In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus defines his followers’ purpose using two vivid metaphors: “salt of the earth” and “light of the world.” In the ancient world, people valued salt as a precious preservative and even a form of currency, while light provided the only way to navigate the heavy darkness of night. Jesus…

-Read More-

A reflection on Candlemas, the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, and how the light of Christ challenges and transforms Christian faith

-Read More-

Saint Paul’s conversion, probably around 36 AD, marked a major turning point in the early Church. No one recorded the exact date, but Paul’s own writings give strong clues. Through his encounter with Jesus, Paul gained a new identity and purpose. He was a brilliant thinker who did not invent new ideas about Jesus. Instead,…

-Read More-

The word behold demands attention.It signals a moment of change.When John the Baptist says, “Behold the Lamb of God,” he truly sees Jesus.This seeing leads to action.Those who see Jesus begin to follow him.In John’s Gospel, seeing and hearing drive faith. John orders events by days to show growing revelation.Each new day reveals more about…

-Read More-

The idea of a “third place” comes from sociology and geography. It describes spaces that are neither home nor work. They are places where people gather, connect, and grow into community. Churches are one such third place. In them, we encounter God and one another in ways that shape who we are and deepen our…

-Read More-

In Matthew’s telling of the wise men, the story unfolds through rich symbolism. From the beginning, it links Jesus’ birth with his death and his kingship. The Magi come from the east, searching for the one “born king of the Jews.” Later, that same title will appear on the cross at Jesus’ crucifixion. These visitors…

-Read More-

On the Sunday after Christmas, Matthew’s Gospel turns our attention to what happens after the wise men leave: the flight into Egypt and Joseph’s continued guidance through dreams. In Matthew chapters 1 and 2, Joseph—not Mary—is the central figure. He is described as a “just” or righteous man, meaning upright, devout, and faithful to the…

-Read More-

Luke places the birth of Jesus firmly within the reign of Caesar Augustus, a ruler celebrated across the Roman Empire as saviour, lord, and even “son of god.” By naming Augustus and Quirinius, Luke anchors the story in real history, but he also highlights that this moment unfolds within the power and splendour of the…

-Read More-

The opening words of John’s Gospel—“In the beginning was the Word”—echo Genesis and draw our attention to beginnings, which matter deeply to us as human beings. Each generation looks back on its own beginning with nostalgia, while every child experiences the world as fresh, surprising, and full of wonder. Part of our responsibility, both as…

-Read More-

Matthew’s Gospel begins not with a dramatic scene but with a genealogy, tracing Jesus’ lineage from Abraham through David in carefully structured generations. Within this list are five women whose stories carry ambiguity, vulnerability, or social stigma—foreigners, outsiders, or women with complicated pasts. By including them, Matthew signals that Jesus enters the world not through…

-Read More-