Third Sunday of the Year - 2026

By Papal decree, this third Sunday in Ordinary Time, January 25, is to be observed as a special day devoted to “the celebration, study and dissemination of the word of God.” Its formal title is “Sunday of the Word of God” and is an invitation to Catholics across the world to deepen their appreciation, love and faithful witness to God and his word.  Pope Francis describes it as a day dedicated to the Bible to help the Church (quoting) “to experience anew how the risen Lord opens up for us the treasury of his word and enables us to proclaim its unfathomable riches before the world,” Many Catholic homes have bibles, often rather large books, beautifully produced. They may have a special place in the home like on the self under the coffee table in the living room. However, it's purpose there is not for prayer, reading and study, rather a place where the family records are kept. Thankfully in recent years the place and importance of the bible in Catholic homes is changing. On Nov. 18th 1965, Pope Paul VI promulgated the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation entitled Dei verbum. Its purpose is to spell out the Church’s understanding of the nature of Divine Revelation, that is, the process whereby God communicates with human beings. Let me highlight a couple of its key teachings. The document touches on key questions, especially about Scripture and tradition, and how the scriptures come under the teaching authority of the Church. We learn that the bible is not a book that stands alone, complete unto itself – rather it is a collection of writings brought together by a living body of believers, the Church, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The document states: “Sacred tradition and Sacred Scripture form one sacred deposit of the word of God, committed to the Church. #10” The document also teaches that to have a correct understanding of the sacred text it is important to take into account the various forms the writers of the scriptures have chosen to communicate God’s Word – such as historical, or poetic, or prophetic, etc. And of course the role of scripture in the Mass is highlighted by the document: “The Church has always venerated the divine Scriptures just as she venerates the body of the Lord, since, especially in the sacred liturgy, she unceasingly receives and offers to the faithful the bread of life from the table both of God's word and of Christ's body. #21” Pope John Paul II used the expression of the Table of the Word and the Table of the Eucharist. The document concludes with this exhortation: “The sacred synod also earnestly and especially urges all the Christian faithful, to learn by frequent reading of the divine Scriptures the "excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ" (Phil. 3:8). "For ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ." Therefore, they should gladly put themselves in touch with the sacred text itself, whether it be through the liturgy, rich in the divine word, or through devotional reading. Click here to link to the document online

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Second Sunday of the Year - 2026

BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT And John testified, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, "He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God." John 1:32-34 For more on the Baptism of the  Holy Spirit go to this  <<< LINK >>>

Baptism of Jesus - 2026

Today is the second of the three Epiphany’s traditionally celebrated by the Church: 1st the manifestation to the Wise Men and to all the world, God with us. 2nd today’s manifestation at the Jesus’ baptism by John. 3rd manifestation of Jesus’ miraculous power at the wedding in Cana. Some years, (like last year), all three make up the three Transitional Sundays from Christmas to Ordinary Time followed then by its 34 remaining Sundays of the year. Today its Matthew’s gospel that brings us to the Jordon river and Jesus’ baptism to behold this great Epiphany: And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased." Mtt. 3:16-17 Not only is this a glorious manifestation of Jesus’ sharing in God’s life, but it gives us insight into what Christian baptism and our baptism really means. By our baptism we are destined to a sharing in this same glory. However, like all key insights our understanding first begins in the Old Testament – specifically those accounts of passing through the barriers of the great seas/rivers – Red Sea lead by Moses and Jordan River lead by Joshua. These great bodies of water are preventing God’s people from entering into Promised land – their destiny planned by God for them. But the hand of God reaches down and parts the seas so the people can pass over on dry land into the promised land. Similarly, what prevents us from entering our destiny, our promised land is the great “sea of sin”. This is why Jesus has come into the world, he alone can overcome this impenetrable barrier holding us back. It is by the power of the Holy Spirit and the forgiveness of sin the sea of sin is parted. Original sin has caused us all to be born into this world on the wrong side of the sea. In baptism Jesus parts the sea so that we pass through the waters and are born again on the other side, free now to follow Jesus who will lead us home. The Christian Life begins when we are born again through the waters of baptism. Now sin and the Devil is not finished with us yet. Now that we are here on the other side of the great Sea of Damnation freed by the Sanctifying Grace of baptism, we must follow Jesus through the remaining days of the time allotted to us by living holy lives.  So now the journey home begins, or might we say continues. The Sundays of Ordinary Time and the gospel of Jesus will continue to part the sea of ignorance standing in our way. They will be our guiding light. Come, let us follow!

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Feast of the Epiphany - 2026

During the Advent / Christmas cycle of the year 2021, in this blog we reflected on the Three Comings of Christ. The 1st being His Incarnation, His 2nd is the Day of Judgement and His 3rd is now, each time a person is baptised into the life of Christ. Now let us look at these Three Epiphany's of Christ. We commonly think of the Epiphany as that one event in Christ's life where the Magi, led by a star, make their way to see him and offer him gifts fitting a new king. However, the Catholic liturgy considers the Epiphany to be threefold, the visit by the Magi, the Baptism of Jesus by John, and the Miracle of the Wine at the Wedding in Cana. The Greek word, "epiphaneia", was used to signify the coming of a king or emperor. It was also used for the self-manifestation of a god or for his miraculous intervention; this later, likely the original use of the word. A popular use of the word “epiphany” today means a sudden discovery, something finally seen and recognized, the beginning of understanding; we say, “ah, now I see, now I understand!” "I just had an epiphany". The word "insight" comes to mind here. Let us stay with this notion for now. Many people these days have abandoned the practice of belonging to a church. They say they are spiritual but not religious and do not need the structures of church membership to be a good person. It is true that everyone is spiritual for that is how God created us, a physical being with a spiritual soul. However to simply claim to be spiritual is to leave out one important thing - it is religious practice that connects spirit to the physical, so that it can bear fruit in the world. An apple tree without branches is just a stump. The people at the time of the Epiphany were both spiritual and religious. Where they were having difficulties was with which religion, which religious practice? Who best to sort out this complicated question than God Himself. The Epiphany is God showing in himself as the true religious way for all to see. ( ... now I see, now I get it, so this is the truly spiritual manifest in the truly religious practice. And oh what confusion we people are capable of creating. So the work that began with these three Epiphany's continues to unfold even as we speak.  Do you get it? Do you understand? How is your "epiphany experience" unfolding? Here is where true spirituality enters the discussion - true spirituality happens when we become seekers, searching for Him the One who will tell us in person who he is. As seekers our gifts to offer are open hearts and minds in search of "insight" and understanding - people with a dynamic spiritual/religious practice seeking a personal encounter with Jesus. Just as true spirituality does not tell God who he is, likewise true religion does not make up how God is to be served, God himself has come to show us how he wants us to worship and serve him. So we need to belong to the Church that Jesus established as his way of gathering us around himself for instruction.

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