Since we are travellers and pilgrims in the world, let us ever ponder on the end of the road, that is of our life, for the end of our roadway is our home (St Columban, 8th sermon).
GospelMatthew 4:12-23 or 4:12-17(English Standard
Version, Anglicised)
When Jesus
heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. And leaving
Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun
and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
‘The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the
Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles — the people dwelling in darkness have
seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death,
on them a light has dawned.’ From that time Jesus began to preach, saying,
‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
[While walking by the Sea
of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his
brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to
them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ Immediately they left
their nets and followed him. And going on from there he saw two other brothers,
James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their
father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat
and their father and followed him.
And he went throughout all
Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom
and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.]
Last Sunday in the Philippines was the Feast of the Santo Niño (Holy Child). The gospel was Matthew 18:1-5, 10 in which Jesus tells us,Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. I saw his words come to life twelve years ago at the end of Mass in Holy Family Home for Girls in Bacolod City. I lived in that city from 2002 until 2017.
In January 2014 four new girls arrived at the home. One, whom I'll call 'Josie', was aged 14 and was profoundly deaf. Her main way of communicating was Sign Language. The Sisters, staff and some of the girls began to learn some Sign Language. The other three new girls included two aged ten and one aged six.
At the end of Mass I saw 'Josie' sitting and quietly crying. I wasn't quite sure why. One of the ten-year-old new girls, rather small for her age but very lively and whom I'll call 'Grace', went over to 'Josie' and put her arms around her to comfort her. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
The majority of the girls in Holy Family Home have had horrific experiences, in most cases within their own wider family circle. They truly know what it is to be dwelling in darkness.
['Josie' was able to go home in 2016. We discovered that she had some hearing and, with hearing aids, she has improved her speech and hearing considerably. The other three girls were still at Holy Family Home when I left the Philippines in June 2017].
In my latter years in Bacolod City I used to celebrate Mass in Holy Family Home on to mark the feast of St Agnes, 21 January. Each year we combined a celebration of St Agnes the Martyr (c.291 - c.304), patron saint of chastity, of young girls and of rape victims, and Blessed Laura Vicuña(1891 - 1904), a patron of abuse victims who offered her life for the conversion of her mother and whose feast day is 22 January. Their years of birth and death paralleled with 16 centuries between them.
Each year I told the girls that the life of Blessed Laura, whose father died when she was young, was so like their own and that she became a saint in the midst of and through her sufferings, especially the cruelty of her stepfather who wasn't married to her mother. Despite her young age she had the maturity, generosity and holiness to offer her life so that her mother would return to the Lord. She told this to her mother when she, Laura, was dying. It was the physical abuse of her stepfather that led to her death. Laura's prayers were answered.
Laura understood the stark reality of the words of Jesus in today's gospel: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. She also understood the power of God's mercy. In Holy Family Home I frequently made myself available for confession and many of the girls would come. Sometimes I girl would ask me to hear her confession.
Holy Family Home exists because of the sins of adults against girls, some only small children. It is a place where most of the girls have been among those dwelling dwelling in the region and shadow of death (Gospel),in a land of deep darkness (First Reading). I have brought many visitors to Holy Family Home and the one word they nearly all have used to sum up their experience is 'joy', a joy they find among the girls, though they aren't always aware of the suffering. Those who live there are a testimony to the truth of the words of Isaiah that we listen to in the First Reading, words we also listened to at the Mass During the Night at Christmas:
The second part of today's gospel - very likely the celebrant will omit this and use the shorter gospel reading - tells us of the call of the first disciples who were later called to be apostles, the brothers Simon Peter and Andrew, and the sons of Zebedee, James and John. Immediately they left their nets . . .Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him. Yetwe know from the gospels that they continued to fish from time to time and to encounter stormy weather.
In the Philippines most fishermen are poor and go to sea in very small boats. In some countries larger boats go far from land and often encounter very dangerous weather. And a very large percentage of international seafarers are Filipinos.
In our prayers to day let us remember our fishermen, our seafarers and those involved in rescue work at sea. Let us also remember the members of a number of European navies who in recent years have saved countless refugees travelling in unsafe boats from north Africa to southern Europe. Tragically, many refugees never make it.
Home from the Sea
Written by Phil Coulter, sung by Liam Clancy
Traditional Latin Mass
Third Sunday After the Epiphany
The Complete Mass in Latin and English is here. (Adjust the date at the top of that page to 01-25-2026 if necessary).
GospelMatthew 4:12-23 [or 4:12-17] (English Standard Version
Anglicised: India)
Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he
withdrew into Galilee.And leaving Nazareth he went and lived
in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and
Naphtali,so that
what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
“The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
the
way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— the people dwelling in darkness have
seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on
them a light has dawned.”
From that
time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at
hand.”
[While
walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called
Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were
fishermen.And he
said to them, “Follow me, and I will make
you fishers of men.”Immediately they left their nets and followed him.And going on from there he saw two other
brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with
Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them.Immediately they left the boat and their
father and followed him.
And he went throughout
all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel
of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the
people.]
Last Sunday in the Philippines was the Feast of the Santo Niño (Holy Child). The gospel was Matthew 18:1-5, 10 in which Jesus tells us,Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. I saw his words come to life nine years ago at the end of Mass in Holy FamilyHome for Girls in Bacolod City. I lived in that city from 2002 until 2017.
In January 2014 four new girls arrived at the home. One, whom I'll call 'Josie', was aged 14 and was profoundly deaf. Her main way of communicating was Sign Language. The Sisters, staff and some of the girls began to learn some Sign Language. The other three new girls included two aged ten and one aged six.
At the end of Mass I saw 'Josie' sitting and quietly crying. I wasn't quite sure why. One of the ten-year-old new girls, rather small for her age but very lively and whom I'll call 'Grace', went over to 'Josie' and put her arms around her to comfort her. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
The majority of the girls in Holy Family Home have had horrific experiences, in most cases within their own wider family circle. They truly know what it is to be dwelling in darkness.
['Josie' was able to go home in 2016. We discovered that she had some hearing and, with hearing aids, she has improved her speech and hearing considerably. The other three girls were still at Holy Family Home when I left the Philippines in June 2017].
In my latter years in Bacolod City I used to celebrate Mass again in Holy Family Home on to mark the feast of St Agnes, 21 January. Each year we combined a celebration of St Agnes the Martyr (c.291 - c.304), patron saint of chastity, of young girls and of rape victims, and Blessed Laura Vicuña(1891 - 1904), a patron of abuse victims who offered her life for the conversion of her mother and whose feast day is 22 January.
Each year I told the girls that the life of Blessed Laura, whose father died when she was young, was so like their own and that she became a saint in the midst of and through her sufferings, especially the cruelty of her stepfather who wasn't married to her mother. Despite her young age she had the maturity, generosity and holiness to offer her life so that her mother would return to the Lord. She told this to her mother when she, Laura, was dying. It was the physical abuse of her stepfather that led to her death. Laura's prayers were answered.
Laura understood the stark reality of the words of Jesus in today's gospel: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. She also understood the power of God's mercy. In Holy Family Home I frequently made myself available for confession and many of the girls would come. Sometimes I girl would ask me if I could hear her confession.
Holy Family Home exists because of the sins of adults against girls, some only small children. It is a place where most of the girls have been among those who are dwelling in the region and shadow of death. I have brought many visitors there and the one word they nearly all have used to sum up their experience is 'joy', a joy they find among the girls and among the Capuchin Tertiary Sisters of the Holy Family and the staff. Those who live there are a testimony to the truth of the words of Isaiah that we listen to in the First Reading and the Gospel this Sunday and that we listened to at the Mass During the Night at Christmas:
The second part of today's gospel tells us of the call of the first disciples who were later called to be apostles, the brothers Simon Peter and Andrew, and the sons of Zebedee, James and John. Immediately they left their nets . . .Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him. Yetwe know from the gospels that they continued to fish from time to time and to encounter stormy weather.
In the Philippines most fishermen are poor and go to sea in very small boats. In some countries larger boats go far from land and often encounter very dangerous weather. And a very large percentage of international seafarers are Filipinos.
In our prayers to day let us remember our fishermen, our seafarers and those involved in rescue work at sea. Let us also remember the members of a number of European navies who in recent years have saved countless refugees travelling in unsafe boats from north Africa to southern Europe. Tragically, many refugees never make it.
Traditional Latin Mass
Third Sunday After the Epiphany
The Complete Mass in Latin and English is here. (Adjust the date at the top of that page to 1-22-2023 if necessary).
GospelMark 10:35-45 or 10:42-45(English Standard Version Anglicised: India)
[James
and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to Jesus and said to him, “Teacher,
we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.”And he said to them, “What
do you want me to do for you?”And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your
right hand and one at your left, in your glory.”Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the
cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am
baptized?”And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to
them, “The cup that I drink you will drink,
and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized,but to sit at my right hand or at my left
is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has
been prepared.”And
when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John.]
And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the
Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over
them.But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would
be great among you must be your servant,and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.For even the Son of Man came not to be
served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
In May 2008 I unexpectedly received an email from Michael in Australia whom I hadn't met or heard from since the summer of 1967 when we were working together on a building (construction) site in Dublin. I had just been ordained subdeacon and was to be ordained priest in December of that year. The general foreman on the site was my father, John.
In a later email Michael said, Your father was a great role model for me to try and emulate. I remember the first job that I met your father on, as he was the general foreman. Itwas the first job for me as a journeyman carpenter and it was a pleasant experience coming to work with such a pleasant gentleman giving the instructions.
My father a week before his sudden death on 11 August 1987
I wasn't at all surprised at Michael's words as I had heard others who had worked with my father say similar things. And when I worked under him myself that summer I could see what I had known before: he led by example. He never swore, never shouted at anyone and was most helpful to young workers and to young architects. He sometimes would laugh at home at the lack of experience of the latter in practical matters. But he also knew that you can only learn through experience - and with the help of mentors. And he was a real mentor to the same young architects.
Many times before I took an important examination or was about to do something for the first time Dad would say, The experience will be good for you. There was never the hint of a demanding expectation. And I still find his words to be true.
But I often heard him speak with gratitude, respect and affection of general foremen under whom he had worked as an apprentice and as a young carpenter. One was Mr Grace, whom I never met. Two of his sons became Capuchin priests and three of his daughters religious sisters. Another was Mr Boyle, whom I did know. He and his wife in their old age were a handsome couple.
Dad was the same at home as he was on the construction site. He never raised his voice to his two sons or to our mother. He was courteous with everyone he met and was just himself in every situation.
His authority came from within. He was responsible and loving in everything he did. Every morning, after returning from a very early Mass, he prepared my mother's breakfast before heading for work. He started work on time and ended on time. But he wasn't a slave to the clock.
With my parents John and Mary and my brother Paddy after my ordination in St Mary's Pro-Cathedral Dublin, 20 December 1967
October os Mission Month in the Church and next Sunday, 24 October, is Mission Sunday with the theme We cannot but speak about what we have seen and heard (Acts 4:20). In 2018, when the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B, fell on Mission Sunday the theme was Christian Families are Missionary Families.
I don't think that my parents, or any of their contemporaries in Ireland, saw themselves as missionaries. But they passed on the faith without being aware of it. When I was a child it was my father who took me to Sunday Mass. My mother went to a later Mass as she had to take care of my brother when he was still very young. My Dad used to take me to Solemn High Masses on days such as Easter Monday and Whit (Pentecost) Monday in the churches of the Dominicans and the Capuchins in Dublin. I didn't appreciate this at the time.
My mother used to take my brother and me to visit seven churches on the afternoon of Holy Thursday before the changes in Holy Week ceremonies in 1955 when they were moved from the morning to the afternoon/evening. There was solemn adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in each church or chapel we visited. Again, I didn't appreciate this at the time.
When I went to the Philippines in 1971 I was astonished to discover that this same practice, known there as Visita Iglesia, was very much alive in the larger cities, on the night of Holy Thursday, with many young people walking from one church to the next. Again, I thanked God for what my mother had invited me to do every Holy Thursday up to 1954 when I very reluctantly joined her.
Among the gifts I received from God through my parents was the living out of the words in today's gospel, whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant. They served each other and they served us their two sons. They did this day in and day out, whatever their feelings might have been at any particular moment. As I grow old I just marvel at this as I marvel at newly-married couples willing to take on the same responsibilities with the children God will grant them.
I can see clearly now that my parents and so many others like then were missionaries in a very real sense, living out the promises they made when my brother and I were baptised. (Our Dad wasn't present at my brother's baptism because he was attending his mother's funeral that same day. In those days baptisms took place within a few days of birth, a commendable practice.)
In the current rite of the baptism of a child the priest asks the parents: You have asked to have your child baptized. In doing so you are accepting the responsibility of training him (her) in the practice of the faith. It will be your duty to bring him (her) up to keep God's commandments as Christ taught us, by loving God and our neighbor. Do you clearly understand what you are undertaking?
In responding with Yes, we do, parents undertake to be missionaries to their own children. I thank God for the Yes of my parents.
Bishop Edward Galvin, Columban Co-founder, baptising an infant in China
