In the passage for this week Jesus announces the coming of the Kingdom of heaven and chooses 12 people to help him to fashion the new world that he is creating. Jesus is like a visionary football manager who takes over a struggling club that has fallen on hard times (cf Roques 2003). The team is a mixture of old pros who have never made the grade and young hopefuls who now never will. The ground is dilapidated and the fans are disillusioned. Then new owners take over the club and the manager is given money to bring in new players. He buys a French player from Arsenal, an Italian from AC Milan. A budding young talent emerges through the youth ranks and an ex-England international that had begun his career at the club makes an emotional return. The new players ooze class and style and they bring fresh tactics and skill to the team. Flans flood back, good times return and within five years the European Cup has been won. Winning the European Cup is the footballing equivalent of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. Working for justice and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom is less socially glamorous but it is more worthwhile.

Weekly reflections on the Gospel for the coming Sunday are available on request. They will come once a week and will never be more than 200 words. If you would like to receive these emails then please email the Parish Secretary