We want to see Jesus lifted high
5th Sunday in Lent – Year B (Jn 12:20-33)
When I read the gospel text of the 5th Sunday in Lent (year B), I was reminded of a popular song, written by the Children’s song-writer Doug Horley, that goes:
We want to see Jesus lifted high,
A banner that flies across the land,
That all men might see the truth and know,
He is the way to heaven.
Despite the fact that the song is theologically simplistic – remember it is a children’s song – I thought the first line captures quite well the theme of the gospel of today: “We want to see Jesus lifted high”. I would like to use this line in two parts to offer the reflection for today. In the third part of the reflection, I will propose another method of praying, thus completing our […]
Sunday Sermons
Sunday Sermons and Homilies
4th Sunday in Lent Sermon – Cycle B Homily: Nicodemus
“God loved the world so much….”
4th Sunday in Lent – Year B (Jn 1:12-15).
The Gospel of John is often considered the most difficult of the Gospels – highly symbolic in its expression and deeply theological in its content. John likes to use terms with more than one meaning and thus invite us to a deeper level of reflection. For instance, in the gospel text of today (from John 3) there are at least three expressions that can have more than one meaning: night, spirit or wind, born from above or born again. This conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus turns out to be a theological discourse, which is very typical of the Gospel of John. Though the text we heard read is only part of the conversation, I would like to consider the whole encounter between Jesus and Nicodemus (Jn 3:1-21), […]
3rd Sunday in Lent Sermon – Cycle B Homily: The Temple
“In three days I will raise it up”
3rd Sunday in Lent – Year B (Jn 2:13-25).
To watch my video reflection on the Temple of Jerusalem on Youtube, CLICK HERE.
As we may well be aware, the Liturgy of the Word for Sundays in the Catholic liturgy is laid out in a three-year cycle. During Lent, the Year A cycle uses the Gospel of John, with passages particularly relevant for those who are preparing for baptism during Easter. This year, we are using the Year B cycle, basically reading from the Gospel of Mark. Previous two Sundays of Lent we read from the Gospel according to Mark. But today we switch over to John and continue listening to John until the 5th Sunday in Lent. The Gospel of John is often considered the most difficult of the Gospels – highly […]
2nd Sunday in Lent Sermon – Cycle B Homily – Learning to Pray
Going up the mountain: Learning to pray
Second Sunday of Lent – Year B – Mk 9: 2-10
The liturgy of the word of God for Sundays in Lent is very well thought-out and appropriately laid out. On the first Sunday of Lent, in all the three cycles, the central theme is temptations of Jesus. On the second Sunday of Lent, like today, the liturgy of the word invites us to focus on the transfiguration of the Lord. The meditation on the transfiguration during lent becomes for us a prediction of what lies at the end of Lent – the resurrection of the Lord. This is what perhaps it meant for the three apostles who were taken up the mountain only six days after (Mk 9:2) Jesus had told them about his impending suffering and death (Mk 8:31). This was important […]
1st Sunday in Lent Sermon – Year B Homily: Roadmap and Compass
“God does not provide us with a roadmap, but only a compass.”
1st Sunday in Lent – Year B (Mark 1:12-15).
Often as I wake up in the morning I get an inspiration. Usually it is in the form of a well-framed sentence. If I am fresh enough to pick it up, it stays with me for the rest of the day. I keep exploring it during the day, and sometimes I jot it down in my diary and use it for my talks and sermons. I call this phenomenon, ‘Twilight Wisdom’. A few days ago I woke up with this sentence: “God does not provide us with a roadmap, but only a compass.” I thought I would develop my Lenten reflections this year around this theme, and every Sunday try also to introduce […]