We can only pass on what we have already received. So what does this mean for Christian teaching and preaching? Fr Dean reflects on today’s readings from Mass.

Readings for Tuesday of the 22nd week of ordinary time can be found here

I’m sure most of remember our school days with a mixture of emotions. We can probably speak with affection about our favourite teachers, and with slightly less affection of those we always tried to avoid. Some ruled with an iron rod (or a bamboo cane!) whilst my others may have seemed more friendly and affable. Perhaps though the tables could be turned on us, if we had to listen to what those teachers remembered about us!

When Jesus teaches in the synagogue on the sabbath in Capernaum, he stands  in a long line of Jewish Rabbis. No doubt, these rabbis would have varied greatly in their popularity and gifts at teaching.  In the gospel story, Jesus’ teaching is powerful and full of authority. His listeners are astonished and his words leave a deep impression upon them. Likewise, his words change things. They have power even over unclean spirits.

The teaching and preaching ministry of the church is as important today as it ever was. Different styles may have come and gone, some more effective than others, some preachers more gifted than others, but there continues to be a rich array of ministries—not just from clergy, but Lay readers, evangelists, catechists, Sunday School teachers and so on. Each of them is important, for at the heart of them is the teaching of Jesus. We are called to share the good news with others but this begins and continues with hearing the good news for ourselves. We can only pass on what we have already received.

Mass today is in St Mary’s at 6.30pm.

If you’d like more resources for daily prayer, then check out our Day By Day pages.

In the story of John the Baptist’s beheading, Herod looks like the strong one, but John shows us where true strength lies. Fr Richard reflects on today’s readings from Mass.

Readings for the memorial of the Beheading of John the Baptist can be found here.

Imagine that you are watching a game of chess. One player seems to be totally in control. He is able to look several moves ahead, and appears to outmanoeuvre his opponent at every turn. The other seems hopelessly out of his depth, losing pieces left, right and centre. Then suddenly the second player pulls something incredible out of the hat and ends up winning.

In today’s Gospel, Herod appears to be the one in control. He has all the pieces and has the power to make all the moves. First he wants his brother’s wife, and what Herod wants, he gets. Next he is able to order the execution of John the Baptist because he is an inconvenience. It might appear that John has lost – he has made the foolish move by sacrificing his life. But of course, John has won the moral victory by standing up for what is right.

The heart of today’s memorial of the Beheading of John is summed up by these words from Paul: “God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong”. The world, represented by Herod, values strength, power, getting one’s own way. Through the death of John, God shows us a different way. It’s a path of self-sacrifice and service, signs of apparent weakness, but one where true strength is to be found.

Mass today is in St Mary’s at 11.30am (preceded by morning prayer at 10.50am and the Rosary at 11am).

If you’d like more resources for daily prayer, check out our Day By Day pages.

The Christian life has a different conception of wisdom to the world. What appears like foolishness – preparing for the coming of the Lord, for example – is actually a sign of holy wisdom. Fr Richard reflects on today’s readings from Mass.

Readings for Friday of week 21 of ordinary time (memorial of St Augustine, Bishop and Doctor) can be found here.

It’s often said that an election isn’t won or lost during the few weeks of campaigning before polling day. In reality it boils down to the work that the parties have been doing in the years prior. Have they kept their promises? Have they delivered on what they said last time? No amount of slick advertising in those final weeks can make up for wasted years.

In today’s parable Jesus sets up a contrast between those who have left things to the last minute and those who have planned ahead. The foolish virgins think they can scrabble around for oil when the bridegroom is at the door; the wise ones have been ready for a long while. It’s another warning from Jesus for us to be always ready for when he comes again.

At first glance there might seem to be a tension between this message and what Paul says in our first reading. He appears to criticise the “wisdom of the wise” and instead commends the “foolishness of God”. But Paul is really attacking a worldly kind of wisdom, a false wisdom that says all can be sorted out at the last minute. A false wisdom that promises the earth but doesn’t say how it will be paid for. A false wisdom that says oil will miraculously turn up. Instead the wise virgins demonstrate the wisdom that looks like foolishness to the world – a belief and trust that the bridge groom will indeed arrive soon, even when others doubt it.

Mass today is in St Saviour’s at 10am.

If you’d like more resources for daily prayer, check out our Day By Day pages.

Waiting can be frustrating; we can see it as a waste of time. Or we can use the time while we are waiting for something productively, to continue our faithful following of God. Fr Richard reflects on today’s readings from Mass.

Readings for Thursday of week 21 of ordinary time (memorial of St Monica) can be found here.

It’s estimated that over the course of an average lifetime, a person may spend anything from many months to several years just waiting. Waiting at traffic lights, waiting in the doctor’s surgery, waiting for the kettle to boil, waiting for the bus … the list goes on. Some people cannot abide waiting, viewing it as a waste of time. Others might adapt to it rather better. They might use the time to read a few pages of their book, offer up a few prayers, or simply admire the scenery that is around them.

In today’s Gospel reading Jesus describes two different attitudes towards waiting. The subject of his parable is the servant waiting for the master to come home, which is an image for Christians waiting for Jesus himself to return at the end of time. We can either use this time of waiting wisely, like the faithful servant, who is ready when the master returns, or we can waste it, as the wicked servant does. The big question of course, is this: how do we wait well for the coming of the Lord? How do we stay ready at all times, like the faithful servant? What is the secret?

Well of course, there isn’t really a secret. Paul gives us the answer in today’s reading from 1 Corinthians. He says to his readers that they “will not be without any of the gifts of the Spirit while you are waiting for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed; and he will keep you steady and without blame until the last day”. The same, of course, is true for us. There is a sense in which we are not really waiting for Jesus to come, like those servants whose master has gone away. For he is with us always, thanks to the Holy Spirit. Therefore, if we open ourselves to the Spirit in worship and prayer, we will receive the gifts we need to wait well, to remain faithful, to continue serving without losing heart. Paul finishes today’s readings with three wonderful words “God is faithful”. He never gives up on us, despite our many failings. And so his faithfulness enables us to be faithful, so that when Jesus does come again, whenever that might be, we are ready to greet him.

Mass today is in St Dyfrig and St Samson at 10am.

If you’d like more resources for daily prayer, check out our Day By Day pages.

We all have a role to play in the life of the Church. Just because what we do maybe unseen, it doesn’t mean it isn’t important. Fr Richard reflects on today’s readings from Mass.

Readings for Wednesday of week 21 of ordinary time can be found here.

According to official statistics, around 34 million people in Britain get up and go to work each day. That’s teachers, nurses, builders, cleaners, drivers, office workers, and countless others. Of course, we don’t know who most of them are, what they do or when they do it. But quietly and without fuss they each contribute to the functioning of society. Maybe sometimes they don’t feel like getting up for work, but nonetheless they get on and do it, and in some way we all benefit.

Paul reminds the Thessalonians of how, when he was with them, he worked to support himself, so that he wasn’t a burden on anyone. Now he encourages them to imitate his example. Each and every member of the Christian community has a role to play, some work to perform. Some of this work may be up the front, such as in teaching or leading worship. Some of it may be behind the scenes, in administering the church or encouraging others. Elsewhere in his letters, Paul reminds us that the church is the body of Christ, and like a human body the members – that is us – are all different, and have different roles, but must work together for the whole body to function.

In the Gospel, Jesus is once again criticising the Pharisees. They are all about the show, wanting to appear righteous, but inside they are full of hypocrisy. They are not getting on with the hard work of being faithful followers of God, which is often unglamorous work. Some of us may have retired from full-time work, but we still have an important role to play in the life of the church. We might sometimes feel that there is little we can usefully do. However, every unseen prayer, every encouraging smile, every time we come to Mass and meet with the Lord, we are contributing something vital to the advancement of God’s Kingdom. Let us never think that our effort does not matter, or that to count it needs to be dramatic or showy. Just like the countless millions who work away unseen for society to operate, our faithfulness to God and his church can make a difference we may never know about. 

Mass today is in St Paul’s at 10am and in St Mary’s at 11am.

If you’d like more resources for daily prayer, check out our Day By Day pages.

Often in life we worry about things that we can’t really affect. Better instead to worry – or be concerned – about things we can influence, such as whether we are faithfully following God. Fr Richard reflects on today’s readings from Mass.

Readings for Tuesday of the 21st week of ordinary time can be found here.

Are you one of life’s worriers? Some people, it seems, worry about everything, most of which they can’t do anything about. Having left the house they worry that they have left the iron on, and this occupies their mind for the whole day. Or they board an aeroplane and worry that it will crash, so they cannot relax on the journey. Of course, worrying is not going to make the iron switch itself off (hint – it was probably off anyway), or make the plane arrive safely at its destination (hint – it most likely will). This sort of worrying, though natural, is a waste of time and achieves nothing.

In our first reading, Paul is addressing the Christians in Thessalonica who have been worrying that “the day of the Lord” – the return of Jesus to judge all people – has already come. Apparently, their state of alarm has been caused by other people saying it has happened or even impersonating one of Paul’s letters to say so. Paul in effect urges them not to worry, for they will be left in no doubt when the return of Jesus does actually happen. Worrying about it will not make any difference. Instead, Paul urges the Thessalonians to “stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us”. This is something they can influence, and this is what they should be worried, or concerned about.

In the Gospel, Jesus criticises the Pharisees for worrying about the wrong things. They are obsessing over whether they have offered a tithe (or one-tenth) of the tiniest herbs or worrying about washing cups and plates. Instead, Jesus says, there are weightier matters to worry about – whether one is exercising justice, mercy and faithfulness. 

Like the Thessalonians or the Pharisees, we might sometimes be tempted to worry or obsess about things which in the end don’t really matter, or that we can’t influence. And not just whether the iron is still on or whether the plane will crash. Instead, let us worry about what we can influence – whether, in fact, we are being faithful followers of God and doing all we can to spread his love in the world.

Mass today is in St Mary’s at 6.30pm.

If you’d like more resources for daily prayer, then check out our Day By Day pages.

Sometimes we might think “climbing the greasy pole” or advancing in terms of our status, is the mark of success. However, St Bartholomew shows that being in the background yet faithful is just as worthwhile. Fr Richard reflects on today’s readings from Mass.

Readings for the Feast of St Bartholomew can be found here.

On becoming prime minister for the first time in 1868, 30 years after entering Parliament, Benjamin Disraeli said “I have climbed to the top of the greasy pole”. Often, climbing the greasy pole is seen as a mark of success. An MP, we might think, should want to become a minister or even prime minister. A soldier or police officer should seek to advance a through the ranks; and there’s possibly a point to be made about priests becoming bishops, but we’ll leave that to one side!

We know that the apostles of Jesus once argued among themselves who was the greatest, who was at the top of the greasy pole. And certainly, some are more well known than others. We read a lot about Peter, James and John in the Gospels. And yet there are others who are much more in the background. One such is Bartholomew, who we honour today. In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke and in Acts he’s only mentioned in the lists of the apostles. In today’s Gospel, he’s identified with Nathaniel, and has only a minor part.

Most of us will be more like Bartholomew. We are not likely to climb the greasy pole (and may not want to, for that matter!). Yet Bartholomew is no less of an apostle for being less prominent. Indeed, our reading from Revelation says that the heavenly city will be built on the foundations of the twelve apostles, suggesting they are all equal. And in response to that argument about who was the greatest, Jesus reminded his friends that being the least is the true sign of greatness. History may not record much about Bartholomew, but we know that he was a faithful follower of Jesus, which is why we honour him today. Our discipleship may not make us famous but that’s not what matters. Following Bartholomew in being faithful is what truly counts.

Mass today is in St Dyfrig & St Samson at 6.30pm.

If you’d like more resources for daily prayer, check out our Day By Day pages.