Peter Blog a few random thoughts

The death of Kennedy, The first landing on the moon, the fall of the Berlin wall, the death of Diana princess of wales England wining the world cup. These and many many others are pivotal days in history. IF you remember them then you can usually remember where you were when you heard the news or where you was with watching the events unfold on TV or radio.   Today we celebrate the most important day in history. One that has changed the world for ever. For it is here today that we celebrate the resurrection of the Lord from the death. The Church as the Exult says “shakes with joy.” We today share in that Joy. We have renewed hope, for we are an Easter People and Alleluia is our song. So what does it mean for us to be this Easter people and to be the most important day in history? There are three things I think that we must try our best to do. The first thing that we must do is to allow this joy to penetrate our hearts. For so many people depression and anxiety rule the...

Today as we embark on the most holy three days we remember in a very special way the mystery of God’s love for us. We gather this evening as the disciples did in that upper room. We gather with Christ. We watch and listen to the words and actions. And that is what I want you to do this evening. I want you to watch and listen and learn about God’s love for us. Watch as the feet are washed around the Church in a few moments. As Christ did for his disciples who he was sent to serve so I as priest do to you who I have been sent to serve. And think of what it means the feet the most used part of the body sometimes smelly sometimes tired and they are washed as a sign of service and love.   So today is the institution of the priesthood. It is one of unselfish service and love for all people. Shown in this beautiful act of service. The drama continues at the Altar a symbol of Christ. It is here that we discover the institution of the Eucharist. Listen as Christ tells to “Do this in ...

Palm Sunday 2014 Reflection: In the Passion story: Who am I? What am I feeling as I hear these events take place? Take this person or people and stay with them over the first few days of holy week. Ask yourself why you identify with the person and bring it to prayer. 

  Jesus says in the Gospel today that “I am the resurrection and the life” and in another place it says “I have come that you may have life and have it to the full.”  I want to focus on today one word that both these passages have in common the word “Life.” When I was a student I had a poster from Trainspotting a film from the early 1996 about people who took drugs.  The last phrase after going through many different situations was “Chose Life.” This always struck me as a positive statement. But, many people are in dead end jobs where they are stuck and there life is just one long commute. And when they get home they are too tired to do anything. It is interesting that the BBC have done a poll where they saw where the jobs that gave people the best job satisfaction the worst was publicans and the best was being a priest or a vicar. When people have no life then they can be in what Pope Francis says:  “perpetual lent without any hope of Easter.” So who br...

Whenever we go on holiday I wonder what we do. We get ready we check we have got everything. And then double check. We check that our passports if we are going abroad are ok. We get ready for the journey. Today’s readings are looking at a different journey. They are looking at the inner journey the journey of faith. And it can in human eyes come up with some extraordinary consequences. In the first reading from the book of Samuel we see that the people of Israel were looking for a King. So going to the Sons of Jesse he picks David the last and most insignificant of his Sons what does God look for then. He does not look for what the world considers as important those with wealth and power, no, God looks at the heart he looks and the inner journey. This inner journey must have outwards signs we can see this from the book of Ephesians we must shun the works of darkness and live as children of the light. He says “Once you were in darkness, but now you are in the light of the Lord.” ...