Happy are you

Feast of All Saints Year A - 1st November 2020

Gospel Matthew 5: 1–12

Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up the hill. There he sat down and was joined by his disciples. Then he began to speak. This is what he taught them:

‘How happy are the poor in spirit; theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Happy the gentle: they shall inherit the earth for their heritage. Happy those who mourn: they shall be comforted.

Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right: they shall be satisfied.

Happy the merciful: they shall have mercy shown them. Happy the pure in heart: they shall see God.

Happy the peacemakers: they shall be called sons of God. Happy those who are persecuted in the cause of right: theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Happy are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.’

All Saints

Reflection from St Beuno's Outreach

After stilling myself and allowing the busyness of my mind to settle, I consciously place myself before the Lord.

I ask for the grace to open my heart, body and mind to his presence.

I lovingly read this familiar Gospel scene with a curious mind, hoping that I may be open to the possibility of hearing a truth for the first  me.

It may deepen my prayer to use my imagination to enter more fully into the Gospel scene. I see, hear and feel the crowds ... perhaps I am one of them?

What do I notice when Jesus starts to speak and teach?

How do people react to him ...? How do I react? What do I feel?

Is there a Beatitude that speaks to my own lived experience?

I imagine the crowd leaving, until only Jesus and myself remain sitting on the hillside.

I share with Jesus my deepest desires ...

I sit .... I listen ...

When I am ready, I leave the hillside too, and close my prayer with my own words of gratitude.

Click here to read or listen to a one-minute homily on this Sunday's readings!

Which is the greatest commandment?

 Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A - 25th October 2020

Gospel Matthew 22: 34–40

When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees they got together and, to disconcert him, one of them put a question, ‘Master, which is the greatest commandment of the Law?’ Jesus said, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second resembles it: you must love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments hang the whole Law, and the Prophets also.’

With all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind

Reflection from St Beuno's Outreach

I settle into a quiet space, one where I will hopefully not be interrupted.

I entrust myself to the Lord. I ask the Holy Spirit to open my mind, body and soul to God, who is Divine Love. I sit in humble, receptive silence.

When ready, I read this familiar passage a number of times, slowly and with openness. I absorb the profound life-invitation and challenge contained in Jesus’s words. I savour the thoughts, feelings, and memories they evoke.

As I read the text again and then put it down, perhaps I can allow the Lord to speak to me afresh through my imagination.

I ask God to help me enter the story as if I am actually right there in the scene ... to hear Jesus speaking directly to me now, to experience him, to be in his presence as he teaches with authority and courage.

I let myself come close to Jesus. As I look at how he is engaging with others, do I speak to him myself? Does he speak to me?

Does he touch me? Do I touch him? I trust God to lead me ...

I ponder on these three aspects of love: love of God, love of neighbour, love of self. How does Jesus want to deepen his love in my life?

How can I take his love into the world even more?

How does my life of prayer and work serve this sacred love?

I speak to the Lord.

When words cease, I sit in silence in the presence of love.

Through the week ahead, I may like to form a ‘prayer-pattern’ of love.

I consciously breathe in God’s love for me ...  then as I exhale, I consciously breathe out my love of God and neighbour.

I end my prayer by asking the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit to bless me.

Click here to read or listen to a one-minute homily on this Sunday's readings!

Give to God what belongs to God

 Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A - 18th October 2020

Gospel Matthew 22: 15–21

The Pharisees went away to work out between them how to trap Jesus in what he said. And they sent their disciples to him, together with the Herodians, to say, ‘Master, we know that you are an honest man and teach the way of God in an honest way, and that you are not afraid of anyone, because a person’s rank means nothing to you. Tell us your opinion, then. Is it permissible to pay taxes to Caesar or not?’ But Jesus was aware of their malice and replied, ‘You hypocrites! Why do you set this trap for me? Let me see the money you pay the tax with.’ They handed him a denarius, and he said, ‘Whose head is this? Whose name?’ ‘Caesar’s,’ they replied. He then said to them, ‘Very well, give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar – and to God what belongs to God’.

Reflection from St Beuno's Outreach

As I prepare for this part of my prayer, I may find it helpful to become aware of my breathing. As I breathe in, I take in God’s love, and as I breathe out, I surrender any concerns or fears I may have to God.

When ready, I read the Gospel passage slowly and carefully, letting the words soak in.

Perhaps I ponder the phrase ‘give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar – and to God what belongs to God’.

I think of the gifts I have been given, and how I am using them.

As I read it through a second time, I may find it helpful to imagine myself in the scene: perhaps as a Herodian ... or as a disciple of the Pharisees or of Jesus ... or just as myself.

What do I see and hear? What do I notice about Jesus? How he holds the coin ... the tone of his voice ... the expression on his face ...

Do his eyes catch mine? How do I feel about that?

Is he saying something to me? How am I responding?

Perhaps I want to tell Jesus of any worries, fears or pressures ... anything that might be holding me back from ‘giving to God what belongs to God’.

He is listening, though he already knows and understands.

I can tell him my deepest longings too, just as I would a dear friend.

I ask Jesus to give me the grace he feels I need at this time, so that I can follow better the life that he desires for me.

As I slowly make the sign of the cross, I thank the Lord for the time I have just spent with him, as well as the gifts I have received.

Click here to read or listen to a one-minute homily on this Sunday's readings!

Come to the wedding

Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year - A 11th October 2020

Gospel Matthew 22: 1–14 (shorter version)

Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a feast for his son’s wedding. He sent his servants to call those who had been invited, but they would not come. Next he sent some more servants, ‘Tell those who have been invited,’ he said, ‘that I have my banquet all prepared, my oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, everything is ready. Come to the wedding.’ But they were not interested: one went off to his farm, another to his business, and the rest seized his servants, maltreated them and killed them. The king was furious. He despatched his troops, destroyed those murderers and burnt their town. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready; but as those who were invited proved to be unworthy, go to the crossroads in the town and invite everyone you can find to the wedding.’ So these servants went out on to the roads and collected together everyone they could find, bad and good alike; and the wedding hall was filled with guests.” 

Reflection from St Beuno's Outreach

As I settle to prayer, I take the time to relax my body and gently breathe in the goodness and love of God.

When I am ready, I ask the Lord to reveal his word for me in this parable. I read it slowly a couple of  times.

Jesus is in Jerusalem, frustrated by the attitude of the leaders of the people. But he is still calling them into relationship with him, to a joyful feast united with so many others.

How does this speak to me in my life?

I pause so that I can hear Jesus speaking to me.

If I feel challenged and hesitate to respond, what reasons do I give myself? Perhaps resenting the messenger ... or not wanting to be involved with others ...?

I give thanks to the Lord for calling me continuously, for the grace of belonging to a community, for the gift of the Eucharist ...

I may pray for greater acceptance, unity and harmony in various parts of the world.

I end my prayer in gratitude with a ‘Glory be...’

Click here to read or listen to a one-minute homily!

The stone rejected by the builders

 Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A - 4th October 2020

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Gospel Matthew 21: 33–43

Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people, ‘Listen to another parable. There was a man, a landowner, who planted a vineyard; he fenced it round, dug a winepress in it and built a tower; then he leased it to tenants and went abroad. When vintage time drew near he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his produce. But the tenants seized his servants, thrashed one, killed another and stoned a third. Next he sent some more servants, this time a larger number, and they dealt with them in the same way. Finally he sent his son to them. “They will respect my son” he said. But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, “This is the heir. Come on, let us kill him and take over his inheritance.” So they seized him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?’

They answered, ‘He will bring those wretches to a wretched end and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will deliver the produce to him when the season arrives.’ Jesus said to them, ‘Have you never read in the scriptures: It was the stone rejected by the builders that became the keystone. This was the Lord’s doing and it is wonderful to see? ‘I tell you, then, that the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.’

The stone rejected by the builders

Reflection from St Beuno's Outreach

I begin my reflection on this parable of Jesus by placing myself in his presence. Even now, he is doing wonderful things for me.

Then I read the scripture, slowly, constantly asking Jesus to help me hear and see what he wants to show me.

I may be drawn to the goodness of the landowner, perhaps leading me to reflect on the times I have experienced the goodness of God in my life. What is my sense of gratitude as I reflect?

Perhaps I am drawn to the person of Jesus, speaking of himself as the son of the landowner. He comes in love to offer the vineyard to me.

How do I feel towards him as I hear him speak?

Do I feel I am a trustworthy recipient of his gifts?

The Lord of the vineyard is the master of creation – I might end by committing myself afresh to the invitation to work in the portion of the Lord’s vineyard that has been entrusted to me – my family, relationships, neighbourhood, community ...

Glory be ...

Click here to read or listen to a one-minute homily!