Joseph Osho

  Our Lady, Mother of Africa  - Feast   Acts 1:12-14 · Luke 1:46-55 Luke 1:26-38 ‘I am the handmaid of the Lord’ Today, we commemorate the feast of Our Lady of Africa with unwavering reverence. This celebration honors Our Lady of Immaculate Conception, whose dark bronze statue was transported from Lyon to Algiers. Through her intercession, Bishop Dupuch succeeded in establishing a church in Algiers—a feat previously deemed impossible due to the hostility of the local population towards the French. It was believed that Our Lady would serve as the Protectress of both Muslims and natives. Brought from France in 1840, the statue was long entrusted to the Cistercian monks of Staueli. Later, Cardinal Lavigier, founder of the White Sisters, enshrined it in the new basilica at Algiers, where it was crowned in 1876. In today's gospel, Mary declares, “I am the handmaid of the Lord.” That is a profound truth that true freedom is found in service to God and that greatness i...

  Saint Catherine of Siena, Virgin, Doctor  Acts 12:24-13:5  Psalm 66(67):2-3,5-6,8 John 12:44-50 Does your heart burn for love of God and neighbour? God calls us individually; Paul and Barnabas changed the world with the Gospel. They were zealous and relentless in proclaiming the word of God. Their burn for love of God and neighbor and that mission continues today. St. Catherine of Siena once said; Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire’. Catherine’s heart burned for the love of God and neighbor. She was commanded in a vision at a tender age to leave the secluded life and go into the world. She died with the rights and liberty of the Pope. She also wrote many doctrinal and inspirational tea things.  At the age of 28 Catherine was said to have received the stigmata, when five red rays shot out of the crucifix she was praying to and pierced her hands, feet, and heart. She refused to eat or drink, save for the Blessed Sacrament. Her miracles were...

  Tuesday of the 4th week of Eastertide  Acts 11:19-26  c 86(87) John 10:22-30 LET THE LORD LEAD In today’s first reading, the Gospel was beginning to spread among the Greeks, with Christ actively guiding the process.  Luke reminds us that in Antioch, the disciples were called Christians—meaning followers of Christ. This designation signifies living in the love of the risen Christ, guided by the Holy Spirit, and committed to doing the Father’s will. A Christian models Christ, listens to the Master’s voice, and follows His example with steadfastness, secure in divine protection. When news spread among the Greeks about the Gospel, the Jerusalem Church responded by sending Barnabas, a man known for his faith, courage and generosity. Barnabas, a man filled with the Holy Spirit. He sought out Paul, offered him encouragement, and fulfilled Jesus' word to Ananias, who assisted and supported Paul during his conversion in Damascus. The Church was increasingly dedicated to out...

  Monday of the 4th week of Eastertide Acts 11:1-18 Psalm 41(42):2-3,42:3-4 John 10:11-18 In today’s first reading (Acts 11:1-18) Peter is being criticised for associating with uncircumcised people. He tells those who are criticising him that what he did was instructed by God. Clearly, the message of salvation is meant for all people to hear and to believe regardless of their current beliefs. In todays gospel passage, Jesus declares, I tell you most solemnly, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold through the gate but instead climbs in by another way is a thief and a brigand... I am the gate. Gates serve as both entrances and exits, designed to contain the sheep and prevent unauthorized access. They close to protect and open to allow passage to life. The imagery of the gate resonates deeply with the current state of our society, our nation, and our individual lives. As the gate for the sheep, Jesus signifies that salvation is attainable solely through faith in His name and acknowl...

Fourth Sunday of Easter (Year A)   Acts 2.14, 36-41;   Ps 22;   I Pet 2.20-25;   Jn 10.1-10   THE SHEPHERD’S CALL Our Lord frequently employs the image of a shepherd with his flock in parables, where He refers to Himself as the Good Shepherd. In the present Gospel, He describes Himself as the gate of the sheepfold, overseeing and safeguarding His flock. This imagery is particularly relevant for today’s Mass, as it coincides with Vocations Sunday, a day worldwide dedicated to contemplating God's call to the priesthood and religious life. We may draw reassurance from two promises: first, from the words of God the Father, spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: “I will give you shepherds after my own heart.” These words affirm that God will never leave His people without spiritual shepherds to gather and guide them: “I will set shepherds over my people, and they shall care for them.” The most complete fulfillment of this promise was realized in God's sending His Son t...

  Saint Mark, Evangelist  - Feast   1 Peter 5:5-14  Psalm 88(89):2-3,6-7,16-17 Mark 16:15-20 Mark was a cousin of Barnabas (also known as Joseph) from Cyprus, and he accompanied the apostle Paul on his first missionary journey around 46-48 AD. Later, he traveled with Paul to Rome during Paul's final imprisonment. Identified with John Mark, he initially departed from the first missionary journey and returned to Jerusalem, as recorded in Acts 12:25 and 13:13. St. Paul at one point expressed reservations about Mark's suitability for further missionary work, citing that "he had deserted us" during their initial endeavors, which is documented in Acts 15:37-39. Such concerns highlight the challenges faced in the journey of faith and service, especially amid hardships and differing commitments. Barnabas, whose real name was Joseph and who was a Levite from Cyprus, strongly advocated for Mark, leading to a temporary separation from Paul and the continuation of their wor...

  Friday of the 3rd week of Eastertide  Acts 9:1-20  Psalm 116(117) John 6:52-59 In the first reading for today (Acts 9:1-20), we learn of the conversion of Saul during his journey to Damascus, an event of considerable importance for the early Church. This encounter had such a significant impact on Saul that he became a staunch advocate of Christ and an ardent preacher of the Gospel. The persecutor transformed into a proponent, turning threat into strength, the accusor into an evangelist, and the initially stubborn Pharisee into an apostle to the Gentiles. The gospel reading (John 6:52-59) further elucidates Jesus' teachings on being the bread of life, which grants eternal life to those who accept Him into their hearts. Although less dramatic than Saul’s conversion, our own encounters with Jesus—through His Word and the Eucharist, the Sacraments—are equally profound. These moments of communion transcend physical perception, offering us eternal life. Similar to Saul, our i...