Friday is Christ-Love day: the Cross and that, oh, so Sacred Heart which burns at the core of the world.

Effatha! Be opened! Yield to the Lord whatever in you is still closed, hidden or denied out of fear, shame or the stubborn reluctance to let go. Be transparent to the transparent Christ! Be liberated by the Liberator!

Unless it is lived within God’s creative will for both the union of husband and wife and the openness to new life, sex will not be lived in truth. Eros is at the service of agape or it will destroy both agape and itself.

Only God knows your true name. He chose it before time began, as the thought of you arose deep within His Heart. When He first spoke it, you were conceived in the womb. You don’t yet know that name, but you will when He speaks it again in the moment He raises you from the grave.

We exist to worship but if we do not worship the true, living God, we will worship anything. We become what or whom we worship.

The Cross faces all evil and the Evil One with the infuriating truth that it can never win. Hence, the Cross is our victory in even the most devastating defeat. It is the ONLY victory!

The self-conscious thinks he sees the splinter in the eye of the other but doesn’t realise that it’s just a skelf from the log in his own. The self-aware sees that he can’t see and asks for the wood of the Cross to heal him.

Today is the Feast of the Exaltation or Triumph of the Holy Cross. Pour out your hearts before the Crucified and let him fill them with the water and blood of His love.

Calling on all parishioners of St. Mary, Star of the Sea, in Largs to celebrate heartily, generously and lovingly our Parish Festival in honour of our heavenly Patroness and Mother. Let the graces pour forth and the celebrations begin!

What. Great joy for Our Lady of Perpetual Succour parish in Millport today, to welcome Bishop Frank Dougan on his first Pastoral visit to the community! We thank him for his powerful message and for his great warmth and easy manner. May God bless him richly!

The “star” in the “star-t” of our Parish Festival today was most definitely St. Mary’s Primary School! It was so uplifting to see the whole school at the Mass of Saint Ninian, and lots of (grand)parents besides! I’m sure there are many budding saints among the children! 😇

The hand of Jesus stops the funeral procession of the young man of Nain. His crucified hands stop the relentless march of death and sin, and of all the griefs of humanity. Let Him rest His hand on your heart to heal your grief and restore you.

The children are the presence of the innocence of Christmas in our parish. The sick are the presence of the blessing of the Cross of Good Friday. May God bless them for being such blessings to us!

Our liberation from sin, sickness and death all passes through the Body of Jesus. He breathes in all our corruption and death, and He breathes out into us all His grace and life and holiness.

Praise God for today’s wonderful Eucharistic Agape Day as the heart of our Parish Festival!

What do your deceased relatives, now with God, do all day? They love you even more than they did or could on this earth. Consider not so much that they have gone from you as that you are going to them!

Welcome Christ on His terms and He will renew and revolutionise your life. He is the Guest in whom you find your true home and your own deepest heart.

Heartfelt thanks to the Academy of Sacred Music, conducted by Sir James MacMillan, who led our parish community in beautiful liturgical music for the first Sunday Mass of our Parish Festival in honour of St. Mary, Star of the Sea. “My soul soared to God”, said one parishioner!

Frequent confession, if properly prepared, lovingly and trustingly made and courageously followed through is a sure path to holiness, to deep inner peace and joy and to a good night’s sleep!

The sacrament of Baptism marries the human being to Christ, body and soul. The sacrament of the Eucharist feeds that marriage. The sacrament of Matrimony unites the bodies and souls of the couple to become a living sign of the reality of Baptism and Eucharist, I.e. the Church.