Patriarch Archbishop Craig Bates’ homily on the third Sunday in Easter , 26 April 2020 Luke 24:13-35 Today’s Gospel is one of the Resurrection appearances between Easter Sunday and Pentecost, a period of 50 days.  This is very important, because it sets the foundation for other post-Resurrection appearances after Pentecost for the next 2000 years.  It…

Patriarch Archbishop Craig Bates’ homily on the Second Sunday in Easter 2, 19 April 2020 John 20:19-31 This time of confinement is difficult for many people, especially those in developing nations, the poorest of the poor, and many of you who need to return to work to support your families and extended families. It’s really…

Patriarch Archbishop Craig Bates’ homily on Easter Sunday, 12 April 2020 I admire those all around the world who are broadcasting masses and prayers regularly; and I hope all the clergy around the world realise what a great opportunity we have to evangelise.  We can invite our family and friends to watch online and see…

Maundy Thursday, 9 April 2020 Today we enter the Paschal Triduum, or Great Three Days, the most holy, solemn days in the Christian liturgical calendar.  If we open our hearts and let the Liturgy, actions and words sink into our hearts, it can be life-transforming. Beginning on Maundy Thursday, Jesus enters into the final conflict with darkness…

8 April 2020 After Jesus had cleansed the temple, in Matthew’s version there is an addition that is not in the other Gospels: “Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them.” (Matthew 21:14). After the house was cleansed and became a house of prayer, it then became a house…

Bp. Elmer’s homily on Palm Sunday, 5 April 2020 The Church around the world enters into the holiest week of all.  “Holy” means consecrated for the purpose of contemplating the acts of our Lord in His final days on earth.  In His final days, His every step was carefully taken, leading to suffering then to…

Bp. Elmer’s homily on the 4th Sunday in Lent, transcribed by Deacon Andrew Gossage 22 March 2020 In today’s Gospel, Jesus healed a man who was blind from birth. During that time, blindness and other conditions were attributed to sinfulness; this prompted the disciples to ask who sinned – him or his parents. Our Lord…

Bp. Elmer’s homily on Ash Wednesday, transcibed by Deaon Andrew Gossage 26 February 2020 As we enter the holy season of Lent, I remember that when I was young I thought the point of fasting was to give up meat or something you really like. I’ve come to understand that I need my love to…

Bp. Elmer’s homily on the 1st Sunday inLent, transcribed by Deacon Andrew Gossage 1 March 2020 Whilst we are concerned about the virus, let us be reminded of God’s protection.  We can be cautious, but we have no reason to fear.  The Black Death in the 14th century may have killed as many as 200…