Temptations are a regular part of our lives. Five days a week, I used to go out in the morning and take an hour’s walk around the corner in Macquarie Fields when I was serving in that parish.

The person suffering with leprosy, in today’s Gospel, puts the ball in Jesus’ court and says, “If you want to, you can cure me.” It must have taken an enormous leap of faith for this person ...

Jesus took her by the hand. We sometimes come to Mass poor, sick and troubled, much like the people who crowd around the door of Jesus in today’s gospel.

In today’s gospel Jesus teaches us two important lessons if we would be followers of Him. Like him we must teach with authority. And like him we must bring healing to those in need.

One of the most important events in an Athletics competition is the relay race. And one of the most crucial moments of this race is the baton change. 

The readings of today invite us to respond to God’s call. In our Christian tradition we call it ‘vocation’. 

If only we knew more about this remarkable Holy Family!  The Scriptures tell us some things, but also so many things they don’t tell us?  However, the Scriptures do give us a hint as to why we can call Jesus’ family a Holy Family.

Different cultures came together in music and song to celebrate the birth of Jesus at Multicultural Christmas Carols, hosted by the Divine Word Missionaries in Sydney and Brisbane.

The SVD Marsfield Community hosted its annual Christmas Carols Festival and St Mark’s Parish, Inala hosted an ecumenical, multicultural Carols evening in Brisbane.

Christmas is almost upon us and summer in Australia is in full furnace-like swing. It’s a far cry from the snow-bound Christmases of my home country Germany, but the sounds and the smells of an Aussie Christmas have an allure all of their own.

Of course, it’s not all cricket and prawns on the barbie. Australia’s Christmas traditions have been enriched over the years by the people from many different cultures who have made their home here and who do Christmas in their own special ways.

To borrow another story from my friend Fr Bel San Luis, SVD; there was this professor in homiletics teaching a group of future preachers on the basics of a good homily. In one of the lessons he said that when you preach about heaven, you should let your face light up with a heavenly beam and let your eyes shine with glory. When you preach about hell, your everyday face will do.