Year C (96)

Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. The words of Isaiah ring out across the centuries like a clarion call, cutting through the noise of history with a singular purpose: to remind us that we are not abandoned, that the God who spoke light into being and summoned the …

Today’s Gospel reveals the heart of Jesus’ mission: sitting at table with tax collectors and sinners, he demonstrates the boundless mercy of God. This scene invites deep reflection on how we live our own mission of reconciliation and hope, especially in this Jubilee of Hope …

There is something undeniably beautiful about the moment when a wedding feast reaches its crescendo—the music swells, laughter fills the air, and the ordinary gives way to something almost transcendent. It is in just such a moment that Jesus performs his first sign, …

This morning we celebrate the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, a profound moment of grace that transformed a zealous persecutor of Christians into one of the greatest apostles of Christ. This story, recounted in Acts 9:1–22, is not only about Paul’s conversion but also …

…Today, this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."

The Word of God is not merely ink on a page, nor an echo from a distant past. It is living, active, and dynamic—able to pierce the heart, to stir the soul, to shape the world. And today, in this sacred place, …

The flickering flames of candlelight illuminate the temple, shadows dancing across the ancient stones, as Simeon takes the child into his arms. His eyes, aged by waiting, now glisten with the light of fulfillment. “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, for my …

Ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters in Christ,

Today, on this 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time, we stand before Scripture that is anything but ordinary. The Word of God does not meander through the mundane; it seizes us, confronts us, and calls us forth to something …

The words of the prophet Jeremiah cut through the noise of our world like a clarion call: “Cursed is the one who trusts in human beings, who seeks strength in flesh, whose heart turns away from the Lord.” And yet, blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose hope is in …

There are moments in life when the Gospel does not merely challenge us; it confronts us. Today is one of those moments. “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” These words are not a suggestion, not a …

The words we speak, the judgments we make, the way we see the world—these are not accidents of speech or perception, but the fruit of our hearts. And so, we must ask ourselves: what do they reveal? For words are not mere sounds that vanish in the wind; they are echoes of the …

Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.

It is a sobering thought, isn’t it? We move through our days with plans and ambitions, with desires and expectations, and yet here we stand at the threshold of Lent, confronted with the stark reality of our mortality. …

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

We stand at the gates of Lent—an annual invitation to rethink, reorient, and recommit ourselves to the path of God’s grace. This is no mere exercise of denial; it is, in its highest form, a spiritual pilgrimage—a journey into the …

There are moments in Scripture that do not simply invite reflection but demand a response. Today’s Gospel is one of them. It is not a parable wrapped in metaphor, nor a theological discourse to be dissected—it is the vision of the Last Judgment, where the King himself, …

Lent is a season of invitation. An invitation to slow down, to listen more closely, to recognize the quiet but persistent voice of God calling us to renewal. It is not a time for grand gestures or hollow sacrifices, but for real, lasting transformation—transformation that …

There is something about the city of Nineveh that lingers in the imagination. It was vast, powerful, prosperous—a city convinced of its own permanence. But in today’s reading from Jonah, we see a different Nineveh. A humbled Nineveh. A city shaken awake by the words of a …

Lent—this season we are called to—invites us, gently but firmly, to a journey not marked by the spectacle of grand gestures, but by the slow, steady persistence of a heart that listens. And in today’s Gospel, we are given an invitation from none other than our Lord Himself, …

There is a moment in every person’s life when they wonder, “Is it too late for me?” We see the weight of our mistakes, the words we wish we could take back, the opportunities lost, the bridges burned. We wonder if we’ve strayed too far, sinned too much, hurt too …

From the very beginning, God has called His people to be set apart. Not in privilege, not in status, but in holiness.

“You will be a people peculiarly His own, as He promised you.”

Israel was chosen—not to be superior, but to be a light to the nations. To show the world …

There are moments when the veil is lifted, when the familiar world cracks open, and we glimpse something more—something beyond.

Abraham stood under the vast expanse of the night sky, looking up at stars beyond number. He was old. His wife, Sarah, was beyond childbearing …

There are moments in life when a single decision changes everything, when the weight of a choice carries echoes into eternity. Today’s readings invite us into such a moment. They hold up a mirror, revealing not just who we are but who we are called to become.

The prophet …

There is a temptation, ancient as the dawn and subtle as a whisper, to believe that righteousness is a matter of appearances, that justice can be performed by proxy, that faithfulness is measured in ritual rather than relationship. It is a temptation that Isaiah decries, …

The night sky over Jerusalem, like the vast heavens over Zambia, has always told a story—not of chance, but of promise. Long before Christ walked among us, God made a covenant with David: “I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins,” He declared. …

Cursed is the one who trusts in human strength alone, who turns away from the Lord. The words of Jeremiah strike like thunder across the centuries. They are not whispered. They are not softened. They are carved into the very rock of history. And they remind us that trust …

The story of Joseph, cast into a pit by his brothers and sold for silver, is the story of betrayal. The parable of the wicked tenants, who kill the son in a desperate attempt to seize the vineyard, is the story of rejection. These stories are not simply echoes of human …

The prophecy of Micah concludes with a vision of mercy. The Shepherd of Israel, who led His people from slavery to freedom, is called upon once more to guide them to green pastures. Micah’s prayer breathes confidence: “Who is a God like you, who removes guilt and pardons …

The Exodus story is a timeless reminder of God’s deep and abiding concern for His people. From a bush ablaze but unconsumed, the Lord reveals Himself to Moses not with titles of grandeur, but with a name that echoes eternity: “I AM WHO I AM.” This is the God who …

In the stillness of our Lenten journey, we are called not just to pray and fast, but to open our hearts and minds to the transformative power of God. Today, the Scriptures confront us with two startling truths that we might otherwise overlook: the unexpected ways in which …

The Annunciation of the Lord is a moment of immense significance, a turning point in the history of salvation. As we pause today to reflect on the message of this feast, we are invited to consider the beauty of God’s plan, the mystery of His timing, and the courage of one …

Throughout our Lenten journey, we encounter the challenge of living out God’s commandments, a challenge that remains as pertinent today as it was when the Israelites were preparing to enter the Promised Land. The readings for today offer a powerful reminder of the importance …

There is a particular danger in knowing the truth too well. Familiarity can breed contempt, and hearing the voice of God too often without heeding it can turn a heart not to flesh, but to stone. The prophet Jeremiah speaks to a people who have been given every opportunity to …

The book of Hosea ends as it began: with a summons to return. “Come back to the Lord your God,” the prophet pleads, “for your iniquity has been your downfall” (Hos 14:2). Hosea speaks to a nation that has wandered far from its covenant with God, …

There are moments in life when we believe ourselves to be at our best—when we are confident in our achievements, our virtues, and our standing before God. And yet, how often does the human heart betray itself? How often does the mask of righteousness slip to reveal a soul …

There are moments in life when we cross a threshold, when we step from what has been into what will be. Some moments are dramatic—a child taking its first steps, a student receiving a degree, a family moving into a new home. Others are quieter, almost imperceptible—the slow …

There are moments in life when hope seems like a distant dream, when the weight of suffering and disappointment presses so heavily upon us that we struggle to believe in renewal. We look at the world and see conflict. We look at our communities and see division. We look …

There is a scene, beautifully portrayed in The Chosen (Season 2, Episode 4), that captures the moment when Jesus encounters the man at the pool of Bethesda. It is haunting in its realism. The man—Jesse, as the show names him—has been lying there for nearly four decades, …

In the midst of this Lenten season, as we journey toward the renewal of Easter, we encounter readings that challenge us to look deeper—to recognize the presence of God not only in grand works of salvation but in the intimate, tender love that sustains all of creation. Today, …

The story in today’s First Reading is one of great human drama and divine mercy. The people of Israel, only recently freed from slavery, now stand guilty before God, worshipping a golden calf in a moment of foolishness and impatience. As they abandon the covenant, the Lord’s …

As we continue our journey through Lent, the readings of this day invite us into the heart of the confrontation between light and darkness, between truth and falsehood, between those who hear the voice of God and those who refuse to listen. The readings speak to us of divine …

In today’s readings, we meet two men who tell the truth and suffer for it.

The first is the prophet Jeremiah, who gives us a window into the heart of someone called to speak for God in a time when truth is dangerous. “I was like a trusting lamb led to slaughter,” he says …

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

The Word of God today is a summons.
A summons to leave behind what binds us—and to step forward into the freedom of God’s mercy.

“Do not remember the former things,” says the Lord through the prophet Isaiah,
“nor consider the things of …

My friends, the Scriptures today shine a light—a piercing, clarifying light—into the heart of Lent. They invite us to look honestly at the way we judge, the way we pursue justice, and the way we show mercy. And yes, I said shine a light, because that’s the image Jesus gives …

The people of Israel, journeying through the desert, once again grumble against God and Moses. They question why they were brought out of Egypt—only to die in the wilderness. In response to their rebellion, venomous serpents enter the camp. Many are bitten. Many perish. But …

The Scriptures we encounter today invite us to reflect on God’s saving power, on the call to faith that transforms not only hearts but the very fabric of our lives. In the First Reading from the Book of Daniel, we meet the three young men—Shadrach, Meshach, and …

“Since once again, Lord, I have neither bread nor wine nor altar, I will raise myself beyond these symbols… and will consecrate the world to you.” —Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, The Divine Milieu

Today, we quietly remember the passing of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, SJ, who …

The world, it seems, is always trying to redefine us. It constantly shifts its weight upon us, hoping to bend us to its will. The clamor of popular opinion and the lures of wealth, power, and prestige seek to strip away the very core of who we are. In our lives, as in the …

As we reflect on today’s readings—the last before Palm Sunday—we find ourselves standing on the threshold of Holy Week, invited into a vision of unity that is both ancient and urgently present.

The prophet Ezekiel speaks into the heartbreak of exile. He dares to declare that …

Homily for the Procession:

Behold the King—yet not the king we imagined. Jesus, astride a humble colt, enters Jerusalem not with the grandeur of military victory but with the quiet resolve of divine purpose. The disciples, rejoicing and spreading cloaks on the road, felt the …

The week that changed the world begins with quiet yet profound moments, like seeds sown in the soil, waiting to bear fruit. As we enter Holy Week, the readings today invite us to gaze upon the servant of God, to examine the tension between light and shadow, and to reflect on …

When we enter the sacred days of Holy Week, the words of Scripture take on a heightened urgency, as though they are whispering secrets from the heart of God. Today’s readings weave a tapestry of mission and betrayal, glory and grief, love and sacrifice. They invite us to …

The image of the servant in Isaiah’s song pierces the heart with its quiet strength. Here is one who listens with the ear of a disciple, whose words sustain the weary, and yet who embraces suffering with resolute dignity. His back is exposed to the lash, his face unshielded …

The room is quiet, except for the sound of water being poured into a basin. It’s a small sound, almost fragile—but it carries across the centuries. From the Exodus in Egypt to the upper room in Jerusalem, and now, to this very church tonight.

This evening we begin the Sacred …

Dear brothers and sisters,

Today, we are invited not only to speak about the Cross, but to stand before it.

The readings, the silences, the solemn intercessions, and the veneration that follows—these do not need embellishment. They are the Church’s way of drawing us into the …

This morning, there is no celebration of the Eucharist. The Church waits in silence—caught between the sorrow of Good Friday and the joy of Easter. But this pause is not empty.

Holy Saturday invites us to enter into the stillness of the tomb, to reflect on the mystery that …

Brothers and sisters,

As we gather in the stillness of this holy night, we are surrounded by the sights, sounds, and smells of this ancient liturgy. The Paschal Candle burns brightly tonight, symbolizing Christ, the Light of the World, rising from the darkness of the tomb. …

On this Easter Sunday, we stand before a mystery both ancient and ever new. We do not merely recall the Resurrection; we enter into it. We must allow it to shape us, to transform us, to light our way. This day calls us beyond the tomb, beyond the shadows, into the brilliance …

They ran. Feet pounding the earth, hearts burning with confusion and wonder, they ran. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary had gone to the tomb expecting silence, the weight of finality. They went to honour what they thought was the end. Instead, they were met by an angel, an …

In the stillness of the garden, Mary Magdalene weeps.
The weight of grief bends her low, her heart heavy with sorrow. The one who had seen her, known her, called her out of darkness, was gone. The silence is unbearable, the absence—total. She is lost, as many of us feel lost …

There is something unmistakable about a heart set on fire. It cannot be contained, ignored, or mistaken for anything less than a profound encounter with the truth. This is the story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus — and it is our story too.

A stranger walks beside …

The disciples had barely begun to grasp the enormity of what had happened. Their world had been upended, their hearts stretched to the breaking point—and then, just as despair threatened to overtake them—Jesus was alive. Not a ghost. Not a mirage of grief. But alive. And he …

It is early morning on the Sea of Galilee. The air is cool, the sky a delicate gradient of dawn, and the water laps softly against the sides of a boat where seven weary men sit in silence. They have been fishing all night, their muscles aching, their spirits drained. And …

It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.

This is the cry of Peter and John before the Sanhedrin, an echo that reverberates through the centuries, a defiant declaration that no earthly power can silence. But what do they truly mean? What have …

Today, we gather to celebrate a moment of profound joy and grace: the baptism of Luke Cameron Christopher Knezovich. This is a day of immense significance, not only for his parents Simone and Chris, or for Luke’s godparents Richard and Priscalla, or for his extended family, …

Tonight, we gather on this sacred night to celebrate the eve of our Savior’s birth and to mark the opening of the 2025 Jubilee. This is no ordinary night—it is a night that bridges heaven and earth, light and darkness, promise and fulfillment. We stand at the threshold …

Tonight, we gather in joyful anticipation, standing on the threshold of a profound mystery that brings beings from heaven and earth to rejoice—from angels to shepherds, from kings to lowly animals. This is the night when the eternal promise of salvation takes flesh, the …

We gather today to celebrate the baptism of Sienna Ava Rhodes. As Christians, we belong to the Mystical Church of the Body of Christ, and as the first of the Sacraments of initiation, we are all gathered here to welcome young Sienna into a relationship with Jesus Christ. In …

We gather today to celebrate the baptism of Michael David. As Christians, we belong to the Mystical Church of the Body of Christ, and as the first of the Sacraments of initiation, we are all gathered here to welcome young Michael into a relationship with Jesus Christ. In …

You are all welcome to this Church of the Immaculate Conception. We are all gathered here in this Church to share in this joyous occasion together and to celebrate the love that Graham and Janine both share for each other.

The readings we have just heard all speak about the …

You are all welcome to this glorious place of great joy and hope for the union we are about to witness. We are all gathered here to share in this joyous occasion together and to celebrate the love that Fraser and Roxanne both share for each other.

The readings we have just …

We gather today to celebrate the baptism of Simon Ethiel and Daniel Oz Hanauer. As Christians, we belong to the Mystical Church of the Body of Christ, and as the first of the Sacraments of initiation, we are all gathered here to welcome young Simon and Daniel into a …

We gather today to celebrate the baptism of Oliver John Marco Knezovich. As Christians, we belong to the Mystical Church of the Body of Christ, and as the first of the Sacraments of initiation, we are all gathered here to welcome young Oliver into a relationship with Jesus …

We gather today to celebrate the baptism of Daniel Robert Matthew Carswell. As Christians, we belong to the Mystical Church of the Body of Christ, and as the first of the Sacraments of initiation, we are all gathered here to welcome young Daniel into a relationship with …

Our readings this morning all talk about an encounter with God that carried with it an invitation or a call to spread God’s word, to accept God’s grace, and to do God’s will.

I’m sure we all recognised these calls. They all broadly follow a similar pattern. There is usually …

Today’s readings are about restoration and healing, and today, I hope, you have had some time to be restored and to at least begin to recognize areas where you might need God’s healing. After journeying with Moses up the mountain and seeing the burning bush and entering into …

On Wednesday this week we all gathered to receive ashes and were told to ‘repent and believe in the Gospel’ or to ‘remember that we are dust, and to dust we shall return’. Repent, Believe, Remember. These are good things to do during Lent as we prepare ourselves to celebrate …

Our readings this Sunday, the fourth Sunday of Lent, speak of coming home. St Paul in our second reading speaks of Jesus appealing to us to be reconciled with God. The Jews, after their wanderings in the desert after leaving Egypt and being sustained through the manna from …

My brothers and sisters, tonight we gather to celebrate the Mass of the Lord’s Supper and we are asked to remember and recall the great gifts that God has given us. We celebrate tonight together, a Mass that marks the beginning of our Sacred Paschal Triduum – the holiest …

Our readings today are bound together with two overarching questions. The first question we might reflect on is who do we listen to? The second is do we know what time it is?

What has appeared repeatedly in our Easter readings is the story of the Church’s universal mission. …

In today’s readings I think there are two verbs we should take special notice of. The first is ‘encourage’ from our first reading. The selection from the Acts of the Apostles describes the conclusion of St Paul’s first missionary journey where he took the good news of Jesus. …

In our first reading today we hear the opening lines from the Acts of the Apostles. Our Gospel is also taken from the end of Luke’s Gospel. Both the Acts of the Apostles and the Gospel of Luke were, we believe, written by the same person and both the Gospel and first reading …

Last week we celebrated the solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. A feast that reminded us that “Within God there is distinction but no difference. And that within God there is love without distance or diminishment.” [because, as Fr Terence Klein recently noted in his …

Ecclesiastes is a book in the Bible that forms part of the wisdom tradition and is named after the assembly, the church ecclesia, to whom the preacher Qoheleth is speaking. A previous wisdom book, the Book of Proverbs, made an argument that hard work and careful planning …

The readings in our Mass today asks us, I think, to focus on God’s victory over evil and God’s power at work in Mary, and whether we allow it to work in ours lives as well.

When Pope Pius XII proclaimed Mary’s Assumption in 1950, he called his document Munificentissimus …

Our readings today address a disappointed people but they offer a universal hope of salvation – not a guarantee, but a promise that all are welcome.

We know that 200 years after the text of Isaiah was written, there was great disappointment among the Jews after their exile, …

Pope Francis recently declared September 1 as the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, as the Orthodox Church has done since 1989. You can read the full letter here. According to Pope Francis, “The annual World Day of prayer for the Care of Creation offers to …

In our readings today we are once again reminded of the humility we need in our relationship with God, and with creation, and with each other. This humility – we can recall – was a key feature of last week’s readings where we realized how humility was a truthful attitude and …

There are so many stories in today’s readings but I think they share the chorus of ‘Rejoice with me, for what was lost is now found’. The gospel for this Sunday includes the story of the prodigal son, and our first reading from the book of Exodus has been selected to make …

Our first reading this morning from the second book of Kings refers to a time about 850 years before Christ when Elisha the prophet took over from Elijah. That story is in the 19th Chapter of the first Book of Kings. At that time the northern kingdom of the Jews was in …

At the heart of today’s readings is, I think, the distinction between a gift and a reward. God is always gifting us, blessing us, and bestowing grace upon us. It is not something we can ever earn or take for granted, rather we can only say how unworthy we are of it and thank …

On the face of it – our readings today talk about a key aspect of our faith, the importance of life and our belief in the resurrection from the dead. In both the first reading and the Gospel we hear two stories about seven brothers.

In the first reading we hear the heroic …

You are all welcome to this Church of the Holy Trinity. We are all gathered here in this Church to share in this joyous occasion together and to celebrate the love that Mphaga and Phindokuhle both share for each other.

Christians have long believed that human persons bear …

Today’s rich readings all play on the themes of blindness and sight, darkness and light, fear and hope. In the first reading we see: how Samuel is initially blind to the choice of the Lord, preferring Eliab; and then we see how Jesse was blind to the possibility of his …

Good morning everyone. There are three things I want to propose that we reflect on today after hearing these three readings. They are firstly, what are we to do with luxuries? Secondly, how can I be sensitive? And thirdly, the difficult business of respecting the …

Good morning everyone. We see from the First Reading, that when we pray or talk to God, we can be honest with him. In fact it is best that we are. In today’s first reading we read from the Prophet Habakkuk “how long shall I cry for help” – a more honest remark we …

Today’s readings present us with three rich images about perseverance in prayer and strength of faith. They show us three things, firstly, that we need help to pray, secondly, that we should not give up, and thirdly that God will answer our prayers if we have …

At the heart of today’s readings is, I think, the distinction between a gift and a reward. God is always gifting us, blessing us, and bestowing grace upon us. It is not something we can ever earn or take for granted, rather we can only say how unworthy we are of it …

Some people believe the Feast of Christ the King is a feast dating back from the Middle Ages, when Monarchy was more common. It was in fact instituted in the last century and represents the concerns of our recent history. In 1925 Pope Pius XI understood that the …