Fr Dominic’s Homily

On this fifth Sunday in Ordinary time we continue into the gospel of Mark. As we learnt last Sunday Jesus is showing is authority not just in his teaching but in his command over demons who all know exactly who he is. And with Mark we hear that things happen immediately and quickly in respect to the ministry of Jesus. There is a dynamism and sense of urgency in relation to his mission. He is intent on bringing the Kingdom of Heaven wherever he goes.

We hear a little about the personal life of Simon Peter today when Jesus goes to visit his Mother in Law. This reminds us that Peter was married at some point. It is thought that his wife must have died early and so Peter was a widow and someone who had suffered before he became a disciple of Jesus. Otherwise his wife would have been welcoming Jesus and the others rather than his Mother in Law because hospitality was a deeply cultural aspect of family life at that time. Just as was honour and shame that we often hear about in the gospels.

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The Clifton Diocese Pilgrimage to Lourdes is taking place this year in late August with pilgrims coming from all over the Diocese to embark on this journey. Details can be found on the Diocese website Lourdes | Clifton Diocese or by contacting lourdes@cliftondiocese.com /0117 902 5590 for an information pack.

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Fr Dominic’s Homily

Jesus was born in Bethlehem but then moved back to Nazareth where he grew up and lived for about 30 years. Today we hear about Jesus entering the Synagogue in Capernaum which was a village not too far away.

We hear in this gospel from Mark that he goes into the small local Synagogue on the Sabbath which if you remember is not a Sunday but a Saturday which was the last day of the week. In fact it actually started on a Friday evening which could have been when Jesus had entered.

Now the big temple in Jerusalem was where the main events occurred – in a way it was similar to our Cathedral. People would travel up for big annual feasts but it was also the place where all the animal sacrifices would take place.

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Fr Dominic’s Homily

Simon, Andrew James and John were fishermen. They had probably grown up watching their Fathers and grandfathers on the boats and had themselves been doing the job for many years and so had plenty of time to think about other things whilst mending their nets.

Last week we heard that they had risked spending a day with Jesus after asking who he was and where he lived. So they now knew a lot more about him and saw him as the messiah they had been waiting for.

As Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee he saw them and called them. He said “Follow me and I will make you into fishers of men.” There is no mention of any discussions, questions or good-byes. They simply “left… and followed him.”

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Fr Dominic’s Homily

This conversation we hear between Jesus and the two disciples seems very simple:

Jesus asks: “What do you want?”
The disciples answer “Where do you live?”
So Jesus says: “Come and see.”

This conversation is so ordinary that you wonder why John ever included it in his gospel.

It sounds at first a bit like someone who is annoyed by some people who are trying to follow him - who then try to ask for his address. However, when you listen to it again you realise that actually it’s an incredibly profound discussion.

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Clifton Diocese in partnership with ‘Light of Truth’ are offering a Lenten retreat: ‘Transformed by Love’ in six online sessions, contemplating God’s grace at work in the lives of six persons, through scripture and artworks. The six sessions begin at 7.30pm on a Tuesday evening:

 20 February, 27 February, 5 March, 12 March, 19 March, 26 March.

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Fr Dominic’s Homily

So today we celebrate the Baptism of Jesus. The Christmas season has now ended and we are starting Ordinary time.

Why did Jesus needed to be baptised? He was fully God and fully human but he never sinned. Mary was the only other human never to have sinned. But in the baptism of Jesus just as the Israelites were liberated from slavery in Egypt Jesus now liberates us from the slavery of sin.

If you remember in the Exodus there was a journey through the parted waters of the Red Sea to an earthly promised land with the help of Moses. However, in this baptism of Jesus, this New Exodus, we have a parting of the clouds and our final destination is into a heavenly promised land which will now be made possible through Jesus who is the New Moses.

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Fr Dominic’s Homily

Just to remind you that:

• The Christmas ‘feast’ ends on the feast of Mary, the Mother of God, on January 1st. Which is usually 8 days.

• The end of the Christmas ‘season’ is today at Epiphany, which means that we have had at least 12 days of Christmas.

• However the official end of the ‘liturgical Christmas season’ is on the Baptism of Our Lord after which Ordinary Time begins. So we keep our nativity scene displayed to this day.

• Though many Churches keep their crib up until the Presentation of Our Lord which is 2nd February. I think that’s a lovely tradition to follow.

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Fr Dominic’s Homily

The council of Ephesus agreed that Mary is the true God bearer in the year 43l.

So Mary is not simply the mother of Jesus but is truly the mother of God. Now when the Church proclaims something like this about Mary it's not really about Mary it's so that the Church can safeguard some truths about Jesus.

In this case it is safeguarding the truth that Jesus is fully human and fully divine at the same time. The Church was going through some difficulties due to some people suggesting that Jesus couldn't be both of these at the same time. So in order to safeguard these truths about Jesus this proclamation was made about Mary - that she was Mother of God. So Mary is the patron saint of safeguarding too!

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FR DOMINIC’S HOMILY

Today we have the famous prologue from Johns Gospel. Matthew and Mark speak all about the birth of Christ in time in a manger in a stable yet John goes back further and speaks about Christ existing from all eternity.

In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God.

When we speak words to another person we also tell something of ourselves. Who we are as a person cannot be separated from how we communicate when we speak words to another. But it is only in a restrictive way because of our human nature.

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Fr Dominic’s Homily

On today’s feast of the nativity of the Lord we celebrate Christmas. Or “Christs Mass”. And Christmas is above all else a meeting.

It’s a meeting between the vastness of heaven, and the small fields of earth. Between the splendour of heaven, and the poverty of a manger, And between the choirs of heaven, and the silence of a dark Bethlehem night as the stars looked down.

On that night, the infinite power of God meets the vulnerability of a small baby. God, of course, had many options of how he could come into the world. He could have appeared as a Supreme king, or a clever politician, or a mighty warrior. But he chose to become the most helpless person possible – a tiny baby.

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Fr Dominic’s Homily

Today we hear about the annunciation of Gods plan to Mary through the Angel Gabriel. This reading prepares us for the birth of Christ. We have Christmas because Mary says yes to Gods plan without having all the answers.

Mary was a young, humble woman chosen from all ages for this role. And who was Joseph? Well he was a poor carpenter and builder but also he was from the line of King David. He was actually a member of the royal family.

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Fr Dominic and 10 members of the parish Men’s Group met at Gigi’s restaurant in Glastonbury on the evening of 21st December. There was much discussion about various topics including food, football, tattoos and pilgrimage! This was all complemented with a fine meal.

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Fr Dominic’s Homily

Today is Gaudate Sunday. It’s the day that we light the rose candle and the priest wears rose coloured vestments. The only other time that this happens is half way through lent on Laetari Sunday. Gaudate means Joy and Laetari means rejoice.

So why are we joyful on this Sunday? well it’s to remind us that during this rather serious and sombre period of Advent we prepare ourselves spiritually for the return of Christ – not just as a tiny baby in a manger in a stable but also as a glorious king at the end of time. We rejoice that the birth of Christ is near at hand and Christmas will soon be here.

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