In today’s reflection on the daily mass readings, Fr Richard considers the things that we wish for and desire in life. What things will lead to lasting fulfilment, and what won’t?

Readings for Friday of the first week of ordinary time: 1 Samuel 8.4-7, 10-22; Psalm 89.16-17, 18-19; Mark 2.1-12. Text of readings can be found here.

Over 100 years ago, Communists took power in Russia as a result of the October 1917 revolution. For many who took part in that uprising, it had been a case of “if only…” – “If only we can get rid of the Tsar and the class system, life will be so much better”. In modern times, people often think “if only we can change the government; if only we can replace our voting system; if only we can abolish the monarchy and have a republic” then all our problems will be solved. The concept of “if only” doesn’t just apply to politics, of course. The football fan might think “if only we had a new manager…”. And in our personal lives, it’s often a case of “if only I can get a promotion, move to a nicer area, leave this relationship”, then all will be well.

The people of Israel are going down the road of “if only” in our first reading. For them, it was a case of “if only we can have a king like other nations, then we can defeat our enemies”. Samuel, the great leader of the people, warns them of the dangers of a monarchy, but they insist. For God, the people’s demand was a rejection of his kingship as they put their trust in earthly rulers. Subsequent centuries would prove Samuel right, as Israel’s kings proved to be sinful, or corrupt, or tyrannical, or all of those and more besides. Ultimately the monarchy and the nation would end in ruin.

There’s an “if only” at work in the Gospel, but of a very different sort. For the paralysed man and his friends, it’s a case of “if only we can get close to Jesus”, and they go to extraordinary lengths to make this happen. The man is rewarded with both healing and forgiveness. Ultimately, this is the one “if only” that counts. May we always be saying “if only I can be near Jesus; if only I can spend time with him in prayer; if only I can serve him in the poor and needy”. For that is where true salvation lies.

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

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

In today’s reflection on the daily mass readings, Fr Richard considers how the essence of our faith is contained not in objects or rituals, but in the person of Jesus, who reaches out in love to those in need.

Readings for Thursday in the first week of Ordinary Time: 1 Samuel 4.1-11; Psalm 44.10-11, 14-15, 24-25; Mark 1.40-45. Text of readings can be found here.

Do you know where the origin of the phrase “touch wood” comes from? According to one theory, it originates from the middle ages, when people would often carry around a supposed relic of the True Cross. In times of peril, or when needing good luck, they would reach into their pocket and touch the wood. The phrase entered into everyday parlance, and has survived even when the custom of carrying the wood ceased.

In our first reading today, both the Philistines and the Israelites viewed the Ark of the Covenant as some sort of good luck charm for Israel. This was the chest which contained the tablets upon which God had written the Ten Commandments for Moses about 200 years before. Both sides believed that the very presence of the Ark on the battlefield would ensure victory for Israel. The outcome of the battle, however, was about something much deeper. It was about the corruption and lack of faith at the heart of Israel, represented especially by the behaviour of the two sons of Eli the priest.

The external rituals and customs of faith are something that Jesus doesn’t allow to stand in the way of doing good in our Gospel reading. A faithful Jew would normally have avoided physical contact with a leper, since it would have made him unclean according to the law. And yet Jesus does precisely this in order to bring healing to the man who needs it. Our traditions and rituals are important, but they are not the beginning and ending of faith. This, rather, is to be found in a personal encounter with God made flesh, Jesus Christ, the one who crosses traditional boundaries. Strengthened by our encounter with him in this and every mass, may we have the courage to reach out in faith and love to the untouchables of our own day.

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

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

In today’s reflection on the daily mass readings, Fr Richard considers how God can work through the most unlikely of circumstances – misunderstandings, distress, and confusion – to bring about his healing.

Readings for Tuesday of the first week of ordinary time: 1 Samuel 1:9-20; Psalm 2:1, 4-5, 6-8; Mark 1.21-28. Text of readings can be found here.

I have never really got the hang of ear buds, those little, wireless devices that you stick in your ears and which can connect to your smartphone through the magic of bluetooth. I have tried them, but they never seemed to work, always seemed to fall out, or I would lose them (or perhaps worse than that, just lose one!). Because I don’t use them myself, I am still surprised when I see others doing so. Many times, when out for a walk or on public transport, I have assumed that someone is having an animated conversation with themself (or trying to speak to me!). No phone in sight, it’s not immediately clear that they are in fact talking to someone but via their ear buds.

We see a similar misunderstanding in our first reading today. Hannah is in distress because she is unable to have children. What made matters worse, as we heard in yesterday’s reading, was that her husband’s other wife, who did have children, taunted her about this. Her prayer is so heartfelt that she does not say it out loud. Only her lips move, which makes Eli the priest think that she is drunk – no doubt adding to her turmoil. Yet what we discover is that God is able to work through these imperfect circumstances. A prayer offered from the depths of sorrow; a person perhaps not knowing even what words to use; and a religious professional assuming the worst. Her prayer is nonetheless answered, and she becomes the mother of the great Samuel. 

In the Gospel we have another difficult situation, as the peace and order of the synagogue service on the Sabbath is disrupted by the man with the unclean spirit crying out and recognising Jesus’ status and authority. But this too becomes a moment for healing, as Jesus commands the unclean spirit to leave the man. Whenever we encounter times of misunderstanding, confusion, distress or chaos, may we always remember that God can work through these moments and demonstrate both his power and his love.

Mass tonight 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 today’s reflection on the daily mass readings, Fr Richard considers how Jesus needs each of us to join him in his work, just as needed the first disciples whom he called away from their fishing nets.

Readings for Monday in the first week of Ordinary Time (Year 2): 1 Samuel 1.1-8; Psalm 115.12-19; Mark 1.14-20. Text of readings can be found here.

What do you need right now? A nice cup of tea, perhaps? A little nap? A riveting homily to inspire and encourage you? There is, of course, a difference between needs and wants. Do we really need the things we think we need, or do we simply want them? The whole advertising industry, which went into overdrive at Christmas, is geared to convincing people that they need certain things, and the answer, of course, is to spend lots of money in obtaining them.

When it comes to Jesus, we might not think he had any needs. After all, he was the Son of God on earth, and therefore perfect. There is an interesting line in the story of Palm Sunday, however. Jesus says to the disciples who are sent to untie the donkey, to tell the owner “the Lord needs it”. Yes, Jesus in his humanity had needs, just as he was sometimes tired, hungry, or thirsty.

The Gospel today, the call of the first disciples from Mark, speaks of Jesus’ need for companions to join him in his work. He needed others with whom to share his ministry; he couldn’t do it all on his own. And the choice of these first co-workers tells us something about the kind of person Jesus needed to join him. Simon and Andrew, and James and John, were fishermen. Not highly educated, they were simple men, who knew the realities of life and what it was like to toil all day and night to earn a living. Perhaps Jesus’ invitation met a need in them, for we are told that without hesitation, they left their fishing nets and boats and followed.

We may not always think so, but Jesus also needs us. He needs us to continue his mission of proclaiming the kingdom in our world and in our community today. He needs us to bring our own life experience to this work, just as those Gallilean fishermen did. Each and every day he calls us to join him. The question for each of us is this: like Simon, Andrew, James and John, are we ready to follow without delay?

Mass today is in St Dyfrig & St Samson, Grangetown at 6.30pm

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

“Our life with Christ is like a journey, which changes through the years, constantly questioning and always discovering.” Our reflection from the daily Mass.

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BIBLE READINGS: You can find the readings for 9 January here (Universalis Website)

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Where would we be without pundits? Football pundits, political pundits, financial pundits— experts in a certain field who are called upon to give their opinion to the public and help analyse and help us understand certain events or proceedings.

The word pundit actually comes from the Sanskrit word Pandita meaning a Hindu scholar learned in Sanskrit and Hindu philosophy and religion, typically also a practicing priest.

In the gospel reading today, the disciple are trying to make sense of a number of things. The previous events of the feeding of the thousands left them confused. And now, as they see Jesus walking on the water, they are filled with fear and think he is a ghost. They were astounded, their hearts had hardened. Whilst they had made the decision to follow Jesus, they are still learning and trying to make sense of who Jesus is.

Likewise, we don’t understand everything. Our life with Christ is like a journey, which changes through the years, constantly questioning and always discovering. Sometimes, we have a clear vision and at other times things may be a little hazy. But the letter of John reminds us what we do know. He says, “We have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us.” So, let us follow Jesus with that knowledge: that we are loved. 

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DAY BY DAY

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We are in the season of revelations and by loving one another we can reveal God to others. Our reflection from the daily Mass.

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BIBLE READINGS: You can find the readings for 8 January here (Universalis Website)

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Tabloid newspapers love an ‘Exclusive.’ That celebrity interview, an inside story, something that no other newspaper has. After all, they may be in the business of reporting news, but they’re also in the business of making money. In a world where social media often gets there first, there is an even greater challenge for the mainstream media.

As the church, we are in the season of revelations. The feast of the Epiphany confirms that whilst the mystery of Jesus is revealed to the Magi, it is not an exclusive revelation. Jesus is revealed to the whole world. Yesterday’s gospel showed how Jesus drew people from all across the region and beyond from different countries and cultures.  In today’s gospel reading, Jesus is revealed as a prophet to the thousands in that desolate place as he feeds the crowds with food in abundance. On Sunday, we will celebrate the Baptism of the Lord when Jesus is revealed as the Beloved Son of the Father.

Jesus continues to be present in the world today. In the letter of St John, we read. “In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.”  With changed lives, and loving one another, we are called to manifest Christ, to reveal him to others. May we receive a renewed revelation of the Lord, have our faith strengthened, and our lives revived for God is love—and “whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.” Let us not keep that knowledge to ourselves.

  

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Mass today is at St Dyfrig and S Samson Church at 10am

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DAY BY DAY

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“They have left their treasures behind and return richer.  Unlike the usual secrecy that surrounded their lives, they are ready to reveal what has been revealed to them”. Our reflection from the daily Mass.

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BIBLE READINGS: You can find the readings the Epiphany here Universalis Website)

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We know that members of the Magic Circle are sworn to secrecy. The Magicians oath says, “I promise never to reveal the secret of any illusion unto the laity, unless one swears to maintain the Magician’s Oath in turn. I promise never to execute any illusion for any layperson without practicing the effect before I could do it well enough to maintain the illusion of magic.”

There is a wide variety of suggestions about the Magi. Whilst they are often interpreted as being kings, this doesn’t come from the account in Luke but from the prophecy of Isaiah. Some scholars suppose them to be members of the Zoroastrian religion or some other mystical system of belief. Others that they come from different countries of the East, that they were philosophers or astrologers or someone for whom astrology was important to help them understand the world. Another interpretation is that they were magicians or sorcerers. In the Acts of the Apostles, we meet a man called Simon Magus or Simon the Magician, a sorcerer who used illusion and slight of hand to bewitch people and hold power over them. No doubt, he never gave the secret of his tricks away.

Whatever we think of the Magi, something significant is happening in the events of today’s celebration. If the Magi are used to using slight of hand to deceive people or reading the stars to interpret the world, their encounter with Jesus has now given them a new way of seeing the world, which they take with them on their journey home. The gifts they leave behind illustrate they have understood the significance of this child. They have left their treasures behind and return richer.  Unlike the usual secrecy that surrounded their lives, they are ready to reveal what has been revealed to them. The secret is out there. The mystery is unfolded. There is no illusion to maintain. God speaks clearly in Christ.

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.”

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Mass today is at St Mary’s Church at 7pm

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DAY BY DAY

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“Come and See” is the simple and beautiful. invitation given to Nathanael in today’s reflection from Mass.

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BIBLE READINGS: You can find the readings for a January 5 here (Universalis Website)

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The food we like, the football team we support, the sports we follow, the politics we embrace, the values we hold onto, are often influenced by others as we grow up—by our parents and family—and we may never waver from those influences, so embedded are they. Our life is formed by those around us.

So, too, with our faith. Cradle Christians are nurtured within the life of the church, brought up with the Christian faith embedded in our lives, a natural part of who we are. But even when we are older, we continue to be influenced by others. Our own lives are to be beacons of Christ in the world.

In the gospel reading, the good news of Jesus is passed on from one person to another. But there is more. Alongside the message, is an invitation. “Come and See.” Although Nathaniel is unconvinced that anything good can come from Nazareth, he accepts Philip’s invitation and has a living encounter with Jesus that will change his life for ever.

In the first letter of John, we read “Little children, let us not love in word or talk, but in deed and in truth.” We may feel obliged to try to win theological arguments, to try to convince people of what we believe is true or not, but there is no more an effective way of evangelism than to say to someone, “Come and See for yourself.”

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Mass today is at St Dyfrig’s and Samson at 630pm

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DAY BY DAY

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In today’s reflection on the daily mass readings, Fr Richard considers how our life of faith is like a journey of discovery – and there are many things which we do not yet know.

Readings for 3 January: 1 John 2.29-3.6; Psalm 98.1, 3-4, 5-6; John 1.29-34. Text of readings can be found here.

Donald Rumsfeld, the former US Defence Secretary, was widely mocked for this statement he made in 2002: “There are known knowns – things we know that we know. There are known unknowns; that is to say, there are things we know we don’t know. But there are also unknown unknowns – there are things we don’t know we don’t know”. While this may sound like gobbledygook, if you stop to analyse the words it actually makes sense. Put simply, he was saying that there’s a mixture of certainty and uncertainty in the world.

In today’s Gospel, John the Baptist is prepared to admit his previous lack of knowledge about Jesus, saying twice “I myself did not know him”. We might find this surprising, since John and Jesus were related. John, however, is not speaking from a familial point of view, but from a perspective of faith. Later in the passage, John speaks of how the insight into who Jesus really is was revealed to him. He saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove upon Jesus, and at the same time God revealed to John that this was the sign of Jesus being anointed as God’s Son, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

The humility of John that we saw in yesterday’s Gospel continues. He is clear that the insight of faith comes not from himself but from God. In this way he makes sure that the focus is not on him but on Jesus. For all of us faith is a journey of discovery, no matter how long we have been a Christian. It is a mixture of Rumsfeld’s “known knowns” and “known unknowns”. Let us share John’s humility and open ourselves to God, that he may continue to reveal to us the mysteries of the kingdom.

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.