Homily for Gladstone Mercy Associates recommissioning Mass (Memorial of Saint Januarius, Bishop and Martyr; Twenty-Fourth Tuesday in Ordinary Time), delivered in Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, Gladstone, Qld. "Remember all the sufferings that you had to meet after you received the light, in earlier days... Be as confident now, then, since the rew…

Homily for the Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, delivered in Our Lad Star of the Sea Church, Gladstone, Qld. "Mere creature of flesh... Remember the last things, and stop hating, remember dissolution and death, and live by the commandments. Remember the commandments, and do not bear your neighbour ill-will; remember the covenant of the Most H…

Homily for the Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, delivered in St Mary's Church, Buderim with Fr Isaac Falzon presiding. "If a man nurses anger against another, can he then demand compassion from the Lord? Showing no pity for a man like himself, can he then plead for his own sins? Mere creature of flesh, he cherishes resentment; who will forgiv…

Homily for the Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows, delivered in the children in one of our Catholic Primary Schools in Gladstone, Qld. "I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, and who judged me faithful enough to call me into his service even though I used to be a blasphemer and did all I could to injure and discredit the faith. Merc…

Homily for the Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, delivered in St Peter's Church, Caloundra, with Fr William Leo Aupito-Iuliano presiding. "Resentment and anger, these are foul things, and both are found with the sinner. He who exacts vengeance will experience the vengeance of the Lord, who keeps strict account of sin. Forgive your neighbour th…

Homily for the Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows, (Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time), presented in Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, Gladstone, Qld. "During his life on earth, Christ offered up prayer and entreaty, aloud and in silent tears, to the one who had the power to save him out of death, and he submitted so humbly that his prayer was heard. …

Homily for the Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time,. "Resentment and anger, these are foul things, and both are found with the sinner. He who exacts vengeance will experience the vengeance of the Lord, who keeps strict account of sin. Forgive your neighbour the hurt he does you, and when you pray, your sins will be forgiven." (cf. Eccl 27). "The …

Homily for the Parish Feast Day, delivered at the Vigil Mass in Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, Gladstone, Qld. "Shout for joy, daughter of Zion, Israel, shout aloud! Rejoice, exult with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem! The Lord has repealed your sentence; he has driven your enemies away. The Lord, the king of Israel, is in your midst; you h…

Homily for the Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Parish Feast Day Weekend, presented in St Patrick's Church, Calliope, Qld. "Mary set out and went as quickly as she could to a town in the hill country of Judah. She went into Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. Now as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb and …

Homily for the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, delivered in Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, Gladstone, Qld. "The Lord says this: But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, the least of the clans of Judah, out of you will be born for me the one who is to rule over Israel; his origin goes back to the distant past, to the days of old. The Lord is therefore g…

Homily for the Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, delivered in Our Lady of Mt Carmel Church, Mt Larcom, Qld. "I used to say, ‘I will not think about him, I will not speak in his name any more.’ Then there seemed to be a fire burning in my heart, imprisoned in my bones. The effort to restrain it wearied me, I could not bear it." (cf. Jer 20:9). …

Homily for Thursday in the Twenty-First Week in Ordinary Time, delivered in the Chanel College Chapel, Gladstone, Qld. "Brothers, your faith has been a great comfort to us in the middle of our own troubles and sorrows; now we can breathe again... May the Lord be generous in increasing your love and make you love one another and the whole human race…

A casual conversation with the young people about the Lord's Prayer, honing in on temptation, freedom, sin and love in God's plan — and then special places to be to feel close to God and most at home within ourselves. Artwork: "Temptation" by Sharon Mick, retrieved from the Fine Art America website.By Ashwin Emmanuel Acharya

A casual conversation with some young people on the Golden Rule and the implications for caring for the environment. Artwork: a Laudato Si painting by Giang Pham RNDM, retrieved from the artists website.By Ashwin Emmanuel Acharya

Homily for Wednesday in the Twenty-First Week in Ordinary Time, delivered in Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, Gladstone, Qld. "Let me remind you, brothers, how hard we used to work, slaving night and day so as not to be a burden on any one of you while we were proclaiming God’s Good News to you. You are witnesses, and so is God... as a father treat…

Homily for the Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time, delivered in Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, Gladstone, Qld. "I place the key of the House of David on his shoulder; should he open, no one shall close, should he close, no one shall open. I drive him like a peg into a firm place..." "I thank you, Lord, with all my heart: you have heard the word…

Homily for the Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time, delivered in Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, Gladstone, Qld. "Thus says the Lord of Hosts to Shebna, the master of the palace: I dismiss you from your office, I remove you from your post, and the same day I call on my servant Eliakim son of Hilkiah... I drive him like a peg into a firm place; he…

Homily for Friday in the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time, delivered in Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, Gladstone, Qld. "In the days of the Judges famine came to the land and a certain man from Bethlehem of Judah went – he, his wife and his two sons – to live in the country of Moab. Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died, and she and her two sons were le…

Homily for the Feast of Saint Batholomew, Apostle, Martyr, delivered in the Chanel College Chapel, Gladstone, Qld. "The angel came to speak to me, and said, ‘Come here and I will show you the bride that the Lamb has married.’ In the spirit, he took me to the top of an enormous high mountain and showed me Jerusalem, the holy city, coming down from G…

Exploring "the Greatest Commandment" with a group of Preppies in the local Catholic Primary School. Artwork: Generated using the Wonder App.By Ashwin Emmanuel Acharya

Homily for Wednesday in the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time, delivered in Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, Gladstone, Qld. "All the leading men of Shechem and all Beth-millo gathered, and proclaimed Abimelech king by the terebinth of the pillar at Shechem. News of this was brought to Jotham. He came and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim and shouted…

A talk with the Mercy Associates, tracing something of a graced history through stories and songs that I've written at some point over the last 10 years. Outline: Youthful priorities are a formin' Pins & Needles Unearthed Questions Into the dark of prey at prayer Magdalena Seek His Face Divine Romance ever unravelling Let's Go (Slow) Resolutions Su…

Homily for the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, delivered in St Mary's Catholic Church, Ubobo, Qld. "Thus says the Lord: Have a care for justice, act with integrity, for soon my salvation will come and my integrity be manifest." (cf. Is 53:1-7). "Let the nations be glad and exult for you rule the world with justice. With fairness you rule the peo…

Homily for the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, delivered in St Joseph's Catholic Church, Biloela, Qld. "Thus says the Lord: [M]y salvation will come and my integrity be manifest [to] foreigners who have attached themselves to the Lord to serve him [and] love his name and [are] his servants..." (cf. Is 53). "O God, be gracious and bless us and le…

Homily for the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, delivered in St Peter Chanel's Catholic Church, Tannum Sands, Qld. "Thus says the Lord: Have a care for justice, act with integrity, for soon my salvation will come and my integrity be manifest. Foreigners who have attached themselves to the Lord to serve him and to love his name and be his servants…

Homily for Friday in the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time, delivered in Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, Gladstone, Qld. "Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel together at Shechem; then he called the elders, leaders, judges and scribes of Israel, and they presented themselves before God." (cf. Joshua 24). "O give thanks to the Lord for he is goo…

Homily for Thursday in the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time, delivered in the Chanel College Chapel, Gladstone, Qld. "The Lord said to Joshua, ‘This very day I will begin to make you a great man in the eyes of all Israel, to let them be sure that I am going to be with you even as I was with Moses. As for you, give this order to the priests carrying…

Homily for a class at St John the Baptist Catholic Primary School, Gladstone. Then he said, 'There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, "Father, let me have the share of the estate that will come to me." So the father divided the property between them. A few days later, the younger son got together everything he had and l…

Homily for Wednesday in the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time, delivered in Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, Gladstone. "Leaving the plains of Moab, Moses went up Mount Nebo, the peak of Pisgah opposite Jericho, and the Lord showed him the whole land; Gilead as far as Dan, all Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far …

Homily for the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, delivered in St John's Catholic Primary School, Gladstone. "Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman, adorned with the sun, standing on the moon, and with the twelve stars on her head for a crown." (cf. Rev 11). "The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold." (cf. Ps 45). "Elizabeth …

Homily for the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, delivered in Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, Gladstone. "The sanctuary of God in heaven opened and the ark of the covenant could be seen inside it. Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman, adorned with the sun, standing on the moon, and with the twelve stars on her head for a crown. She wa…

Homily for the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, delivered (at the evening Mass) in Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, Gladstone. "When Elijah reached Horeb, the mountain of God, he went into the cave and spent the night in it." (cf. 1 Kings 19). "The Lord will make us prosper and our earth shall yield its fruit. Justice shall march before him and …

Homily for the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, delivered in St Peter Chanel’s Church, Miriam Vale. "Then the Lord himself went by. There came a mighty wind, so strong it tore the mountains and shattered the rocks before the Lord. But the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind came an earthquake. But the Lord was not in the earthquake. After t…

Homily for the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, delivered in Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, Gladstone. "When Elijah reached Horeb, the mountain of God, he went into the cave and spent the night in it. Then he was told, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord.’ [Elijah] covered his face with his cloak and went out and stood at the ent…

Episode 1, Season 1 (Sundays in Year B). This episode collects some of the journey through Christmastide and its culmination in the Baptism of the Lord, before looking forward to the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time. Details: FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/ashwineacharya EMAIL: ashwin.acharya@rok.catholic.net.au "Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will."…

Bonus Episode for the Epiphany of the Lord, to relaunch Season 1 (for the Sundays in Year B) in 2024. Exploring God and the Church's constant work of "Epiphany." "Lord, every nation on earth will adore You." (Ps 72).By Ashwin Emmanuel Acharya

Homily for the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, delivered in St Patrick's Church, Calliope. "When Elijah reached Horeb, the mountain of God, he went into the cave and spent the night in it. Then he was told, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord.’ Then the Lord himself went by. There came a mighty wind, so strong it tore the mountain…

Homily for the Feast of Saint Lawrence, Deacon, Martyr, delivered in Chanel College Chapel, Gladstone. "Do not forget: thin sowing means thin reaping; the more you sow, the more you reap. Each one should give what he has decided in his own mind, not grudgingly or because he is made to, for God loves a cheerful giver. And there is no limit to the bl…

Reflection with some of the children at one of our Catholic schools. "When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees they got together and, to disconcert him, one of them put a question, ‘Master, which is the greatest commandment of the Law?’ Jesus said, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and w…

Homily for the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, delivered in St Therese's Church, Monto, Qld. "As I watched: Thrones were set in place and one of great age took his seat. His robe was white as snow, the hair of his head as pure as wool... I gazed into the visions of the night. And I saw, coming on the clouds of heaven, one like a son of ma…

Homily for the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, delivered in St Joseph's Church, Biloela, Qld. "I gazed into the visions of the night. And I saw, coming on the clouds of heaven, one like a son of man. He came to the one of great age and was led into his presence. On him was conferred sovereignty, glory and kingship, and men of all peoples,…

Homily for the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, delivered in Sacred Heart Church, Theodore, Qld. "As I watched: Thrones were set in place and one of great age took his seat. His robe was white as snow, the hair of his head as pure as wool. His throne was a blaze of flames, its wheels were a burning fire. A stream of fire poured out, issuin…

Homily for the Memorial of Saint Dominic (Thursday in the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time), delivered in the Chanel College Chapel, Gladstone, Qld. "Moses did exactly as the Lord had directed him. The tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month in the second year... The cloud covered the Tent of Meeting and the glory of the Lord filled …

Homily for Thursday in the Seventeenth Week of Ordinary Time, delivered in St John the Baptist Catholic Primary School, Gladstone, Qld. "Moses did exactly as the Lord had directed him. The tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month in the second year. Moses erected the tabernacle. He fixed the sockets for it, put up its frames, put i…

Homily for the Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, delivered in Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, Gladstone, Qld. "The Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream and said, ‘Ask what you would like me to give you.’ Solomon replied, ‘O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in succession to David my father. But I am a very young man, unskilled in lead…

Homily for Thursday in the Sixteenth Week of Ordinary Time, delivered in the Chanel College Chapel, Gladstone, Qld. "The Lord said to Moses, ‘I am coming to you in a dense cloud so that the people may hear when I speak to you and may trust you always...’ Now at daybreak on the third day there were peals of thunder on the mountain and lightning flas…

Homily for the Feast of Saints Anne and Joachim, Wednesday in the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time, delivered in the New Auckland Retirement Village, Gladstone, Qld. "From Elim they set out, and the whole community of the sons of Israel reached the wilderness of Sin – between Elim and Sinai – on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had l…

Homily for Catholic Education Week, (Feast of Saint James, Apostle), delivered at St John the Baptist Catholic Primary School, Gladstone, Qld. "We are only the earthenware jars that hold this treasure, to make it clear that such an overwhelming power comes from God and not from us. We are in difficulties on all sides, but never cornered; we see no …

Homily for the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, delivered in Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, Gladstone, Qld. "You show your strength when your sovereign power is questioned and you expose the insolence of those who know it; but, disposing of such strength, you are mild in judgement, you govern us with great lenience, for you have only to will, a…

Homily for the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, delivered in St Agnes Church, Agnes Waters, Qld. "There is no god, other than you, who cares for every thing, to whom you might have to prove that you never judged unjustly. Your justice has its source in strength, your sovereignty over all makes you lenient to all. You show your strength when your …