This is what he taught them

 Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A - 29th January 2023

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 have 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 children 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.’

Gospel Reflection from St Beuno's Outreach

I become still, aware of the Lord’s presence with me, loving me just as I am. Perhaps I sense the warmth of his tender gaze upon me and rest with him for a few moments.

Then I read these very familiar ‘Beatitudes’ slowly and carefully, a number of times, taking them line by  me, pausing wherever my attention is drawn. If it seems helpful, I may like to picture myself on the hill in front of Jesus, listening to his words as if for the first time.

In each Beatitude, I notice what is being promised and to whom. Perhaps I think of ‘happy’ as meaning blessed, favoured, fortunate...

Is there a ‘happiness’ or blessing that stands out for me?

Is there one I’d really like to have? Or perhaps a mixture of them?

What blessing(s) do I desire for my family and friends, my community, the world ...?

What blessings do I see in my own life? I thank God for what I’ve been given. How do I want to respond?

To whom can I be a blessing today?

I try to be conscious of the Lord being gently present to me as I ponder these questions with him.

When I feel ready, I slowly end my prayer, thanking the Lord for all his goodness. ‘Glory be ...’

Click here to read or listen to a One-Minute Homily on today's Gospel from the Jesuit Post

Follow me

 Third Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year A - 22nd January 2023

Gospel Matthew 4: 12–23 (abbreviated)

Hearing that John had been arrested, Jesus went back to Galilee, and leaving Nazareth he went and settled in Capernaum, a lakeside town on the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali. In this way the prophecy of Isaiah was to be fulfilled:

Land of Zebulun! Land of Naphtali! Way of the sea on the far side of Jordan, Galilee of the nations! The people that lived in darkness have seen a great light: on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death a light has dawned.

From that moment Jesus began his preaching with the message, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.’

As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee he saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew; they were making a cast in the lake with their net, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you fishers of men and women.’ And they left their nets at once and followed him.

Gospel Reflection from St Beuno's Outreach

I come to prayer asking the Holy Spirit to help me surrender any resistance I carry. I take a few deep breaths, and slowly quieten my mind. God is the ground of my being. I remember that he really is close at hand.

I read Matthew’s narrative a couple of times, then use whatever form of prayer comes most naturally to me. I may draw on my imagination, and allow myself to enter the scene. Or I may focus on a particular phrase, savouring those words that catch my attention.

I turn to look at my own life. How do I experience Jesus’s invitation to help bring about God’s kingdom on earth? Perhaps the words ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand’ challenge my attitude and behaviour ...? Or perhaps they bring reassurance in the midst of a suffering world?

I ponder... and rest with Jesus.

I may dwell on Jesus’s call to his first disciples: ‘Follow me’. I notice how Jesus calls ordinary people like me into the intimacy of a shared life with him.

Can I hear that call in my own life?

I open my whole being to Christ, asking for whatever grace I need to help bring about Christ’s kingdom for all on earth.

Our Father ...

Click here to read or listen to a One-Minute Homily on today's Gospel from the Jesuit Post

Yes, I have seen

 Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A - 15th January 2023

Gospel John 1: 29–34

Seeing Jesus coming towards him, John said, ‘Look, there is the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. This is the one I spoke of when I said: A man is coming after me who ranks before me because he existed before me. I did not know him myself, and yet it was to reveal him to Israel that I came baptising with water.’ John also declared, ‘I saw the Spirit coming down on him from heaven like a dove and resting on him. I did not know him myself, but he who sent me to baptise with water had said to me, “The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and rest is the one who is going to baptise with the Holy Spirit”. Yes, I have seen and I am the witness that he is the Chosen One of God.’

Saint John the Baptist Bearing Witness - painting by Annibale Carracci (1560-1609)

Gospel Reflection from St Beuno's Outreach

As I come to prayer, I take my time to settle; to become still; to be as attentive as I can be to the one who is coming. I ask for the help of the same Spirit who rested on him like a dove.

I read the Gospel a few times, pausing often.

John, seeing Jesus coming towards him, points him out: ‘Look, there is the Lamb of God’. I stand alongside John. What am I noticing as I gaze upon Jesus? What do I say of him?

Like John, I might honestly wish to say, ‘I do not really know him myself’. Yet I am known by Jesus; and I am called by him to witness to him.

How does this make me feel?

The Spirit that has come down and rested on him, that same Spirit, has also been given to me. Does this make a difference?

I continue to stand before the lamb of God, the Chosen One of God. Now, what do I want to say to him from the bottom of my heart?

I stay with this colloquy – this heart to heart prayer – speaking to him freely as a close friend.

I end with a slow sign of the cross.

Click here to read or listen to a One-Minute Homily on today's Gospel from the Jesuit Post

This is my Son, the Beloved

 The Baptism of the Lord, Year A - 8th January 2023

Gospel Matthew 3: 13–17

Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptised by John. John tried to dissuade him. ‘It is I who need baptism from you,’ he said, ‘and yet you come to me!’ But Jesus replied, ‘Leave it like this for the time being; it is fitting that we should, in this way, do all that righteousness demands.’ At this, John gave in to him.

As soon as Jesus was baptised he came up from the water, and suddenly the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on him. And a voice spoke from heaven, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on him.’

Gospel Reflection from St Beuno's Outreach

As I come to my place of prayer, I pause to remember that God is with me. I slow my breathing to help me prepare to pray, dwelling for a moment on God’s life-giving presence within my heart, mind and body.

As the season of Christmas comes to a close, I may like to reflect on how I have celebrated the birth of Christ and contemplate what the incarnation of the Word of God as a tiny, vulnerable child means to me.

I talk with the Lord about this before I begin to pray with the Gospel. When I am ready, I move on.

In this short passage, we move quickly to the adulthood of Jesus and are drawn immediately into the action of the scene .

I read the text prayerfully and use my imagination to see the scene unfold. What do John and Jesus look like? What do I notice about their relationship when they meet on the banks of the river? John recognises the spiritual authority of Jesus and asks Jesus to baptise him.

But Jesus does not seem interested in human power relationships and seeks baptism for himself.

As Jesus is baptised, God declares his love for his Son and this love is energised by God’s Holy Spirit descending on Jesus.

Am I able to let God speak those same words to me: ‘you (my name) are my beloved child’?

What does this stir in me? How do I want to respond to that love?

I speak to the Lord with thanks and ask for a deeper understanding of God‘s call to me.

I finish my prayer with a slow sign of the cross.

Click here to read or listen to a One-Minute Homily on the Epiphany from the Jesuit Post

Mary treasured all these things in her heart

 Mary, Holy Mother of God, 1 January 2023

Gospel: Luke 2: 15–20

Now when the angels had gone from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us’. So they hurried away and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. When they saw the child they repeated what they had been told about him, and everyone who heard it was astonished at what the shepherds had to say.

As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds went back glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen; it was exactly as they had been told.

Gospel Reflection from Prego (St Beuno's Outreach)

By now I may have a little more time to sit quietly and contemplate the scripture passage the Church has chosen for me on this first day of the New Year.

Slowly, I take a few deep breaths, come to quiet and read the text above.

Who or what draws my attention?

Maybe it is Mary, the one who has been so actively involved in the story and yet from whom we have not heard a word.

I consider her situation silently for a while, perhaps bringing to mind all the events which have led to her bringing the baby Jesus to birth.

In time, I may feel moved to speak with her:

‘How are you feeling at the moment Mary?

Was your labour difficult?

How did you feel when you first heard the baby cry?’

I listen to her. What does she tell me she treasures?

I reflect on what it means to me today to experience these events through her eyes, and thank God for the birth of every child.

With you, Mary, I ponder in my heart the fate of all those who, like you, have been marginalised, not accepted by society: the homeless, the refugee, the mentally ill, the elderly, those suffering with dementia. I pray that they will encounter the Lord coming towards them in disguise: in food bank volunteers, refuge charity workers, care givers ...

Before I go, I thank you, Mary, mother of my God. You are indeed ‘blessed among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus’.

Click here to read or listen to a One-Minute homily from the Jesuit Post

News of great joy

 ⭐️The Nativity of the Lord, 25 December 2022 ⭐️

Gospel Luke 2: 8–14

In the countryside close by there were shepherds who lived in the fields and took it in turns to watch their flocks during the night. The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone round them. They were terrified, but the angel said, ‘Do not be afraid. Listen, I bring you news of great joy, a joy to be shared by the whole people. Today in the town of David a saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. And here is a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly with the angel was a great throng of the heavenly host, praising God and singing:

‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace to all who enjoy his favour’.

Adoration of the Shepherds, Domenico Ghirlandaio

Gospel Reflection from St Beuno's Outreach

I come to spend some quiet time with the Lord. Maybe I have the luxury of a candle and a crib to help me visualise the events of that special night.

Or maybe I rely on my imagination and my memories of previous years.

I read the text above, perhaps several times, before putting it aside.

I may find myself being present in the scene, next to the shepherds.

I look around, what do I see?

I smell the grass, the sheep. I feel the roughness of the shepherd’s staff. I hear the shuffling of animals, the barking of dogs.

Then suddenly, I see the angel of the Lord and the light changing in the sky. How do I react? Am I fearful, like the shepherds, or amazed, or ..?

I hear the angel’s comforting words, news of peace and joy.

As I pause for a moment to take this all in, the singing starts. What is it like? Perhaps it’s a tune I know well, or one I’ve never heard before.

I focus again on the angel’s words: a baby, in a manger, a Saviour, Christ the Lord. Could it be that God has chosen to come to earth in disguise, where we least expect him?

Can he really have come in such simple surroundings, as a helpless baby, he who is so Almighty?

In what way is this a joyful event? I ponder...

Eventually, I come back to the here and now, still carrying all these events in my heart, thankful that I was there, with the shepherds and the angel, perhaps better able now to share this great joy with all around me.

‘Glory to God in the highest ...’

Click here to read or listen to a One-Minute Homily for Christmas from the Jesuit Post

⭐️🎄Wishing you a joyful, peaceful and blessed Christmas!🎄⭐️

He is the one who is to save his people from their sins

 Fourth Sunday of Advent, Year A - 18th December 2022

Gospel Matthew 1: 18–24

This is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a man of honour and wanting to spare her publicity, decided to divorce her informally. He had made up his mind to do this when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.’ Now all this took place to fulfil the words spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son And they will call him Emmanuel,

a name which means ‘God-is-with-us’.

When Joseph woke up he did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do: he took his wife to his home.

Gospel Reflection from St Beuno's Outreach

With Christmas so near, I may be caught up getting things ready.

Perhaps I’m looking forward to being with family and friends. Or perhaps I struggle with loneliness, or a sense of emptiness as I remember a loved one.

Whatever time I have to spare, I settle gently into prayer. I try to let any chatter occupying my mind slow down. I place any concerns into the Lord’s gentle, caring hands, aware that I am in his loving presence.

I invite God’s Spirit to guide my prayer, opening my heart and mind to whatever it is the Lord may want to show me...

In time, I read the passage through, mulling over any word or image that particularly catches my attention.

Maybe I find myself thinking of Joseph in this difficult situation.

How might he be feeling? Sad ... afraid ... angry ... humiliated ... helpless ...?

Perhaps I picture him praying to God for guidance; searching for comfort. What might I do in his shoes? Where do I place my trust when I feel caught up in my own struggles? Do I rely on my own self-knowledge?

Or am I willing to accept things beyond my own understanding?

Joseph listens carefully to God. Might there be something distracting me from God’s call?

In my own words and from my heart, I share my feelings with the Lord. Perhaps there is a grace I wish to ask for.

I may think of the messengers in my own life, those ‘angels’ who have guided and helped me. I give thanks for them.

I may like to end with the old Opening Prayer for this Sunday (below), perhaps praying it in the first person: ‘Lord, fill my heart with your love ...’

Let us pray, as Advent draws to a close, 

that Christ will truly come into our hearts.

Lord, fill our hearts with your love, and as you revealed to us by an angel the coming of your Son as man,

so lead us through his suffering and death to the glory of his resurrection.

Click here to read or listen to a One-Minute Homily on today's Gospel from the Jesuit Post 

Gaudete - Rejoice!

Third Sunday of Advent, ‘Gaudete’ Sunday, Year A - 11th December 2022

Gospel Matthew 11: 2–11

John in his prison had heard what Christ was doing and he sent his disciples to ask him, ‘Are you the one who is come, or have we got to wait for someone else?’ Jesus answered, ‘Go back and tell John what you hear and see; the blind see again, and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised to life and the Good News is proclaimed to the poor; and happy is the one who does not lose faith in me.’

As the messengers were leaving, Jesus began to talk to the people about John: ‘What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the breeze? No? Then what did you go out to see? Someone wearing fine clothes? Oh no, those who wear fine clothes are to be found in palaces. Then what did you go out for? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet: he is the one of whom scripture says: Look, I am going to send my messenger before you; he will prepare your way before you.

I tell you solemnly, of all the children born of women, a greater than John the Baptist has never been seen; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he is.’

Today is Gaudete (Rejoice!) Sunday, sometimes called Rose Sunday

Gospel Reflection from St Beuno's Outreach

It may help me to prepare to pray by focusing on some image that speaks to me of Advent: perhaps an Advent wreath, or a candle. Or I may like to find an Advent carol or some other music that brings me a spirit of watching ... of longing ... of waiting ... of light shining in darkness.

I take time to settle my mind and body in whichever way suits me best. I gently notice any distractions that come to mind, and with compassion place them before God and guide my attention back to my prayer focus.

I wait ... in silence ... and in stillness.

When I feel ready, I slowly read the Gospel as many times as I need. I may like to use my imagination to enter into the scene.

Maybe I am a disciple of John who has been sent to meet Jesus?

Or perhaps I see events unfolding as a bystander, and listen to Jesus as he teaches the people.

Where does this meeting take place?

What do I see, and what do I notice about the followers of John and the people who have come to hear Jesus? What are they seeking?

What am I seeking?

How do I feel as I listen to Jesus’s response to the disciples?

The prophets, the psalmist, and the actions and words of Jesus are all teaching and preparing me ... but for what?

I share with Jesus my thoughts and feelings about all that has arisen for me during my time of prayer, as I would to a dear friend ... and I listen to him. When I am ready, I close my prayer with my own words of gratitude.

Click here to read or listen to a One-Minute Homily on today's Gospel from the Jesuit Post

Prepare a way for the Lord

 Second Sunday of Advent, Year A - 4th December 2022

Gospel Matthew 3: 1–11 (abridged)

In due course John the Baptist appeared; he preached in the wilderness of Judaea and this was his message: ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.’ This was the man the prophet Isaiah spoke of when he said: 'A voice cries in the wilderness: Prepare a way for the Lord, make his paths straight.’

This man John wore a garment made of camel-hair with a leather belt round his waist and his food was locusts and wild honey.

Then Jerusalem and all Judaea and the whole Jordan district made their way to him, and as they were baptised by him in the River Jordan they confessed their sins. But when he saw a number of Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism he said to them, ‘Brood of vipers, who warned you to fly from the retribution that is coming? But if you repent, produce the appropriate fruit, and do not presume to tell yourselves, “We have Abraham for our father,” because, I tell you, God can raise children for Abraham from these stones. Even now the axe is laid to the roots of the trees, so that any tree which fails to produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown on the fire.

I baptise you in water for repentance, but the one who follows me is more powerful than I am, and I am not fit to carry his sandals; he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire.’

The axe is laid to the roots of the trees

Gospel Reflection from St Beuno's Outreach

As I prepare to celebrate the Lord’s coming, I am grateful to find a few moments to spend with him. Wherever I am, I acknowledge his presence, and tell him about my mood and why I feel the need to be with him today.

After spending some time coming to inner quiet, I read the text several times to become really familiar with it so I can put it aside.

What are you going to show me today, Lord?

I may want to imagine myself by the River Jordan, with John the Baptist’s followers. I look at him, listen to him, and reflect.

John calls me to repentance – that is to a radical change of path. In what ways do I need to change within myself, in my dealings with my family, my colleagues, my community?

Perhaps I find myself among the Pharisees and Sadducees. How do I feel when John addresses us? Maybe I see in myself some of the complacency John objects to. I ponder ... and then tell the Lord what is in my heart.

He knows, he understands. I listen to him.

As I wait for the coming of the One who follows John, I look ahead. What can I tell him of my desire to be of service to others, to help bring about a better world?

When I am ready, I close my prayer with my own words of thanks.

Click here to read or listen to a One-Minute Homily on today's readings from the Jesuit Post.

Stay awake!

 First Sunday of Advent, Year A - 27th November 2022

Gospel: Matthew 24: 37–44

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘As it was in Noah’s day, so will it be when the Son of Man comes. For in those days before the Flood people were eating, drinking, taking wives, taking husbands, right up to the day Noah went into the ark, and they suspected nothing until the Flood came and swept all away. It will be like this when the Son of Man comes. Then of two people in the fields, one is taken, one left; of two at the millstone grinding, one is taken, one left.

So stay awake, because you do not know the day when your master is coming. You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what time of the night the burglar would come, they would have stayed awake and would not have allowed anyone to break through the wall of their house. Therefore, you too must stand ready because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.’

'...At an hour you do not expect.’

Gospel Reflection from St Beuno's Outreach

I come to my place of prayer. Perhaps I light a candle; maybe I have an Advent wreath, a sign of the Lord’s coming.

I relax into God’s loving presence, and ask the Lord to be with me as I settle to pray.

I read the text slowly and carefully.

The Lord will come unexpectedly and indiscriminately.

What does this mean to me as I go about my daily routine?

Jesus encourages us to ‘stay awake’ and to ‘stand ready’.

How can I be more alert and attentive to the present moment ...

to people and to events happening around me? ...

to the movement of the Spirit in my heart?

How am I conscious of the Lord, present in my daily life?

I speak to him about some of this.

As Christmas preparations are set in motion, maybe I can ask the Lord to show me how I can retain inner stillness at this time. What do I need to ask him for as I prepare to welcome Christ this Christmas?

I wait silently in his presence.

I end my prayer with a Glory be ...

Click here to read or listen to a One-Minute Homily on today's Gospel from the Jesuit Post

Today you will be with me in paradise

 Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, Year C - 20th November 2022

Gospel Luke 23: 35–43

The people stayed there before the cross watching Jesus. As for the leaders, they jeered at him. ‘He saved others,’ they said, ‘let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.’ The soldiers mocked him too, and when they approached to offer him vinegar, they said, ‘If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.’ Above him there was an inscription: ‘This is the King of the Jews.’

One of the criminals hanging there abused him. ‘Are you not the Christ?’ he said. ‘Save yourself and us as well.’ But the other spoke up and rebuked him. ‘Have you no fear of God at all?’ he said. ‘You got the same sentence as he did, but in our case we deserved it: we are paying for what we did. But this man has done nothing wrong. Jesus,’ he said, ‘remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ ‘Indeed, I promise you,’ Jesus replied, ‘today you will be with me in paradise.’

Gospel Reflection from St Beuno's Outreach

I take time to come to stillness in the way that is best for me, conscious of moving into this holy space before the Lord. I ask the Holy Spirit to help me respond today with openness and generosity.

I read these words from St Luke slowly, taking time to savour them, to notice the words or phrases that draw my attention.

Maybe it helps my prayer to place myself close to Jesus, watching as the scene unfolds. Perhaps I hear him talking to me, too. I sit quietly and listen.

I may like to stay with the differing reactions of the people before the cross of Jesus; the hostility, mockery, anger, rebuke or humble request.

I notice how these words touch me. I ponder; how do they relate to my life today? What does humility mean for me?

I share my deepest thoughts and feelings with the Lord as I would with a trusted friend, asking for whatever help or grace I need.

I spend a little time in silence before the mystery of the love of Christ crucified.

In time, I slowly end my prayer, perhaps with the words ‘Glory be to the Father ...’, as I ask the Lord to deepen his life within me.

Click here to read or listen to a One-Minute Homily on today's Gospel from the Jesuit Post.

He is God, not of the dead, but of the living

Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C - 6th November 2022

Gospel Luke 20: 27–38 (shorter form)

Some Sadducees – those who say that there is no resurrection – approached Jesus and put this question to him.

Jesus replied, ‘The children of this world take wives and husbands, but those who are judged worthy of a place in the other world and in the resurrection from the dead do not marry because they can no longer die, for they are the same as angels, and being children of the resurrection they are sons and daughters of God. And Moses himself implies that the dead rise again, in the passage about the bush where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Now he is God, not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all people are in fact alive.’

Gospel Reflection from St Beuno's Outreach

I consciously slow down, in preparation for my prayer time with the risen Christ. I become more aware of my life-giving breath, inviting Christ to breathe upon me ... to fill me with the Holy Spirit.

When ready, I read this profound passage slowly. It may help me connect to the meaning if I read Jesus’s words aloud.

I may ask again for the grace and inspiration of the Spirit, as I ponder Jesus’s teaching on the resurrection.

What does resurrec on mean for me ... whether Christ’s resurrection ... or my own resurrection? How does it feel to be a child of the resurrection?

What speaks now to my heart?

As I continue to meditate on the Gospel, I may be drawn to Jesus’ s wisdom and insight about God our Father: the God of the living ... the giver of life. I allow these words to sink into my whole being.

With the gentle and compassionate support of Jesus, I reflect on my own life. What is life-giving for me at the moment?

What drains me of life and hope, and of the sense of being a child of the Living God?

I share with the Lord whatever is in my heart, as with a dear and trusted friend.

I ask for the grace to yield to the Lord, to surrender my whole being to his presence and ac on in my life.

I close my prayer with a slow sign of the cross.

Click here to read or listen to a One-Minute Homily on today's Gospel from the Jesuit Post

Today salvation has come to this house

Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C - 30th October 2022 

Gospel Luke 19: 1–10

Jesus entered Jericho and was going through the town, when a man whose name was Zacchaeus made his appearance; he was one of the senior tax collectors and a wealthy man. He was anxious to see what kind of man Jesus was, but he was too short and could not see him for the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus who was to pass that way. When Jesus reached the spot he looked up and spoke to him: ‘Zacchaeus, come down. Hurry, because I must stay at your house today.’ And he hurried down and welcomed him joyfully. They all complained when they saw what was happening. ‘He has gone to stay at a sinner’s house’ they said. But Zacchaeus stood his ground and said to the Lord, ‘Look, sir, I am going to give half my property to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody I will pay him back four times the amount.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek out and save what was lost’.

Gospel Reflection from St Beuno's Outreach

I let my mind and body settle gently, and without hurry. I become aware of God’s loving gaze on me, and ask the Holy Spirit to be beside me in my prayer, helping me to open my heart to whatever God wants me to hear today.

I may like to enter into this familiar story in my imagination. Perhaps I put myself in Zacchaeus’s shoes, desperately trying to get a better look at Jesus. Frustrated by the depth of the crowd, I scramble up into the branches of a tree to get a better view. I’ve been so longing to know more about this man, Jesus. How does it feel to hear him call me, as he notices me clinging to the branch? What joy fills my heart as Jesus says he must stay at my house?

Leaving Zacchaeus clambering down from the tree, I reflect on how it feels to know that Jesus sees me too, and desires to be with me in my house today and every day, regardless of how unworthy I might think I am.

Zacchaeus’s stature and the depth of the crowd prevent him from seeing Jesus. I reflect on this. What stands in the way of my relationship with Jesus? What can I do to get past that? Taking as long as I need, I talk to Jesus about this as one friend to another.

I draw my prayer to a close, thanking the Lord for his presence in whatever words feel right.

Click here to read or listen to a One-Minute Homily on today's Gospel from the Jesuit Post

God be merciful to me, a sinner

 Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C - 23rd October 2022

Gospel Luke 18: 9–14

Jesus spoke the following parable to some people who prided themselves on being virtuous and despised everyone else. ‘Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood there and said this prayer to himself, “I thank you, God, that I am not grasping, unjust, adulterous like the rest of mankind, and particularly that I am not like this tax collector here. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes on all I get.” The tax collector stood some distance away, not daring even to raise his eyes to heaven; but he beat his breast and said, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” This man, I tell you, went home again at rights with God; the other did not. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the man who humbles himself will be exalted.’

Gospel Reflection from St Beuno's Outreach

As I prepare to pray, I place myself in God’s loving care by relaxing my body and mind. I gently breathe in his love and goodness.

When I’m ready, I read the text slowly, a couple of times.

Aware that I, too, can at times embody the attitudes of both men in the parable, I may choose to consider the characters separately.

As I look at the Pharisee, I can ask myself on whether I focus on God, or on myself when I pray. In what way do I do this?

I ponder, too, on how I view others, and how they are part of my prayer.

Without judgement, I ask the Lord to help me look honestly at my attitude. I may wish to remain silent so that he can open my eyes.

I then consider the tax collector. Although a sinner, he confidently comes into God’s presence. Maybe I can spend time offering God my brokenness and relying on his mercy.

I speak to the Lord, allowing him to see my whole truth.

I may wish to give thanks for the witness of many humble people who may or may not be recognised in this world.

I remember those burdened by guilt, and place them in the hands of Jesus, friend of sinners. Perhaps I also wish to pray that I may not add to division between people.

I humbly end my prayer: ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner.’

Pray continually and never lose heart

Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C - 16th October 2022

Gospel Luke 18: 1–8

Jesus told his disciples a parable about the need to pray continually and never lose heart. ‘There was a judge in a certain town’, he said, ‘who had neither fear of God nor respect for man. In the same town there was a widow who kept on coming to him and saying, ‘I want justice from you against my enemy!’ For a long time he refused, but at last he said to himself, ‘Maybe I have neither fear of God nor respect for man, but since she keeps pestering me I must give this widow her just rights, or she will persist in coming and worry me to death.’

And the Lord said, ‘You notice what the unjust judge has to say? Now will not God see justice done to his chosen who cry to him day and night even when he delays to help them? I promise you, he will see justice done to them, and done speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find any faith on earth?’

She kept coming to him...

Gospel reflection from St Beuno's Outreach

Before I begin to pray, I spend a few moments reflecting on my mood. Why have I come to speak to the Lord today? Is there something bothering me which I need to ask him about? Maybe it’s a recurring problem I keep bringing to him?

Whatever it is, I simply acknowledge it without judging, and turn my attention to the Gospel text. I read it slowly, then put it down and ponder.

In what ways does this parable have anything to do with my own life at the moment?

Maybe as I read the word ‘enemy‘, a particular face or name comes to my mind. I accept this, and tell the Lord about my relationship with this person or issue. Have I been repeatedly praying about this, or have I tried to deal with the problem on my own?

I consider Jesus’s promise of prompt justice. Maybe this will only become apparent to me with hindsight.

However I feel at the moment, I entrust the Lord with my worries about injustices around me and further afield.

I spend some time with Jesus’s last question: ’Will the Son of Man find any faith on earth?’ If I can, I let him know what I intend to do to help bring greater faith in the people I meet.

In time, I conclude my prayer with a slow sign of the cross.

Click here to read or listen to a One-Minute Homily on today's Gospel from the Jesuit Post

Your faith has saved you

 Twenty-eighth Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year C - 9th October 2022

Luke 17: 11–19

On the way to Jerusalem Jesus travelled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered one of the villages, ten lepers came to meet him. They stood some way off and called to him, “Jesus! Master! Take pity on us.”

When he saw them he said, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” Now as they were going away they were cleansed. Finding himself cured, one of them turned back praising God at the top of his voice, and threw himself at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. The man was a Samaritan. This made Jesus say, “Were not all ten made clean? The other nine, where are they? It seems that no one has come back to give praise to God, except this foreigner.”And he said to the man, “Stand up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you.”

...Praising God

Gospel Reflection from St Beuno's Outreach

I spend some moments entering, once again, the stillness that is being offered to me through this time of prayer.

I might like to pray this text imaginatively. I ask for the help of the Holy Spirit. Then, I read the gospel and ‘enter it’ with my mind’s eye.

I see what is happening and hear what is being said: the reactions of the crowd, the desperation of the lepers, the ‘pity’ of Jesus.

What am I noticing?

What is it like for the ten to live as outcasts, on the edges of the villages, along the borders of places? Then, to be accepted by Jesus and caught up in the moments of being healed?

I watch the Samaritan move off with the other nine, then return joyfully to Jesus to give thanks. Before, he stood a long way off; now, he can throw himself at Jesus’s feet.

And how does Jesus feel to be remembered in that moment?

I reflect on my own spiritual life. What is my own experience of the compassion and mercy of God? Do I really perceive all life as coming from God’s goodness? Do I praise God only in joyful moments?

Can I also be grateful even in the midst of suffering?

I remain at the Lord’s feet for some time, listening to what he might be saying about my faith.

I end with a sign of the cross.

Click here to read or listen to a One-Minute Homily on today's Gospel from the Jesuit Post

We are merely servants

 Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C - 2nd October 2022

Gospel Luke 17: 5–10

The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith.’ The Lord replied, ‘Were your faith the size of a mustard seed you could say to this mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea”, and it would obey you.

‘Which of you, with a servant ploughing or minding sheep, would say to him when he returned from the fields, “Come and have your meal immediately?” Would they not be more likely to say, “Get my supper laid; make yourself tidy and wait on me while I eat and drink. You can eat and drink yourself afterwards”? Must he be grateful to the servant for doing what he was told? So with you: when you have done all you have been told to do, say, “We are merely servants: we have done no more than our duty”.’

“Be uprooted and planted in the sea”

Gospel Reflection from St Beuno's Outreach

As I prepare for prayer, I place any concerns and desires into the Lord’s safe hands, so that I can focus all my attention on this time with him.

I may like to notice the gentle rhythm of my breathing.

In  me, I prayerfully read and re-read the Gospel passage slowly and carefully, letting the words soak in.

I notice where am I drawn. What words touch me? What images stay with me? Am I struggling with anything?

I ponder why this is.

Asking the Holy Spirit to guide me, I reflect on the gift of faith the Lord has given me. Perhaps there have been times when I have struggled to believe?

I give thanks for the example and support of those who have helped my faith to grow.

Maybe I notice Jesus’s final words to the apostles,

‘Say: “We are merely servants: we have done no more than our duty”.’ With gratitude, I ponder all the Lord has given me and done for me. Can I give and share of myself with joy, feeling good about ‘doing my duty’, rather than seeking approval or expecting special attention?

I speak to the Lord as a loving, caring friend about what arises.

Giving thanks, I ask God to deepen my faith and trust, and to help me grow in awareness of the trust placed in me.

...Even if someone should rise from the dead

 Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C - 25th September 2022

Gospel Luke 16: 19–31 (abridged)

Jesus said to the Pharisees: ‘There was a rich man who used to dress in purple and fine linen and feast magnificently every day. And at his gate there lay a poor man called Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to fill himself with the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table. Dogs even came and licked his sores. Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried.

‘In his torment in Hades he looked up and saw Abraham a long way off with Lazarus in his bosom. So he cried out, “Father Abraham, pity me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in agony in these flames”. “My son,” Abraham replied, “remember that during your life good things came your way, just as bad things came the way of Lazarus. Now he is being comforted here while you are in agony.’ ... The rich man answered, “Father, I beg you then to send Lazarus to my father’s house, since I have five brothers, to give them warning so that they do not come to this place of torment too.” “They have Moses and the prophets,” said Abraham, “let them listen to them.” “Ah no, father Abraham,” said the rich man, “but if someone comes to them from the dead, they will repent.” Then Abraham said to him, “If they will not listen either to Moses or the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone should rise from the dead.”’

Gospel Reflection from St Beuno's Outreach

As I settle for prayer, I trust that God is here, around me, within me, in every breath I take. I pause ... then focus my attention on my breathing, following each in and out breath, deepening my awareness of God’s life- giving presence.

When I am still enough for prayer, I read the Gospel passage slowly, a few times, until I become familiar with it.

I imagine hearing Jesus share this parable with me as if for the first time. What compassionate message does Jesus want me to hear?

What do I feel as I listen to his teaching?

Where do I see injustice in my own life, and how am I responding to it? Is God inviting me to do more?

I talk to Jesus as I would to a trusted friend, and ask him for the grace to always act with justice and compassion in all that I do.

I close my prayer by praying with Jesus, Our Father ...

Click here to read or listen to an One-Minute Homily on today's Gospel from the Jesuit Post

No servant can be the slave of two masters

Rest eternal grant to her, O Lord
And let light perpetual shine upon her.

Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C - 18th September 2022

Gospel Luke 16: 1–13 (part)

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Those who can be trusted in little things can be trusted in great; those who are dishonest in little things will be dishonest in great. If then you cannot be trusted with money, that tainted thing, who will trust you with genuine riches? And if you cannot be trusted with what is not yours, who will give you what is your very own?

‘No servant can be the slave of two masters: they will either hate the first and love the second, or treat the first with respect and the second with scorn. You cannot be the slave both of God and of money.’

Gospel Reflection from St Beuno's Outreach

As I come to this time of prayer, I ask for God’s blessing. I may use my own words, or perhaps I pray, ‘Lord, I ask your blessing on my wounds and my distractions ... your blessing to help me become more deeply present to you in my prayer  me, and more aware of you through this day.’

Once I have slowed down enough to allow God to speak to me, I read this challenging text slowly (whether this short extract or the full version).

I take time to allow my faith to be nurtured through this contact with scripture and the teaching of Jesus.

As I read the passage again, perhaps I ponder what wise, prudent use of money and material possessions means in my own life.

What is my relationship with money?

Where is my attachment to it and where is my freedom?

I ask for the grace to deepen my self-awareness, and the personal freedom to make wise choices in the great and little things of my own life.

I speak with Jesus about whatever feelings and insights arise.

I pray to wake up to the genuine riches that Christ is offering me today. Perhaps the courage to see my community, my church more clearly ...? or the humility to depend on and love God even more...?

or the generosity to share all of my gifts more freely...?

Or maybe there are other genuine riches the Lord desires to share with me. I reflect on whatever comes to my awareness.

I may end with a time of quiet contemplation, simply resting in the silent mystery of the Creator. I try to listen with tranquil attention ... yielding to God’s action and presence.

When ready, I slowly end my prayer, glorifying God.

Click here to read or listen to a One-Minute Homily on today's Gospel from the Jesuit Post

 Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time,  Year C - 11th September 2022

Rest eternal grant to her, O Lord
And let light perpetual shine upon her.

Today's Gospel 

Luke 15: 1–32 (part)

The tax collectors and the sinners, meanwhile, were all seeking Jesus’s company to hear what he had to say, and the Pharisees and the scribes complained. ‘This man’, they said, ‘welcomes sinners and eats with them.’ So he spoke this parable to them:

‘Who among you with a hundred sheep, losing one, would not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the missing one till he found it? And when he found it, would he not joyfully take it on his shoulders and then, when he got home, call together his friends and neighbours? “Rejoice with me,” he would say, “I have found my sheep that was lost.” In the same way, I tell you, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner than over ninety-nine virtuous men who have no need of repentance.

‘Or again, what woman with ten drachmas would not, if she lost one, light a lamp and sweep out the house and search thoroughly till she found it? And then, when she had found it, call together her friends and neighbours? “Rejoice with me,” she would say “I have found the drachma I lost.” In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing among the angels of God over one repentant sinner.’

Gospel reflection from St Beuno's Outreach

I take time to become still, feeling the warmth of God’s loving gaze on me as I offer this time in prayer.

I read through the text a couple of times, and then enter into the scene in my imagination. Where do I  find myself? Do I, like the scribes and Pharisees, find it hard to recognise my sinfulness and my need for repentance? Or do I readily accept my place among the sinners, and strive to move closer to Jesus as he relates the two parables?

What does Jesus want me to hear? The parables both describe searching for and  finding things that have been lost. What things in my life are so precious that I’d go to such lengths to find them? What am I striving for? For what do I need to ask God’s help? ... guidance? ... light?

Am I bringing the realities of my life to the Lord in my prayer, trusting totally in God and letting the Lord work through me, or are there aspects that I avoid facing up to?

I listen to Jesus describe the joy of finding what is lost. and I ponder what it is that brings joy to my life.

I share my thoughts and feelings with the Lord, and close with the prayer I am most drawn to.

Click here for a One-Minute Homily on today's Gospel from the Jesuit Post