Behold I stand at the door and knock...

God's mercy endures for ever!This is the theme of today's Sacred Liturgy. It is not new. It is as old as the first revelation of salvation made to Adam, to Abel, to Abraham and down the generations until the coming of Divine Mercy incarnated in Jesus, Our Lord.Today is a day to continue to deeply rejoice that Divine Mercy is greater than any sin; even greater than the sin of the whole world. If you would like to contact me to provide feedback, suggestions or to ask questions you can do this via email:frpchandler@armidale.catholic.org.auAlso if you would like to support me in this work, please send me an email and I will provide details for how you can make a donation. After a very unsatisfactory experience with Buy Me A Coffee, I would prefer to handle this directly myself. Thank you.

Easter Sunday of the Resurrection is the high point of our Christian year.Christmas is beautiful and so appealing, but we do well to remember that Jesus was born so that He might die for our sins and rise to life for our eternal life. "For this I was born; for this I came into the world," he said to Pilate, as we heard on Good Friday.On this day, no matter what the world might say or believe, we profess our sure faith that there is only one Saviour, Jesus Christ, and He is the way, the truth and the life.The image used today is "Resurrection", a tempera on panel painting by Andrea Mantegna dating from 1457–59, now in the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Tours If you would like to contact me to provide feedback, suggestions or to ask questions you can do this via email:frpchandler@armidale.catholic.org.auAlso if you would like to support me in this work, please send me an email and I will provide details for how you can make a donation. After a very unsatisfactory experience with Buy Me A Coffee, I would prefer to handle this directly myself. Thank you.

We are at the beginning of Holy Week.The cries of welcome and jubilation will turn to condemnation and calls for crucifixion. In all the movements of this week, the kenosis, or the self-emptying of Christ holds our attention. Let us keep close to Him and empty ourselves for Him so that we may worthily participate in His resurrection. If you would like to contact me to provide feedback, suggestions or to ask questions you can do this via email:frpchandler@armidale.catholic.org.auAlso if you would like to support me in this work, please send me an email and I will provide details for how you can make a donation. After a very unsatisfactory experience with Buy Me A Coffee, I would prefer to handle this directly myself. Thank you.

The fourth Sunday of Lent is Laetare Sunday. The rose coloured vestments signal a brief respite from the penitential practices of Lent.God is all mercy and love. We know that and we reverence the images of Christ crucified because that is the pre-eminent sign of Divine Mercy and Love. Today I speak about the Sacrament of Penance/Confession/Reconciliation because it is the best way by which we prepare for the Paschal feasts and it is the ordinary way that we have access to God's mercy and love. If you would like to contact me to provide feedback, suggestions or to ask questions you can do this via email:frpchandler@armidale.catholic.org.auAlso if you would like to support me in this work, please send me an email and I will provide details for how you can make a donation. After a very unsatisfactory experience with Buy Me A Coffee, I would prefer to handle this directly myself. Thank you.

The Decalogue, or the ten words from God, or as we usually know them, the Ten Commandments is the First Reading at Holy Mass this Sunday.This revelation from God became the foundation of the Mosaic Law that governed the life of the Jewish people. It was not a burden but something that enabled them to remain close to God and He to them.Today I explore further from the Ten Commandments what the Church teaches us about law in general and how it affects our lives. If you would like to contact me to provide feedback, suggestions or to ask questions you can do this via email:frpchandler@armidale.catholic.org.auAlso if you would like to support me in this work, please send me an email and I will provide details for how you can make a donation. After a very unsatisfactory experience with Buy Me A Coffee, I would prefer to handle this directly myself. Thank you.

God is all goodness, all truth, and all beauty. Living a virtuous life is how we participate in God's own life, which is another description of grace.The virtue of obedience motivated Abraham to be faithful to God. But what does it mean to live a virtuous life? In this podcast, as well as delving into the Scripture readings, I also describe the 7 major virtues. I hope this is helpful and that it will give you something to guide your spiritual life. If you would like to contact me to provide feedback, suggestions or to ask questions you can do this via email:frpchandler@armidale.catholic.org.auAlso if you would like to support me in this work, please send me an email and I will provide details for how you can make a donation. After a very unsatisfactory experience with Buy Me A Coffee, I would prefer to handle this directly myself. Thank you.

We hear about the temptations of Jesus in the desert on this first Sunday of Lent. Temptation is most regularly connected in some way with sin. So, since I find many Catholics do not clearly understand what sin is, I though I would offer a short catechesis on this topic. I hope you find it helpful. If you would like to contact me to provide feedback, suggestions or to ask questions you can do this via email:frpchandler@armidale.catholic.org.auAlso if you would like to support me in this work, please send me an email and I will provide details for how you can make a donation. After a very unsatisfactory experience with Buy Me A Coffee, I would prefer to handle this directly myself. Thank you.

The very moving scene of the leper kneeling before Jesus is one of great pathos. It also provides us with a neat and appropriate entry into Lent on this Wednesday, Ash Wednesday. May the great trust of the leper be ours during this coming season of Lent. If you would like to contact me to provide feedback, suggestions or to ask questions you can do this via email:frpchandler@armidale.catholic.org.auAlso if you would like to support me in this work, please send me an email and I will provide details for how you can make a donation. After a very unsatisfactory experience with Buy Me A Coffee, I would prefer to handle this directly myself. Thank you.

As Christmas approaches, the Church leads us into the Christmas Novena.During these days the joy that our Saviour's birth brought to the world takes a prominent place. It is a holy joy because it is joy for a holy reason, not for any earthly purpose. It is joy because we have been saved from the double punishment that the original or first sin of Eve and Adam brought to our human nature and to the world. We are not on our own any longer. God comes to be with us! If you would like to contact me to provide feedback, suggestions or to ask questions you can do this via email:frpchandler@armidale.catholic.org.auAlso if you would like to support me in this work, please send me an email and I will provide details for how you can make a donation. After a very unsatisfactory experience with Buy Me A Coffee, I would prefer to handle this directly myself. Thank you.

St Peter speaks of the Second Coming of Christ in today's second reading.The Parousia is a reality though we do not know when or exactly how it will happen and what might the experience of those who are alive and witness it. Though there will be fearful things happening, it is a glorious event that brings about the final and complete victory of Christ over sin and evil. It will be the time of our fulfillment and our joy. If you would like to contact me to provide feedback, suggestions or to ask questions you can do this via email:frpchandler@armidale.catholic.org.auAlso if you would like to support me in this work, please send me an email and I will provide details for how you can make a donation. After a very unsatisfactory experience with Buy Me A Coffee, I would prefer to handle this directly myself. Thank you.

The Season of Advent begins with an exhortation. We are to be alert, on the watch during our lives as we must live in constant expectation of the coming of Christ, as well as to rejoice once more at His birth. If you would like to contact me to provide feedback, suggestions or to ask questions you can do this via email:frpchandler@armidale.catholic.org.auAlso if you would like to support me in this work, please send me an email and I will provide details for how you can make a donation. After a very unsatisfactory experience with Buy Me A Coffee, I would prefer to handle this directly myself. Thank you.

The solemnity of Christ, King of the Universe, not only makes a bold but true claim about Christ, it ends the liturgical year, and gives us an opportunity to give homage to our King. If you would like to contact me to provide feedback, suggestions or to ask questions you can do this via email:frpchandler@armidale.catholic.org.auAlso if you would like to support me in this work, please send me an email and I will provide details for how you can make a donation. After a very unsatisfactory experience with Buy Me A Coffee, I would prefer to handle this directly myself. Thank you.

The parables that Our Lord told and have been passed on to us in the Gospels, are teaching stories. Their purpose is to jar us, provoke in us a different perspective so that we may learn. What the Parable of the Talents teaches has become part of our beautiful and treasured Catholic faith.The art work for this episode is obtained from WikiCommons and is The Parable of the Talents by Willem de Poorter If you would like to contact me to provide feedback, suggestions or to ask questions you can do this via email:frpchandler@armidale.catholic.org.auAlso if you would like to support me in this work, please send me an email and I will provide details for how you can make a donation. After a very unsatisfactory experience with Buy Me A Coffee, I would prefer to handle this directly myself. Thank you.

The parable of the ten bridesmaids (or virgins) sets our sights upon the readiness that is needed for all of us to welcome the bridegroom, who is Christ, when He comes; most particularly when He comes to call us from this earthly life. We need the perspective on  this earthly life and our life in heaven that divine Wisdom gives us and also, as St Paul tells us, that our faith provides for us. If you would like to contact me to provide feedback, suggestions or to ask questions you can do this via email:frpchandler@armidale.catholic.org.auAlso if you would like to support me in this work, please send me an email and I will provide details for how you can make a donation. After a very unsatisfactory experience with Buy Me A Coffee, I would prefer to handle this directly myself. Thank you.

Such an unforgiving and hard heart does the servant have in today's gospel reading. There is more here than just being nice to each other. It is more about how our hearts may be closed to the marvellous grace that Christ offers us through His passion and death. This is a grace that opens our understanding to realise that we also have a debt that we can never fully repay. If you would like to contact me to provide feedback, suggestions or to ask questions you can do this via email:frpchandler@armidale.catholic.org.auAlso if you would like to support me in this work, please send me an email and I will provide details for how you can make a donation. After a very unsatisfactory experience with Buy Me A Coffee, I would prefer to handle this directly myself. Thank you.

The Lord Jesus intentionally began a Church. It wasn't a human concept nor an earthly desire. We see this divine intention in many ways in the gospels. Today we hear how Jesus wished to organise his Church both internally to maintain harmony but also that the Church may be defended from division and that the members of the Church assist each other to grow in holiness. If you would like to contact me to provide feedback, suggestions or to ask questions you can do this via email:frpchandler@armidale.catholic.org.auAlso if you would like to support me in this work, please send me an email and I will provide details for how you can make a donation. After a very unsatisfactory experience with Buy Me A Coffee, I would prefer to handle this directly myself. Thank you.

When St Peter rebukes Christ for speaking about suffering and taking up one's cross, he receives a rebuke in return. But Christ goes on to teach him, the other apostles, and us about the value of suffering. This is a unique aspect of Christianity. We, who follow, Christ believe that suffering has value, and brings grace; all because of Christ Himself and what He did. If you would like to contact me to provide feedback, suggestions or to ask questions you can do this via email:frpchandler@armidale.catholic.org.auAlso if you would like to support me in this work, please send me an email and I will provide details for how you can make a donation. After a very unsatisfactory experience with Buy Me A Coffee, I would prefer to handle this directly myself. Thank you.

The office of the papacy is central to the identity of the Catholic Church, as Christ intended it to be. It is helpful to explore the interaction between the office and the office-holder, as we look briefly at some history and what the Church teaches. Let us pray for the Pope that he may be protected from error and the forces of evil. If you would like to contact me to provide feedback, suggestions or to ask questions you can do this via email:frpchandler@armidale.catholic.org.auAlso if you would like to support me in this work, please send me an email and I will provide details for how you can make a donation. After a very unsatisfactory experience with Buy Me A Coffee, I would prefer to handle this directly myself. Thank you.

Christ died and rose for the salvation of all, but it would seem that not all accept it. While we do not know the interior dispositions of any human heart or soul, exterior manner of living would suggest that many do not care for what Christ has done; some forget about it amidst the pleasures of the world; some reject it; some ignore it.What about us? Do we live each day so as to actively accept what Christ has offered to us? If you would like to contact me to provide feedback, suggestions or to ask questions you can do this via email:frpchandler@armidale.catholic.org.auAlso if you would like to support me in this work, please send me an email and I will provide details for how you can make a donation. After a very unsatisfactory experience with Buy Me A Coffee, I would prefer to handle this directly myself. Thank you.

Bringing people to know and love Jesus Christ has been the mission of the Church since Our Lord gave the Great Commission to the Apostles before His Ascension into Heaven. There is a narrative around in the Church, even coming from the Pope, that to proclaim Christ is to proselytise. This is a word which has, until this time, meant forcing someone to convert. While this may have be done somewhere in the past, it is not the task of evangelisation and never has been. Proclaiming the gospel and bringing people to Christ must remain the central mission of the Church. If you would like to contact me to provide feedback, suggestions or to ask questions you can do this via email:frpchandler@armidale.catholic.org.auAlso if you would like to support me in this work, please send me an email and I will provide details for how you can make a donation. After a very unsatisfactory experience with Buy Me A Coffee, I would prefer to handle this directly myself. Thank you.