Taste and See: Freedom and hope

Living Eucharist

I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.

I love the Lord for he has heard
the cry of my appeal;
for he turned his ear to me
in the day when I called him.

They surrounded me, the snares of death,
with the anguish of the tomb;
they caught me, sorrow and distress.
I called on the Lord’s name.
O Lord, my God, deliver me!

How gracious is the Lord, and just;
our God has compassion.
The Lord protects the simple hearts;
I was helpless so he saved me.

He has kept my soul from death,
my eyes from tears
and my feet from stumbling.
I will walk in the presence of the Lord
in the land of the living.

Responsorial Psalm for the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Psalm 114(116):1-6,8-9

The Lord overwhelms death and sin with his grace and mercy…

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Out and about…

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Ecumenism, Prince Lazar, Serbian Orthodox Church

The parish ‘Out and About’ programme continued with a visit today to the Serbian Orthodox Church of the Holy Prince Lazar, in Bourneville, which this year is celebrating the 50th Anniversary of its consecration.

The community of ‘Lazarica’ was originally made up of Serb refugees from (the now former) Yugoslavia.

We enjoyed the exhibition of icons written by student theologians, developing their skills to a high standard. We also had the privilege of visiting the church.

We were guided there by members of the community there, including Fr Menad who allowed us to see some of the church’s most treasured relics – not least a relic of St Patrick.

The beautiful and prayer-inspiring frescoes made some of us wonder whether we should start a programme of similar enrichment of our own church.

• On October 7th Lazarica hosts an Orthodox festival of music. Full details and how to book tickets here…

Taste and See: learning from the Lord

Living Eucharist

Jesus and his disciples left for the villages round Caesarea Philippi. On the way he put this question to his disciples, ‘Who do people say I am?’ And they told him. ‘John the Baptist,’ they said ‘others Elijah; others again, one of the prophets.’ ‘But you,’ he asked ‘who do you say I am?’ Peter spoke up and said to him, ‘You are the Christ.’ And he gave them strict orders not to tell anyone about him.

And he began to teach them that the Son of Man was destined to suffer grievously, to be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and to be put to death, and after three days to rise again; and he said all this quite openly. Then, taking him aside, Peter started to remonstrate with him. But, turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said to him, ‘Get…

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Taste and See: Who do we say that he is?

Living Eucharist

Alleluia, alleluia!
I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, says the Lord;
No one can come to the Father except through me.
Alleluia!

Gospel Acclamation for the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time
(verse: John14:6)

In yesterday’s Gospel Jesus asked, ‘Who do you say that I am?’

The acclamation to greet the Gospel gave us one of his own self-descriptions.

• Is that description confirmed in what you have learnt of Jesus through your own personal relationship with him?
• How?

Stained glass. St Peter and Paul, Aston. (c) 2018, Allen Morris

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Applying to Catholic Secondary Schools?

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Catholic Secondary Schools

The closing date for applications for Birmingham Secondary Schools, including the Catholic Secondary Schools is October 31st. Details are available here.

If you are applying to a Catholic Secondary School you are also invited to complete a Supplementary Information Form (SIF) giving details of baptism, etc. Some schools (for example Bishop Walsh) require the signature of a parish priest; others do not (for example St Edmund Campion and Cardinal  Wiseman).

• If you do require a SIF signed by Fr Allen to affirm your attendance at Mass, please bring the form to Mass next Sunday (23rd Sunday) and see Fr Allen after Mass. Probably he will need to speak with you briefly, and will then take your form to sign and stamp it ready to return to you at Mass the following Sunday. Please ensure your SIF is completed; that it is accompanied by any necessary documentation, confirming baptism etc; and is in an envelope bearing your name or your child’s name..

If you have any issues with regard to your application – for example concern about living outside of the privileged catchment area for your school(s) of choice, you are invited to e-mail Fr Allen to make an appointment to discuss the application.

Speak Lord: Our Rock

Living Eucharist

The Lord has opened my ear.

For my part, I made no resistance,
neither did I turn away.
I offered my back to those who struck me,
my cheeks to those who tore at my beard;
I did not cover my face
against insult and spittle.

The Lord comes to my help,
so that I am untouched by the insults.
So, too, I set my face like flint;
I know I shall not be shamed.

My vindicator is here at hand. Does anyone start proceedings against me?
Then let us go to court together.
Who thinks he has a case against me?
Let him approach me.
The Lord is coming to my help,
who will dare to condemn me?

First reading for the 24th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Isaiah 50:5-9

Again we hear the prophet ready to take the consequences of people’s opposition to him and his message and to…

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Speak Lord: Lord of life

Living Eucharist

I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.

I love the Lord for he has heard
the cry of my appeal;
for he turned his ear to me
in the day when I called him.

They surrounded me, the snares of death,
with the anguish of the tomb;
they caught me, sorrow and distress.
I called on the Lord’s name.
O Lord, my God, deliver me!

How gracious is the Lord, and just;
our God has compassion.
The Lord protects the simple hearts;
I was helpless so he saved me.

He has kept my soul from death,
my eyes from tears
and my feet from stumbling.
I will walk in the presence of the Lord
in the land of the living.

Responsorial Psalm for the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Psalm 114(116):1-6,8-9

We are mortal beings, and subject to sin and sorrow and…

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Speak Lord: Keep us true

Living Eucharist

Take the case, my brothers, of someone who has never done a single good act but claims that he has faith. Will that faith save him? If one of the brothers or one of the sisters is in need of clothes and has not enough food to live on, and one of you says to them, ‘I wish you well; keep yourself warm and eat plenty’, without giving them these bare necessities of life, then what good is that? Faith is like that: if good works do not go with it, it is quite dead.

This is the way to talk to people of that kind: ‘You say you have faith and I have good deeds; I will prove to you that I have faith by showing you my good deeds – now you prove to me that you have faith without any good deeds to show.’

Second reading for 24th…

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Speak Lord: who pays the price

Living Eucharist

Jesus and his disciples left for the villages round Caesarea Philippi. On the way he put this question to his disciples, ‘Who do people say I am?’ And they told him. ‘John the Baptist,’ they said ‘others Elijah; others again, one of the prophets.’ ‘But you,’ he asked ‘who do you say I am?’ Peter spoke up and said to him, ‘You are the Christ.’ And he gave them strict orders not to tell anyone about him.

And he began to teach them that the Son of Man was destined to suffer grievously, to be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and to be put to death, and after three days to rise again; and he said all this quite openly. Then, taking him aside, Peter started to remonstrate with him. But, turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said to him, ‘Get…

View original post 104 more words