Community of St John NZ

About Community of St John NZ

Reflections and homilies rooted in the Gospel of John and the wisdom of the Church, helping you walk the journey of faith. Join Fr. Michael, a priest of the Community of St. John in New Zealand, as he unpacks the Word of God, explores the depths of grace, and leads you to encounter Christ, the Word made flesh.

Publisher

Fr Michael Therese Scheerger

Category

religion & spirituality

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

18 Mar 2018

Latest episode

23 Aug 2026

Latest episodes

241 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   23 Aug 2026

   “You Are the Christ — and He Reveals Who You Are” – Homily – 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

   Who are you? The Gospel suggests that the deepest answer begins somewhere unexpected: not by looking first at yourself, but by looking at Christ. In this homily for the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Fr Michael reflects on Peter’s confession at Caesarea Philippi: “You are the Christ.” Surrounded by competing beliefs and voices, Peter makes a judgment of faith that pierces through the confusion and recognises who Jesus truly is. But something remarkable happens next. After Peter says to Jesus, “You are the Christ,” Jesus turns to Peter and says, in effect, “You are Peter.” In recognising Christ, Peter begins to discover his own identity and vocation. That discovery is not completed in a single moment. Peter will misunderstand Jesus, deny Him, repent, carry responsibility, suffer, and gradually become the “rock” Christ has called him to be. Christian vocation unfolds in the same way. We discover who we are by fixing our eyes upon Christ, receiving His grace, and allowing Him to form us through fidelity and the Cross. Whether the call is lived as a parent, priest, religious, worker, friend or member of a community, Christ sees not only who we are now, but who we are called to become. The invitation of the Gospel is therefore deeply personal: dare to look toward Christ and say with Peter, “You are the Christ.” Then allow Him to tell you who you are.

2. 

   23 Aug 2026

   “What We Give to Christ Is Never Lost” – Homily – The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

   Where is the Christian life leading us? In this homily for the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Fr Michael reflects on Mary as the one who has already reached the destination toward which every Christian life is moving. The Assumption is not only something beautiful that happened to Mary. It reveals something about our own destiny: God desires to bring the whole person—body and soul—into the fullness of life with Him. Recalling a moment of prayer from his early years as a religious brother, Fr Michael reflects on Mary’s body as the body she gave completely to God: the feet that went to Elizabeth, the hands that held Jesus, the voice that said yes to God, the heart that loved Him, and the body that remained beside Him at the Cross. Mary shows us that surrender to God does not diminish the human person. What we truly give to Christ is never lost; He receives it and brings it to fulfilment. The Christian life therefore becomes a pilgrimage of offering our hands, our feet, our minds, our time and our hearts to Christ in the ordinary circumstances of daily life.

3. 

   10 Aug 2026

   “Christ Comes to Us in the Storm” – Homily – 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

   What happens to our faith when the wind rises and life no longer feels under control? In this homily for the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Fr Michael reflects on the disciples caught in the storm and on Peter stepping out of the boat toward Jesus. The storm itself becomes a place of encounter: Christ comes to His disciples precisely when they are afraid and struggling. Peter is able to move toward Jesus while his attention remains fixed on Him, but fear begins to overwhelm him when the wind and the waves become his focus. The same dynamic appears in the Christian life. Difficulties are real, but they do not have to become the centre around which everything else revolves. Faith does not mean pretending that the storm is absent. It means learning to recognise Christ within it, trusting Him enough to move toward Him, and knowing that even when we begin to sink we can still cry out, “Lord, save me.” The invitation is simple: do not allow fear to have the final word. Keep turning toward Christ.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

43,082

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.9 / 5

20 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

5 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 61 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

57

Social presence

0

YouTube

76

Engagement

85