Amazing Grace is the title and first words of a well-known hymn, composed by John Newton. Its appeal goes wide among Christians. I have called this podcast after the hymn, not because I want to talk about it, or its composer, but rather because the Collect of today's Mass prays to God for grace to accompany us. So, I thought a teaching about grace would be in order. I find many Catholics do not fully understand the splendour, ...

What a beautiful prayer that the disciples make to Jesus! Their request is one that we can make our own too. But as the Lord often does, He wishes to teach  more than the disciples expect.

If you would like to contact me to provide feedback, suggestions or to ask questions you can do this via email:

frpchandler@armidale.catholic.org.au

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This Sunday's parable of Lazarus, the poor man, and Dives, the rich man, is a lesson in charity towards the poor but also a lesson in the end-of-life result of living separated from God, namely Hell. 

It's not popular to talk about Hell since the prevailing notion is that Hell does not exist, or that it is empty, or that as long as I am nice, I won't go there. But that is not what Our Lord teaches us in this parable a...

The parable of the steward in this Sunday's gospel is a masterful teaching story given to us by Our Lord Jesus. The steward is referred to as dishonest, unrighteous, cunning but also astute. What and how can he be all these at once? There are so many aspects to this parable, that deserve our attention, but too many, I think, to address all at once. But, I hope what I do focus on is helpful.

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Today's important Feast Day supplants the Sunday in Ordinary Time and gives us another opportunity to reflect upon and appreciate the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross, its immense and perfect power and its effect upon all of Creation.

If you would like to contact me to provide feedback, suggestions or to ask questions you can do this via email:

frpchandler@armidale.catholic.org.au

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Today in Rome, Pope Leo XIV will declare that the Church has two new saints - St Pier Giorgio and St Carlo Acutis. It's been a long wait for those who love Pier Giorgio - 100 years!! Somewhat less for Carlo - 19 years. But, these two young men have much in common, more than just being young and Italian.

Both these two young saints show us holiness to an extraordinary degree but, because of who they were and the lives they led, ...

This podcast, first of all, has some comments upon the school shooting during the past week in Minneapolis, continuing  to address the reality of evil and human free will, which was mentioned in the previous podcast.

Then attention is turned to Holy Communion as it is First Holy Communion Day in the parish. I explore many things and use some insights from the-soon-to-be-saint, Carlo Acutis. He called Holy Communion his highway to he...

Once more, Jesus speaks of difficult realities. Those who think that Jesus never makes demands upon us have never read the gospels. 

Today Our Lord and Saviour speaks of how we  must strive to enter heaven. It should not surprise us because we follow Him who suffered and died that we might just do that, join the saints and angels in heaven.

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To follow Christ faithfully and truly is not easy. He demands of us a surrender of our will and that we love Him with all our heart, and soul and mind. Some will not understand this. They may even be members of our family; some may be our friends. The world will not understand and may reject us because they have already rejected Him.

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The parable of the Good Samaritan is so well known. Let us not, though, be too familiar with it so as to miss whatever the Divine Teacher reveals to us each time we hear or read it.

The image used for this podcast is The Good Samaritan by William Henry Margetson

If you would like to contact me to provide feedback, suggestions or to ask questions you can do this via email:

frpchandler@armidale.catholi...

Please accept my apologies, I should have remembered to say this is the podcast.

If you would like to contact me to provide feedback, suggestions or to ask questions you can do this via email:

frpchandler@armidale.catholic.org.au

Also if you would like to support me in this work, please send me an email and I will provide details for how you can make a donation.

Music by Samuel F. Johannson and by Tomomi Kato fro...

The word "abasement" is used in the Collect of this Sunday's Mass. What does it mean? And what is Christ's abasement? What does it have to do with us?

Good questions deserve good answers. I hope this episode helps to answer those questions.

If you would like to contact me to provide feedback, suggestions or to ask questions you can do this via email:

frpchandler@armidale.catholic.org.au

Also if ...

Well, a special occasion! The feast day of two saints bumps aside the Sunday liturgy in Ordinary Time. We shouldn't be surprised because these two saints are both extraordinary and immensely significant for the Church.

We know a deal about them in terms of their accomplishments and their endeavours. Also we know their words and their mind from the pages of the New Testament. But let us not forget that it is their love for Jesus...

What a great feast and solemnity! We honour the abiding presence of Christ in the tabernacle, the Blessed Sacrament. Jesus promised to be with His Church until the end of time and He fulfils that promise perfectly and constantly by His eucharistic presence.

With thankful hearts and lively faith, let us keep this marvellous holy day.

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Our yearly contemplation of the profound mystery of the Holy Trinity brings us to the central doctrine of our faith. It is a mystery beyond our comprehension but one that God has allowed us to have access to, indeed, even one that shapes and directs our life.

Praised be the most Blessed Trinity, one God in Three divine persons!

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The Holy Spirit came at Pentecost in an unmistakable way. Even those who did not have faith in Christ or did not know him could not miss the signs and wonders that accompanied the arrival of the Holy Spirit.

But coming to faith in Christ needs someone to speak the message; and that is what St Peter did. His words were the first evangelisation undertaken by the Church. It has continued since until this very day.

The Holy Spirit assist...

The Ascension of the Lord, celebrated in Australia on this Sunday (though biblically it really occurred last Thursday 40 days after Easter Sunday) is another major event in the Pachal Mystery. The Lord has physically left this earth leaving His Church to be His presence in the world and given to her an important and ongoing mission.

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What a marvellous reality does Jesus tells us in today's gospel reading: that God wants to dwell within our soul through the working of sanctifying grace!

We don't deserve this. We don't merit it in any way. But this is God's gracious gift to us obtained for us by the Paschal Mystery, the life, death and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

We must then be truly grateful and truly faithful.

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The command to love and the expectation that we love as Christ has loved us is at the very centre of our Christian faith. It could be said to define who we are as well as  how we should act.

St Thérèse of Lisieux is a teacher of love in her "little way" that she taught to the whole Church. May she pray for us that we may be faithful to the way of love.

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