Many years ago, a friend of mine served Christmas dinner to a number of families living in a very poor area. He was joined by others, including a nun who soon rushed into the kitchen rather flustered. “We haven’t served the starter yet, and they’ve eaten the after dinner mints!” The formality of some diningContinue reading “Day 28: Intimate Holiness”
Monthly Archives: March 2021
Saturday 20 March 2021
Who on earth Read Several people who had been listening to Jesus said, ‘Surely he must be the prophet’, and some said, ‘He is the Christ’, but others said, ‘Would the Christ be from Galilee? Does not scripture say that the Christ must be descended from David and come from the town of Bethlehem?’ SoContinue reading “Saturday 20 March 2021”
Day 27: A prophecy in bread and wine
‘It was not meant to hurt | It had been made for happy remembering | By people who were still too young | to have learned about memory’ ….And how that explosion would hurt | is not just an idea of horror but a flash of fine sweat | over the skin-surface, a bracing ofContinue reading “Day 27: A prophecy in bread and wine”
Friday 19 March 2021
Dreaming of God’s designs Read When Joseph woke up he did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do. From MATTHEW 1:16,18-21,24 Reflect Ask a class of young schoolchildren what they want to be when they grow up and you get a fascinating array of choices but you can always bet thatContinue reading “Friday 19 March 2021”
Day 26: For Real
Thanks to Fr Martin Williams for his third post during our 40 Meditations on the Mass Religious people – and people who say they are not ‘religious’ but ‘spiritual’ – are often accused of not living in the ‘real world’. (The same is also said of political idealists or people regarded as ‘do-gooders’ by theirContinue reading “Day 26: For Real”
Thursday 18 March 2021
Likes, loves and notifications Read You study the scriptures, believing that in them you have eternal life; now these same scriptures testify to me, and yet you refuse to come to me for life! As for human approval, this means nothing to me. Besides, I know you too well: you have no love of GodContinue reading “Thursday 18 March 2021”
Wednesday 17 March 2021
All in the same boat Read When Simon Peter saw this he fell at the knees of Jesus saying, ‘Leave me, Lord; I am a sinful man.’ For he and all his companions were completely overcome by the catch they had made; so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were Simon’s partners.Continue reading “Wednesday 17 March 2021”
Day 25: No slums in heaven
“In the beginning, when the work started,” wrote St Teresa of Calcutta, “I got a fever and had a dream about St Peter. He said to me, “No, there is no place for you here. No slums in heaven.” “All right,” I answered him, “then I shall go on working. I’ll bring the people fromContinue reading “Day 25: No slums in heaven”
Day 24: What can I give him?
Back to Christmas, and the carols we weren’t allowed to sing! One of the favourites is from a poem written by Christina Rossetti called In the bleak mid-winter. The last verse goes: “What can I give him poor as I am if I were a shepherd I would give a lamb. If I were aContinue reading “Day 24: What can I give him?”
Tuesday 16 March 2021
Let’s hope so Read One man there had an illness which had lasted thirty-eight years, and when Jesus saw him lying there and knew he had been in this condition for a long time, he said, ‘Do you want to be well again?’ ‘Sir,’ replied the sick man ‘I have no one to put meContinue reading “Tuesday 16 March 2021”
