Category: Scripture

Used for Joan Griffiths’ reflections on the Sunday scripture readings

TEST POST – Scripture notes – 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year A – 13th August 2023

In ordinary life, we mostly have to take in faith of who God is, and may only imagine what it would mean to ‘experience’ Him. At special moments, the veil of human limitation is lifted and someone receives a glimpse of what ‘eye has not seen, nor ear heard’. We have two of these moments in the readings today. Continue reading TEST POST – Scripture notes – 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year A – 13th August 2023

Scripture notes – 33rd Sunday of the Year, C – 13th November 2022 – TEST SITE

‘I go to prepare a place for you and then I will come again and take you to myself,’ are Jesus’ words to his disciples the night before he died. (John 14:2-3). As the church year ends this month, the liturgy focus is on the ‘last days’ and the final end of the world while we are waiting for Christ to return as he promised. Continue reading Scripture notes – 33rd Sunday of the Year, C – 13th November 2022 – TEST SITE

Scripture notes – 4th Sunday of Lent – Year B – 14th March 2021 test site

The midpoint of Lent is called ‘Laetare Sunday’ from the Latin word ‘Rejoice’ – the opening word of today’s mass. Although ‘Joy’ may not be the first word that comes to mind in this strange second year of the pandemic, the first reading has a note of hope that after troubled times, there comes a deliverance. For Christians, there is an unfailing source of joy brought by the the love that comes from Jesus. Continue reading Scripture notes – 4th Sunday of Lent – Year B – 14th March 2021 test site

Scripture reflection – Saints Peter and Paul – 28th June

These two saints, considered the foremost of the apostles, have a joint celebration, which may acknowledge their deaths during the same period of persecution in Rome. In an early division of ministry, Paul was especially chosen to preach to the Gentiles (see Acts 22:21). Peter began as head of the community in Jerusalem but after the events told in our first reading, went ‘to another place’, and later to Rome, which has since then been the See of Peter’s successors. The book of Acts begins with a focus on Peter; then from chapter 13, Paul takes centre stage. Continue reading Scripture reflection – Saints Peter and Paul – 28th June

Scripture reflection – 12th Sunday of the year – Year B – 21st June

Pope Francis is issuing an encyclical on environmental concerns, especially global warming. While rightly emphasizing that what humans as a ‘race’ do to the planet, there is still a sense in which an individual cannot control the weather – cannot tell the ‘winds and the waves’ what to do. So in the 2000 years since our readings, one whom ‘the winds and sea’ obey would still raise the question posed in our gospel. Continue reading Scripture reflection – 12th Sunday of the year – Year B – 21st June

Scripture reflection – 11th Sunday of the year – Year B – 14th June

We return to ‘Ordinary Time’ after a long period of special seasons, with the numbering picking up from the time before Lent. With the big feasts behind us, a quieter mood in the liturgy allows us to follow events of Jesus’ ministry. Mark’s Gospel will be the primary focus again. Continue reading Scripture reflection – 11th Sunday of the year – Year B – 14th June

Scripture reflection – The most Holy Body and Blood of Christ – Year B – 7th June

corpusThe theologian Karl Rahner commented that it may seem strange to make a special feast out of something that happens everyday on altars around the world. There is a good reason for this, however, for often it is the very everyday ‘ordinary’ that we tend to take for granted or overlook. So it is good to have one time when we focus on how extraordinary it was for Christ to leave us his presence in bread and wine. Continue reading Scripture reflection – The most Holy Body and Blood of Christ – Year B – 7th June

Scripture reflection – The most Holy Trinity – Year B – 31st May

trinityThis week begins a transition between Easter Time to ‘Ordinary’ time, with a focus on the essence of ‘God in three’. The New Testament does not give us a theological definition of what ‘Trinity’ means, rather it gives us glimpses of how the early Christians experienced Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This is an emphasis on relationship between ourselves and our God, and also a pointer to the deep truth that relationship is at the heart of God, the love between the three persons which pours out into humanity. Continue reading Scripture reflection – The most Holy Trinity – Year B – 31st May