In today’s reflection on the daily mass readings, Fr Richard explores the Gospel’s view of that most worldly of subjects – money, riches and wealth

Readings for Monday of the 29th week of Ordinary Time – Romans 4.20-25; Luke 12.13-21

Many people are eagerly anticipating the Chancellor’s budget which will be delivered in little over a month’s time. There is much speculation that she will have to raise taxes in order to balance the government’s books. Already in its first year in office, the government has had to raise employer’s National Insurance contributions and has introduced inheritance tax on farms worth over £1 million, whereas previously agricultural land was totally exempt. Meanwhile the Green Party has been making waves with its proposals for a wealth tax – 1% on assets over £10 million, and 2% on those worth more than £1 billion. Should people be allowed to keep the wealth they have amassed, or be forced to share it?

No Gospel addresses the theme of wealth, poverty and inequality more than Luke. In today’s passage, which is unique to his Gospel, a dispute over inheritance leads Jesus to tell the parable of the rich fool. Here the message seems clear: hoarding wealth and possessions is futile if we are not rich towards God. What does being rich towards God entail? Surely it is all about looking outwards from ourselves, rather than inwards. Elsewhere in the Gospel it is the one who acknowledges their need of God, and who reaches out to help others, who is commended. 

In the passage from Romans, Paul tells us that Abraham believed in God’s promises to him, and it was “counted to him as righteousness”. This point becomes central to Paul’s argument that all we need to be justified with God is faith in him – not earthly riches, not great learning, not even good works (though these flow from faith). Faith that God is trustworthy is the greatest treasure we can ever possess.

In today’s reflection from the Daily Mass, Fr Dean explores the shared partnership we have in the life of God’s kingdom.

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The readings for Mass today can be found here

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In the nineteenth century, the coal mines of the valleys (and elsewhere around the country) employed children as young as five years old who sat at the safety door of the shafts.

Many of them sat alone in darkness for up to twelve hours with  only their lamp for comfort until the oil ran out. It was only half way through that century that the law was reformed meaning that girls and boys under ten were not allowed to work underground.

We may indeed look at the past with a sense of amazement, and think that our own times are far more civilised and so much better—which of course in many ways they are.  But there are still wrongs in our own time, and the law is constantly changing to keep up with changing times.

When Jesus sends out the seventy two in pairs he gives them clear instructions. He sends them ahead to prepare the way. They have been with Jesus for so long now it is time for them to have a taste of all that will be asked of them in the days after  Pentecost. When they return they bring news of miracles and changed lives. But none  of them had been sent out to work alone.

In the  first reading, St Paul is almost alone—except Luke is with him.  Demas has abandoned him, and the others have gone their own way. So he writes to Timothy and asks him to bring Mark with him. The commission of Christ is not a solitary one. It requires working together, and having the company, fellowship and support we can give to one another.

The work of God continues in our own generation— as we seek to bring God’s light to the darkness of the world, changing lives and bringing hope, and announcing that the Kingdom of God is very near.

In today’s reflection from the daily Mass, Fr Dean explores the power of words, in private and public, and ask how responsible are we really.

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The readings for Friday in the 28th week of the year can be found here.

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Amongst the many items and displays at the imperial war museum in London, you can see a series of posters from the Second World War called Careless talk cost lives, because you never know who’s listening. There could be the enemy within.

It’s a memo that stands the test of time not just during wartime but perhaps particularly in the world of today—driven by social media. Perhaps we need to be more careful with our words. In the case of some people today it is still the case that careless talk can indeed cost lives

In the gospel reading today, the evangelist paints a colourful picture in just a few words. He says, “When so many thousands of the people had gathered together…they were trampling one another.” One can imagine the scene of near chaos and panic, and how words can easily be overheard in such a large gathering, and passed on like the childhood game of Chinese Whisper. It’s to this crowd that Jesus says. “Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.” Perhaps in that suffocating environment all can be heard, and some of the odd rumours about are already being overheard.

In the letter of St James (not one of our readings today) he speaks of bridling the tongue. “The tongue is a small part of the body,” he writes, “but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.”

“What you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed from the housetops,” says Jesus. We have a responsibility in both private and public, choosing our words carefully, knowing that they can affect others. Careless talk can indeed cost lives, and in a world where we can be heard by the click of a send button it is all the more timely for us to and to encourage others to communicate with sensitivity and the knowledge of the power of words.

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Mass today is at St Saviour’s Church, Splott at 10am

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In today’s reflection on the daily mass readings, given in Welsh and English, Fr Richard considers what makes us righteous before God.

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Readings: Romans 2.1-11; Luke 11.42-26 [Wednesday of week 28 of Ordinary Time; Memorial of St Teresa of Aliva]

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Tebygir yn aml mai’i Lythyr at y Rhufeiniaid yw gwaith gorau Sant Paul. Gall ei ddarllen a’i astudio fod yn waith anodd oherwydd ei natur dwfn a chymhleth.

Fodd bynnag, mae’n werth yr ymdrech achos mae’r llythyr hwn yn cynnwys cyfrif cynhwysfawr a phrydferth o’r Ffydd Gristnogol. Daw’r rhan a glywsom heno o’r ail bennod, ble mae Paul yn gosod y sylfaen i’r hyn sydd i ddod. Yn y penodau cynnar yma, mae’n sôn am bechod dynol. Ym mhennod un, mae Paul yn sôn am bechodau’r cenhedloedd. Mae’n debyg ei fod yn gweld y darllenwr Iddewig yn cytuno’n llwyr. Ond, ym mhennod dau, mae’n tanio ar ei bobl ei hun, yr Iddewon. Os ydynt yn beirniadu eraill, meddai Paul, “Yr ydych yn eich condemnio eich hunain achos eich bod yn barnu, ac yn ymarfer yr un pethau”. Hynny yw, mae’r holl ddynoliaeth, boed o’r cenhedloedd neu’n Iddew, yn bechaduriaid. Yng ngweddill y llythyr, mae Paul yn arddangos sut y mae Duw wedi delio unwaith ac am byth gyda
phechod dynol. Gyrrodd ei unig anedig Fab i’r byd i farw dros bechodau pawb, fel y gall pawb, o bob cenedl, eu hachub. Yng ngolwg Paul, cyfiawnheir ni trwy Dduw nid trwy ein hymdrechion ein hunain ond trwy ei ras a thrwy ffydd. Hwn yw
newyddion da yr Efengyl.

Mae’r ffug-gyfiawnder a gondemnir gan Paul, hefyd yn cael ei gondemnio gan yr Iesu yn yr Efengyl. Mae E’n ymosod ar y Phariseaid am eu hobsesiwn â manion deddf yr Hen Destament gan anwybyddu materion mwy eang. Dywed eu bod yn “degymu mintys a phob llysieuyn”. Degymu yw rhoi deg y cant o bopeth a dyfir i Dduw, yn ôl yr Hen Destament – ffordd o gydnabod fod popeth yn dod oddi wrth Dduw. Ond, drwy ddegymu pob llysieuyn bach yn eithafol, mae’r Phariseaid am
ddangos eu bod yn well na phawb arall, ac mae’r Iesu’n dweud fod hyn yn golygu eu bod yn anwybyddu “cyfiawnder a chariad Duw”. Hynny yw, nid y Gyfraith yw popeth. Ydy, mae’n bwysig, ond felly hefyd yw cyfiawnder a chariad. Gallem ninnau weld bai ar y Phariseaid, fel y gwna y Rhufeiniaid. Byddem ninnau wedyn yr un mor euog.

Mae ein darlleniadau heno yn ein hatgoffa i ddiolch am yr anrheg fawr a gawsom gan Dduw – maddeuant pechodau drwy farwolaeth ac atgyfodiad yr Iesu. Nid oes rhaid ein pechodau fod yn fwrdwn bellach achos mae Duw wedi eu dileu. Byddwn
yn ofalus cyn beirniadu eraill achos mae angen ei ras iachusol arnom oll. Hefyd, gelwir ni i ateb yr alwad i weithio dros gyfiawnder a heddwch. Mae cadw rheolau yn iawn, ond nid dyna’r holl stori. Rhaid mynd â chariad Duw i’r holl fyd a’r anghenus.

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St Paul’s letter to the Romans is often regarded as his finest work. Reading and studying it can often be hard work, as the argument is frequently dense and complex.

However, the effort of doing so always pays off, since Romans contains a beautiful and comprehesive account of the Christian faith. The portion we heard tonight comes from chapter 2, and here Paul is laying the groundwork for what will come later. In these early chapters, he is discussing the problem of human sin. In chapter 1, Paul was writing about the sinfulness of the Gentiles. He was doubtless thinking as he wrote of the Jewish reader, seeing this condemnation of the Gentiles and nodding in agreement. Now, however, in chapter 2, he turns his fire on his own people, the Jews. If they were passing judgement on others, Paul writes, “you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practise the very same things.” In other words, all humanity – Jew and Gentile – have fallen short and sinned. In the rest of the letter, Paul shows how God has dealt once and for all with the problem of human sin. He sent his only Son into the world to die for the sins of all, so that all might be saved, Jew and Gentile alike. For Paul, we are justified with God not through our own efforts but through his grace and by faith. This is the good news of the Gospel.

The false righteousness which Paul condemns – a righteousness based on our own merits – is also criticised by Jesus in the Gospel. He attacks the Pharisees for being obsessed with the smallest details of Old Testament law, and ignoring broader concerns. He says that they were tithing “mint and rue and every herb”. Now tithing, giving 10 per cent of produce grown to God, was laid down in the Old Testament law. It was a way of acknowledging that all things come from God. But tithing the tiniest herbs was taking this principle to the extreme. By doing this, the Pharisees thought they were better Jews than everybody else. And yet, Jesus says that their obsession with these details meant that they neglected “justice and the love of God”. He seems to be saying that keeping the law was not the end of the matter. It was important, but so too is love and justice. We might be tempted to criticise the Pharisees ourselves, but then we would be doing the very thing which Paul criticises in Romans. We would be judging others when we ourselves are just as guilty of falling short.

Our readings today are a reminder to us to give thanks for the extradordinary gift we have received from God, the forgiveness of sins through the death and resurrection of Jesus. Our sins need not weigh us down, for God has wiped them away. We must be wary of judging others, for all of us are in need of his healing grace. At the same time, we must heed the call to work for justice and peace in the world. The keeping of rules and regulations is well and good, but is not the whole story. We need to take the Good News of God’s love to our world, and to all who so deparately need to hear it.

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Mass in Welsh today is in St Dyfrig & St Samson at 5.30pm.

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In today’s reflection from the Daily Mass, Fr Dean explores what it means to dig deep when giving to others

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Today’s readings for Tuesday of Week 28 can be found here

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In the UK the average UK household spends £291 a year on beauty products. A significant portion of consumers spend between £10 and £25 per month, while another 27% spend between £26 and £50 What bracket do you fall in?!

It’s important to look after ourselves, and to pamper and care for our bodies. It makes us feel good. And why not? Caring for ourselves is as important as caring for others.

In the gospel reading today, Jesus is having another go at the Pharisees who are concerned only about external things at the expense of attending to what lies beneath the surface. Jesus recognises that whilst they are very particular at mealtimes following the Law of Moses— washing, and cleaning pots and pans, they are hiding something else from others. In other words, they’re pretending to be what they’re not. It’s all an external show to hide what really lies beneath.

“Give as alms those things that are within,” says Jesus. There are many needs in the the world and many needy people. There is so much that we can do by being generous. But attending to people’s needs is not just about giving money to help certain causes—as important as this is. It’s also about giving of ourselves which means drawing from and nurturing within our hearts those qualities of generosity, kindness, understanding, care, concern compassion, and love. When we give alms, it’s not only about digging deep into our pockets, but digging deep into our hearts.

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Today’s Mass (Tuesday) is at St Mary’s Church, Butetown at 630pm)

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