Agnus Dei (Zurbarán) [with contributions from Bishop Barron's recent homily /insights on the same topic] Good morning/evening, brothers and sisters. Our Gospel today is the source of that familiar prayer, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.” We recognize these words, of course, from the Mass. [The entire Mass is steeped in Scripture. We have the readings: from the Old Testament, the Psalms, the New Testament Epistles, and the Gospels. Beyond this, the rite of the...

Good morning, brothers and sisters. Today, Nov 5, is the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica: it trumps the normal Sunday of Ordinary Time. Let me ask a question – shout out the answer: can anyone tell me, which is the principal church of the pope, which church is his cathedral? I heard St Peter’s Basilica. Yes, St Peter’s is central to the papacy, because it’s in the Vatican and right next to where the pope lives, and it lies over St Peter’s tomb. Practically speaking, it’s where...

Good morning, brothers and sisters. The final line from the Gospel we’ve just heard is somewhat haunting: “…when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" Today, which is World Missions Sunday, I’d like to focus on this question: How is the Christian faith doing today, on planet Earth? How has the Gospel been preached and received across our world? The Son of God came to Earth, died for our sins, and founded a Church, giving it the Great Commission. This Great Commission is recorded...