Behold I stand at the door and knock...

Our life in Christ is so rich a reality and so deep a mystery that we need many expressions of what it means. One which arises from the Collect of this Sunday's Mass is to stand in the bright light of truth. I explore in this podcast two ways in which we can place ourselves, through the grace of God, into this bright light. If you would like to contact me to provide feedback, suggestions  or...

"Do not be afraid..." says Our Lord Jesus in the gospel of this Sunday. There are many, many things that can make us afraid, disconcerted, downhearted and despondent about the world and the Church in this age. Some say that the springtime promised by Vatican II has not eventuated, but rather, a dire winter. Yet, we trust in Christ, who has conquered the world and Satan. We must remain fa...

The Australian Catholic hymn composer, James P. McAuley, has left us a beautiful hymn: Jesus, in your heart we find love of the Father and mankind; these two loves to us impart divine love in a human heart. The Sacred Heart of Jesus is a human heart in which resides the divine love. This Sacred Heart burns with love and desire for us, and brings our heart into union with it through Holy Communion....

Corpus Christi brings us to celebrate the marvel and miracle of what Christ our Lord has done for us. He has left his bodily presence among us in the Blessed Sacrament of His Body and Blood so that He might remain with us, abide with us, draw us to His Sacred Heart and incorporate us into Him. What love! What splendour! How much we have been given! Let us treasure and protect the Blessed Sacrament...

The Most Holy Trinity is foundational to our Christian belief. It is a sublime mystery that our intellect cannot comprehend and could never have invented. Yet God chose to reveal His inner life so that we may come to know who God is, and that we may come to share, both in this life partially and in the next fully, the life of the Most Holy Trinity. If you would like to contact me to provide feedba...

Pentecost and the descent of the Holy Spirit mark the completion of the Paschal Mystery accomplished in fifty days. Who is the Holy Spirit? Without preempting next Sunday, Trinity Sunday, the person and action of the Holy Spirit is intimately linked to the Father and the Son. However today gives us the opportunity to focus upon the Third Person of the Holy Trinity so that we may come to understand...

The Ascension of the Lord is the "tail end" of the Easter season. But in the tradition of the Church, not discernible in the modern form of the Holy Mass, it is its own season called Ascensiontide. While very short, only 10 days if Ascension is on Thursday or 7 days if Ascension is on Sunday, it is significant because it is like a bridge between the post-Resurrection appearances and the...

We have many questions in life. Some are about where my life is going. Others are about the ultimate meaning in life. While others are mundane but sometimes pressing, like how to pay the bills. Others who do not have our faith may look at us and think we are perfect and have everything sorted. But that's not true, is it? However, what we do have is hope and the reason for our hope is Christ a...

The reassuring and comforting words of Christ our Lord in the gospel of this Sunday remind us that the Paschal Mystery, by which we are saved, also results in a home, a house that we belong to, both in this life and for eternity in the next. We have much reason for joy and for hope! If you would like to contact me to provide feedback, suggestions  or to ask questions you can do this via email: frp...

The Good Shepherd is an endearing image given to us by Christ of Himself. It is uniquely Christian. No other religion or creed expresses the love and tenderness of its god in such a way. If it had been human invention, it would be both arrogant and presumptive. But it is part of divine revelation and so is trustworthy. May we be humble enough to be the sheep and allow Jesus to be our shepherd. The...

Christ our risen Lord goes in search of two despondent disciples on the road to Emmaus. This is a favourite Easter story because of its heart-warming outcome but it has also has much to teach us, as Jesus intended. There are lessons to be learned about our discipleship and how we give worship and glory to God. The image used this Sunday is by James Tissot (French, 1836-1902). The Pilgrims of Emmau...

The message of Divine Mercy entrusted to the Church by the Lord Himself on the eighth day after the Resurrection, and strengthened through the revelations to St Faustina Kowalska in the 20th century, is sorely needed in our world. Humanity needs to hear that Divine Mercy is endless and heals all the troubles of the world.  If you would like to contact me to provide feedback, suggestions  or to ask...

The Resurrection of Our Lord, Jesus Christ truly is a turning point in human history! Only with the eyes of faith are we able to see how the treachery of Satan and the gullibility and over-reaching of humanity are reversed.  But it is also the ancient faith of the Church that the Death and Resurrection of Christ are so powerful that the order of sin and death is reversed and  humanity is offered a...

Such a day! Unlike any in the history of the world! The Creator of the entire universe, not only comes down to earth, but enters into the darkest  experience of human life, namely death. For only one reason does He do this; for love, an immense and self-emptying love.   O Cross of Christ, immortal tree on whom was hung our victory! If you would like to contact me to provide feedback, suggestions ...

The beginning of the Sacred Triduum turns our attention to the Upper Room of the Last Supper, but also to Calvary, and the abiding presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. If you would like to contact me to provide feedback, suggestions  or to ask questions you can do this via email: frpchandler@armidale.catholic.org.au Also if you would like to support me in this work, please send me an email...

Today we hear the words of Pope Benedict XVI in the homily he gave on his last Palm Sunday before his abdication and retirement. They are stunning and arousing words as well words that cause us to ponder and enter tenderly into Holy Week. Artwork by Pietro Lorenzetti - Source, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3944840 If you would like to contact me to provide feedback...

The raising of Lazarus from the tomb prefigures and points towards Christ's own Resurrection from the tomb on Easter Sunday morning. Having received Holy Baptism, this resurrection of the body is promised also to us, and this gives us joy and much consolation as we face the certainty of dying. If you would like to contact me to provide feedback, suggestions  or to ask questions you can do thi...

Once more, with the healing of the man born blind, we reflect upon Holy Baptism, in preparation for the Sunday of the Resurrection, Easter Sunday. The grace of Baptism  gave us faith, hope and charity to reside in our soul, unless we reject such grace through mortal sin. Faith is a light for our lives and gives us direction and meaning. The man born blind came to faith in Jesus through his miracle...

Francis Thompson wrote a poem called "The Hound of Heaven", in which he described the immense love of God as like a hound that never gives up chasing the hare. God pursues us relentlessly because He loves us and desires us to be in love with Him now, and in eternal life in heaven. What Jesus did at the well in Samaria was to pursue this poor woman whose life was an utter mess. He always...

Having compunction for our sins means being acutely aware of the wrong we have done, which offends God; and a contrition for our sins follows. The marvellous event of the Transfiguration inspires fear of God and awe before Him. But, at the same time, an awareness of the immense kindness of God. The image for this podcast is the depiction of the Transfiguration by Raphael. It is worth having a look...

How we view ourselves and the world is informed by our Catholic faith. The Christian understanding of our humanity, how the world came to be (and why the world is as it is now) have all been revealed to us by God.  This first Sunday of Lent takes us back to the beginning, to the pervasive reality of sin, as well as allowing us to view the trials and temptations of our Saviour in the desert. If you...

God abides in hearts that are true and just. To be disciples of Our Lord and members of His Mystical Body we constantly strive to make our hearts true, just, clean and pure. This is the constant struggle of the Christian life and victory is obtained by our good efforts and divine grace. Here is a link to the hymn/song that I mention in today's podcast. Calon Lân https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

Our Saviour does not need us to help Him to save the world. He can (and has) done that all by Himself. But He wants us to participate actively in not only our own salvation but also that of the whole world. So He does make some demands of us, namely, to be salt and light for the world. We must not be afraid. He will assist us. He only needs our good intentions and good deeds. If you would like to...

Christ delivered His Sermon on the Mount and brought the Law given to Moses to a fulfillment and a perfection. Rather than sounding like legal provisions, it is more a description of the qualities and virtues of those who will be His in this world. But it is not as this world would have thought it to be. If you would like to contact me to provide feedback, suggestions  or to ask questions you can...

On our national day, we give God thanks for our beloved nation and homeland. If you would like to contact me to provide feedback, suggestions  or to ask questions you can do this via email: frpchandler@armidale.catholic.org.au Also if you would like to support me in this work, please send me an email and I will provide details for how you can make a donation.  Music by TheNonVisibles from Pixabay