Short Talks
This section of the website comprises short stand-alone talks and articles on different aspects of the Christian Faith, including the teaching of Jesus, the seasons of the Church’s Year and Feasts and Festivals. More talks/sermons/homilies/articles will be added in due course.
The section of the website entitled The Christian Faith provides more extended teaching on larger content areas, such as the Creed and the Sacraments.
Words from the Cross: Introduction
They sat down and kept watch over him (Matthew 27:36)
This series of talks focuses on the seven words or sayings spoken by Jesus from the Cross. The chief purpose of the talks is to provide material for self-examination and meditation. The most fruitful part, therefore, will be your use of a time of silence after each talk, a time which you will be spending alone with the Crucified.
If you give to him your mind and your heart then this time will bring you a deeper and perhaps a new understanding of the love of the Crucified for you; and that understanding will in turn deepen your penitence and increase your love for him.
First Word
“Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (NRSV, Luke 23:34)
When Jesus reached the place where he was to be crucified, the Cross was laid flat on the ground. Stripped of his clothes he lay down on the timber and stretched out his hands to receive the nails.
As he waited for the first blows, he looked around at those who were gathered about him. Close by he saw the soldiers reaching for their hammers while others stood guard to keep a space clear around the Cross. Beyond were the chief priests and rulers, a grin of triumph on their faces, and behind the jostling mob morbidly standing on tiptoe to see the nails struck home.
Second Word
“Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise” (NRSV, Luke 23:43)
We read that when Jesus was crucified, two robbers were crucified with him, one on his right hand and the other on his left.
In those days the general rule was that only such men as pirates, rebels and murderers were put to death on the cross. Presumably these two robbers were associates in crime. Now their life of crime was nearly over. A few hours of agony and society would be rid of two more of its enemies. They had fought against society for years, perhaps, and now nothing was left to them but the bitterness of defeat.