There’s this story about the US Civil War when President Abraham Lincoln was being briefed by his generals on the state of the war.

“Blessed are you who are poor…blessed are you who are hungry…blessed are you who are weeping…blessed are you when people hate you…Familiar words that we might have heard several times already.

The first reading, from the Prophet Isaiah, speaks about a vision that Isaiah had of the incredible presence and power of God. He felt totally incapable of expressing this reality of God.

I’m unashamed to say that I’m a “Mama’s Boy”. Whenever I needed something and I couldn’t get it from my dad, I always turned to my mum and without a doubt my dad would give in.

In recent years, marriage has been quite a hot topic in various sectors of society. At one end, there are advocates for “marriage equality” which means you can marry any person regardless of their gender.

With the SVD’s Sesquicentenary Year now underway, we are looking forward to a raft of events and celebrations around our Province in the leadup to the 150^th anniversary of the Foundation of the Society of the Divine Word on September 8, 2025.

Among these is the annual SVD Mission Day in Melbourne, to be hosted by Dorish Maru College and held on October 12. The Congregational Leader of the Sisters of St Joseph, Sr Monica Cavanagh RSJ will be the principal speaker, with systematic theologian and experienced pastoral associate, Dr Cecilia Francisco-Tan the respondent. All are welcome.

Jesus’ teaching of putting a millstone around a person’s neck and throwing him into the sea; plucking out the eye, cutting off limbs if one sins is rather disturbing and puzzling for a good teacher like Jesus.

During his prime, Muhammad Ali, the heavyweight-boxing champion of the 60s and the 70s proclaimed one day, “I am the greatest! I am the greatest!” When he said this nobody tried to refute it, for during his time, he was indeed the greatest.

If I asked anybody if they love to experience pain, particularly physical pain, well I'd think you were a masochist if you would ever say yes. Well … believe it or not, pain is very necessary in life and, ironically, pain is life-saving.

Today, the first reading is taken from the book of Prophet Isaiah.  He tells the timid people, those who are uneasy about the Word of God, whose hearts live in fear “Be strong!  Fear not!”