A little help

“Discipleship may be difficult, but none of us is in this alone. We receive guidance and inspiration from one another. We are reminded of this every time we sing or say the Magnificat, the Song of Mary.” Today’s reflection from the daily Mass.

BIBLE READINGS: You can find the readings for Friday of the December 22 here (Universalis Website)

In the movie, Joy Ride, starring Olivia Coleman, Joy is travelling to her sister so she can hand over her new born child whom she doesn’t want. Along the way, her taxi gets stolen by a young boy called Mully who is on the run from his uncaring dad following the death of his mother.

Joy has no connection with her baby, and doesn’t want to begin one. As they embark upon a road trip together, Mully is the one who helps Joy. After helping to take care of his own sister’s child, he teaches Joy how to care for a baby including how to change nappies and breast feed.

The readings today are full of the news of motherhood. One from the Old Testament and one from the New. Both pregnancies are unexpected. When Mary receives the news that she is to be the mother of Jesus, her mind returns to others she has known—if not in person, then certainly from within the long tradition of Gods people. Perhaps she can see some parallels in her own life with that of Hannah. A miraculous pregnancy accepted as a gift from God followed by so much praise and thanksgiving for all that God is doing.

Hannah and Mary and every other mother will no doubt have received some help and guidance from those around them—particularly those who have known how to care for a newborn child. Likewise, as we follow Jesus, and give him the attention and love he desires, we are also upheld by the the presence and support of others around us. We stand in the long tradition of those who have gone before us—the Communion of Saints which consists of the living and departed. Discipleship may be difficult, but none of us is in this alone. We receive guidance and inspiration from one another. We are reminded of this every time we sing or say the Magnificat, the Song of Mary. Although her vocation is unique, we are all called to be Christ bearers. Sometimes, we may just need a little help.

MASS TODAY

Mass today on Monday 22 December is at S Dyfrig and S Samson at 630pm

DAY BY DAY

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Moving forward with God

In today’s reflection on the daily mass readings, Fr Richard considers how God is always calling us to new adventures in his service, and never to stand still

Readings for 20 December: Isaiah 7.10-14; Psalm 24.1-2, 3-4, 5-6; Luke 1.26-38. Text of readings can be found here.

For many of us, the approach of Christmas represents a furious round of activity, with attendance at carol services and parties, Christmas shopping, present wrapping and more besides. Indeed, the busy-ness seems to have been ongoing since mid-November, or even earlier. We might be forgiven for looking forward to the days after Christmas, when we can relax a bit, go for a walk, watch TV and feast on turkey sandwiches!

As much as we might be relishing the prospect of a rest, our readings today remind us that God is continually calling us to act, to take part in his work of renewing the world, and to embark on new adventures in his name. In the reading from Isaiah, God calls Ahaz to act – to ask him for a sign of God’s providence towards the nation of Judah. Ahaz refuses the invitation, so God acts anyway – giving the sign of a virgin conceiving and bearing a son who will be called Emmanuel.

In the famous Gospel reading of the Annunciation, God through the angel calls Mary to co-operate in his plan for the salvation of the world. She is invited to embark on the incredible adventure of becoming the mother of his only Son. Despite the uncertainties, unlike Ahaz she accepts the invitation without hesitation.

Perhaps we will have the chance to stand still for a while after Christmas. But God never calls us to stand still in our life of discipleship. As with Ahaz, as with Mary, he is continually inviting us to do something new in his service, to make our contribution to advancing his kingdom here on earth. As we prepare once again to celebrate the joy of the Saviour’s birth, let us also pray for the grace and courage to say “yes” to God and willingly go where he is leading us.

Mass today is at 11.30am in St Mary’s.

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

Ordinary and miraculous

In today’s reflection on the daily mass readings, Fr Richard considers how God so often uses something which seems ordinary – such as the birth of a child – to achieve something amazing.

Readings for 19 December: Judges 13.2-7, 24-25; Psalm 71.3-4, 5-6, 16-17; Luke 1.5-25. Text of readings can be found here.

The news that a baby is on the way can generate a whole range of emotions for the family concerned. Joy and excitement will surely be common reactions, as everyone eagerly looks forward to the tiny new human, that bundle of cuteness, arriving on the scene. Added to this there might be surprise, if the pregnancy was not planned; there also may be a degree of worry or concern if finances are tight, or previous pregnancies have been difficult. And then of course everyone will wonder what will become of this new addition as he or she grows up and makes their way in the world.

The arrival of a new child is at the same time routine (there are 4.3 births per second throughout the world), and incredibly special. It is striking how often in the Bible God uses such an event to further his purposes. Today we hear of two such instances – the announcement of the birth of Samson to Zorah and his wife, and that of John the Baptist to Zechariah and Elizabeth. To these we could add the births of Isaac, Samuel, and of course that of Jesus, to which our readings today are looking forward.

God deliberately chooses such an ordinary yet also extraordinary event to remind us of a very important truth. We might think of ourselves, our lives, our churches and communities as fairly ordinary, nothing that exceptional. In reality, of course, we are all exceptional because we are unique, and created in God’s image. Yet just as he works in and through the seemingly ordinary event of childbirth (albeit adding unique and even miraculous elements), so he can work through us, and our situations, ordinary as they might seem to us, but extraordinary and special as they are to him.

Mass today (Friday 19 December) is in St Saviour’s, Splott at 10am

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

Hope through difficulty

In today’s reflection on the daily mass readings, Fr Richard considers how God’s hope is often revealed through difficulty and trials, rather than perfection

Readings for 18 December: Jeremiah 23.5-8; Psalm 72.1-2, 12-13, 18-19; Matthew 1.18-24. Text of readings can be found here.

You can blame it on Christmas movies, the John Lewis TV advert, scenes on Christmas cards and chocolate boxes, and nowadays social media as well. There is an image in the public mind of what constitutes the perfect Christmas: the turkey perfectly cooked with all the trimmings; the tree looking immaculate with beautifully wrapped presents beneath; and the house full of happy and harmonious family members. Often, the truth can be a long way short of this, and we have all heard of (or experienced) a Christmas that’s less than perfect.

In our readings today we see a God who is not concerned with a chocolate-box image of perfection. Indeed, it seems that it is disaster, difficulty and vulnerability that God prefers to work through in order to show forth his hope. Jeremiah was writing to a people whose very nation had been destroyed; Israel had been conquered and the people sent off into exile in a foreign land. Yet out of these ashes God promises to raise up “a virtuous branch for David”, a king who will rule with integrity, and restore the nation.

In the Gospel, God is working out his purposes for the salvation of all through an ordinary, lowly family, the couple’s very relationship threatened by this unexpected pregnancy. It is through these less-than-perfect circumstances that God enters into our less-than-perfect world, in order to draw it back to him.

As Christmas approaches, with all its expectations, let us be on the lookout for God’s hope manifesting itself through the struggles, the disappointments and the difficulties – for that is where his hope is most often to be found.

Mass today (Thursday 18 December) is at 10am in St Dyfrig & St Samson, Grangetown.

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

An inner conversion

In today’s reflection on the daily mass readings, Fr Richard considers what it means truly to accept God’s way for our lives.

Readings for Tuesday of the third week of Advent: Zephaniah 3.1-2, 9-13; Psalm 34.2-3, 6-7, 17-18, 19, 23; Matthew 21.28-32. Text of readings can be found here.

One of the many banes of modern life is having to scroll through pages and pages of terms and conditions before signing up to some service or other, then ticking the box which says “I Agree” right at the end. Which person actually reads (or could understand) every word before agreeing? Most of the time this has no consequences, but occasionally we might come a cropper for some reason, and the reply from officialdom would be “well, it was in the terms and conditions you agreed to”!

Our readings today highlight this difference between blithely agreeing to something, and understanding deep within ourselves the implications of that decision. In our first reading tonight we have the first two verses from Zephaniah chapter 3, then a gap, followed by five more verses. In the first part, God is condemning the people for their rebellion and lack of trust in him. Outwardly they claimed to be his people, but their lives did not match this rhetoric. They had clicked “I agree” without understanding what that meant in practice. In the second part of the reading, however, God promises to purify the people, to bring about a conversion of hearts and minds. 

A similar theme is present in today’s Gospel. Jesus uses the parable of the two sons to illustrate the contrast between the chief priests and the elders, those who claim to be true followers of God, and the tax collectors and prostitutes. The former show by their attitude that they haven’t really understood what God demands. The latter, though their lives might be outwardly chaotic, have understood and are making that inner conversion. That is what we are all called to. It is the harder way than simply ticking “I agree”, but God promises to accompany us on that journey, and help us.

Mass today (Tuesday 16 December) is at 6.30pm in St Mary’s, Butetown.

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

Choosing the right way

In today’s reflection on the daily mass readings, Fr Richard considers the importance of making up our minds in relation to the things of God, even when this is difficult.

Readings for Monday of the third week of Advent: Numbers 24.2-7, 15-17a; Psalm 25.4-5, 6-7, 8-9; Matthew 21.23-27. Text of readings can be found here.

It was once said of a famous Anglican bishop, “on every important issue, he nails his colours firmly to the fence”. Sometimes, perhaps, once can be forgiven for hedging one’s bets, and not firmly deciding one way or another on a certain issue. We might be concerned about upsetting one side or another, or the matter may genuinely be a hard one to decide upon. On other occasions, however, we are called to be decisive: are we in favour of something, or are we against it?

The chief priests and elders in today’s Gospel tried nailing their colours to the fence when Jesus challenged them about John the Baptist’s authority, after they asked him about his own authority. They were afraid of being seen either as hypocrites, or antagonising the people, who believed in John. And so they replied, “We do not know”.

An altogether different approach is shown by the prophet Balaam in our first reading. Previously, the local king Balak had sent Balaam to curse Israel as they passed through his land on their way to the Promised Land. On his way to carry out this mission, Balaam, riding his donkey, had his way blocked by an angel. Famously, the donkey began speaking to tell his master what was going on. Then Balaam’s eyes were opened, and he realised that he must bless Israel, not curse them. This he proceeds to do in today’s passage, much to the annoyance of King Balak. Faced with a decision, Balaam chose the right course, even if it was one which would get him in trouble with his master.

When it comes to the things of God, we cannot be neutral. Proclaiming God’s truth in a hostile world may make us unpopular, but we must nail our colours to the mast rather than the fence, so that all people may behold that truth and be drawn to it.

Mass today (Monday 15 December) is at 6.30pm in St Dyfrig & St Samson, Grangetown.

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

Playing by the rules

“Do we expect God to fulfil our expectations, or do we allow him to transform us, allowing his grace to work in our lives to receive what he wishes to give? Today’s reflection from the daily Mass.

BIBLE READINGS: You can find the readings for Friday of the Second Week of Advent here (Universalis Website)

Jesus’ opinion of children is well catalogued. “Unless you become like a little child you will not inherit the kingdom of heaven,” is just one of his teachings. He is also protective of them and tells us what comes to those who harm one of these little ones.

In today’s gospel, he gives a picture of children at play, calling to their playmates in the marketplace. Their playmates have not been playing according to the rules of the game. They played the flute they didn’t dance. They sang a dirge they didn’t mourn. They haven’t been playing the game. They are not happy with any of it. Likewise, when John the Baptist appears, his fasting is frowned upon. When Jesus appears, his feasting is likewise as unpopular. Neither can win. Jesus uncovers their fickleness, and the insincerity of their expectations.

It begs the question, what do we expect of God? Are we as fickle as those playmates in the marketplace? Or as disapproving as the crowd? Do we expect God to fulfil our expectations, or do we allow him to transform us, allowing his grace to work in our lives to receive what he wishes to give? As the psalmist sings, “Blessed indeed is the one whose delight is the law of the Lord, who ponders his law day and night “

MASS TODAY

Mass today on Friday 12 December is at S Saviour’s at 10am

DAY BY DAY

If you’d like more resources for daily prayer then check out our DAY BY DAY pages.

 

Great and Small

In today’s reflection from the daily Mass, we explore what it really means to be great!

BIBLE READINGS: You can find the readings for Thursday of the Second Week of Advent here (Universalis Website)

There is no end of votes and polls, award ceremonies and lists, which hail the greatest this or the best that. From actors to footballers, from teachers to writers, the list seems endless.

In the gospel reading today, Jesus sets out the values of the Kingdom expressed through the figure of John the Baptist. There is no one born of woman who is greater than him, he says. And yet, God’s Kingdom is not about greatness as the world sees it. The least in the kingdom is greater than John the Baptist.

The world is full of powerful people, some of them very rich indeed. There are many who excel in their field, whether that is entertainment, sport or business. Perhaps there are times when we wish we were more successful or had a different kind of life. But the kingdom of God is revealed through humble lives. He shows us this in so many ways but above all in Jesus who came not to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many.

MASS TODAY

Mass today on Thursday 11 December is at S Dyfrig and S Samson at 10am

DAY BY DAY

If you’d like more resources for daily prayer then check out our DAY BY DAY pages.

 

An Adventurous Spirit

In today’s reflection from the daily Mass, Fr Dean wonders what it’s like to have an adventurous spirit in the church.

BIBLE READINGS: You can find the readings for Tuesday of the Second Week of Advent here (Universalis Website)

How adventurous are you? How inquisitive? Are you the one to wander off to following your intuition, or are you more careful and calculated, watching what others do, going along with the crowd?

The parable of the Lost Sheep is a familiar one. There is an interesting difference between the version of the parable shared in Matthew’s gospel and the one we know from Luke’s. In Luke, the sheep is lost and the message of the story appears to be how Jesus associates with sinners. Whereas, in Matthew’s gospel from today’s Mass, the sheep has gone astray. The sheep is the adventurous type, who has broken away from the flock in search of new sights and sounds. It may seem pastorally inappropriate to leave the 99 others behind, but maybe it’s worth  leaving behind the safe, unadventurous types (after all—what can happen to them? They’re risk averse!) and seek out that adventurous, great-souled member of the community who, once discovered, can give us a fresh perspective and new possibilities.

The church is often criticised for being old fashioned, clinging to yesterday’s traditions. Whilst we need to treasure and be nurtured by the traditions and belief we have inherited, we are also called to have a bold, adventurous spirit. Sometimes, it only needs one person to show us that spirit, and chase the possibilities which are out there, beyond our usual trodden path.

MASS TODAY

Mass today on Tuesday 9 December is at S Mary’s at 630pm (followed by our Advent Course at 7pm)

DAY BY DAY

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Decisions, Decisions

“For those of us who have decided to follow Jesus, each day presents opportunities to serve him.. Today’s reflection from the daily Mass.

BIBLE READINGS: You can find the readings for Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary here (Universalis Website)

Depending on how you define a decision, it is estimated that each person makes around 35,000 decisions a day.

These include major life decisons, and minor everyday ones from what clothes to wear, what to eat, or what social media post to like. Apparently, the vast number of decisions we take can lead to “decision fatigue,” where the quality of each choice can decline throughout the day.

In the gospel reading today, Mary has a choice to make. She has been hailed as blessed by the angel and now God’s designs are unfolded before her.  She has a major life decision to make. A decision that will not only affect her life but the life of the whole world. The whole of heaven hangs on her words as she utters her loving response, “Let it be to me according to your word.” Her decision is one that comes from a pure heart. A heart that is full of love for God and a desire to live according to his designs.

We may have many decisions to make, and some of them may appear to have very few major repercussions. For those of us who have decided to follow Jesus, each day presents opportunities to serve him. It could be the smallest gesture or a single word which, like a mustard seed, bears fruit behind our imagining.

MASS TODAY

Mass today on Monday 8 December is at S Dyfrig and S Samson’s Church at 630pm

DAY BY DAY

If you’d like more resources for daily prayer then check out our DAY BY DAY pages.