A Celtic Journey with St. John of the Cross
We would like to share with you two beautiful musical reflections in honour of Our Lady and St John of the Cross recorded by Kerrie O’Connor and friends in our Chapel. We vacated the Chapel one afternoon while they did all the hard work!! The first one is available on youtube and the second will be available for the feast of St John of the Cross on 14th December. We hope you will enjoy. https://youtu.be/R2YGDeZ0haE
Prayer & Reflection
for Women
From time to time we host days of prayer and reflection for women interested in exploring a vocation to Religious life. For further information please contact us at: carmel@roebuckcarmel.com
_________
Sunday Reflection
5th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2026
Isaiah 58:7-10
1 Corinthians 2:1-5
Matthew 5: 13-16
When we read Saint Matthew’s gospel of the start of the ministry of Jesus what stands out is his declaration that “the Kingdom of God is very near”. The first major event in his ministry is the Sermon on the Mount. Our Gospel last Sunday put before us the beginning of that ‘Sermon’ with the Beatitudes. The declaration had changed slightly but significantly: “The Kingdom of God IS already among you, within you”. Jesus declared that those who are poor in spirit, those who are peacemakers and those who are persecuted in the cause of right are already signs and evidence of the Kingdom of God.
Today’s Gospel reading continues the Sermon on the Mount and further assures us of the calling of the Lord. But our calling involves duties and responsibilities. Pope Saint Leo the Great reminded us “Christians, know your dignity as Christians”. This dignity is defined by the Lord in the Sermon on the Mount. “You are the SALT of the earth, you are the LIGHT of the world”.
At first it may seem trivial to call us salt. Salt of itself seems useless. Only when it comes in contact with other things does it have any value. In our 1st Reading today the Lord says “Feed the hungry, heal the wounded”. Now we can understand something of the value of salt! Salt adds savour to food: salt heals septic wounds: salt preserves what is worth keeping: salt makes the ocean water stimulating.
______________
