Homily for the Friday in the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time, delivered in Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, Gladstone, Qld.

"People must think of us as Christ’s servants, stewards entrusted with the mysteries of God. What is expected of stewards is that each one should be found worthy of his trust... [and] the Lord alone is [our] judge; he will light up all that is hidden in the dark and reveal the secret intentions of men’s hearts. Then will be the time for each one to have whatever praise he deserves, from God." (cf. 1 Cor 4:1-5).

"The salvation of the just comes from the Lord. If you trust in the Lord and do good, then you will live in the land and be secure. If you find your delight in the Lord, he will grant your heart’s desire; Commit your life to the Lord, trust in him and he will act, so that your justice breaks forth like the light, your cause like the noon-day sun." (cf. Ps 37:3-29).

"The Pharisees and the scribes said to Jesus, ‘John’s disciples are always fasting and saying prayers, and the disciples of the Pharisees too, but yours go on eating and drinking.’ Jesus replied, ‘Surely you cannot make the bridegroom’s attendants fast while the bridegroom is still with them...? No one tears a piece from a new cloak to put it on an old cloak... and nobody puts new wine into old skins; if he does, the new wine will burst the skins and then run out, and the skins will be lost. No; new wine must be put into fresh skins. And nobody who has been drinking old wine wants new. “The old is good” he says.’" cf. Lk 5:33-39).

Artwork: "Marriage at Cana" by Giotto (c.1303).