Homily for the First Martyrs of the See of Rome, on the 100th Birthday of a good friend named Frank, delivered in the Chapel of St Vincent's Aged Care, Bardon, Brisbane, Qld.

"When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to him, '... I will make a Covenant between myself and you. You on your part shall maintain my Covenant, yourself and your descendants after you, generation after generation...' Abraham bowed to the ground, and he laughed..." (cf. Gen 17).

"See how the Lord blesses those who fear him... May the Lord bless you from Zion all the days of your life!" (cf. Ps 128).

"After Jesus had come down from the mountain large crowds followed him. A leper now came up and bowed low in front of him. ‘Sir,’ he said ‘if you want to, you can cure me.’ Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and said, ‘Of course I want to! Be cured!’ And his leprosy was cured at once. Then Jesus said to him, ‘Mind you do not tell anyone, but go and show yourself to the priest and make the offering prescribed by Moses, as evidence for them.’" (Mt 8:1-4).

Artwork: "Departure of Abraham for Canaan" by Francesco da Ponte, (c. 1510-15).