In today’s Gospel, Jesus gives us some guidelines about how to deal with ruptures in a community. This presupposes something that is easy to overlook: that we are called to communion in the first place. So, what does this mean, to be called to communion? One approach is to go back to the beginning of Scripture. In the book of Genesis, we hear that “God created man in his own image, in his own image he created him, male and female he created them.” So, we are created in th

Today’s psalm, Psalm 62, contains a beautiful description of the total love and dedication that the psalmist has for God. The psalmist says his very soul thirsts for God. He looks eagerly to see God. God’s love is better than life. Today’s opening prayer also speaks about love for the name of God. Things like this make life in God seem deeply attractive. What a shock then to turn to our first reading from the prophet, Jeremiah, to see a very different kind of profession of

There is something deeply mysterious in the choice of St Peter. Our Lord asks the disciples who people say that he is. Various answers are given: John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, one of the prophets. Then the question becomes personal: “But you, who do you say that I am?” Peter answers: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus tells him that this confession has not come from flesh and blood. Peter has not simply worked it out. He has received something.