was the Hebrew Messiah long awaited by the Jews. This man’sContinue reading “One in Christ, Jew and Gentile (Sunday V of Easter)”
The Shepherd-king as Father (Sunday IV of Easter)
We must always marvel at the benevolent love of the Holy One for the men and women that He calls His own. And we know that He calls the Church His own, because He actually calls it the sheepfold of which He is the Good Shepherd. And this is the theme of the readings today,Continue reading “The Shepherd-king as Father (Sunday IV of Easter)”
The Old Testament and the New (Sunday III of Easter)
Let’s try to find a common thread for all of our readings at Mass this weekend. There is first of all the sermon of Saint Peter on the occasion of a miracle of healing performed upon a cripple in Christ’s Name. “Peter, when he saw it, addressed himself to the people; ‘Men of Israel,’ heContinue reading “The Old Testament and the New (Sunday III of Easter)”
The Church in effect (Sunday II of Easter)
This Sunday is the octave day of Easter Sunday, and just as a musical octave at its end pitches the same note higher, the Resurrection of our Lord raises in pitch on the eighth day in a way, to the flourishing of the Church. For the grand theme of all our readings this weekend isContinue reading “The Church in effect (Sunday II of Easter)”
Reading through the prophecy of Baruch
Running through the liturgy of the Easter vigil, some of us must have noticed the extract from Baruch about idolatry, that great sin of mankind. Baruch was an associate of the prophet Jeremias in the last years of the kingdom of Juda, and he was a scribe. When Jeremias was asked to compose a bookContinue reading “Reading through the prophecy of Baruch”
This week’s newsletter
Don’t forget that the Church celebrates Easter for eight days, until Sunday next. So, pass the wine down. Apologies for the delay with the upload of the weekend’s newsletter. It slipped my mind until this morning. Download it also by clicking the button below…
Faithfulness rewarded (Easter Sunday)
The readings of the Easter vigil in particular take us on a run through the Old Testament, and tell us progressively of the sin of our first parents, which created the seemingly irreparable rift with the Will of the Holy One, and then of the first mending of the rift through Father Abraham’s willingness toContinue reading “Faithfulness rewarded (Easter Sunday)”
Humility rewarded (Palm Sunday)
The point of our palm-waving festival this weekend is to honour the King, Who entered His own capital of Jerusalem as the Successor of David, to claim not political power but His eternal priesthood. Indeed He went not to the palace of the tetrarch Herod on that day, nor even the residence of the RomanContinue reading “Humility rewarded (Palm Sunday)”
Glorified in suffering (Sunday V of Lent)
This Sunday is called Passion Sunday. Not Palm Sunday – that comes next weekend. The reason we begin already to speak of the Passion this Sunday is because the liturgy features today the moment when our Lord set His face towards Jerusalem and to His great ordeal. As He says in the gospel reading today,Continue reading “Glorified in suffering (Sunday V of Lent)”
Surviving remnants (Sunday IV of Lent)
Our religion is one of resurrection, and if we look down the history of the people of God, first in Scripture and then in Church history, we find that with every great destruction of the people a small remnant survives in faith and devotion and becomes prosperous again. We’ve heard of the proverb that historyContinue reading “Surviving remnants (Sunday IV of Lent)”
Commandments of love (Sunday III of Lent)
I would like to look at the readings this weekend very broadly. I shall give the usual introduction I give at our scripture-study hours. The problem mankind has had, from its very beginning, is its determination to ignore the direction or guidance of the God Who made it – the Shepherd King of hearts –Continue reading “Commandments of love (Sunday III of Lent)”
Up the mountain (Sunday II of Lent)
As we persevere in our Lenten observance, a week in now, we hope to carry through until the sixth week, and this weekend we have in our readings two episodes that take place on high mountains. Ascending towards a sanctuary was very significant in both the old and the new testaments. A sanctuary has nothingContinue reading “Up the mountain (Sunday II of Lent)”
Reading through the second book of the Chronicles of the kings (aka. II Paralipomena)
Here is the second book of Paralipomena, which is the Greek name used in old Catholic Bibles for the books of Chronicles. In this follow-up to 1 Chronicles, the author continues with the story of the Israelite kings, after the death of David. The books of Chronicles are very Jerusalem-centred, so are more the work ofContinue reading “Reading through the second book of the Chronicles of the kings (aka. II Paralipomena)”
Funeral Mass for Dom Adrian Convery OSB
Father Adrian, whom many of us know so well, was buried this afternoon. These were the arrangements, and fortunately for those of us who couldn’t find our way up to Ampleforth Abbey, the Mass was live-streamed and is available on Youtube…
Forty days and forty nights (Sunday I of Lent)
And so we begin the forty days, or so, of Lent. As the gospel story indicates, our forty days is a shadow of His forty days, the period in which He prepared for his three-year mission of preaching and teaching and for His great Sacrifice with the retreat into the wilderness. “At this time, JesusContinue reading “Forty days and forty nights (Sunday I of Lent)”
The leprosy of sin (Sunday VI of Ordinary time)
“A man may lose the hair on his crown, and still be clean; may lose the hair on his forehead, and still be clean, despite his baldness. But if in the bald patch on crown or forehead a white or reddish tinge is shewing, the priest who finds it there will hold him unclean beyondContinue reading “The leprosy of sin (Sunday VI of Ordinary time)”
Reading through the first book of the Chronicles (aka. I Paralipomena)
Also called the para-lipomena in our old Catholic Bibles, which use old Greek names for several of the books, the two books of Chronicles attempt to provide more detail to some of the more important narratives in the books of the Kings. This takes the form usually of extremely long lists of names, establishing genealogiesContinue reading “Reading through the first book of the Chronicles (aka. I Paralipomena)”
Reading through the Acts of the Apostles
I’m not certain exactly how to summarise the Acts of the Apostles. Saint Luke did not write it precisely as a history, as we understand histories today, any more than he wrote his Gospel as a history. Rather, the Acts is his continuation of that Gospel demonstrating the ongoing abiding of Christ with His Church in theContinue reading “Reading through the Acts of the Apostles”
Duty bound as Apostles (Sunday V of Ordinary time)
If I were to pull out a message from our readings this weekend, it would be about hard work and dedication in the midst of great difficulty and terror. And I do not mean hard work at labour, or a profession of this world. The greatest work at this moment in history for men andContinue reading “Duty bound as Apostles (Sunday V of Ordinary time)”
The Teacher above teachers (Sunday IV of Ordinary time)
We have recently heard in the Sunday readings about how, when S. John the Baptist very daringly established a ritual baptism of repentance for sin, he was accosted by priests and zealots from the Jerusalem Temple. It was at the Temple where God forgave sin through the sacramental system of the animal sacrifices. How dareContinue reading “The Teacher above teachers (Sunday IV of Ordinary time)”
Reading through the book of Tobias
The most interesting story in the Bible is a bit of a suspenseful thriller, if I may call it that. The scene is set of a father (let’s call him Tobias Senior) who has spent his wealth on giving alms to the poor and his energy on the burial of dead bodies, particular of Jews.Continue reading “Reading through the book of Tobias”
Reluctant prophets (Sunday III of Ordinary time)
There was very much in the readings last weekend about vocations last week and the calling of God to a particular end – in the case of the boy Samuel, to prophecy and priesthood. Samuel, Samuel, God called; here I am, Samuel replied; you’re not going to be happy doing this, God said. And indeedContinue reading “Reluctant prophets (Sunday III of Ordinary time)”
Disciples of Christ (Sunday II of Ordinary time)
We could talk about vocation and mission this weekend, with the help of the Sunday readings. These days, there is a lot of talk about mission, especially in these formerly Christian lands, because we can see the Faith withering before our eyes, and too often among our own family and our circles of friends. So,Continue reading “Disciples of Christ (Sunday II of Ordinary time)”
Reading through the Book of Psalms
The book of Psalms is the ancient hymn-book of both the Jewish communities and the Church as well. This should be the easiest book to summarise, since it’s the only one that I have read repeatedly daily and weekly for more than almost ten years. And this is because the book of Psalms forms theContinue reading “Reading through the Book of Psalms”
Being prepared
I thought I’d play around with an AI image function, which produced this ‘watercolour’ of the basilica of S. Peter, at Rome. The little verse I’ve added to the image is from the second letter of S. Peter, which urges us to be well-behaved and religiously observant in preparation for the second coming of Christ,Continue reading “Being prepared”
Manifested to the world (the Epiphany of the Lord)
Today, Saturday, is the calendar day for the Epiphany of Our Lord to the three kings who came from the East; however, the liturgical festival has been transferred by the bishops to the Sunday for your ease, possibly so that you wouldn’t have to come to Church on two consecutive days. An epiphany is aContinue reading “Manifested to the world (the Epiphany of the Lord)”
Reading through the book of Exodus
The great story of the exodus of the Israelites, their exit from slavery in Egypt, captivates every generation of Christians. Children love it. It makes for a wonderful film. For Christians, this is not the story of another people. Because of our membership of the Church, we have inherited this family narrative of the HebrewContinue reading “Reading through the book of Exodus”
The Holy Family of JM&J (Sunday within the octave of Christmas)
Our festival this weekend centres on the Holy Family in Bethlehem, and then in Nazareth, and then in exile in Egypt to escape the wicked king Herod, and then in the later flourishing in Nazareth. In the circle of the Immaculate Virgin, her silent but certain protector S. Joseph and the God-man Christ passing graduallyContinue reading “The Holy Family of JM&J (Sunday within the octave of Christmas)”
Reading through the prophecy of Ezechiel
I used to say to people who said that they hear the Bible mostly at Mass in church (or these days, by watching Mass on TV or via the internet) that the books take on a different character when they are read on their own, and cover-to-cover. The liturgy of the Church is necessarily selectiveContinue reading “Reading through the prophecy of Ezechiel”
Reading through the Gospel of S. Mark
Here’s the short Gospel, Saint Mark’s own effort, perhaps written in Rome, where Mark was a disciple of the Apostle Saint Peter, before Peter dispatched him as presbyter to Alexandria in Egypt, to found the Coptic Church. It’s interesting how the Coptic Church began as a dependency of Rome, before achieving its autonomy and becomingContinue reading “Reading through the Gospel of S. Mark”
‘Integrity His cloak…’ (Sunday III of Advent)
Our readings this weekend invite us to compare our Lord the Messiah with His forerunner or herald, S. John the Baptist. For the first reading gives us a rather vivid picture of the Messiah the Jewish people were expecting and the gospel message gives us a picture of the rather fiery character that John was/is.Continue reading “‘Integrity His cloak…’ (Sunday III of Advent)”
Reading through the Lamentations of the prophet Jeremiah
Continuing on from the prophecies of Jeremias, I have arrived at the end of the far shorter book containing his long moan over the destruction of his nation and its great capital city. There’s not too much to add to this post apart from what I put into the post on Jeremias linked above. For theContinue reading “Reading through the Lamentations of the prophet Jeremiah”
Reading through the fourth book of the Kings (aka. II Kings)
The last book of the Kings is the sad story of the decline and fall of the proud Hebrew kingdoms, so glorious in the days of the kings David and Solomon. Descended the both kingdoms into gross idolatry, the author of this book now condemns that behaviour as the reason for the descent of firstContinue reading “Reading through the fourth book of the Kings (aka. II Kings)”
The herald of the King (Sunday II of Advent)
As Advent proceeds we see new images of the Shepherd King in the prophecies of Isaiah. If we remember that Isaiah lived some seven hundred years before Christ, this is the voice of the God Who saves, Who has plotted His moment in time when He should arrive as the Shepherd of the people. HeContinue reading “The herald of the King (Sunday II of Advent)”
Reading through the third book of the Kings (also called I Kings)
The third book of Kings (which in many modern Bibles is called the first book of Kings, since the first and second books of Kings are often called the first and second books of Samuel) is a rather sad book, because the unity of the tribes that King David had to struggle long and hardContinue reading “Reading through the third book of the Kings (also called I Kings)”
Reading through the second book of the Kings (aka. II Samuel)
This second book of the Kings (often called the second book of Samuel) starts with the aftermath of the fall of King Saul, who had been grievously wounded on the battlefield at Gelboe, and whose body and those of his sons had been dishonoured by the Philistines at Bethsan. The bodies were recovered and buriedContinue reading “Reading through the second book of the Kings (aka. II Samuel)”
Sleepers, Awake! (Sunday I of Advent)
The famous cantata of the German composer Bach above has the theme of the end of year and Advent: keep watch, keep vigilant, watch for the Lord, Whose coming is imminent. Our Advent readings add to that theme an increasing amount of hope that the Holy One, God our Lord, would begin a new eruptionContinue reading “Sleepers, Awake! (Sunday I of Advent)”
Reading through the first book of the Kings (aka. I Samuel)
The first book of the Kings in most modern copies of the Bible is called the first book of Samuel. The Catholic Bible counts four books of the Kings of Israel and Judah – that is, the two books of Samuel and the two books of Kings (so with the old Catholic Bibles and theContinue reading “Reading through the first book of the Kings (aka. I Samuel)”
Reading through the prophecy of Jeremiah
The longest prophecies of the Old Testament belong to Isaias, Jeremias and Ezechiel, and each comes from a different era after the destruction of the northern kingdom of Israel, and surrounding the time of the catastrophic destruction of Jerusalem in 587 BC. Isaias is the prophet of the time of King Ezechias of Juda (715-687Continue reading “Reading through the prophecy of Jeremiah”
The King of Hearts (the last Sunday of OT)
“…just as all have died with Adam, so with Christ all will be brought to life. But each must rise in his own rank; Christ is the first-fruits, and after Him follow those who belong to Him, those who have put their trust in His return. Full completion comes after that, when He places HisContinue reading “The King of Hearts (the last Sunday of OT)”
Reading through the book of Leviticus
The book of Leviticus is a book of rites, a ritual, inserted into the narrative history of the transfer of the People from Egypt, through Sinai and into the trans-Jordan. As Moses had established the groundwork for the Hebrew religion at the end of the book of Exodus, with the building of the tabernacle andContinue reading “Reading through the book of Leviticus”
Catholic Louth and Mablethorpe 