Antonia

    Dear Friends, In today’s Gospel we hear part of the Sermon on the Mount. The teaching of Jesus is clear and direct. The images of salt and light are simple and easy to understand - salt without taste or light hidden away are both useless. St Paul complements this with his approach. He insists that it was not with ’any show of oratory or philosophy’ that he brought … [Read more...] about Newsletter 09.02.20.

Dear Friends, Today’s feast of the Presentation of the Lord is also called Candlemass. Forty days after Christmas Jesus meets with the Father in the Temple and makes the traditional offerings. He also meets people of faith - Simeon and Anna. In the person of Simeon the Old Testament gives way to the New. But the shadow of the Cross already looms because the darkness will … [Read more...] about Newsletter 02.02.20

Dear Friends, Jesus begins his ministry in Galilee which had a mixed and pagan culture. He begins to call his disciples. They respond to his call and leave their homes and jobs because they recognise in him someone special. It is also in Galilee that Jesus reveals himself by his teaching and by curing all kinds of sickness. God bless, Father James   The … [Read more...] about Newsletter 26.01.20.

    Dear Friends, The readings this weekend focus on the Incarnation. In today’s Gospel John the Baptist appears as a witness to what has been revealed to him about Jesus. ‘He is the Chosen One of God’. Our faith tells us that God has come among us in Jesus who is truly human as well as truly divine. We speak of it as a ‘mystery’ not because it is incomprehensible or a … [Read more...] about Newsletter 19.01.20.

    Dear Friends, Today we recall the Baptism of Jesus which is recorded in all three Synoptic Gospels. Only Matthew includes the exchange between John and Jesus before his baptism. Jesus insists on receiving John’s baptism, not because he needs to show repentance but rather to identify himself with the human race. The baptism is followed by the visible descent of the … [Read more...] about Newsletter 12.01.20.