This Sunday, as well as being the Fourth Sunday of Advent, is also a Day of Prayer for Expectant Mothers.  You can understand why, given that the Gospel today is about St Joseph discovering that Our Lady is pregnant.  In the psalm today it sets before us the example of those who are clean of hands and pure of heart, whose soul is not set on vain things.  We can surely say that this is true of Our Lady. She is the example for us, as the sinless One who was worthy to be Mother

Back when I was in the Sixth Form, what is now referred to as Years 12 and 13, I was sat in a science lab at school for a General Studies lesson. I can’t remember for sure now exactly what the teacher was saying, but one of the lads next to me said something to the effect of, the teacher’s speaking a whole load of rubbish. At which point, Sir shouted at him: “That’s a teaching technique, and you ought to be grateful for it!”, before he then resumed his calm demeanour and cont

St John the Baptist – he’s quite a radical figure. Living like a monk or a hermit out in a place far from human habitation, and living quite a simple life, with a garment made of camel’s hair (it might have been a bit itchy), a leather belt, and eating locusts and wild honey. We can assume that, like monks, he was also celibate, giving his whole life over to God. He didn’t do things by half measures, and he doesn’t expect the people to either. I’m not saying that he expected

So, Advent has begun. A time to prepare, not only for Christ’s birth at Christmas, but first to make sure our hearts are ready, should the Lord either call us to Himself, or return in glory. Just imagine if the Lord were to return to earth to judge the living and the dead in just a few days’ time. People are going about doing their Christmas shopping and getting on with normal life, watching TV, eating chocolate, having arguments, and then the Lord returns. If we knew He was

“Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Tim 3:12), so says St Paul. It happened to Christ, and it will happen to us at some point as well. How should we respond? Look at Christ on the Cross. The rulers scoff: “let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God”. The soldiers say: “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” The inscription above the Cross reads: “This is the King of the Jews” – an act of mockery, in part saying t

Last week we celebrated the dedication of the Lateran Basilica, the cathedral church of Rome, and I made the comparison with the Temple in Jerusalem at the time of Christ. Today we hear how some are marvelling at the Temple, “how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings”. Back in 20 BC, Herod the Great decided to greatly enhance the size and dignity of the Temple. He covered the exterior in white marble and gold plating, and according to the first century historian Jose