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Humility

30/6/2026

A Reflection on the First Reading for Sunday, July 5th, 2026:
The Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Zechariah
9.9-10

Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion!
    Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem!
Lo, your king comes to you;
    triumphant and victorious is he,
humble and riding on a donkey,
    on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
He will cut off the chariot from Ephraim
    and the war-horse from Jerusalem;
and the battle bow shall be cut off,
    and he shall command peace to the nations;
his dominion shall be from sea to sea,
    and from the River to the ends of the earth.

Pause. Pray. Reflect.

“Humility is the mother of all virtues.”

I thought that I had understood this statement that I heard so many times growing up in a bunch of Catholic circles. But this year, for the first time, I became an elementary teacher. And suddenly this phrase, which had always seemed like sort of interesting hypothetical theology or helpful spirituality, became a very practical reality before my eyes. In the classroom, those who don’t have humility - who believe or need to pretend that they know it all - are not as open to learning, listening and truly growing. As a teacher, I see that what is needed is an open heart which desires to know and is taken up in wonder and awe at every new fact which fascinates, confuses or delights.

Suddenly it makes sense why humility is the mother of all virtues. This dynamic is so much more powerful in the virtuous life. If you don’t believe you have a need to grow, or can’t admit the areas of weakness or sin in your life, you can’t be taught by the True Teacher all the wonderful insights and knowledge He wants to bestow. A prideful heart is a closed heart.

In the first reading today, we see a prophecy of Jesus who is humble - he comes in riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey. Jesus, who could have had thrones and kingdoms on earth, chose to associate with our lowly state. Simultaneously, He is the one who cuts down chariots and commands nations to peace. All the power is His as God, yet He humbles Himself.

Like a true teacher, He shows us more by example than by words. Let us follow Him, never ceasing to open up and wonder and listen and ask – and He will always be there to answer.

Sister Angela Burnham

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Love’s Reward

26/6/2026

3 Comments

A Reflection on the Gospel for Sunday, June 28th, 2026:
The Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Matthew
10.37-42

Jesus said to his Apostles: “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

“Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple — truly I tell you — that person will not lose their reward.”

Pause. Pray. Reflect.

Love God more than anything, and the rewards will be great. (But how do I love God more than anything?) Also, in loving others, I am loving God — so much so that, as I love them, I am giving Love Himself to them. (But is this always true?)

That is my incomplete summary and very crude interpretation of Matthew 10:37-42. I am also acutely aware that, while intellectualizing this Gospel reading is one thing, operationalizing it is another entirely. And so, as I write, I continue to walk and pray and consider what it is God is asking of me today.

“… [W]hoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me …”
Resistance immediately leapt into my mind when I first read this phrase, because how could I possibly love God more than I love my children?

Recently, my unbounded love for my children has been at the forefront of my mind. They have been suffering, and I have felt their pain acutely. If there is someone I love more than God, it is my children. In my love, I hold them (psychologically) with a firm grip. I feel fully responsible for their well-being, for their ability to thrive. They have been my everything at times, and though this may seem good and right, most often my grip has been so tight that it would paralyze me when they pulled free from it. I worry that this may have unintentionally communicated to them that they were doing something wrong simply by testing out their free will.

Conversely, in God’s love, there is freedom for all of us. God’s love communicates to my children that they can feel free to choose, fall, make mistakes, be human, and that Love will be there through it all. At the same time, trusting in God’s love for them helps me to step into a more selfless disposition, into the desire for them to grow and mature and ultimately find their way into His arms — uncoerced, organically, as He made them to do.

In the end, what God is saying to me is, “Release them. Hold onto Me.”

And now I can exhale.

God’s voice is leading me to a key piece missing from my initial summary of Matthew’s message: love in all its forms is good, but the agape love poured out through a life centered on Jesus is the uncommon, selfless, sanctifying love God is calling me to. Agape is the highest expression of altruistic, unconditional, and unselfish love. Unlike romantic or friendly love, agape love implies a conscious decision to actively pursue the welfare of others without seeking anything in return. It forgives the unforgivable, offers mercy when faced with discomfort, adopts a global view of family, and serves them unquestioningly. For me, it means releasing the psychological hold I have on my children in favour of surrendering them to Jesus’ care.

It is a love I can only access by syncing the rhythm of my heart to the heart of the Father of Love.

Lori MacDonald

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Newness of Life

25/6/2026

2 Comments

A Reflection on the Second Reading for Sunday, June 28th, 2026:
The Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Romans
6.3-4, 8-11

Brothers and sisters: All of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death. Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Pause. Pray. Reflect.

As I read the Second Reading for this Sunday, a number of things come to my mind. First, I remember the words of Saint Paul: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Cor 5:17) I recall how easily I said and repeated those words in my pre-teen and teenage years. I acknowledge how, over time, I came to understand that God wants an interactive relationship with me. Now, today, a new question blooms in my heart: What does newness of life mean for me? Surely, it is more than a fancy way of describing my life after saying yes to Jesus. How can I better understand this “newness of life?”

What I receive in this moment is this: it is not enough merely to say yes; a surrender must follow. In surrendering to Jesus, we move beyond simply reading and repeating the scriptures and into actively living them in our world each day. When I contemplate surrender, I imagine a child who is carefree in the presence of her parents, trusting completely that no harm will come to her because they are there. Jesus tells us, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me” (John 15:4). Surrendering to Jesus — abiding in and being nurtured by Jesus every day — is a great way to experience newness of life.

That I am surrendered to Christ is an easy thing to say, but I also must check my reality. Have I retained any of the traits and tendencies of one who is “unsurrendered”? Do I truly consider Jesus as my Lord and not just a lord? Do I look upon Him as “my boss” or more like a colleague with whom I interact occasionally and remotely?

This reflection has helped me to understand that surrender is a daily decision. As Saint Paul puts it, I must “die daily” to myself (1 Cor 15:31) with the help of the Holy Spirit and through consistent personal and corporate fellowship with Jesus. Otherwise, I will walk in pride, trivializing my “mini” shortfalls and failing to realize that it is the little foxes that spoil the vineyard (Song of Songs 2:15).

Let us pray together: Father, help us to have a sincere, authentic and unbroken fellowship with You. Help us to live a renewed life every day. Amen.

Celia Omionawele

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Singing God’s Goodness at Every Age

24/6/2026

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A Reflection on the Psalm for Sunday, June 28, 2026:
The Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Psalm 89

R. Forever I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord.

I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord, forever; with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations. I declare that your steadfast love is established forever; your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.

R. Forever I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord.

Blessed are the people who know the festal shout, who walk, O Lord, in the light of your countenance; they exult in your name all day long, and extol your righteousness.

R. Forever I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord.

For you are the glory of their strength; by your favour our horn is exalted. For our shield belongs to the Lord, our king to the Holy One of Israel.

R. Forever I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord.

Pause. Pray. Reflect.

This year, June 28 holds special meaning for me. It marks my 40th birthday. Forty is one of those milestones that can make us pause and reflect. We look back at where we've been, the joys we've experienced, the challenges we've survived, and the dreams we still carry in our hearts.
As I prayed with the Psalm for Sunday, I was struck by the simple invitation it offers: Sing the goodness of the Lord!

We sing not because life has been perfect, not because every prayer has been answered exactly as we hoped, not because every season has been easy. Rather, we sing because God has been faithful through it all.

As women, we often carry many responsibilities. We care for families, support friends, lead at work, serve our communities, and try to be everything to everyone. Some days feel full of purpose; others feel exhausting. Yet when we stop and look closely, we can see God's fingerprints everywhere — in the strength He gave us when we thought we had none, in the people He placed beside us, and in the quiet moments when His peace met us exactly where we were.

Turning 40 reminds me that life is not about counting what we have accomplished. It is about recognizing how faithfully God has walked beside us. Every year, every lesson, every blessing, and even every struggle has helped shape who we are today.

Perhaps you, too, are celebrating a milestone, or perhaps you are simply trying to make it through an ordinary week. Wherever you find yourself, this Psalm invites you to remember God's goodness. Take a moment to reflect on one blessing from this past year. Then another. And another. Before long, you may find your heart singing too.

The Lord is not finished with us. We still have lives to touch, prayers to pray, lessons to learn, and joys to discover. Every new year is another opportunity to walk in His light and trust in His plan.

Let us pray together: Lord, thank You for Your goodness and faithfulness throughout every season of my life. Help me to see Your blessings, especially on the ordinary days. Give me a grateful heart that sings Your praises and a trusting spirit that follows wherever You lead. May the years ahead bring me closer to You and allow me to share Your steadfast love with others. Amen.

Shelly Fillmore

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Humility

​A Reflection on the First Reading for Sunday, July 5th, 2026:The Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Pause. Pray. Reflect.

Love’s Reward

A Reflection on the Gospel for Sunday, June 28th, 2026:The Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Newness of Life

A Reflection on the Second Reading for Sunday, June 28th, 2026:The Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Singing God’s Goodness at Every Age

A Reflection on the Psalm for Sunday, June 28, 2026:The Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Archives

A Reflection on the First Reading for Sunday, July 5th, 2026:
The Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

A Reflection on the Gospel for Sunday, June 28th, 2026:
The Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

A Reflection on the Second Reading for Sunday, June 28th, 2026:
The Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

A Reflection on the Psalm for Sunday, June 28, 2026:
The Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time