Traversing Emmaus

A Traversing Emmaus miniseries for the end of year Diocesan Pilgrimage with Harvest Journeys and Bishop Michael McCarthy.

After 3 years of waiting, this pilgrimage is finally able to take place — and about 20 of us have gathered from around the Diocese and country. 

Episode 1 merely sets the scene of how we made it from wherever we came from (Rockhampton, then Brisbane, then Dubai in my case), what a pilgrimage is, and what to expect over the coming few weeks.

Homily for the Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, delivered (at the evening Mass) in Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, Gladstone, Qld.

"There were seven brothers who were arrested with their mother. The king tried to force them to taste pig’s flesh, which the Law forbids, by torturing them with whips and scourges. One of them, acting as spokesman for the others, said, ‘What are you trying to find out from us? We are prepared to die rather than break the laws of our ancestors.’ With his last breath the second brother exclaimed, ‘Inhuman fiend, you may discharge us from this present life, but the King of the world will raise us up, since it is for his laws that we die, to live again for ever.’ After him, they amused themselves with the third... When this one was dead they subjected the fourth to the same savage torture. When he neared his end he cried, ‘Ours is the better choice... relying on God’s promise that we shall be raised up by him...’" (cf. 2 Macc 7:1-14).

"Lord, hear a cause that is just, pay heed to my cry. Turn your ear to my prayer: no deceit is on my lips. I kept my feet firmly in your paths; there was no faltering in my steps. I am here and I call, you will hear me, O God. Turn your ear to me; hear my words." (cf. Ps 17).

"Pray for us; pray that the Lord’s message may spread quickly, and be received with honour as it was among you; and pray that we may be preserved from the interference of bigoted and evil people, for faith is not given to everyone. But the Lord is faithful, and he will give you strength and guard you from the evil one, and we, in the Lord, have every confidence that you are doing and will go on doing all that we tell you. May the Lord turn your hearts towards the love of God and the fortitude of Christ." (cf. 1 Thes 2:16-3:5).

"Some Sadducees – those who say that there is no resurrection – approached Jesus and they put this question to him, ‘Master, we have it from Moses in writing, that if a man’s married brother dies childless, the man must marry the widow to raise up children for his brother. Well then, there were seven brothers. The first, having married a wife, died childless. The second and then the third married the widow. And the same with all seven, they died leaving no children. Finally the woman herself died. Now, at the resurrection, to which of them will she be wife since she had been married to all seven?’ Jesus replied, ‘The children of this world take wives and husbands, but those who are judged worthy of a place in the other world and in the resurrection from the dead do not marry because they can no longer die, for they are the same as the angels, and being children of the resurrection they are sons of God. And Moses himself implies that the dead rise again, in the passage about the bush where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Now he is God, not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all men are in fact alive.’" (cf. Lk 20:27-38).

Artwork: "The Mocking of Christ" by Matthias Grünewald, (c. 1503-05).

Homily for the Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, delivered (at the morning Mass) in Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, Gladstone, Qld.

"There were seven brothers who were arrested with their mother. The king tried to force them to taste pig’s flesh, which the Law forbids, by torturing them with whips and scourges. One of them, acting as spokesman for the others, said, ‘What are you trying to find out from us? We are prepared to die rather than break the laws of our ancestors.’ With his last breath the second brother exclaimed, ‘Inhuman fiend, you may discharge us from this present life, but the King of the world will raise us up, since it is for his laws that we die, to live again for ever.’ After him, they amused themselves with the third, who on being asked for his tongue promptly thrust it out and boldly held out his hands, with these honourable words, ‘It was heaven that gave me these limbs; for the sake of his laws I disdain them; from him I hope to receive them again.’ The king and his attendants were astounded at the young man’s courage and his utter indifference to suffering. When this one was dead they subjected the fourth to the same savage torture. When he neared his end he cried, ‘Ours is the better choice, to meet death at men’s hands, yet relying on God’s promise that we shall be raised up by him; whereas for you there can be no resurrection, no new life.’" (cf. 2 Macc 7:1-14).

"Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full." (cf. Ps 17).

"May our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father who has given us his love and, through his grace, such inexhaustible comfort and such sure hope, comfort you and strengthen you in everything good that you do or say. Finally, brothers, pray for us; pray that the Lord’s message may spread quickly, and be received with honour as it was among you; and pray that we may be preserved from the interference of bigoted and evil people, for faith is not given to everyone." (cf. 1 Thes 2:16-3:5).

"Some Sadducees – those who say that there is no resurrection – approached Jesus and they put this question to him, ‘Master, we have it from Moses in writing, that if a man’s married brother dies childless, the man must marry the widow to raise up children for his brother. Well then, there were seven brothers. The first, having married a wife, died childless. The second and then the third married the widow. And the same with all seven, they died leaving no children. Finally the woman herself died. Now, at the resurrection, to which of them will she be wife since she had been married to all seven?’ Jesus replied, ‘The children of this world take wives and husbands, but those who are judged worthy of a place in the other world and in the resurrection from the dead do not marry because they can no longer die, for they are the same as the angels, and being children of the resurrection they are sons of God. And Moses himself implies that the dead rise again, in the passage about the bush where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Now he is God, not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all men are in fact alive.’" (cf. Lk 20:27-38).

Artwork: "Saint Peter and Saint Paul" by Jusepe de Ribera, (c. 1616).

Homily for First Reconciliation Liturgy, delivered in Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, Gladstone, Qld.

"Listen then, Israel, keep and observe what will make you prosper and give you great increase, as the Lord your God of your fathers has promised you, giving you a land where milk and honey flow... Listen, Israel: the Lord our God is the one Lord. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength. Let these words I urge on you today be written on your heart. You shall repeat them to your children and say them over to them whether at rest in your house or walking abroad, at your lying down or at your rising; you shall fasten them on your hand as a sign and on your forehead as a circlet; you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." (cf. Deut 6).

"With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption." (Ps 130).

"As Jesus was walking on from there he saw a man named Matthew sitting by the customs house, and he said to him, 'Follow me.' And he got up and followed him. While he was at dinner in the house it happened that a number of tax collectors and sinners came to sit at the table with Jesus and his disciples. When the pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, 'Why does your master eat with tax collectors and sinners?' When he heard this he replied, 'It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick. Go and learn the meaning of the words: What I want is mercy, not sacrifice. And indeed I did not come to call the virtuous, but sinners.'" (Mt 9:9-13).

Artwork: "Kalvarienberg" (Calvary) by Paolo Veronese, (c. 1580-88).

Homily for First Reconciliation Liturgy, delivered in St Peter Chanel Church, Tannum, Qld.

"Listen then, Israel, keep and observe what will make you prosper and give you great increase, as the Lord your God of your fathers has promised you, giving you a land where milk and honey flow... Listen, Israel: the Lord our God is the one Lord. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength. Let these words I urge on you today be written on your heart. You shall repeat them to your children and say them over to them whether at rest in your house or walking abroad, at your lying down or at your rising; you shall fasten them on your hand as a sign and on your forehead as a circlet; you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." (cf. Deut 6).

"With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption." (Ps 130).

"As Jesus was walking on from there he saw a man named Matthew sitting by the customs house, and he said to him, 'Follow me.' And he got up and followed him. While he was at dinner in the house it happened that a number of tax collectors and sinners came to sit at the table with Jesus and his disciples. When the pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, 'Why does your master eat with tax collectors and sinners?' When he heard this he replied, 'It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick. Go and learn the meaning of the words: What I want is mercy, not sacrifice. And indeed I did not come to call the virtuous, but sinners.'" (Mt 9:9-13).

Artwork: "Le Couronnement de la Vierge" by Enguerrand Quarton, (c. 1454).

Homily for Socktober Mass with the Year 7s of Chanel College, Thursday 2nd November (Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time), delivered in the Chanel College Chapel, Gladstone, Qld.

"So when they had come together, they asked him, 'Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?' He replied, 'It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'" ( Acts 1:6-8).

"That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: 'Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!'" (Mt 13:1-9).

Artwork: "Imprécations contre les pharisiens" by James Tissot, (c. 1886-94).

Homily for the Feast of All Souls, delivered (overlooking the gardens) at the Boyne Tannum Memorial Parklands Crematorium Chapel, Qld.

"The souls of the virtuous are in the hands of God, no torment shall ever touch them. In the eyes of the unwise, they did appear to die, their going looked like a disaster, their leaving us, like annihilation; but they are in peace... They who trust in him will understand the truth, those who are faithful will live with him in love; for grace and mercy await those he has chosen." (cf. Wis 3:1-9).

"The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want." (cf. Ps 23).

"Hope is not deceptive, because the love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given us." (cf. Rom 5).

"Jesus went to a town called Nain, accompanied by his disciples and a great number of people. When he was near the gate of the town it happened that a dead man was being carried out for burial, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a considerable number of the townspeople were with her. When the Lord saw her he felt sorry for her. ‘Do not cry’ he said. Then he went up and put his hand on the bier and the bearers stood still, and he said, ‘Young man, I tell you to get up.’ And the dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Everyone was filled with awe and praised God saying, ‘A great prophet has appeared among us; God has visited his people.’ And this opinion of him spread throughout Judaea and all over the countryside." (Lk 7:11-17).

Artwork: "Resurrection of the Widow's son from Nain", an altar panel by Lucas Cranach the Younger, (c. 1569).

Homily for the Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time, delivered at Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, Qld.

"In your sight, Lord, the whole world is like a grain of dust that tips the scales, like a drop of morning dew falling on the ground. Yet you are merciful to all, because you can do all things and overlook men’s sins so that they can repent. Yes, you love all that exists, you hold nothing of what you have made in abhorrence, for had you hated anything, you would not have formed it. And how, had you not willed it, could a thing persist, how be conserved if not called forth by you? You spare all things because all things are yours, Lord, lover of life, you whose imperishable spirit is in all." (cf. Wis 11-12).

"I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God." (Ps 145).

"To turn now, brothers, to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we shall all be gathered round him: please do not get excited too soon or alarmed by any prediction or rumour or any letter claiming to come from us, implying that the Day of the Lord has already arrived." (cf. 2 Thes 1:11-2:2).

"Jesus entered Jericho and was going through the town when a man whose name was Zacchaeus made his appearance: he was one of the senior tax collectors and a wealthy man. He was anxious to see what kind of man Jesus was, but he was too short and could not see him for the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus who was to pass that way. When Jesus reached the spot he looked up and spoke to him: ‘Zacchaeus, come down. Hurry, because I must stay at your house today.’ And he hurried down and welcomed him joyfully. They all complained when they saw what was happening. ‘He has gone to stay at a sinner’s house’ they said. But Zacchaeus stood his ground and said to the Lord, ‘Look, sir, I am going to give half my property to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody I will pay him back four times the amount.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek out and save what was lost.’" (Lk 19:1-10).

Artwork: "Kristus og Zakæus" by Niels Larsen Stevns, (1913).

Homily for the Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time, delivered at St Peter Channel Church, Tannum, Qld.

"You are merciful to all, because you can do all things and overlook men’s sins so that they can repent... You spare all things because all things are yours, Lord, lover of life, you whose imperishable spirit is in all. Little by little, therefore, you correct those who offend, you admonish and remind them of how they have sinned, so that they may abstain from evil and trust in you, Lord." (cf. Wis 11-12).

"All your creatures shall thank you, O Lord, and your friends shall repeat their blessing. They shall speak of the glory of your reign and declare your might, O God." (Ps 145).

"We pray continually that our God will make you worthy of his call, and by his power fulfil all your desires for goodness and complete all that you have been doing through faith; because in this way the name of our Lord Jesus Christ will be glorified in you and you in him..." (cf. 2 Thes 1).

"Jesus entered Jericho and was going through the town when a man whose name was Zacchaeus made his appearance: he was one of the senior tax collectors and a wealthy man. He was anxious to see what kind of man Jesus was, but he was too short and could not see him for the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus who was to pass that way. When Jesus reached the spot he looked up and spoke to him: ‘Zacchaeus, come down. Hurry, because I must stay at your house today.’ And he hurried down and welcomed him joyfully... Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek out and save what was lost.’" (cf. Lk 19:1-10).

Artwork: "Children Playing in a Tree" by Les Parson, (1990).

Homily for St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School All Saints Liturgy, delivered in St Peter Chanel Church, Tannum, Qld.

"Think of the love that the Father has lavished on us, by letting us be called God’s children; and this is what we are." (cf. 1 Jn 3:1-3).,

"Jesus saw the crowds and went up a hill, where he sat down. His disciples gathered around him, and he began to teach them: Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor; the kingdom of heaven belongs to them! Happy are those who mourn; God will comfort them! Happy are those who are humble; they will receive what God has promised! Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires; God will be merciful to them! Happy are the pure in heart; they will see God!

Happy are those who work for peace; God will call them his children! Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires; the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them! Happy are you when people insult you and persecute you and tell all kinds of evil lies against you because you are my followers. Be happy and glad, for a great reward is kept for you in heaven.” (Mt 5:1-12a).

Artwork: "Darstellung der Glorie des Himmels: Heilige", by Paul Troger (1752).