Each year on the Fourth Sunday of Easter we read part of Jesus’ “Good Shepherd” discourse, given in the tenth Chapter of St. John’s Gospel. Jesus first calls himself the Gate of the sheep fold, and then…
When Pope John Paul II first proclaimed today as a universal Feast of the Divine Mercy, there were plenty of liturgists who tut-tutted. Easter, with its eight days, they rightly pointed out, is the most important feast or celebration in the…
“Well, Master Samwise, how do you feel?” said Gandalf. But Sam lay back, and stared with open mouth, and for a moment, between bewilderment and joy, he could not answer. At last…
St. Mark’s Gospel gives us a story about a blind man called Bartimaeus (10:46ff.). It’s quite a brief account, contained in only 7 verses. The climax of the story is its happy ending: Jesus performs the desired miracle; everyone is amazed, and Jesus…
A very useful book I always have with me on these occasion is the Catholic Truth Society Sunday Missal, People’s Edition, published with side-by-side Latin and English texts in 2011. At the head of each Sunday in this book the editors offer a little reflection or…
The Collect for today’s Mass makes quite a striking request. Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, it begins, semper in nobis paschale perfice sacramentum. Almighty everlasting God - perfice - perfect, bring to completion, fully…
St. Luke’s account of Christ’s Resurrection from the dead is similar to that of St. John. Both have the startlingly sudden appearance among the assembled Apostles on Easter Day, with the greeting “Peace be...
