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This Sunday, the Old Testament reading, Psalm and Gospel alike all use simple and beautiful images from nature to teach us eternal truths. It is as if we are being encouraged to both see and draw from the wisdom of God as expressed throughout the natural world.

On this feast of Corpus Christi we give thanks for who we are, and all that God has done for us. Today’s readings show how God’s plan moves towards a new covenant of love through Christ.

We have now just emerged from Eastertide – since last Sunday we celebrated the feast of Pentecost. Today’s feast of the Most Holy Trinity seems to enclose the Paschal season and the whole liturgical year in our cel-ebration of the central mystery of our faith.

Today we celebrate the great day of Pentecost, when Christ filled the Church with the power of his Spirit and sent his followers out into the world to bring his peace, joy and mercy to all.

I come to pray the texts for the feast of the Ascension and ask the Lord for a deeper understanding of this mystery of Christ. Throughout the Eastertide readings, we have watched the disciples grow and mature in faith – I wish to do the same.

God’s love is both profoundly faithful and utterly overwhelming.

Today’s readings remind us that when, like St Paul, ‘we believe in the name of Jesus Christ’, we accept the intimate relationship to which God invites us. We become branches of the true vine, Jesus Christ.

This Sunday we are invited to deepen our awareness of the protective, caring love that surrounds us, holds us and sustains us. This love was made incarnate in Jesus the Good Shepherd.

The first sentence of the gospel reading sets the context for the themes of today: ‘Jesus was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.’ Who is the Jesus that they recognised? And what does this recognition require?

Easter is the greatest celebration of Christ’s resurrection from the dead. It is the beginning and the cornerstone of Christianity.
“For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:56

God’s love for humanity is proclaimed throughout the liturgy this Sunday. The readings shed light on our story of salvation, and reflect the depth of eternal love that God expresses for all people.

God’s love for humanity is proclaimed throughout the liturgy this Sunday. The readings shed light on our story of salvation, and reflect the depth of eternal love that God expresses for all people.

Today, we dedicate ourselves anew to keeping God’s commandments, as we celebrate the mystery of God’s love for us, shown through the wisdom and power of Christ.

Trust in the Lord is the theme that links all this week’s readings. As we continue our Lenten journey, we are reminded of the extent of the Lord’s love and generosity – if we but listen to his voice and place our trust in him.

Lent – a new liturgical season, and an opportunity to start again. We can give thanks to God for giving us this season of grace. Lent is closely associated with God’s Covenant and with baptism, and the readings this Sunday strongly underline this.

This week we begin Lent. It is a time of prayer, penance and arms giving. May this season bring you a lot of blessings and graces.

This Sunday, the readings encourage us to look more deeply into the experience of human suffering. It is only through Christ that our pain and despair can and will be transformed. Just like the people in today’s Gospel, we are all longing for Christ.