Monthly Archives: July 2017

Save all the Fish!

The Parable of the Dragnet in this week’s Gospel teaches us something important about the Church – that is it is made up of both good and bad alike. The net symbolizes the Church and the fish represent us, while the water represents the world in which the Church exists and with whom it must interact. But at the end of time, as we say in the Creed each week,  there will be a Judgement when Our Lord “will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead”. But in the meantime both the good and the bad are inside the net of the Church. As was evident in last week’s Parable of the Wheat and the Tares, the fact that God allows both good and evil to co-exist for a time is to give everyone the opportunity for conversion.

The Parable of the Dragnet also reminds us to make sure we’re not just going through the motions of being Catholic. We have to really try and follow Christ every day of our lives. It also reminds us that there are people around us who need our help. The fact that family and friends appear to have a good relationship with God doesn’t mean they don’t need our prayers, because if we’re only judging by appearances, in the parable all the fish in the net seemed to be safe. It’s possible some of the fish near us could be going through a tough time right now. They could be in a spiritual battle or suffering a temptation of which we are unaware. So let us never forget to pray for each other, thus helping each other to stay faithful to Christ. Our Lord wants to bring everyone to eternal life with Him. May we all play our role in helping bring that to fruition.

Fr Paul Gillham

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SIXTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Jesus draws his parables from everyday images of hope and discouragement. There is the hope of a tiny seed that produces a marvellous tree, the small amount of leaven that makes it possible to feed a large family or a small village. There is also the discouragement of the farmer who finds that the field sown with clean seed is sprouting weeds; but it is a moment of discouragement that will be transformed by patient waiting.

These parables announce to us the promise of joy of the Kingdom of God. Let us welcome that promise in this celebration of the Eucharist.

Fr Philip Sainter

Father Philip is now in Lourdes (returning on Friday 28^th July)  where he will be remembering you all in his thoughts and prayers

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Lord, direct all our thoughts and actions
by the light of the Holy Spirit

Every time we open the Bible and ponder the scriptures, the Word of God feeds our minds and hearts.  If we receive that Word in faith, being attentive to what God is saying to us, then he will transform the way we think and live.  That is the message in today’s readings:

The prophet Isaiah compares the word of God to rain and snow that softens the earth and makes the seed bidden in it to bring forth life.  In the same way, the word we hear can touch our hearts and bring them new life. (Isaiah 55:10-11)

In the gospel passage Jesus invites his listeners to consider how someone sowing seed casts it generously in the hope that it will take root wherever it falls.  In the same way, the word he speaks will take root in the attentive and listening heart.

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This weekend we welcome Fr Michael Hill, a Rosminian priest, who will promote his latest book, The Rosminian Mission – Sowers of the Second Spring.  There are flyers with order forms at the back of church as well as copies of the book to purchase.

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FOURTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

In the Gospel today the Lord Jesus repeats to us the words that we know so well but that never fail to move us: “Come to me, all who labour and are heavily laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Mt 11:28-30).

Jesus’ gaze seems to extend to this day, to our world.  Today, too, it rests on so many people oppressed by difficult living conditions and lacking valid reference points to find a meaning and a purpose for their existence. Exhausted multitudes are found in the poorest countries, harshly tried by poverty; and even in the richer countries there are numerous dissatisfied men and women who are even ill with depression.  Let us think of the many evacuees and refugees, of all those who emigrate, putting their own lives at risk.  Christ’s gaze then rests upon all these people, indeed upon each one of these children of the Father who is in Heaven and repeats: “Come to me, all…” of you.

Jesus promised he would give everyone “rest”, but on one condition: “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart”.  What is this “yoke” which lightens instead of burdening, which instead of oppressing, uplifts?  The “yoke” of Christ is the law of love, it is his commandment which he bequeathed to his disciples (cf. Jn 13:34; 15:12).  The true remedy for humanity’s wounds, both material — such as hunger and injustice in all its forms —and psychological and moral, caused by a false well-being, is a rule of life based on fraternal love, whose source is in the love of God.  For this reason, it is necessary to abandon the way of arrogance and of violence used to obtain ever more powerful positions, to assure oneself of success at any price.

It is also necessary to give up the aggressive attitude with regard to the environment which has prevailed in recent centuries and to adopt a reasonable “gentleness”.  However, in human, interpersonal and social relations above all, the rule of respect and of non-violence, namely the power of the truth against every kind of abuse, is what can assure a future worthy of the human being.

Pope Benedict XVI, 3^rd July 2011

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