GOSPEL REFLECTION (By Fr Doug Harris) In the first reading, Our Lord says through the Prophet Zephaniah that what He wants is people who are humble.  In the second reading St Paul writes: “If anyone want to boast, let them boast about the Lord.”  Today’s Gospel theme is the Beatitudes.  The first beatitude is: “Happy the poor in spirit, theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” A person “poor in spirit” is aware they are utterly hopeless or spiritually poverty stricken without God’s

Gospel Reflection: The first reading is a prophecy from the prophet Isaiah.  It says “In days past the Lord humbled the lands of Zebulan and Naphtali, but in days to come He will confer glory” on them.  In the time of Isaiah almost 800 years before Christ the towns of Zebulan and Naphtali were the first to be occupied and oppressed by the Assyrians.  The prophecy of Isaiah continued: “The people that walked in darkness has seen a great light, on those who live in a land of de

Gospel Reflection: St John the Baptist when he saw Jesus said: “Look, there is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.”  Just as the Jewish priests offered the sacrifice of a lamb to take away the sins of the Jews, Jesus is the ‘New Lamb’ of sacrifice that takes away “the sins of the world.”  In the Old Testament, especially the Book of Leviticus, God gave specific instructions for a Lamb Sacrifice to be valid.  Jesus fulfilled all these instructions.  God said

Gospel Reflection: by Fr Doug Harris Today’s homily is a little catechism on Baptism.  Why is there the Sacrament of Baptism?  The first reason is that Jesus Himself was baptised.  Jesus did not need to be baptised.  He is without sin.  One reason why Our Lord was baptised was to sanctify all baptisms.  In the Bible, Jesus Himself commanded us to baptize.  In the Gospel of Matthew Jesus said to His disciples: “Make disciples of all the nations and baptise  them in the Name of

Gospel Reflection: Today we celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany. The word Epiphany means ‘manifestation.’  On this day, Our Lord manifested or revealed Himself to Gentiles (people who are not Jewish).  He manifested Himself to “some wise man … from the east.” Tradition has given these wise men names: Melchior, Kaspar and Belthazar. When the wise men saw the baby, they ‘knelt before Him.’ The original Greek word for ‘knelt before Him’ is ‘proskolineo’ which means: ‘to go on on