Whenever I would go on “Home Leave” to Chicago from England or Australia, my brother and I would visit the cemetery to pray at the graves of our parents and brother and sister and some other relatives.

Whenever I have the chance, I watch a movie every now and then. Sometimes there is something at the movies that catches my attention and if I have the time, I’ll go and watch it as my form of stress-reducing recreation.

The temptations of Jesus in the desert is the theme for this Sunday. We’ve well and truly begun the season of Lent.

One of my favourite late night shows was the “Late Show with David Letterman”. David Letterman was a late night show host from the late 70s and he has just retired lately.

In this day and age we may well ask what meaning and relevance such a season of the year could have for us. When I was young it was about “giving up something” like chocolates or biscuits.

Now, for me, it means more about being aware of certain attitudes and behaviours that need healing.

As the headlines continue to swirl around the Catholic Church in Australia it is a distressing time for both victims of abuse and also for regular Catholics who have been rocked by one scandal after another for years.

We often hear the phrase that these years of crisis and shame have led to a “humbler” Church and lately I’ve been wondering what that humbler Church might look like in practice.

About 25 years ago while on retreat I read a book by the Scripture scholar, Dominic Crossan, entitled The Historical Jesus: the life of a Mediterranean Jewish Peasant.

“Blessed are you who are poor…blessed are you who are hungry…blessed are you who are weeping…blessed are you when people hate you…Familiar words that we might have heard several times already.

The willing response of Isaiah “Here I am, send me,” helps us reflect on our own response to God’s call. The call, to follow God’s will, is always present. How do I respond? Time to reflect on this question indeed!

When one is invited to a party there is the expectation of a good time to be had: good food, pleasant company, lively conversation, and the presence of the gracious host.