Good morning and welcome for our moment to pause. Today, we're going to take a short time to reflect on our gospel reading, which is taken from the Gospel of John, chapter 15 1 to 8.

Today we join Fr Eduardo Nunez Yepez OMI in the Tower Hill Mission.

Welcome to A Moment to Pause wherever you are right now on your commute, taking a break from work or simply catching your breath. I'm glad you are here. Let's pause for a moment and let God speak to our heart. In today's gospel from Matthew, we find that when Jesus was told that his mother and relatives are looking for him, he responds with surprising words: “Whoever does the will of my father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” We spend so much time local labs trying to find where we belong. We work hard to build a character. We hope people will notice our efforts. We chase success, approval and security, believing that once we achieve enough, it will finally feel like we've arrived. 

But somehow the finish line keeps moving into In today’s gospel, Jesus quietly shapes our perspective. He reminds us that our greatest identity isn't found in our job title, our achievements, or even what other people think of us. Our first identity is this: we belong to God, and belonging to God isn't something we earn. It's something we choose to live each day by saying yes to him. 

Sometimes God's will looks very ordinary. It looks like answering an email with kindness instead of frustration. Being honest when cutting corners would be easier. Giving your full attention to someone who needs to be heard. Choosing peace over pride. Taking a moment to pray before making a difficult decision. These moments may seem small, but they shape who we are. 

The world often asks whathave you accomplished? Jesus asks something different. Did you love? Did you trust me? Did you let me guide your heart today? Maybe that's all we need to focus on, not having everything figured out. Not becoming more impressive. Just taking the next faithful step with him. Because at the end of the day, what helps our lives meaning isn't how successful we become. But how closely we walk with the one who already calls us family. 

Lord Jesus, thank you for reminding me that my world is not measured by my achievement, but by your love. Help me to seek you your will in the ordinary moments of this day. Teach me to lead with a path that belongs completely to you. Amen. Thank you for joining me for a moment to pause and as you go through your day, remember this. 

You don't have to earn your place in God's family. You already have one. Simply walk with him one step at a time.

Welcome to our reflection today with Pauline Thomas from Anglesey, North Wales.

Welcome to A Moment to Pause today, the 20th of July. In today's gospel Matthew chapter 12, verses 38-42, we hear the Scribes and Pharisees asking Jesus for a sign. We might look for a sign to confirm if we can trust something or someone as being authentic or a fraud, real or a scam. Jesus is strong in his rebuttal. He says an evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet: “Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale, three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth, three days and three nights.” He goes on to say at the Judgment, the people of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah. 

Welcome to our reflection today with Pauline Thomas from Anglesey, North Wales.

Welcome to A Moment to Pause on this, the 19th of July. We hear today in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 13, verses 24 to 43, Jesus laying before the crowds, three parables. In the first he likens the kingdom of heaven to a man who sowed good seed in his field. While everyone was asleep, his enemy came and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off. 

Welcome to our reflection today with Pauline Thomas from Anglesey, North Wales.

Welcome to A Moment to Pause, Saturday, the 18th of July. The scripture today comes from the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 12, verses 14 to 21, when Jesus realised that the Pharisees had taken counsel against him to put him to death, he withdrew from that place. But even so, people followed him. And the passage says that he cured them all, warning them not to make him known. 

Welcome to our reflection today with Pauline Thomas from Anglesey, North Wales.

Welcome to A Moment to Pause. Today's scripture reading is from the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 12, verses 1 to 8. Jesus was going through a field of grain on the Sabbath, and his disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them. On seeing this, the Pharisees confronted Jesus, saying, “See, your disciples are doing what is unlawful to do on the Sabbath.”

Welcome to A Moment to Pause this Thursday 16th of July. How wonderful it is in everyday life when we actually have a moment to pause, to take some time out for yourself, a moment to slow down, to take a breather. These are always welcome and precious moments in our day when we can experience, even if fleetingly, a sense of stillness, peace and calm. 

In today's scripture reading from the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 11:28-30, Jesus invites us, saying, “Come to me, all you who labour and are burdened, and I will give you rest.” So much of life can be a series of tasks to be completed, appointments to attend, or simply struggling to get through the day or night where responsibilities, anxieties, sickness and loss can leave us with a feeling of life being an uphill struggle. 

My daughter, a young mother, asked me, “does it get easier?” I had to answer her honestly - “Well, it just changes.” But for me, I have found that when I invite the Lord into the toil, the struggle, the striving, when I'm troubled or weighed down or feel overloaded or fraught, that this does change things. Where I am given the graces I need to not feel overburdened, or where a sense of unexpected ease, peace, stillness and calmness floods in unexpectedly. So, Lord Jesus, help us this day to lean on you, to uphold us and refresh us with your saving help. Amen.

Thanks for joining us this morning.

Welcome to our reflection today with Pauline Thomas from Anglesey, North Wales.

Welcome to a Moment to Pause on this Wednesday 15th of July. Today's scripture reading is from the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 11, verses 25 to 27. In the gospel we hear Jesus praising the father, saying, “I give you praise Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth, for though you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned, you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, father, such has been your gracious will.” 

Hello dear friend and welcome to our reflection today with Pauline Thomas from Anglesey, North Wales.

Welcome to A Moment To Pause.

Hello dear friend and welcome to our reflection today with Pauline Thomas from Anglesey, North Wales.

Welcome to A Moment To Pause, I'm Pauline Thomas from Anglesey, North Wales, and will be with you