Walk in the Light

 

“Feed My Lambs, Feed My Sheep”

 

Article by Father Jonathan E Moore - LINK HERE

“Feed My Lambs, Feed My Sheep” 

Three days ago, I found myself in conversation with a fellow cancer patient, a Muslim lady. We promised to pray for each other, and she shared with me her concern that after the major surgery she was facing, she would not be able to say her prayers properly whilst lying in bed. I reassured her, telling her that I was no longer able to kneel to pray, but I didn’t believe God minded in the circumstances. Before we parted, she said one more thing which greatly surprised me. She said “I greatly admire your new Pope. His priorities match the greatest needs of our world and it’s inhabitants.” I replied by telling her that all of our Holy Fathers  have that same gift through the Holy Spirit to be men of their own time. 

Reflecting on this encounter, and meditating on this weekend’s feast of Saints Peter and Paul, I was struck by a passage in St John’s Gospel (10:16) “And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd." (10:16, ESV). Throughout the long and venerable history of our Church, we find so many examples of the Holy Spirit directing individual Popes to minister, not only to members of their own flock, but also those sheep and other folds. This feast of Saints Peter and Paul gives us a great opportunity to thank God for the gift of the Papacy , which down the centuries has kept our Catholic Church together as a focus of unity and a safeguard against disintegration through individualistic interpretations of the Scriptures and personal preferences. God bless our Pope!

“Feed my lambs, feed my sheep.” These words, spoken by Jesus to Peter after His resurrection (John 21:15-17), are not directed to one individual, but rather should speak to every true Christian, bearing Christ’s own call to live out the heart of His  Gospel: love, compassion, and service. Far more than a simple directive, this phrase is a summons to share in Christ’s pastoral care for His people.

In the gospel reading for the Vigil Mass of today’s feast, Jesus asks Peter three times, “Do you love me?” and follows each affirmation with “Feed my lambs,” “Tend my sheep,” then  “Feed my sheep,” the Lord wants more than a simple declaration of affection from Peter.  He links  love for Himself directly to action on behalf of others. Peter’s friendship for Jesus is realised, not in private sentiment, but in public mission. The risen Lord Jesus commits to Peter—and through him, us too—the ongoing care of God’s flock, and every single one of our worlds seven billion inhabitants is a child of God, just like you and me. This sacred  commission is ours, a task utterly impossible in our own strength, yet through the power of the Holy Spirit the work can be done.

When Jesus says “feed”, He means more than simply providing  physical sustenance. He means spiritual nourishment: sharing the Word of God, offering encouragement, and supporting others on their  faith journey. It is Saint Peter himself  (2 Peter 2:2) who identifies those lambs as the vulnerable, the young, the newly converted, who need  gentle guidance, patience, and a listening ear. The sheep—the mature members of the community—still  need ongoing formation, protection from spiritual danger, and reminders of God’s mercy. In responding to both, we imitate the Good Shepherd who knows each one by name.

How do we fulfil this call in daily life? First, by recognising those around us who hunger for hope, understanding, and compassion. Feeding Christ’s lambs might mean reaching out to someone who feels alone, offering a kind word or a helping hand. Feeding His sheep could mean supporting a friend through a difficult time, forgiving those who have hurt us, or praying for others’ needs. In parish settings, it might involve catechesis, voluntary work, administrative jobs, gardening, cleaning, or simply showing up for someone in times of trial.

The Good Shepherd laid  down His life for His sheep, unlike the cowardly hireling who made  himself scarce at the first sign of any trouble. The Christian is to shoulder their cross and follow in His footsteps, making that same self-giving love a lived reality in their own little corner of the Lord’s Vineyard, a love that is patient, enduring, and steadfast. The Eucharist, celebrated at every Mass, is both the ultimate act of feeding and the model we are called to imitate: Christ gives Himself wholly, and we are invited to do likewise in service to others.

Caring  for one another in the Good Shepherd’s flock is no easy matter, however. It demands patience, perseverance, humility,  unselfishness and a sense of humour - especially the ability to laugh at ourselves. We will frequently feel our own inadequacy, sometimes even overwhelmed, yet we must never forget God does not send us a cross to bear without also providing  the strength to bear it. His grace is ever-present  especially when we are at our weakest. Christ’s Church, which calls us to care, also gives us the means to find the strength to do it through prayer and the sacraments.

“Feed my lambs, feed my sheep” says Our Blessed Lord to you and me every day. Opportunities are never lacking, though sometimes Christ's call to care one for another is hardly heard above the noise and chatter of our oversensitised 21st century lives. Try to find a little oasis of calm within yourself, a place where you can wait on the Lord and listen to His voice before going out to meet Christ in others, and to be Christ for others.

Show me the way !

 

Article by Martha Jane Orlando - LINK HERE

 Acts 8:3
But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.

Zealous to maintain the status quo of the Jewish traditions, Saul leads violent assaults on those converted to "The Way", the appellation used by early Christians to describe their religion. He is a cold, unfeeling witness to the stoning of Stephen, the first Christian martyr. He instigates the fervent charge to round up and unmercifully imprison those he considers heretics. Later, in Acts 9:1-2, Saul, "still breathing threats and murder against the disciples", decides that persecuting them in Jerusalem just isn't enough. He petitions the High Priest for permission to travel to the synagogues in Damascus to warn them of this misguided, dangerous movement, and, while on his journey, capturing and sending back to Jerusalem any claiming to follow The Way. No one, least of all Saul, could have predicted the radical, miraculous transformation about to transpire in him along that fateful road when, in a flash of light that leaves him blinded, the Risen Christ confronts, convicts, and converts him.

I find it decidedly ironic that Paul (the Greek version of his name which he uses among the Gentiles), the most ardent, obsessive defender of the Jewish faith became the most passionate, devoted champion of Christianity. His conversion testifies to the fact that, with God, all things are possible. I believe the Lord saw through Paul's malevolent behaviors toward His people and recognized the qualities that would make Paul an indispensable apostle: determination, zeal, dedication, knowledge of the law, and devotion to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He simply needed his vision corrected. Jesus made that happen in a mighty way!

Have you ever known someone who experienced a dramatic conversion like Paul's? Was your own conversion one of out-of-the-blue magnitude, or was it, like C. S. Lewis', a quiet conviction within your soul? Is there a friend or acquaintance in your life for whom you wish there was a Damascus Road? Love them, pray for them, and witness through example. Believe that God can and will meet them at their crossroads; be prepared to take their hand and help show them The Way.

Amen!

The Christian Lounge

 

 

PHOTOS BY MYRA GUCA - LINK HERE 

An Unprogrammed Conversation

 

Article and photo by Bill Burke - LINK HERE

 An Unprogrammed Conversation

God:  Hey, nice to see you.  I see that you aligned yourself with the light.

Me:  Yeah, I usually sit at the end of the bench so I can rest my arm occasionally on the side but this morning that spot was taken.

God:  Cool, it’s good to move around.  It offers a different perspective.

Me:  Yeah, this is the first time I sat in this particular spot and the light really has me focused.  Sometimes my mind drifts, you know.

God:  Yeah, I know what you mean but if you focus and listen, you’ll be fine.

Me:  That’s what I try to tell myself.  When I look at the stage, I can feel your presence.  It’s like you’re in the middle speaking to us and we’re at your side following the spoken words.

God:  Yeah, that is a nice visual, I like it.  I notice that food is being collected for the food bank -- macaroni and cheese and tuna fish.  Yumm!!!  If you want to have an incredible heavenly meal – just add peas. When you were thinking about standing up and sharing your visual interpretation of the scene before you, I was excited.  But then you didn’t.

Me:  I felt I needed more time.

God:  It would have been alright but I must admit I really liked your proposal to recreate the scene at another time and write something.  That was a great move and if I was giving out points, you would have gotten a bunch but you know me, my playing field is level. By the way, how did you like my follow up?

Me:  I thought it was so you.

God:  I just couldn’t resist placing a pencil on your path home especially after you mentioned to a few people the previous week that you haven’t seen a pencil on the ground for a few months.  I was sure that you would hear me laughing.  Just a little reminder.  Sometimes we all need them.

Me:  Yeah, you’re right, I can’t argue with you.  Anyway, you are always right.

God:  Well, another hour has passed and it was really nice to have this conversation with you.  Remember, I am always here 24/7, 365 – oh, this year is 366.  Adjustments can be annoying sometimes. By the way, the sticker you saw yesterday in that car window was right on the money.  “God is having a good day”.  I sure was and I hope you always have good days. Later!!

Learning from the sparrows

 

Article by Father Jonathan E Moore - LINK HERE

12th Sunday of the Year 2026

"Learning from the Sparrows"

Do the names Sanjay and Dheeraj Hinduja mean anything to you? Maybe not, but I’ll bet you there are a lot of people in this country who envy them. According to the Sunday Times Rich List, Messrs Hinduja, with a personal fortune of £38 billion are the richest men  in Britain!  In everyday speech, it would be said that the Hinduja brothers  are “worth more” than anyone else  in these islands. Now I don't know them, so it would be quite wrong for me to express any opinion as to their characters and personal lives. Many very wealthy people are exceedingly generous to charity and provide employment and educational opportunities for thousands of people, so I say “Good luck”  to them, and wish them well. But there is a question in my mind. Can we really and truly believe that the Hinduja brothers, because of their £38billion, are “worth more” than anyone else? Does lots of money give someone more worth than a police Officer doing his duty, a busy nurse in A and E, an Aid Worker in Africa, or a Contemplative Sister who spends her entire life praying and doing penance for others? Are they “worth more” than a poor baby in a South American shanty town, or an elderly dementia patient in a Nursing Home? Of course not! Yet if we aren't careful, we can find ourselves increasingly inclined to believe it. 

This highlights one of the great obstacles to spiritual growth in every age. As human beings, we are much inclined to define and value ourselves and others by what we have, what we do, and what we get. Having, doing and getting are the standards by which a materialistic society judges. “A spiritual person” says Saint Paul, “can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others”  (1 Corinthians 2:15). To live a spiritual life means to see as God sees. In the Old Testament, the Lord God told Samuel: “Truly, God does not see what man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord sees the heart” (1 Sam 16:7). Anyone who wishes to follow in God’s path must accept the need to set aside the “getting, doing and having” mentality. The priest who brought me into the Catholic Church, the late Father Patrick O’Hanlon, used to warn repeatedly against what he termed “The false maxims of the world.” The worth of every single human person, the value of every single human life springs from nothing other than who we are, and who we are is the Children of God. When we encounter distractions in prayer, or disturbances of the heart or mind, don't they almost always come from that “getting, doing, having” mentality? Yet how often do we simply sit down and thank God for who we are, and what we are: “Thank you, God, that I am alive, and thank you for the life you have given me.” 

At this time of the year, I enjoy watching baby birds in my garden. Just off the nest, able to fly on their own, they explore the garden, and just love it! Everything is new, everything is exciting, and they behave as though everything existed just for them. Their lives are so much shorter and uncertain than ours, and perhaps it is for that very reason that they just love  being alive. In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus tells us that not one of those tiny balls of fluff and feathers is insignificant in the Father’s eyes. Better still, He reassures us  that we’re worth more than hundreds of sparrows. 

If we are worth more than hundreds of sparrows, ought we not to be enjoying the simple fact of being alive hundreds of times more than they do? St. Ignatius Loyola can teach us a lot about this. In his Spiritual Exercises he recommends what he calls a “Daily Examen”. Rather than thinking of this as an “Examination of Conscience”, we might rather call it an “Examination of Consciousness”. Every day, pause in the presence of God and reflect on your attitudes and feelings. What is helping you on your journey towards God, and what is hindering? Maybe the "Getting, having and doing” trap is holding you back. If so, it’s time to start looking through the eyes of God and valuing yourself and others for who you are. Be warned, however, that “Getting, doing and having” is habit-forming. The habit can take a lot of breaking, but it has to be done. Saint Teresa of Avila tells us categorically that we must pass through what she calls “The Room of Self-knowledge” (“The Interior Castle” Ch 2) before we can make what Dag Hammerskold described as “The longest journey, the journey inwards of him who has chosen his destiny, and who has started on his quest for the source of his being.” (“Markings”)

The journey towards self-knowledge will involve humiliation, failure, often a sense of guilt, and a lessening of self-confidence. If we are to persevere on the journey, it's essential we understand that we don't have to “make ourselves worthy” in God’s eyes because He already values us beyond measure. Neither do we have to try and “redeem ourselves” because Jesus is our Redeemer. 

“What does it profit a man,” asked Jesus, “to gain the whole world and lose his own self?” (Mark 8:36) 

God has given you the precious gift of life, don’t waste it chasing after rubbish. Live every day with joy and gratitude. Learn from the sparrows!

What will we do in Heaven?

 

 WHAT WILL WE DO IN HEAVEN?

We asked two priests who contribute articles here on The Christian Lounge to share their views. We are grateful for their contributions. Please remember them in your prayers. Thank you.

Here is what Father Francis Maple said: 

What will we do in Heaven?

That is one of the most beautiful questions a Christian can ask.

The short answer is that we shall spend our time in Heaven loving God, knowing God, and sharing perfect happiness with all the saints. Yet this does not mean sitting idle for eternity. Heaven is a life of endless wonder, discovery, joy, and love.

Jesus tells us: "This is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent" (John 17:3). In Heaven we shall see God "face to face" (1 Corinthians 13:12). The saints teach that the vision of God is so beautiful and so fulfilling that it will satisfy every desire of the human heart while at the same time drawing us ever deeper into His infinite mystery.

What might we do in Heaven?

• We shall worship and praise God with the angels and saints.

• We shall rejoice in the company of the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints.

• We shall recognize and love those we knew on earth, purified of all selfishness and misunderstanding.

• We shall continue to learn about God's greatness, for His beauty and wisdom are infinite.

• We shall share in God's own joy and love.

• We shall be perfectly at peace, with no sickness, sorrow, loneliness, or death.

The great theologian St. Thomas Aquinas taught that our happiness in Heaven comes from seeing God directly. Yet because God is infinite, there will always be new depths of His goodness and beauty to delight us. Heaven will never become boring.

As you often reflect, Father, Heaven is also reunion. There you hope to meet your parents, brothers and sisters, friends, and all those who have gone before marked with faith. Most of all, you will meet Christ, whom you have preached and served throughout your priesthood.

A lovely image comes from St. Augustine:

"We shall rest and we shall see; we shall see and we shall love; we shall love and we shall praise."

That may be the best description of Heaven: seeing God, loving God, and praising God forever in a joy that never ends.

Here is what Father Jonathan E Moore said: 

“What shall I DO in Heaven.” Is really the wrong question to ask, because it can only ever receive a one word answer, and that is “NOTHING”! Those in heaven are living in a state of eternity and perfection. There is nothing more for them to do, achieve or improve, and neither is there any time for it to be done in. Eternity is a perpetual NOW.

The proper question really is “What shall I BE in Heaven.

An inescapable consequence of earthly life is that we find ourselves with a constant tension between being and doing. We were created to know, love and serve God in this world and to be happy with Him forever in the next. Instinctive hunger for God, so often un-recognised these days, leaves us with the perpetual sense of incompleteness, coupled with the awareness that the clock of our human existence inexorably moves on towards death. Unfortunately, our fallen human nature means that, instead of concentrating on getting to know love and serve God in this world, we tend to concentrate on what’s going on in this world, where we find ourselves in a constant confusion of having, getting, being, achieving etcetera etcetera. This creates a difficulty when in our spiritual lives we begin to attempt to move from verbal prayer into meditation and then contemplation. As we try to move towards a state of being in the presence of God, we find ourselves stricken with a sense that we ought to be doing something!

There is a lovely story about an elderly French peasant who used to spend hours and hours every day just sitting or kneeling before the Tabernacle in his local church, someone once asked him, “But what do you do during all those hours? “ to which he replied, “I look at God, and God looks at me!" That old man had achieved a level of contemplative prayer.

Saint Paul, no less, describes the next life as “a mystery “ which “no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, which God has prepared for those who love Him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9). Heaven will be happiness beyond all our possible present understanding or imagining. Sometimes in our human lives we find ourselves in a situation where we wish the time would just stand still, so joyous do we feel. These occasions are a little taste of Heaven, where we simply exist in God’s presence, free from all imperfection, responsibility, duty, care, anxiety, sickness and death. We have to trust God that He will give us that bliss which we cannot even imagine.

When I was first ordained more than 50 years ago now I had the joy and privilege of being the curate to Provost Humphrey Wilson, PhD. When I first went to him, he was already 80 years old. He had served as an officer in the Grenadier Guards during the first world war, enduring the horror of trench warfare and of the battles of the Somme and Cambrai. Even before the first world war as a young Edwardian man, he had gone to Australia in search of adventure and experience. In many ways he was the one who taught me how to be a priest. One example of his great wisdom and pastoral compassion came about when a very lonely old lady was grieving over the death of her cat, a beloved and constant companion in her loneliness. She asked the Provost, “Do animals have immortal souls as we do? “He replied in the negative. She then said “So does this mean that I will never see my cat again?” “Tell me, “ replied the old gentleman, “would your happiness in Heaven be incomplete without your cat? “ She replied that she believed this to be the case, and then he said “That  being the case, God will undoubtedly give you your cat in Heaven. “

There is some very good material in the Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraphs 1023 through 1029, which I have copied below.

Catechism of the Catholic Church

1023 Those who die in God's grace and friendship and are perfectly purified live for ever with Christ. They are like God for ever, for they "see him as he is," face to face. By virtue of our apostolic authority, we define the following: According to the general disposition of God, the souls of all the saints . . . and other faithful who died after receiving Christ's holy Baptism (provided they were not in need of purification when they died, . . . or, if they then did need or will need some purification, when they have been purified after death, . . .) already before they take up their bodies again and before the general judgment - and this since the Ascension of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ into heaven - have been, are and will be in heaven, in the heavenly Kingdom and celestial paradise with Christ, joined to the company of the holy angels. Since the Passion and death of our Lord Jesus Christ, these souls have seen and do see the divine essence with an intuitive vision, and even face to face, without the mediation of any creature.

1024 This perfect life with the Most Holy Trinity - this communion of life and love with the Trinity, with the Virgin Mary, the angels and all the blessed - is called "heaven." Heaven is the ultimate end and fulfillment of the deepest human longings, the state of supreme, definitive happiness.

1025 To live in heaven is "to be with Christ." the elect live "in Christ," but they retain, or rather find, their true identity, their own name. For life is to be with Christ; where Christ is, there is life, there is the kingdom.

1026 By his death and Resurrection, Jesus Christ has "opened" heaven to us. the life of the blessed consists in the full and perfect possession of the fruits of the redemption accomplished by Christ. He makes partners in his heavenly glorification those who have believed in him and remained faithful to his will. Heaven is the blessed community of all who are perfectly incorporated into Christ.

1027 This mystery of blessed communion with God and all who are in Christ is beyond all understanding and description. Scripture speaks of it in images: life, light, peace, wedding feast, wine of the kingdom, the Father's house, the heavenly Jerusalem, paradise: "no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him."

1028 Because of his transcendence, God cannot be seen as he is, unless he himself opens up his mystery to man's immediate contemplation and gives him the capacity for it. the Church calls this contemplation of God in his heavenly glory "the beatific vision":How great will your glory and happiness be, to be allowed to see God, to be honored with sharing the joy of salvation and eternal light with Christ your Lord and God, . . . to delight in the joy of immortality in the Kingdom of heaven with the righteous and God's friends.

1029 In the glory of heaven the blessed continue joyfully to fulfill God's will in relation to other men and to all creation. Already they reign with Christ; with him "they shall reign for ever and ever."

Here I am Lord

 

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Matthew 28:19

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Father Francis Maple

LINK HERE 

Why bother to play fair?

 

Article by Father Francis Maple - LINK HERE

ON PLAYING FAIR

Mt. 9:36-10:8

It is a warm summer day.  A mother and three-year-old son are sitting under the shade of a tree.  For an afternoon snack, she gives her boy a glass of lemonade and two biscuits.  He is enjoying this when a child from next door walks upon the scene.  Being about the same age, he stands there hungrily eying the snack.  A dilemma presents itself.  The mother has more lemonade but no more biscuits.  The only solution is for them to share.  She says to her son, "Bobby, would you like to give Tommy one of your biscuits?"  Whereupon, Bobby clutches both biscuits tightly to his bosom and emphatically says, "No, they’re mine."  The mother presses a little harder.  Then Bobby begins to cry, repeating the same words, "No, they’re mine."  It is obvious that no sharing is going to take place, unless the mother forces the issue.

That is a typical scene and a typical problem with little children.  It is not easy for them to learn how to share.  In today's Gospel reading, Jesus said to His Apostles, "You received without charge, give without charge."  He had just endowed them with the power to cast out demons and to heal the sick.  They were to exercise those gifts without any thought of personal gain.  In other words, they were not to charge for their services.  To Jesus, it seemed to be a simple matter of fair play.  This power had been given to them free of charge.  They were to use it the same way. 

We can see the good sense of that for the Apostles.  It would have been shameful of those men to go out and profiteer on what Jesus had just given them.  We can also see the good sense of it with the little boy and his biscuits.  He did not bake them or buy them.  They were given to him.  It only seems fair for him to give one of them to his little friend who had none.  Unless he learns to do that, he will always be a little boy, living in a very small world.  We can see this about others, but the test comes in applying that same logic to ourselves.

Let us start by identifying those things to which we can claim ownership.  We have worked for them.  We have earned them.  They are all ours.  Money might belong in this category.  Most of us get up every morning and work hard all day long.  At the end of the week, we collect our wage.  It is not a gift.  We have bought it with a large chunk of our time and no small amount of toil and sweat.  We have every right to claim it as our own.  I would not dispute that for a single moment.  I am sure you deserve every penny you are paid and probably more.

Use that money to make your life better.  Provide yourself with a comfortable place to live.  Drive as nice a car as you can afford.  Eat good food.  Wear nice clothes.  The money that makes these things possible is yours.  You have earned it.  You have a legal right and, to some extent, a moral right to the claim of ownership.  Some things belong to us because we have paid the price for them. 

But then we come to that other category - the things that have been given to us.  We did not work for them.  We did not earn them.  They came to us as a matter of grace.  For example, most of us have been loved from the day that we were born.  Babies do not earn that.  They are incapable of earning anything.  All that they need is given to them simply because they need it.  You and I were treated that way as infants.  Later on, as incorrigible teenagers, we were loved when we were not very lovable.  In a strict sense, we did not deserve love, but we desperately needed it and to most of us, it was freely given.

Jesus said, "You received without charge, give without charge."  He was appealing to our sense of fair play.  If you have ever been loved when you did not deserve it, then love someone who does not deserve it.  It is a simple matter of fair play.

On this point, we need to revisit the issue of money.  It is true that you and I have a rightful claim to the money that we have earned, but that does not mean we have an absolute right to every penny.  There is another aspect to the matter.  Hard work is not the whole story.  Allow me to use myself as an example.  I earn my living as a priest.  In order to hold this position, I had to go to school and study.  I did not earn the physical and mental ability to pursue that course of study.  Those were given to me.  They were sheer grace.  I did not build the school in which I studied.  That was provided for me.  It was sheer grace.  I think I have the right to say that I earn my livelihood, but it would be blind arrogance for me to clutch it to my bosom and say, "Mine, all mine."  That is not true for me or for you, any more than it was for the little boy with the biscuits.

In large measure, our material possessions have to be recorded on the grace side of the ledger.  They were given to us.  Sure, we worked hard for them, but the ability to work hard was given to us.  Some people do not have that.  They would give anything just to be able to get up and go to work for one day.  You and I do that every day.  It is a priceless gift.

Lord Jesus, You said, "You received without charge, give without charge."  Help us to be generous and share all that we have received.  Why?  Because it is a simple matter of fair play.

The Sacred Heart of Jesus

 

Article by Father Jonathan E Moore - LINK HERE

The Heart of Jesus, fount of Love and Mercy.

Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus stands as one of the most profound, beloved and time-honoured traditions in Catholic spirituality. The Saviour is depicted, clad in a white garment, symbolic of purity, and a red mantle, symbolic of His suffering. The top edge of the mantle is turned down, revealing a golden lining, symbolic of His Divinity above the mantle, we see His heart—ablaze with love, wounded yet triumphant—inviting us grasp more deeply God’s mercy and immense love. Jesus points to His heart, and words are superfluous – He says to all:

“Behold the depths of my love for YOU.”

 Meditating on on the Sacred Heart, we meet, not just  a symbol, but a pressing invitation to experience and live the very heart of the Gospel.

In all known human history, so it would seem, the heart has been seen as the centre of a person—the seat of feeling, desiring, and intending. There is a beautiful hymn written by Father Francis Stanfield almost 200 years ago now, which begins:

 “Sweet Heart of Jesus, fount of love and mercy.”  

reminding generations of Catholics that the Heart of Jesus is the fountain head, from which flows the immensity of His love, both divine and human. This heart is not a pious myth; it is a human heart, which can suffer, rejoice, and loves without reserve. On Calvary, that heart was pierced for love of us, signifying the total self-gift of Jesus for the salvation of the world.

Please make time in this month of the Sacred Heart, to gaze upon that image -truly iconic — the Heart of Jesus crowned with thorns, bleeding from an open wound, surmounted by the cross, — all representing the depth of indifference and savagery to which our fallen race has descended - and yet still ablaze with the inextinguishable love of God.

I often find myself singing the most beautiful hymn written by Charles Wesley :

“And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Saviour’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain?
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?”

That “Amazing Love” never grows cold or indifferent, no matter how far we may stray. The cross, ever-present, points to the ultimate sacrifice, where love and sorrow meet in an act of redeeming mercy.

The love of Jesus is infinite, personal and unconditional. In the Gospels, He reaches out to the sick. vulnerable, the rejected, and  sinners. Remember, Jesus Christ is true God and true man. His heart is a heart open and vulnerable, yet strong and steadfast. We are invited to trust in that love and to find in it the forgiveness and healing we so often seek.

Devotion to the Sacred Heart, however, is not just to be seen as a “spiritual security blanket, but rather a call to repentance and conversion “Come to Me, says Jesus “all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from Me.”

 To honour the Sacred Heart is to allow ourselves to be conformed to His image, desiring a heart like His—gentle, humble, and courageous in loving others. In a world often marked by indifference, division, and woundedness, the Sacred Heart reminds us that the Christian path is one of compassion.

The monthly First Friday devotion and the act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart encourage us to make reparation for sin—our own and that of the world—and to become channels of Christ’s love in our families, workplaces, and communities.

 The Heart of Jesus teaches us to forgive, to be patient and to reach out to those most in need of kindness. In this way, our lives become a living reflection of His love.

Life’s journey is not without hardship. The image of the Sacred Heart, wounded yet radiant, assures us that Christ knows our pain and walks with us in our sufferings. His heart beats in solidarity with ours, offering consolation and hope. In moments of trial, we can turn to the Sacred Heart, confident that our prayers are heard and our pain is shared. We are called to allow His love to transform us within, making our hearts more like His.

May the loving Lord Jesus set our hearts on fire with the same love that blazes within His, so that we too may bear witness to the hope, mercy and compassion that flow from the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Meeting Satan

 

Article by Victor S E Moubarak - LINK HERE

 The devil appeared in town one Saturday morning. He stood there looking menacingly and threatening. Everyone panicked and escaped.

Except John. A small, short man, standing there all alone.

The devil advanced towards him and said angrily: ‘Do you know who I am?’

‘Yes … I do’ replied John.

‘Aren’t you afraid of me like all the others?’ asked the devil.

‘No … I’ve been married to your sister for 25 years!’ 

The thing is, I knew John's wife. She was evil. Believe me, some people are really evil. They connive and plot in order to create havoc, chaos and ill-feelings wherever they are. 

One question which is rarely asked these days is: Does the devil possess people?

Before answering this, let us remember that the devil, Satan, is a spirit. There is out there, all around us, a spiritual invisible world. An invisible realm or state of being. This invisible world consists of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit - who are spirits. It consists of Angels, and the souls of all people who have died. We are spirits. You and I are spirits - or souls is another word for it. We inhabit a body made mainly of water, chemicals and minerals. When the body disintegrates the soul/spirit lives on. And of course, the devils are also invisible spirits.

So, being spirits, evil ones, the devils can and have possessed people against their will. The Bible is full of such examples; and Jesus did on many occasions deliver people from their evil spirits or devils.

The Catholic Church believes that the devil can possess people and has appointed trained exorcist priests in every diocese. Other denominations and religions believe this also.

Thus, the devil can, if he wants to, possess people against their will. He can enter their souls and make them do his will. Very much like the Holy Spirit can enter our souls and help us and guides us in life - but only if we ask Him. The Holy Spirit does not abide in our souls without our express invitation.

However, the devil is clever. He does not possess people like he did in Biblical times. This is too dramatic. If he were to possess someone these days it would scare the **** out of us and make many people turn to God. Somewhat counter-productive, I think.

The devil is much more subtle. He influences people. He brings temptation in their way. And once influenced by his evil ways, he encourages those people to spread their evil influence everywhere around them. More effective and under the radar than outright possessing people, don't you think?

Our role and responsibility when we meet such people in our lives is to distance ourselves from their influence. It is not a sin to protect oneself. Just keep our distance and pray for God's protection and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Jesus is only a prayer away.

Shine Jesus Shine

 

God is right here right now

Sermon by Father Jonathan E Moore - LINK HERE

Corpus Christi 2026

God is right here, right now.

Many of you, I know, will have heard or read my reflections on the Eucharist before, and you might be forgiven for wondering what I have left to say. The answer is “lots!” - truth to tell, I’ve only really skimmed over the surface of what has rightly been called “God’s greatest gift”. As we celebrate this Feast of Corpus Christi, the challenge for the preacher is not trying to find something to say, but rather having to restrict his words to a mere ten minutes!

Question 46 of the time-honoured “Penny Catechism” asked: “Where is Jesus Christ?”.

The answer was:- “As God, Jesus Christ is everywhere. As God made man, He is in heaven, and in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar”

Last week, reflecting on the Holy Trinity, we thought about how we come to believe in God. This week’s theme  is not so much “There is a God” as “Here is God”.

The gift of the Holy Eucharist ensures that Jesus Christ is not reduced to a mere character of the past, but that we feel close to Him: the late Pope Francis once reminded us of this “He is our contemporary and we experience the joy of being children who are loved by God”. (Trinity Sunday Angelus 2018) 

In the Gospel, Jesus promises to remain with us forever and it is precisely through His presence and the strength of His Spirit that we can fulfil the mission that He entrusts to us: proclaiming and witnessing to His Gospel to all, to spread our communion with Him and the joy that derives from it.

The Catholic Faith does not call us simply to acknowledge the existence of a God like some bright star, unimaginably remote in the vastness of space. God wants us to know that He is "with us", that He loves us, is interested in our personal history and takes care of each of us, starting from the smallest and the most needy. “He is God up there in heaven, but also down here on earth". 

The poet Francis Thompson deserves to be better known. His poetry reflects his deep Catholic faith, the yardstick against which he measured his world, often finding it wanting. His poem “God’s Kingdom” contains the words:

“Does the fish soar to find the ocean, 

The eagle plunge to find the air—

That we ask of the stars in motion

If they have rumour of thee there?”

They are appropriate to today’s Feast: God in heaven, but also down here on earth. As the Catechism taught us, Our Lord Jesus Christ, Word made flesh and dwelling amongst us, Emmanuel (God with us) is, as God, present everywhere, and as God made man present in heaven, and  also here on earth in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar. God became man, dying and rising for us, so that we might be adopted as sons and daughters of God the Father, “Sons in the Son”, confident to address our Father as “Daddy”, and to abandon ourselves to His care just as a little child abandons itself into the arms of a loving parent.

As we contemplate the great truth of Jesus Christ, present Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in the Blessed Sacrament, we are invited into the mystery of a God who ceaselessly creates, redeems and sanctifies, always with love and out of love.

In the Old Testament, the Lord God says: “I will never forget you, my people” (cf Isaiah 49:15). God chooses to walk together with us. In the hymn by Estelle White, we sing: “Walk with me, O my God, through the darkest night and brightest day”. This is not a pious hope, but a statement of fact. God in heaven, all-seeing, all-powerful, strong to defend and rich in mercy, God right here on earth, truly present in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar, compassionate, caring, and always there.

Traditionally, Corpus Christi is marked by a public procession, with the Blessed Sacrament carried through the streets of cities and villages. This still happens in some countries, thank God. Saint John Paul II restored the public procession in Rome, after a gap of a century. Pope Francis later moved the procession out of the city of Rome to the seaside town of Ostia (the place where Saint Monica died, by the way).

That Corpus Christi procession bears important witness to the fact that God is not just here on earth for a select and devout few - He loves all His people, without exception. Jesus came to earth, and remains sacramentally present on earth to form a people that are a blessing for all nations and for all people, without exception. urging all believers to go forth with the saving message of God’s love that relieves sins, heals the wounds of the soul and gives salvation.

That witness does not end with large public processions, however. Far from it! In a very real sense, any individual Christian man or woman can carry Jesus with them into the streets, the workplace, the supermarket, the hospital. Whenever we reflect Jesus in our thoughts, words and actions, we proclaim that truth that Jesus is alive and at work in our world today.

Today is a great opportunity to thank God, not only for being there for us , but also for being HERE for us too.