Author Archives: Father Kevin

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”

Spiritual return-on-investment (the 33rd Sunday of OT)

Our readings this weekend focus more and more on the end of all things as we drift towards the end of the liturgical year, which takes place on the day before the first Sunday of Advent. And, just as we attempt to settle our affairs and package everything as we come to the end ofContinue reading “Spiritual return-on-investment (the 33rd Sunday of OT)”

Reading through the book of Daniel

Daniel is a rather interesting set of short stories that circle around one noble and pious Judaite boy who was removed from Jerusalem into exile (in about the beginning of the sixth century BC) with friends of his: Ananias, Misael, and Azarias. The four were immediately given Chaldean names, respectively: Baltassar, Sidrach, Misach and Abednago.Continue reading “Reading through the book of Daniel”

In Remembrance

“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn;At the going down of the sun, and in the morning;We will remember them.” “They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;They sit no more at familiar tables of home;They have no lot in our labourContinue reading “In Remembrance”

Wisdom on the march (the 32nd Sunday of OT)

“O God, Thou art my God; how eager my quest for Thee, body athirst and soul longing for Thee, like some parched wilderness, where stream is none! So in the holy place, I contemplate Thee, ready for the revelation of Thy greatness, Thy glory.” Psalm 62 [link] I wonder sometimes if we as a peopleContinue reading “Wisdom on the march (the 32nd Sunday of OT)”

Quick read through the prophet Zecharyah

Above is Michelangelo’s version of the prophet from the heights of the Sistine chapel at S. Peter’s on the Vatican hill. Zecharyah, or Zacharias as he is in the old Catholic bibles, was a later prophet, who lived only a few hundred years before Christ, in the Jewish period of Sacred Scripture. The Israelite kingdomsContinue reading “Quick read through the prophet Zecharyah”

‘And now, priests, a warning for you…’ (the 31st Sunday of OT)

We all know what damage bad and corrupted leaders can cause generally – how they can ruin not just a community but also the work of that community. But today we can talk about corruption among leaders of a religious community, because the readings of the Sunday give us the opportunity. And this is notContinue reading “‘And now, priests, a warning for you…’ (the 31st Sunday of OT)”

Tobias and the angel

Yesterday was All Souls day, and as I was walking through the cemeteries, I thought often about why our race buries their dead, and why particularly those of Jewish and Catholic communities use such elaborate ceremonial for funeral and burial/cremation. And I remembered Tobias (Hebrew, Tobi-yah), a short story in our Old Testaments that isContinue reading “Tobias and the angel”

Charity to God and man (the 30th Sunday of OT)

“Listen then, Israel; there is no Lord but the Lord our God, and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with the love of thy whole heart, and thy whole soul, and thy whole strength.” Deuteronomy, 6: 4-5 [link] Above is the call of the Hebrew and the Jew, and the Catholic, from the bookContinue reading “Charity to God and man (the 30th Sunday of OT)”

The evil inclination

This is an interesting inheritance that Christians have from Jewish theology: the יֵצֶר הַרַע‎. The evil inclination. It is given by S. Paul in our reading at Mass this morning, from his letter to the Romans: “My own actions bewilder me; what I do is not what I wish to do, but something which IContinue reading “The evil inclination”

Ss. Chad and Cedd, early English bishops

This morning, we had the ordinary weekday readings, with a strong message from S. Paul on the observance of ritual purity, which is to remain within the Christian Church as it did within the Temple Judaism of Paul’s day. “I am speaking in the language of common life, because nature is still strong in you.Continue reading “Ss. Chad and Cedd, early English bishops”

God or the king? or both? (the 29th Sunday of OT)

“A message from the Lord to the king He has anointed, to Cyrus. I have caught him by his right hand, ready to subdue nations at his coming, put kings to flight, open every gateway before him, so that no door can keep him out. And now (says the Lord) I will still lead theeContinue reading “God or the king? or both? (the 29th Sunday of OT)”

Parish AGM at Mablethorpe

The Mablethorpe S. Joseph parish annual general meeting took place this last Thursday, after the morning Mass, and the following are (a) the message from the Chair, and (ii) the minutes of the meeting. Chair’s Report – AGM 2023  Firstly, a big thankyou to our regular parishioners. We have, over Covid and since, built upContinue reading “Parish AGM at Mablethorpe”

The wedding garment (the 28th Sunday of OT)

The theme of the last few weekend’s readings on the vineyard of the Lord being the House of Israel is continued this weekend. This time, the kingdom of God is not drawn as a vineyard with workers or as a vineyard with the management being changed, but as a royal wedding feast. And the feast,Continue reading “The wedding garment (the 28th Sunday of OT)”

Prisoner’s Sunday (8-Oct-2023)

Mgr. Richard Moth, liaison bishop for prisons [image source] “This year Prisoners’ Sunday – the national day of prayer and action for prisoners and their families – falls on 8th October. Prisoners’ Sunday is an important opportunity for us all to direct our thoughts and prayers to the needs of prisoners and their families, andContinue reading “Prisoner’s Sunday (8-Oct-2023)”

Message of the Holy Father for the 109th World Day of Prayer for Migrants and Refugees (Sunday, the 24th of September, 2023)

“The synodal path that we have undertaken as a Church leads us to see in those who are most vulnerable – among whom are many migrants and refugees – special companions on our way, to be loved and cared for as brothers and sisters.”

The English College, Lisbon (1622-1972)

“Established at a time of penal persecution in England, it found itself able as a British establishment to help negotiate the marriage of Catherine of Braganza and Charles II…”

‘Evangelii Gaudium’ Sunday

“A range of resources is being prepared for the Year of Prayer in 2024 which include a course on the Lord’s Prayer from small groups for Lent, encouragement to try different ways of praying from the tradition of the Church.”

Jews and Gentiles together (the 20th Sunday of OT)

“…the time had come for the promises made by God to the Hebrews to be applied to non-Jews. It took a long time for the Apostles themselves to realise this…”