On the Threshold

Sunday, January 8, 2017 Feast of the Epiphany By Glen Argan So, what about those three “wise men” whose journey to Bethlehem we follow this Sunday in the feast of the manifestation of the Saviour to the Gentiles? First, who says there were three of them? Not St. Matthew’s account; it mentions only three gifts – gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Sunday, January 1, 2017 Mary, the Mother of God By Glen Argan When I form an image of Blessed Virgin Mary at the Nativity, I always need to stop and remember that this is a teenage girl. Too much religious art leaves the impression that she is older, sometimes much older. Age here is important. Too often we assume teenagers

Gospel for December 24, 2016 Christmas Eve By Glen Argan The story of the birth of Jesus as told in Luke’s Gospel (2.1-20) is perhaps the most beloved story in the entire Bible. Even in our secularized world, how can we celebrate Christmas without listening once again to this evocative story of our Saviour’s birth? “O little town of Bethlehem

Gospel for December 18, 2016 Fourth Sunday in Advent By Glen Argan The drawing near of Christmas echoes in the Gospel for the fourth Sunday in Advent – the account of St. Joseph’s decision to take Mary as his wife despite her “disgraceful” condition as pregnant and unmarried. It takes an angel appearing in a dream and a carefully massaged

Gospel for December 4, 2016 Second Sunday of Advent By Glen Argan The sacrament of Reconciliation is one of God’s marvellous gifts. The biblical references which we use to “prove” Christ instituted the sacrament don’t point towards anything like the form of private Confession the Church has made available for several centuries now. Yet, when my life starts running askew,