September 27th 2026
Reflection – There is another version of this story, not found in English translations, but well attested in manuscripts, where the responses of the two...
NOTE: SLIDE RIGHT OR LEFT TO SEE OTHER NEWSLETTER ENTRIES. CLICK ON TOP TO VIEW A SPECIFIC ONE.
September 20th 2026
Reflection – This famous parable, about the vineyard of the Lord, tells of people engaged to work in the vineyard at different times of the...
September 13th 2026
Reflection – A big issue for any community: how often should you forgive a wrongdoer? Peter offers a generous suggestion – seven times? Peter must...
September 6th 2026
Reflection – Sermon four of five from Matthew’s gospel provides today’s gospel. This is directed to the community. What is to be done regarding a...
August 30th 2026
Reflection – From Rock and keeper of the keys, to ‘Satan! When Peter tries to end Jesus’ talk of dying, he forgets disciples are to...
August 23rd 2026
Reflection – When Simon says that Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the living God”, Jesus responds in Matthew’s account by renaming Simon as...
August 9th 2026
Reflection –Our initial reaction to Peter’s attempt to walk on water is probably sympathy: he clearly believes that Jesus can make it possible for him...
August 2nd 2026
Reflection – The feeding of the five thousand is the only miracle found in all four gospels. Only Matthew’s account refers to 5,000 men, women...
August 16th 2026
Reflection – Traditional in the Church for many centuries, the doctrine of Mary’s Assumption was solemnly defined by Pope Pius XII before a huge crowd...
July 26th 2026
Reflection – Two short parables liken our desire for the kingdom of heaven to someone who finds a treasure in a field, or a merchant...
July 19th 2026
Reflection – Why does God allow evil to exist? Parable one today suggests that destruction of evil may also cause destruction of good. God alone...
July 12th 2026
Reflection – The beginning of sermon three of five in Matthew. It comes right in the middle of the set, and consists of parables –...
July 5th 2026
Reflection – The first part of this text is also found in Luke. The second part is unique to Matthew. What comforting words! ‘Come to...
June 28th 2026
Reflection – – Peter’s miraculous release from prison and Paul’s assertion that he has been “rescued from the lion’s mouth” speak eloquently to their conviction...
June 21st 2026
Reflection – Who can kill the soul as well as the body? We usually assume this refers to Satan, but only God could kill the...
June 14th 2026
Reflection – Matthew, having taken us through the Sermon on the Mount, returns once more to Jesus teaching disciples. It is interesting that Jesus does...
June 7th 2026
Reflection – His audience had problems understanding Jesus’ words when he spoke of himself as ‘the living bread come down from heaven’, but he refuses...
May 31st 2026
Reflection – The Liturgy is no place for trying to understand the Trinity: it is where we celebrate in the presence of God who is...
May 24th 2026
Reflection – The Holy Spirit is given to enable the disciples to overcome division. In John this is the division from God, from one another,...
May 17th 2026
Reflection – The prayer of Jesus focusses on the concept of Glory. In Hebrew “Glory” has the same root as the word for the liver,...
May 10th 2026
Reflection – Philip (the deacon) proclaims the Good News and even works many miracles to bring the Samaritans to faith and baptising them. But it...
May 3rd 2026
Reflection – The Farewell Discourse of Jesus at the Last Supper is revisited now in Eastertide to allow us to see the fullness of the...
April 26th 2026
Reflection – Concluding the self-revelation of the Feast of Tabernacles (starting at 7:1), Jesus finally accepts, while at the same time transcending, a traditional messianic...
April 19th 2026
Reflection – The speech of Peter in Acts and the dialogue with the Risen Christ on the road to Emmaus both feature a lot of...
April 12th 2026
Reflection – The idealised community Luke describes in Acts would have represented in the first century AD, just as in the 21st, the fulfilment of...
April 5th 2026
Reflection – Peter claims to have eaten and drunk with the Risen Lord. The Gospel says he is first to enter the empty tomb, but...
March 29th 2026
Reflection – Matthew’s ancient audience would be familiar with the physical suffering involved in crucifixion and so he tweaks the Marcan (or pre-Marcan) Passion Narrative...
March 22nd 2026
Reflection – Both Martha and Mary, for all their difference in response to Jesus, open with the same words of greeting (or faith, or reproach?)....
March 15th 2026
Reflection – Clearly patterning Christian Initiation, the man born blind is “anointed” with the paste and then washed clean and can see. His new sight...
March 8th 2026
Reflection – The woman at the well seems a marginal figure, coming to draw water alone and in the heat of the day. Her encounter...
March 1st 2026
Reflection – Matthew tells that the disciples fall on their faces overcome with fear when they hear the voice of the Father. Only after the...
February 22nd 2026
Reflection – Matthew’s account of the temptation and the abridged version of the Fall are both characterised by lies, half-truths and “spin” on the commands...
February 15th 2026
Reflection – It’s easy to see God’s Law only as a collection of “don’ts”, but Jesus shows its real purpose over the next few weeks....
February 8th 2026
Reflection – Following the beatitudes, there are two short sayings, ‘proverbs’, depicting Jesus as a Wisdom teacher in the Jewish tradition. Jesus tells his new...
February 1st 2026
Reflection – An easily recognisable feature of Matthew’s gospel is Jesus’ authentic teaching. Matthew presents five blocks of teaching, and this is the first extract...
January 25th 2026
Reflection – Matthew’s account of Jesus’ ministry begins today. Matthew recognises that Jesus’ location, known in his time as Galilee, but to Isaiah as Zebulun...
January 18th 2026
Reflection – Ordinary Sundays for the Year of Matthew begin today, but this Sunday’s gospel is always from John. Thus, we begin Ordinary Time with...
January 11th 2026
Note: For a beautiful reflection on this painting please click here. Christian Art is a website that offers a pathway to grow closer to...
January 4th 2026
Note: For a beautiful reflection on this painting please click here. Christian Art is a website that offers a pathway to grow closer to...
Newsletter 15th & 16th November
The Wailing Wall, Jerusalem,Painting by Gustav Bauernfeind (1848–1904),Painted in 1887,Oil on canvas Note: For a beautiful reflection on this painting please click here. Christian Art is...
23rd SUNDAY OF THE ORDINARY TIME – Weekend of 6th and 7th of September, 2025, YEAR C.
Brambly Hedge,Painted by Jill Barklem (1951-2017),Painted in 1979,Watercolour and gouache on paper© Brambly Hedge, 2025 Note: For a beautiful reflection on this painting related to...
17th WEEK OF THE ORDINARY TIME. Weekend of 26TH& 27th July, 2025, YEAR C.
L’embellie (The Improvement),Painting by René Magritte (1898-1967), Painted circa 1962,Oil on canvas© Christie’s London, 25 Jun 2002, lot 34, sold £831,650 Note: For a beautiful reflection...
SIXTEENTH WEEK OF THE ORDINARY TIME. Weekend of 19TH& 20th July, 2025, YEAR C.
Christ in the House of Martha and Mary,Painting by Jan Brueghel the Younger (1601–1678) and Peter Paul Rubens (1577–1640),Painted in 1628,Oil on panel© National Gallery...
Sea Sunday FOURTEENTH WEEK OF THE ORDINARY TIME. Weekend of 5TH& 6th July, 2025, YEAR C.
The Veteran in a New Field,Painting by Winslow Homer (1836–1910),Painted in 1865,Oil on canvas© Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York Note: For a beautiful reflection...
SOLEMNITY OF ST. PETER & ST. PAUL – Weekend of 28th and 29th of June, 2025, YEAR C.
The Embrace of the Apostles Peter and Paul,Cretan school, Angelos Akotantos,Painted first half 15th centurytondo, paint and gilding on wood base, diameter 37.5cm,© C. Krimbas...
SOLEMNITY OF THE MOST HOLY BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST – Weekend of 21st and 22nd of June, 2025, YEAR C.
Butterflies and other insects,Painting by Jan van Kessel the Elder (1626-79),Painted in 1661,Oil on panel© The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge Note: For a beautiful reflection on this...
SOLEMNITY OF PENTECOST – Weekend of 7TH and 8th of June, 2025, YEAR C.
Pentecost,Painting by Fray Juan Bautista Pastrana Maíno (1581 – 1649),Painted circa 1620,Oil on canvas© Museo del Prado Note: For a beautiful reflection on this painting...
SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER – ROGATION SUNDAY – Weekend of 24th & 25th , May, 2025, YEAR C.
The Fog Warning,Painting by Winslow Homer (1836–1910),Painted in 1885Oil on canvas© Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Note: For a beautiful reflection on this painting related...
FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER – CANTATE SUNDAY – Weekend of 17th & 18th , May, 2025, YEAR C.
The Last Supper,Painting by Dieric Bouts (1420-1475),Painted between 1464 and 1467,Oil on panel© St Peter’s Church, Leuven / Wikimedia Note: For a beautiful reflection on...
FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER – GOOD SHEPHERD SUNDAY – Weekend of 10th & 11th , May, 2025, YEAR C.
Mosaic of The Good Shepherd,Mausoleo di Galla Placidia,Ravenna, Italy,Executed circa 425AD© Alamy / Christian Art Note: For a beautiful reflection on this painting related to...
PARISH LIFE UPDATES & NEWS
Upcoming Events
PARISH EVENTS 2025
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
ARCHIDIOCESAN EVENTS 2025
For a more detailed list of Archdiocesan Events, please consult https://archedinburgh.org/news-events/
Latest events below: