Gospel Reading September 18th (Mark 8:34-38, 9:1) Sunday following the Elevation of the Cross In Mark 8:34-38 Christ proclaims to the people and his disciples the salvific words: “whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it” (v. 34-35). Here, Jesus teaches us the cost of discipleship: self-denial, carrying one’s cross (a symbol of our personal suffering) and obedience to Christ. By saying, “let him deny himself, [...]

Gospel Reading June 19th (John 7:37-52, 8:12): Sunday of Pentecost On the Sunday of Pentecost we hear in the Gospel reading how Jesus stood up on "the last day of the feast, the great day" and He gave a great promise to all who believe in Him: "Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water" (v. 38). St. John the Evangelist goes on to explain that Christ's words here refer to the promise of the Holy Spirit which "in the last days shall be poured out on all flesh" after the glorification of Christ, as foretold by the [...]

Gospel Reading 15th May Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women (Mark 15:43-47, 16:1-8)   Mark 15:43-47 recounts the burial of Christ whilst 16:1-8 comprises the revelation of the Resurrection to the myrrh-bearing women. Central figures in the account are Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus as well as the myrrh-bearing women. Each of these figures provides a lesson for us. Joseph of Arimathea was a rich man who listened to Christ with an open mind, but did not commit himself. Neither did Nicodemus, who was a learned man and part of the Jewish council known as the Sanhedrin. He too had been listening [...]

Gospel Reading March 6th (Matthew 25:31-46) In this parable of the Last Judgement, we read that when the Son of Man comes in His glory with all of His angels and sits upon His glorious throne, He will gather before Him all the nations and separate them one from another to His left and right. This tells us that every individual person will give an account of his or her life at the end of the ages. The Lord says that He will sit there as King and He will say to those on His right hand: “Come, blessed of [...]

Gospel Reading December 25th (Matthew 2:1-12)   This passage from Gospel of Matthew recounts the visit paid by the wise men from the East when Christ was born. The wise men or “Magi”, who were scholars of their time, arrived in Jerusalem, most likely from Persia, and approached king Herod saying, “Where is He who has been born a King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship him”. When King Herod heard why the Magi had come to Jerusalem, he was troubled because he felt the new-born King would threaten [...]