Fr Matt's Blog - reflections on Church, life and books

The Mass is efficacious for many things, that it is a powerful tool within the armoury of the Church. It is not simply a memorial supper, but an act of transformation in which the bread and wine, offered on the Altar, become the body and blood of Christ. And if the bread and wine are transformed, then so to are those who participate and receive the Mass.  If it is transformative on the human level, then it can also transform situations, which is why the Mass is often offered with an Intention, that is on behalf of a person (living or deceased), a place or situation. The main Mass of Sunday for instance is always offered for the needs of the Parish, other low Masses celebrated during the week might be offered for different Intentions.  Normally I wouldn't be celebrating a low Mass during the week, but this week I will be offering two: the first was today, and was for a member of our community going to a selection conference for ministry. It was said for her, for the other c...

The Mass for the Third Sunday of Easter 26 April 2020 THE GATHERING Hymn How shall I sing that majesty How shall I sing that majesty which angels do admire? Let dust in dust and silence lie; sing, sing, ye heavenly choir. Thousands of thousands stand around thy throne, O God most high; ten thousand times ten thousand sound thy praise; but who am I? Thy brightness unto them appears, whilst I thy footsteps trace; a sound of God comes to my ears, but they behold thy face. They sing, because thou art their Sun; Lord, send a beam on me; for where heaven is but once begun there alleluias be. Enlighten with faith's light my heart, inflame it with love's fire; then shall I sing and bear a part with that celestial choir. I shall, I fear, be dark and cold, with all my fire and light; yet when thou dost accept their gold, Lord, treasure up my mite. How great a being, Lord, is thine, which doth all beings keep! Thy knowledge is the only li...

When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. They had been saying to one another, ‘Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?’ When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, ‘Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.’ So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, they were afraid for  ...