Pray with Pope Francis
30 Friday Jun 2017
Posted Catholic
in30 Friday Jun 2017
Posted Catholic
in30 Friday Jun 2017
Posted Catholic
inWhen we were baptised in Christ Jesus we were baptised in his death; in other words, when we were baptised we went into the tomb with him and joined him in death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the Father’s glory, we too might live a new life.
But we believe that having died with Christ we shall return to life with him: Christ, as we know, having been raised from the dead will never die again. Death has no power over him any more. When he died, he died, once for all, to sin, so his life now is life with God; and in that way, you too must consider yourselves to be dead to sin but alive for God in Christ Jesus.
Romans 6:3-4,8-11
The Second reading at Mass on Sunday, the 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, reminds of the glory that is ours…
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29 Thursday Jun 2017
Posted Catholic
inStill only an inflation-busting £1.00!
On sale before and after Mass this weekend and next….
29 Thursday Jun 2017
Posted Catholic
inJesus instructed the Twelve as follows:
‘Anyone who prefers father or mother to me is not worthy of me. Anyone who prefers son or daughter to me is not worthy of me. Anyone who does not take his cross and follow in my footsteps is not worthy of me. Anyone who finds his life will lose it; anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it.
‘Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me; and those who welcome me welcome the one who sent me.
‘Anyone who welcomes a prophet will have a prophet’s reward; and anyone who welcomes a holy man will have a holy man’s reward.
‘If anyone gives so much as a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple, then I tell you solemnly, he will most certainly not lose his reward.’
Matthew 10:37-42
The Gospel on Sunday, the…
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28 Wednesday Jun 2017
Posted Catholic, Mission, St Nicholas Boldmere
inTags
Thank you to all who donated to the recent Lent collection, and to the donations for teas/coffees after Mass on Sunday…
28 Wednesday Jun 2017
Posted Catholic
inGospel Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia!
The Word was made flesh and lived among us: to all who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God. Alleluia!Jn1:14,12
The Gospel Acclamation above is one of the two offered for use at Mass last Sunday, the 12th Sunday of Ordinary Time.
The Gospel of the Day speaks of our call to faithfulness to Jesus. The acclamation reminds of his radical commitment to us – evidenced in the Mystery of the Incarnation – God taking flesh and not just for the 33 years or so of Jesus life on earth, but remaining joined with us in the flesh after the Resurrection and the Ascension. God in flesh is one with us for ever.
May we choose likewise: to be one with him, and for ever…
Sculpture by Jacob Epstein. Cavendish Square, London. (c) 2009, Allen Morris
27 Tuesday Jun 2017
Posted Catholic
inJesus instructed the Twelve as follows: ‘Do not be afraid. For everything that is now covered will be uncovered, and everything now hidden will be made clear.
What I say to you in the dark, tell in the daylight; what you hear in whispers, proclaim from the housetops.
‘Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; fear him rather who can destroy both body and soul in hell. Can you not buy two sparrows for a penny? And yet not one falls to the ground without your Father knowing. Why, every hair on your head has been counted. So there is no need to be afraid; you are worth more than hundreds of sparrows.
‘So if anyone declares himself for me in the presence of men, I will declare myself for him in the presence of my Father in heaven. But the one…
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26 Monday Jun 2017
Posted Catholic
inJeremiah said:
I hear so many disparaging me,
‘“Terror from every side!”
Denounce him! Let us denounce him!’
All those who used to be my friends
watched for my downfall,
‘Perhaps he will be seduced into error.
Then we will master him
and take our revenge!’
But the Lord is at my side, a mighty hero;
my opponents will stumble, mastered,
confounded by their failure;
everlasting, unforgettable disgrace will be theirs.
But you, O Lord of Hosts, you who probe with justice,
who scrutinise the loins and heart,
let me see the vengeance you will take on them,
for I have committed my cause to you.
Sing to the Lord,
praise the Lord,
for he has delivered the soul of the needy
from the hands of evil men.Jeremiah 20:10-13
Many of us hearing the above reading, the first for Mass, yesterday, the 12th Sunday of the Year, will have…
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26 Monday Jun 2017
Posted Catholic, Mission, Prayer, St Nicholas Boldmere
inA reminder of the words of Pope Francis urging us to a deeper personal relationship with Jesus. in whom there is joy for the world.
The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Those who accept his offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness. With Christ joy is constantly born anew.
This is good news for the world…
The great danger in today’s world, pervaded as it is by consumerism, is the desolation and anguish born of a complacent yet covetous heart, the feverish pursuit of frivolous pleasures, and a blunted conscience. Whenever our interior life becomes caught up in its own interests and concerns, there is no longer room for others, no place for the poor. God’s voice is no longer heard, the quiet joy of his love is no longer felt, and the desire to do good fades.
The Gospel is also good news for Christians, inviting us to joy. We face the same temptation away from ‘real’ life to the idols of consumerism. As Pope Francis notes…
This is a very real danger for believers too. Many fall prey to it, and end up resentful, angry and listless. That is no way to live a dignified and fulfilled life; it is not God’s will for us, nor is it the life in the Spirit which has its source in the heart of the risen Christ.
But there is a further danger for us. We may end up substituting ‘religious observance’ for the life of faith.
If the fruit of personal relationship with Jesus is joy, ‘religious observance, keeping the rules more or less, but missing the heart of it, may end up leaving us subject to the pretty much the same (un)spiritual consequences as are produced by consumerism!
So, says Pope Francis:
I invite all Christians, everywhere, at this very moment, to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ, or at least an openness to letting him encounter them; I ask all of you to do this unfailingly each day. No one should think that this invitation is not meant for him or her, since “no one is excluded from the joy brought by the Lord”. The Lord does not disappoint those who take this risk; whenever we take a step towards Jesus, we come to realize that he is already there, waiting for us with open arms. Now is the time to say to Jesus: “Lord, I have let myself be deceived; in a thousand ways I have shunned your love, yet here I am once more, to renew my covenant with you. I need you. Save me once again, Lord, take me once more into your redeeming embrace”.
How good it feels to come back to him whenever we are lost! Let me say this once more: God never tires of forgiving us; we are the ones who tire of seeking his mercy. Christ, who told us to forgive one another “seventy times seven” (Mt 18:22) has given us his example: he has forgiven us seventy times seven. Time and time again he bears us on his shoulders. No one can strip us of the dignity bestowed upon us by this boundless and unfailing love. With a tenderness which never disappoints, but is always capable of restoring our joy, he makes it possible for us to lift up our heads and to start anew. Let us not flee from the resurrection of Jesus, let us never give up, come what will. May nothing inspire more than his life, which impels us onwards!
One tried and trusted way of deepening our personal relationship with Jesus is to get to know him better through the Sunday Gospel.
And come Thursday, start again with the Gospel of the next Sunday.
Quotations from Pope Francis: The Joy of the Gospel (Evangelii gaudium).
Smiling Angel. Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine, Paris. (c) 2015.
25 Sunday Jun 2017
Posted Catholic
inJeremiah said:
I hear so many disparaging me,
‘“Terror from every side!”
Denounce him! Let us denounce him!’All those who used to be my friends watched for my downfall, ‘Perhaps he will be seduced into error. Then we will master him and take our revenge!’
But the Lord is at my side, a mighty hero; my opponents will stumble, mastered,
confounded by their failure;
everlasting, unforgettable disgrace will be theirs.But you, O Lord of Hosts, you who probe with justice, who scrutinise the loins and heart, let me see the vengeance you will take on them, for I have committed my cause to you.
Sing to the Lord, praise the Lord, for he has delivered the soul of the needy from the hands of evil men.
Jeremiah 20:10-13
The First reading at Mass today comes from the prophet of Jeremiah and tells both of his trials and persecution, and, especially, of his trust in the Lord who is his protector…
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