First Reading: After the flood, God places a rainbow in the clouds as a sign of his covenant with his people. The flood of Noah is portrayed as being like a new creation, and this is what happens in Baptism. As the Prayer over the Water in the Rite of Baptism puts it (addressing God):…
First Reading: Isaiah has a vision of a king who is a servant of the community, bringing justice and liberation. Psalm: the references to water make this majestic hymn of praise to the Lord an obvious choice for the psalm. Second Reading: St Peter starts his sermon to the gentiles with the Baptism…
The Epiphany of the Lord Mass Readings: Page 118 Order of Mass: Pages 7– 47 +++++++++++ First Reading: Isaiah’s vision of the gathering of the nations came true – we believe – when the magi came to see Jesus in Bethlehem. Psalm: this psalm was soon adopted by the early church as the set psalm…
First Reading: God did not want King David to build him a house. However, God promised that David’s house, his dynasty, will be established forever. Jesus is the fulfilment of that covenant, and was born in Bethlehem, the place where David was anointed (1 Samuel 16). Psalm: the second verse alludes to God’s covenant with…
The first word of the Entrance Antiphon gives this Sunday its popular name: Gaudete (‘rejoice’). First Reading: Christians have always taken the ‘me’ here as referring to Jesus Christ, as Jesus Himself did (see Luke 4: 16 – 22). He is the anointed one (the Christ). What follows is not actually a Psalm, but…
Today the new liturgical year begins, and this year is the Year of Mark (Year B). In the words of John Betjeman The bells of waiting Advent ring, and Advent is a season of waiting, for Christ’s coming at Christmas and at the end of time (as the Preface for today’s Mass declares). Both the…
Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe +++++++++++ Today we celebrate the feast of Christ the King. When we think of a king we think of someone who is very remote from his people and lords it over them. But Christ is not like that. He lives among us, and came not to…
The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica Mass Readings: Pages: 192 – 194 Order of Mass: Pages 7 – 60 +++++++++++ DEDICATION of the LATERAN BASILICA This Feast replaces the Sunday of the Year. The Church teaches us that the Catholic Church exists both in the local church (ie the diocese) and globally (centred round the…
