Wisdom from the Abbey–Mother Hilda–Love Can Die (Mother Hilda reflects on Lebanese Maronite Christian poet Kahlil Gibran famous work, “the prophet,” in which a man of wisdom, the prophet, is asked to speak to the people of fictional Orphalege about varying subjects. Mother Hilda says his description of love is a very accurate description of God and our life with God. How hard it is sometimes for you and me to believe in a God who invites us into that deepest of mysteries, love. Mother Hilda says God gives only himself and takes nothing away from you, rather he takes from himself, and he gives to you. In his love he does not possess you, you're free to choose to love him or reject him. And the prophet goes on “when you love you should not say God is in my heart but rather, I am in the heart of God. And Mother Hilda says: yes, that's our true resting place.)

God in the Everyday–Fr Mike Delaney–Who Made God? (Fr Mike has been dealing with quite a few other tricky and challenging questions of five-year-olds during some school visits. During one visit came the question which challenges every time, who made God? Before Mike could answer, another little girl piped up and said God doesn't need to be made because God is love and love just is. Asked how she knew that the girl said that her mum told her that she, her mum, loved her just because she was her daughter and would always love her and that's what God does as well. Thinking about it later, Fr Mike reflected how often we get caught up in big ideas and words to speak about these truths when sometimes the best answer might be the simplest.)

Gospel Reflection–Fr Slawek Plonka–Baptism of Fire (Fr Slawek says this gospel makes us feel uncomfortable, it makes us realise that we may be God fearing people who do the right thing and still experience suffering injustice, division and discord. Jesus is here not to create paradise on Earth, to miraculously fix everything and everyone, and let us live in blissful happiness every day. He is here to baptise us with fire to immerse us fully in God's love and to guide us safely into the fullness of life which we call heaven. If we expect that from him, we won't be disappointed, we will be saved.)

On The Journey This Week: Fr Mark De Battista’s Gospel reflection on being watchful, always ready, and vigilant to respond to God’s quiet voice. Mother Hilda says a 12th Century comment is equally applicable to us today. Plus, Fr Anthony Crook explores why personal spirituality, and a sense of religious belonging is so protective and comforting to us, Trish McCarthy and Fr Dave Callaghan.

Wisdom from the Abbey–Mother Hilda–I Found Him (Mother Hilda says a piece of work by a 12th Century monk, Gilbert of Hoyland, is so applicable to our 21st century circumstances. Gilbert’s story is one of searching and finding, of us wandering like lost sheep while God is searching for us in his mercy, anticipating our despair, anticipating us that he might love us before we loved him. Hilda says that that's our story. Lost and found. Chosen, sought, acquired, anticipated.)

Gospel Reflection–Fr Mark De Battista–Watchfulness (Fr Mark says that Jesus in this gospel is calling us to watchfulness. It's the watchfulness of faith. It's the watchfulness of being attentive to spiritual things. It means essentially that we're always trying to look at our life and our world from the perspective of faith. We must be ready and vigilant at all times to respond to that quiet voice of his and to always be ready for the enemy of our souls who is ever present and ready to attack us when he feels and thinks we are weakest.

Milk & Honey–Trish McCarthy–My Pleasure (Trish was pleasantly surprised by a particular experience when walking through a busy shop. Excusing herself and squeezing through the fast-closing gap of feet and shoulders, Trish thanked the lady who moved aside to make more room. Her reply was surprising. “My pleasure” she said. It was her pleasure to make way for me, someone she didn't know, hadn't met, would never see again. She took delight in being able to serve me. Imagine the difference it would make if we could take that attitude into all those little things in life. Trish says have fun today and genuinely smile inside and out when you get the chance to say out of love, it's my pleasure.)

The Call–Fr Dave Callaghan–Living Faith Back-to-Front (Fr Dave says that it seems that we often get Jesus’ saying “to be as cunning as snakes and as innocent as doves” back to front. we need to come back to the words of Jesus. Think like snakes, but don't act like them. Act like doves but don't think like them. When we get that the right way round, we might just start to bring about a real change in our world.)

Positive Psychology–Fr Anthony Crook–Spirituality and Well-Being (part 1) Fr Anthony begins a short series on the why and how of spiritual well-being. Today he explores why personal spirituality and a sense of religious belonging is so protective and comforting to us. Even in suffering or serious illness, we are place ourselves in the context of the Christian story that helps change the experience and understanding of suffering.)

Spirit & Life–Pat Keady– The Gift of Prayer (Following on from last week’s gospel on Jesus teaching the disciples and us how to pray, this week Pat Keady says we can tap into the gifts of the Holy Spirit for some prayer assistance. Pat asks do you see prayer as a chore that’s got to be done? Well, a better way to look at prayer is as a gift from the Holy Spirit to build a relationship with God. Pat’s advice: today take up the Spirit’s offer of a catch-up coffee with God, tell Him all the happenings in and around your life, hear what He’s got to say as well)