The story we’ve just heard is one of those that hardly needs any explanation or interpretation. It clearly defines the goody (Jesus) and the baddies (the scribes and Pharisees). The latter’s line of attack against Jesus is obvious enough to be seen from space. His response is witty and goes straight to the heart of his opponents, rendering them powerless…

What was the younger son’s offence, crime or sin? Demanding his share of the inheritance? Leaving the family home? His reckless lifestyle away? Let’s find out by looking at each possibility a bit closer.

Around last Christmas, I had a series of unfortunate events related to my car and the parish of Westhill. One Monday night in Advent, I was going home along that narrow, winding road between Westhill and Blackburn. At one point, I had to swerve towards the left-hand side of the road to avoid a collision with an oncoming vehicle. I…

I have been following the war in Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. I have felt a mix of emotions: anger, sadness, sorrow, helplessness, sympathy for the suffering civilians… Obviously, let’s not lose perspective: how I feel is irrelevant in comparison to the suffering on the ground in Ukraine and among the Ukrainian refugees. Since the invasion started,…

The black marks in the form of the Cross, made on our foreheads last Wednesday, have already disappeared, which is – incidentally – a positive and welcome testimony to our personal hygiene! We got that mark, made from ashes, as a sign of our willingness and readiness to engage actively in intensive spiritual exercises, specific to Lent. Some of us…