De Omnibus Dubitandum Est.

We had a beautiful Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes & St. Joseph yesterday in Leigh-on-Sea. The story of the pro to-martyr St. Stephen is one I find very moving. We read in Acts that it comes about as a result of the witness he is living every day, the powerful love he displays, and the fact that he performs "great wonders and signs among the people." (Acts 6:8). He is killed in an act of mob violence because his interlocutors could not deny the truth and wisdom he proclaimed, so they silenced him by stoning him. The evangelist deliberately portrays these events in a way that reminds the reader of the Passion of the Christ. There is testimony from false witnesses (6:6:13: Mt 26:60), reports that Jesus will destroy the Temple (6:14; Mt 26:61), visions of the Son of Man in Heaven (7:56; Lk 22:69), prayers of surrender to God (7:59; Lk 23:46), and petitions of forgiveness for the executioners (7:60; Lk 23:34).

Stephen's martyrdom, willed and endured, is the prototype of wha…

Courage and constancy will guarantee the future of the Church, says Bishop Davies

This Sunday, on the Feast of Christ the King, the wonderful Bishop of Shrewsbury will call on Catholics of the Diocese to profess their faith with “courage and constancy” amid a climate of increasing hostility towards Christianity in British life, according to the Diocese of Shrewsbury's website.

The Rt Rev. Mark Davies will say that he has “no doubt” that the future of the Church in this land depends on the commitment Catholics made to their faith today, in spite of the hardships that they might experience along the way. How wonderful to hear this important message articulated so clearly. Bishop Mark is absolutely correct in my opinion, as I have said on every possible forum, we need to start being more explicit about the Gospel and the message of what exactly the Christian faith is and does. It is not about making your own mind up, the Gospel is about knowing the truth and that truth setting us free…

My Parish Priest, Father Kevin Hale, did an wonderful job of explaining last Sunday's difficult Gospel as I noted in Sunday's Scripture reflection. Obviously I prepare my reflections over the week and so it was unusual to post one after I had been to Mass and heard my priest's homily. He is an excellent preacher and always has a take on the readings that gives me something extra to think about, even though I have spent a considerable amount of time each week reflecting and reading about the Scripture. I asked him if I could share a transcript of his homily with you all:

I hope none of you ever have to experience a trial by fire. A dear friend recently almost died in a house fire, a pious woman, she went to bed after her nightly devotions and left a candle alight. It turned into a blaze. Fortunately her Guardian Angel was working overtime and she got out of the house before it was too late. Whilst the damage done to the property was not irreparable it was certainly all perva…

"Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." Ps 119:105
Welcome to this, the fifty-sixth of my reflections on the theology of the Sunday readings at Mass. A bit late, due to my wifi-less holiday, but I figure, better late than never!

I have undertaken this project, regularly posting background information on the readings at Sunday Mass as part of my own prayer life. I have found it helps me to do a little study before I go to Mass about the readings, what the theme of the week is, how it follows on from the previous week's readings and what is being said.

In sharing this, I hope to help you too get more from the Bible and Sunday Scripture readings. Perhaps it might give you confidence in the value and legitimacy of the Bible, or perhaps it might inspire you to pray the Divine Office or investigate the weekly readings for yourself.

I see this as very clearly part of what the Church teaches about the Bible:
This heaven-sent treasure Holy Church considers as the mo…