A feast of two great heroes of the Church.  Following Christ to the death. Peter, a fisherman and probably not to educated but with a heart as big as a house. Paul, a tent maker and a prolific writer. Like all of us they had their history/ humility. Peter who denied Jesus several times.  Paul who thought he was doing a great job for “god” by killing Christians. But both fiercely remained close to Christ and died for love of him. Our faith has to be a deep love rooted in Our Lord Jesus Christ.  And never more so than now.A few quotes from both of them. “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male or female; for all of you are one in Christ.” “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

There are many things in today’s world that can make us fearful, the pandemic, the threat of terrorism, the fear of job loss, anxiety connected with our children and family, lack of money. Unfortunately God is not a Santa Clause to take away our fear and give us what we want. However in the Bible God tells us no less than 365 times not to be afraid. So I believe, now more than ever we are called to an intimacy with God, to live in the present moment.  This is holiness.  Yesterday is gone and tomorrow may never come.  The only true reality is now.  Yesterday may be full of guilt and failure.  Let it go, God has.  Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday, it is here, live it. Some of us may have grown up with the fear of God, this later became reverence.  I love the word of young people today, “God you are awesome,” and he has replied; - “Jack your awesome.”  Relax and enjoy his company.

If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe. Can this be true? Well a pie needs flour and if you make your own flour from scratch, you will need wheat and milling equipment.  To get that, you will need a farm and metal, soil and minerals and farming skills. You’ll need seed of course. Likewise for the apples –and don’t forget some bees for the pollination.  You’ll need to organise the climate also, else nothing will grow.

So throw in the clouds, sun, rain and seasons.  Invent electricity, add water and a few cloves and sugar to taste.  To truly say it was I who made the pie, you’ll have to make the primary elements which you would sweep up from the dead stars.  And don’t forget to create a dynamic order so everything happens at the right time and dovetails with everything else.

(Carl Sagan  and  I enjoyed it)

Don’t just watch UK news only. You very quickly become isolated and forget there is a big world out there in need of our prayers. With God as Daddy we should never forget we are FAMILY.
While COVID-19 and the American disaster may unite us in a common bond, we need to be much more clearly united under the leadership of Jesus who loved us so much that He died for every single man, woman and child ever born. Who are we to think any less of any one? Let us stand as a generation that loves each other. July 4th has been a suggested day to going back to church. Got no details yet, but watch this space. Still need a few more volunteers/Marshalls for when it does happen. Don’t be shy.

The gospel is not idealism but realism plus. And we have got to hold the mystery without understanding it. At this time, I find that God can live in our emptiness. But staying connected as I said above and also “holding hands” with 2 or 3 other people, not just in service but in solidarity. As Jesus says; - “Where 2 or 3 people are gathered…….” Don’t forget the people in your own house partner, parents, children, brother, sister. Mother Theresa says: - “Souls of prayer are souls of great silence.” Let us go forward in hope but truly in humility.

Dear Friends, I hope you, your family and friends are coping with the present crisis. I have been doing much facetime with individuals and groups. It is very supportive for all of us. Give me a call. Make the words of today’s psalm your own, “I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.”

...Because our minds are closed. I have been so used to doing things this way, I can't change now. An arrogance of refusing to listen. To hear and be converted to Jesus Christ. Humility is an essential virtue for the Christian. Lack of it keeps me trapped in my own way in my own little miserable, narrow world. Refusing to open up to new ways, to the spirit of God which we are awaiting at Pentecost. In this time of pandemic Jesus is not leaving us orphans...

ZOOM connection for Tuesday the 12th May at 7.30. Be encouraging to see you.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81151341409

You can't run from trouble. There isn't a place that far. However, today's Psalm gives us a place. Whenever things seem to be hopeless I, personally repeat different lines over and over again. It does work and He is our refuge, our only refuge. This psalm ends with the line: “Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.” Maybe here in the UK if I say dog instead of sheep, we will better understand. Think of the relationship between a dog and his owner, how well the dog knows the voice of the owner, the dog listens to instructions of ‘heal, sit, fetch, come here, no’. Think of the excitement of the dog in seeing his owner, going for a walk, listening for instructions, the joy of being patted and told "good boy/girl." Who loves the most, the dog or the owner?

The two disciples are leaving Jerusalem. They had known Jesus for many years and had followed Him. No doubt they were devastated by his crucifixion. Furthermore they were undoubtedly frightened by the prospect of what might happen to them as followers of Jesus. On their way home, they meet a STRANGER. They begin with small talk but quickly they realise this man knows a lot about scripture. BUT SADLY THEY MAKE NO CONNECTION BETWEEN WHAT HE SAYS AND WHO HE IS. (could be any Sunday morning) Then in the house they recognise Him and RUSH BACK TO JERUSALEM TO TELL THE GOOD NEWS. Christ cannot be contained in our churches or homes. They may very well have headed straight into death like Jesus. Here we see the power of the resurrection.

Fear is fear and it can be very frightening, even paralysing. At the moment people are afraid to go out. Many parents tell me, that their children are afraid to go out. People are afraid of hospitals, even to go for a routine checkup. Fear of an operation, fear of exams, or no exams. Fear of dying. Many parallels with today's readings. The apostles are locked in the room, for fear of the Jews. They are probably also afraid of Jesus and recriminations. They had abandoned Him at the time of his death. One of them had turned him over to the authorities. Another had denied he even knew Jesus. The others ran away, apparently in fear. That same fear still gripped them and the disciples stayed behind locked doors, like many of us now...

If you love you will get hurt, probably killed. If you do not love you are probably dead already. Christianity is the door to infinity and that was never more true than today, Sunday of the resurrection. We are called out of the darkness of the tomb and to infinity. Jesus is preparing the future. True courage is not being unafraid, it is not being prisoners of ones fear. Peter and all the apostles denied and abandoned Jesus on Good Friday, but today they are transformed into men and women of courage and vision. Mary Magdalene rushes back, with love to tell the good news. They now are people of excitement, enthusiasm and energy. They will go on to change the world.

Dear Friends in Christ, so much has been said and so much to do. Words and apps can become very meaningless, at best empty. Tomorrow as we move into the Passion of Jesus, we have some chance of Light. The Passion was never more timely.Jesus endured the sense of being abandoned by the one He loved most, his Abba. He chose to experience all of humanity’s worst suffering. What does this tell us? Even though he couldn’t access their love, do you think the Father and the Spirit were there with Jesus on the cross? Given that this is immeasurable love, how do you respond to it? The Cross of Christ bears the suffering and the sin of mankind, including our own. Jesus accepts all this with open arms,bearing on his shoulders our crosses and saying to us: “Have courage! You do not carry your cross alone! I carry it with you.

For all those who have died from the present virus, we pray that they are with God in heaven. Our hearts go out to their families and loved ones. I celebrate mass for all of you and for the world every day. I walk around the church three times, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, asking God to embrace you all in your absence and keep you in his love wherever you are. We fight at times but it is lonesome without you. We all are the poorer. Whether you live or whether you die, you are in my hands says the Lord. If only I could trust Him. Many people are now living in very confined spaces for long periods. Parents may find they are not able to provide, money may be scarcer, nerves may be frayed and tensions could be mounting in these situations. Look out for each other, help where you can and remind your children to keep an eye on their friends too, friends are needed now, more than ever.

And trust in Him.

Let us pray,
God is good all the time and all the time God is good.
The psalmist today tells us - "The Lord is my Shepherd; there is nothing I shall want."Let these be our mantras as we go through this trying time for all of us. Like the footballer who never takes his eyes of the goal mouth, we must never take our eyes off God, otherwise we won’t win. When we take our eyes off God, we begin to see all sorts of funny things, like the people in today’s Gospel: Is this a wicked man since he is blind? Was he born blind because his parents were sinners? God has got the whole world in his hands, even in our crises. Of this we are sure. Don't blame him for one little bit of what is happening. Be strong in his name, He will conquer. Let us work together for the good of all.

 

My favourite gospel...The woman at the well, or as we had in Ireland, the village pump. These meeting points were as good as any BBC and the precursor to the radio. People gathered every morning to get
water for the day and also to catch up with the local news, especially the local gossip. Hence the woman of Samaria could not go in the early morning since the chances are that she would be a big topic of conversation. She, like the Englishman, had to go out in the mid- day sun when she would be on her own. There she had a wonderful encounter with Jesus, probably the first man who respected her and did not want her for her body. First we have denial on the part of the woman, so Jesus’ first job is to get her to face the truth about herself and her life. As she does so we see her growing, as Jesus helps her to face up to the truth about her life. As she faces the truth about herself she grows in her understanding of Jesus.
Look at the growth:
I see you are a Jew,
I see you are a prophet
I see you are the Christ
You are the Messiah.
Only when we face the truth about ourselves can we come to know Christ.
Because He IS THE TRUTH.

This Gospel is all about encouragement.
Jesus takes three apostles up the mountain and gives them a glimpse of his Glory, so that when the going gets rough (crucifixion) they will stand strong.
I hope we all have had moments of transfiguration in our lives, good moments which will keep us going when times are not so good.
It is a message of hope, light and joy. But I have got to climb the mountain; prayer, reflection and contemplation.
This is the graft for the good time to come, when we feel God actually listens to us.
When we get a glimpse of Christ, we also get a glimpse of who we really ARE.. THE TRUTH ABOUT OURSELVES.

An invitation to relationship with God
“Whoever believes this message rejects the lie that our life is ours to do as we will”.
Pope Francis says that during this season of Lent, he wants to invite the faithful to fix their eyes on the crucified Lord, and allow ourselves “to be saved over and over again”.
Jesus’ Pasch is not a past event; rather, through the power of the Holy Spirit it is ever present, enabling us to see and touch with faith the flesh of Christ in those who suffer”.
The importance of prayer
The Holy Father emphasises the importance of prayer during Lent, as a means of responding to God’s love, “which always precedes and sustains us”. We are also called to hear and respond to the Word of Jesus, in order to experience “the mercy He freely gives us”.
A commitment to building a better world
“Putting the paschal mystery at the centre of our lives means feeling compassion towards the wounds of the crucified Christ present in the many innocent victims of wars, in attacks on life, from that of the unborn to that of the elderly, and various forms of violence”. This means being personally committed to and involved in “the building of a better world”, Pope Francis concludes his message with a prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary “that our Lenten celebration will open our hearts to hear God’s call to be reconciled to Himself, to fix our gaze on the paschal mystery, and to be converted to an open and sincere dialogue with Him”.

Jesus says, "No one is good except God alone." Today He tells us, "Be you perfect." A tall order.
By now I believe we all know the meaning of perfect, translated as be you TOLERANT. We often get intolerant with people who don't see things our way. People who are different. People we do not understand. People who do not understand us.
And at times we may even think they are silly. We may want to throw them into prison and throw away the keys.
We even wonder why God does not reign down fire and brimstone on all nasty people. But no.
He is tolerant. And I thank God that he is tolerant with me.
He goes to the other extreme and forgives and loves me.

 

Chapter five of Matthew is a great chapter to help us understand the make-up of the Bible.
Revelation (understanding of God) is something that must be going on all the time in the life of the Church as a whole and in our individual lives, otherwise we are stagnant/dead.
We must continue to read, pray and grow.
Jesus says, "You were told," ("thousands of years ago") "But I say to you." The fulfilment of the Law is the icing on the cake, moving on and growing.
The third commandment says, "Keep holy the Sabbath day."
But I say to, "Come to mass on Sunday because you love me, not only because you have to."
Because you want to grow in your relationship with me, you want to know me as your Lord and saviour, as a friend and you want to build my Church here in Peckham, "so that the community may believe." This is adult faith.

Share your food with the hungry,
and give shelter to the homeless.
Give clothes to those who need them,
and do not hide from relatives who need your help.
“Then your salvation will come like the dawn,
and your wounds will quickly heal.
Your godliness will lead you forward,
and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind.
Then when you call, the Lord will answer.
‘Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply.
“Remove the heavy yoke of oppression.
Stop pointing your finger and spreading vicious rumours!
Feed the hungry,
and help those in trouble.
Then your light will shine out from the darkness,
and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.

Known originally as the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord is a relatively ancient celebration.
The Church at Jerusalem observed the feast as early as the first half of the fourth century, and likely earlier. The feast celebrates the presentation of Christ in the temple at Jerusalem on the 40th day after His birth.
The first male child belonged to God so the parents had now to buy him back,so they presented the offering of the poor, two turtle doves.
It was also the purification of the mother, but since Mary was a virgin that was not necessary.
Here also we get the great prayer of Simeon, a holy man who spent his time waiting for the Messiah. He gives us that great prayer: - ”Now Lord you may dismiss your servant because my eyes have seen........."
What a great prayer to be able to say on our death bed. "I have completed the job the Lord gave me to do." Or like Jesus himself: - "It is accomplished."

"The people that lived in darkness have seen a great light." I hope you are one of those people who have seen a great light; not lost but knowing where we are going and knowing what we will receive. Surely this is the Good news. Then Jesus goes on to call the first four disciples. And from there he has been continually calling more and more, including us. Jesus calls us to build up the unity of the church, his body. Paul makes it a passionate plea. "I appeal to you brothers and sisters, for the sake of Our Lord Jesus Christ, to make up the differences between you and instead of disagreement among yourselves, to be united again in your belief and practice." And the dying prayer of Jesus was:- "That all may be one."

I think that I shall never see A poem lovely as a tree. A tree whose hungry mouth is prest Against the earth's sweet flowing breast; A tree that looks at God all day, And lifts her leafy arms to pray; A tree that may in Summer wear A nest of robins in her hair; Upon whose bosom snow has lain; Who intimately lives with rain. Poems are made by fools like me, But only God can make a tree. Joyce Kilmer (1913)

This is my Son the beloved, listen to Him. The above is the result of parents taking their children's baptism seriously. Praying with their children every day and letting them see that God is important to mum and dad. Many parents do the above and you can see it in their children for whom church and God and praying is second nature. Thank you very much. Good families make good parishes like we have here in St James, a joy and pleasure to work with. They also make for a good country, filled with joy peace and love. With God all things are possible.

Yes we all know about the Magi, the three kings from the East. They came to see Jesus, making it clear that Jesus came for all people and not just the Jews. It is an Epiphany, a sudden realisation. Now every Christian should be having epiphanies, realising new truths about their self, the gospel and Jesus Christ. We need to be continually growing in our faith, growing in our understanding and our relationship with Jesus. This present year is to be known as THE YEAR OF THE WORD. Let our word be our integrity; be men and women of our word: Reading the Word of God and preparing our mass during the week and coming to mass every Sunday on time, prepared . Then going away refreshed in the Lord.

Pope Francis on the Family Dear families, you know very well that the true joy which we experience in the family is not superficial; it does not come from material objects, from the fact that everything seems to be going well… True joy comes from a profound harmony between persons, something which we all feel in our hearts and which makes us experience the beauty of togetherness, of mutual support along life’s journey. But the basis of this feeling of deep joy is the presence of God, the presence of God in the family and his love, which is welcoming, merciful, and respectful towards all. And above all, a love which is patient: patience is a virtue of God and he teaches us how to cultivate it in family life, how to be patient, and lovingly so, with each other. To be patient among ourselves. A patient love. God alone knows how to create harmony from differences. But if God’s love is lacking, the family loses its harmony, self-centredness prevails and joy fades. But the family which experiences the joy of faith communicates it naturally. That family is the salt of the earth and the light of the world, it is the leaven of society as a whole. Dear families, always live in faith and simplicity, like the Holy Family of Nazareth! The joy and peace of the Lord be always with you!

Today is a wonderful day to celebrate St. Joseph, the transformation of a humble carpenter into one of the greatest saints the world has ever known. It appears that Joseph was not a man of wealth. When Jesus was taken up to the temple to be circumcised, Joseph only presented the poor man’s offering of two turtle doves to be sacrificed and not the specified lamb. However, when Mary and he were looking for lodgings in Bethlehem, he went to the hotels and hostels looking for a place to stay, and we have to assume he had the money to pay for them, so they were not destitute either. When he discovered Mary pregnant he was kind and compassionate. Another man would have thrown her out for having committed adultery and thus she would have been stoned to death. When told in a dream (the Annunciation to Joseph) what was going on, he really responded with all the vigour of a good father. He fed, clothed, educated and housed Jesus. At Bethlehem he stayed with Mary (having forgotten to book a room) to get a place for her child to be born. He moved to Egypt to get away from Herod. He is the patron saint of FATHERS AND WORKERS. A good role model for all men. Do you live to work, or do you work to live???????? Joseph would have prayed with Jesus and Mary, taught him carpentry and given him a good future. But then his Father intervened and had a different plan.

Today’s Gospel frightens me. And it must challenge any church goer. Jesus reply to John’s disciples had to be in such a way that John would have no doubt about the genuineness of his messianic activity, and the message he sent back to John was about the blind receiving their sight, the lame walking, the lepers being cleansed, the deaf hearing, the dead being raised, and the poor having good news brought to them. He did not say a word about people praying more or going to the synagogue or making God the centre of their lives: the age of the messiah, as expressed in this report, does not concern “religion” in the traditional sense of the word. One knows that the messiah has come because a real change has taken place in society, a change that involves the liberation of those who have always been cut off from the “main branch” of society. We can turn the statement around to say that if the marginalised of society do not experience liberation, then Jesus is not the messiah. But Jesus is the messiah, and so the dead have come to life: those who have been unable to ‘live’ in a society that has written them off, are now alive with hope. The Gospel has truly been a leaven of liberty and progress in human history, even in its temporal sphere, and always proves itself a leaven of brotherhood, of unity, and of peace. Therefore, not without cause is Christ hailed by the faithful as ‘the expected of the nations, and their Saviour. Vatican II, Decree on Missionary Activity. Your comments and suggestions on the above would be appreciated.

Anything worth doing is worth doing well. We prepare for exams. We prepare meals. I prepare homilies. Without preparation things can’t work. And so we prepare for Christmas. ----------------------------------------- There is nothing like a common enemy to bring people together. We see the Pharisees and Sadducee who are normally arch enemies. Now come together against their common enemy, Jesus. John the Baptist has very harsh words for them...you brood of vipers. But again John is very fair and says if you are willing to repent and changes your ways, you too can be saved.

Last Sunday I talked about Jesus raising humanity to a new level: Being faithful to his calling/commitment. Paul today gives us a similar idea: "Throw off the works of darkness and put on the armour of light. Let us walk becomingly as in the day." Allow God's vision of peace to inspire you: Positivity, honesty and integrity. Be vigilant, be prepared, be attentive and invite Christ into your life. This is as much about here as hereafter. At the time of Noah people were immersed in the things of life. They did not notice, they did not listen to what was going on around them. The Flood came.. A Thought --------Are environmentalists teaching us a lesson today?

What a noble day. Jesus Christ King of the Universe. Adam and Eve did not follow through. Don't eat the fruit they were told. And they did. Jesus in the desert was tempted three times and he did not give in. Today on the cross He is tempted again three times and he did not give in. 1. The leaders jeered Him. 2. The soldiers mocked Him. 3. One of the criminals abused Him. Jesus stood firm and did not retaliate. In the desert and on the cross, Jesus follows through. HE TAKES HUMANITY TO A NEW LEVEL. Equally when we do not give in to our weaker self, we take not only humanity to a higher level, but we actually take ourselves to a higher level. Follow the King and be strong. Children away from home, visit and call your parents.

There is no biblical basis for a hope in inevitable progress. Nowhere in the Bible does it say that things will gradually get better until at last the kingdom is present, and in fact it is closer to the biblical truth to say that things will get worse before they get better. Consider, for example, the matter of deaths caused by war: in the 18th century, about 4 million people died in wars; in the 19th century, about 8 million people died in wars; in the 20th century, nearly 100 million people died in wars. We know that the Lord comes to rule the earth with justice. The scales will be balanced in the end, and in the meantime we must live out our faith that God’s plans for us are peace and not disaster. In today’s world, including the world of economics, the prevailing picture is one destined to lead us more quickly toward death rather than one of concern for true development which would lead all toward a more human life. God speaks through the events of life but he does not cause them. OUR JOB IS TO SEE WHERE THE FINGER OF GOD IS WORKING IN ALL THESE EVENTS.

Today's gospel is pretty difficult. Suffice it to say the Pharisees believe all the old law, oral and written. The Sadducees on the other hand, believe only the written law. So from the beginning they are on different footing. And by and large, Jesus, in being dragged into their argument ignores them and the question, and just goes on to say it is a futile argument because things will be so different: as it is written, "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love him." So live your life as someone who loves God and then your reward will be great.

1. God has created me to do him some definite service; he has committed some work to me which he has not committed to another. I have my mission; I never may know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next. I have a part in a great work; I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons. He has not created me for naught. I shall do good, I shall do His work; I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth in my own place, while not intending it, if I do but keep His commandments and serve Him in my calling. 2. Fear not that life shall come to an end, but rather fear that it shall never have a beginning. 3. I sought to hear the voice of God and climbed the topmost steeple, but God declared: “Go down again – I dwell among the people.” 4. A cloud of incense was rising on high; the people suddenly all bowed low; what could it mean? The truth flashed on him, fearfully yet sweetly; it was the Blessed Sacrament – it was the Lord Incarnate who was on the altar, who had come to visit and bless his people. It was the Great Presence, which makes a Catholic Church different from every other place in the world; which makes it, as no other place can be - holy. John Henry Newman could “advocate without accusation, could disagree without disrespect and could see differences as a place of encounter, not exclusion.”

We are very familiar with today's Gospel. But pride comes in many shapes. Not trusting in God. I want to do it my way. The opposite is also a problem, presumption. It does not make any difference what I do, it is all planned out anyway. God is in charge. Fact. But I plan my life and God has given me the freedom to do as I wish. He has also given me a brain and the Gospels to show how to live. Trust in Him, follow his advice and life will be yours.

We will ever be grateful to Paul for his legacy. And he "never saw Jesus." But since his conversion he truly has empowered billions of people. Today talking to Timothy he says how THE WORD OF GOD can be used:- - to inspire - to teach wisdom - to teach - refuting error - guiding - teaching Thus equipping the person of God, not only to get to heaven, but also how to live a fruitful, happy life and help make the world a better place. Read the word every day.

Today, Paul talks about the Good News; Christ died and rose again. But in practical terms, do I carry that confidence in my heart? That, yes, I will not die, but live for ever with Christ. We need to have that confidence and joy that all will be well. For the believer, death is only the moment of passing over to a more beautiful life with those we love and Jesus. No room for tears. This month of October is a special month of mission, going out to tell people about Jesus. The world, UK, Peckham was never more in need of mission, to tell people about the love of God. Don't ignore the call of God. Talk to someone/family about God, bring them to church; introduce them to me, to others. "Go out to the whole world, proclaim the Good news."

FAITH IN ACTION. What is faith? If it is the size of a mustard seed...... that does not seem to be too much to ask. But faith without action is dead. Never ask if you have faith, show me your good works St James says. People in the first reading are having problems and ask ‘why does God not intervene’. But God answers, ‘the just man will stand firm by faith’. In the second reading Timothy has received the gift of faith and Paul urges him to stir it up boldly, it is not a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power and love and self-control. In both cases, faith and relationships are key: Paul's relationship with God and Timothy's relationship with Paul. Jesus finally tells us to be patient and do our duty.

I hope you enjoyed the video, our common home over the last two Sundays. Suggestions that have come in:- 1. Get a dynamic speaker. 2. Organise the churches to do a peaceful march. 3. Each one to do something personal. Today's gospel puts the gun to our head.... take notice and help the poor. Rich man's problem, not that he is rich. But he did not notice. Friday is FAMILY FAST DAY, let each of us do our little bit and we will send the money to CAFOD. Also next Sunday we will collect any non- perishable food for the Manna Centre. But do bring along some food, fruit or cakes, we can share after mass....our harvest festival. Time to stop talking and take action.

As last week with the prodigal Son, so this week with the unjust steward. Both are scoundrels, but then the parables are not about them. The first one is about The Loving Father and the second one is about a just Landlord. So often we take the gospels at face value, instead of reading them for what they are: A Book about Our God. About our loving father who cares passionately about all his children, loving them and moulding them into what he intended them to be… True reflections of Himself. We are created in the image of God, truly beautiful creatures reflecting his love. But from the moment we pop out of the womb we start getting damaged, some worse than others. And God spends a lifetime trying to mould us back into what we are meant to be. Read the first reading again. Does it say anything to you in the light of today’s care for the environment?

When Pope Francis became Pope, he put two things at the top of his agenda. 1. THE POOR 2. THE ENVIRONMENT. Today is Mission Sunday, so I thought it would be good to have a look at the environment. Hence the video, which you can watch again on:- www.ourcommonhome.co.uk Discuss with your family or colleagues:- 1. Has the video challenged you? 2. What hinders you from making practical changes? 3. How can you recycle more? 4. How can you conserve more water and energy? 5. How can you reduce your carbon footprint? 6. What can you do to educate yourself more? 7. How can we use our political voice? 8. How can we respond practically as a parish? 9. Would you be interested in spearheading something in the parish? Please drop any ideas or suggestions in the suggestion box, or send through the parish website.

Laudato Si (continued) 19. Following a period of irrational confidence in progress and human abilities, some sectors of society are now adopting a more critical ap¬proach. We see increasing sensitivity to the en¬vironment and the need to protect nature, along with a growing concern, both genuine and dis¬tressing, for what is happening to our planet. Let us review, however cursorily, those questions which are troubling us today and which we can no longer sweep under the carpet. Our goal is not to amass information or to satisfy curiosi¬ty, but rather to become painfully aware, to dare to turn what is happening to the world into our own personal suffering and thus to discover what each of us can do about it.

Laudato Si (continued) 17. Theological and philosophical reflections on the situation of humanity and the world can sound tiresome and abstract, unless they are grounded in a fresh analysis of our present situation, which is in many ways unprecedented in the history of humanity. So, before considering how faith brings new incentives and requirements with regard to the world of which we are a part, I will briefly turn to what is happening to our common home. 18. The continued acceleration of changes affecting humanity and the planet is coupled today with a more intensified pace of life and work which might be called “rapidification”. Although change is part of the working of complex systems, the speed with which human activity has developed contrasts with the naturally slow pace of biological evolution. Moreover, the goals of this rapid and constant change are not necessarily geared to the common good or to integral and sustainable human development. Change is something desirable, yet it becomes a source of anxiety when it causes harm to the world and to the quality of life of much of humanity.

Laudato Si (continued) 16. Although each chapter will have its own subject and specific approach, it will also take up and re-examine important questions previously dealt with. This is particularly the case with a number of themes which will reappear as the Encyclical unfolds. As examples, I will point to the intimate relationship between the poor and the fragility of the planet, the conviction that everything in the world is connected, the critique of new paradigms and forms of power derived from technology, the call to seek other ways of understanding the economy and progress, the value proper to each creature, the human meaning of ecology, the need for forthright and honest debate, the serious responsibility of international and local policy, the throwaway culture and the proposal of a new lifestyle. These questions will not be dealt with once and for all, but reframed and enriched again and again.

Laudato Si (continued) 15. It is my hope that this Encyclical Letter, which is now added to the body of the Church’s social teaching, can help us to acknowledge the appeal, immensity and urgency of the challenge we face. I will begin by briefly reviewing several aspects of the present ecological crisis, with the aim of drawing on the results of the best scientific research available today, letting them touch us deeply and provide a concrete foundation for the ethical and spiritual itinerary that follows. I will then consider some principles drawn from the Judaeo-Christian tradition which can render our commitment to the environment more coherent. I will then attempt to get to the roots of the present situation, so as to consider not only its symptoms but also its deepest causes. This will help to provide an approach to ecology which respects our unique place as human beings in this world and our relationship to our surroundings. In light of this reflection, I will advance some broader proposals for dialogue and action which would involve each of us as individuals, and also affect international policy. Finally, convinced as I am that change is impossible without motivation and a process of education, I will offer some inspired guidelines for human development to be found in the treasure of Christian spiritual experience.

Laudato Si (continued) 14. I urgently appeal, then, for a new dialogue about how we are shaping the future of our planet. We need a conversation which includes everyone, since the environmental challenge we are undergoing, and its human roots, concern and affect us all. The worldwide ecological movement has already made considerable progress and led to the establishment of numerous organizations committed to raising awareness of these challenges. Regrettably, many efforts to seek concrete solutions to the environmental crisis have proved ineffective, not only because of powerful opposition but also because of a more general lack of interest. Obstructionist attitudes, even on the part of believers, can range from denial of the problem to indifference, nonchalant resignation or blind confidence in technical solutions. We require a new and universal solidarity. As the bishops of Southern Africa have stated: “Everyone’s talents and involvement are needed to redress the damage caused by human abuse of God’s creation”. All of us can cooperate as instruments of God for the care of creation, each according to his or her own culture, experience, involvements and talents.

Laudato Si (continued) 13. The urgent challenge to protect our com-mon home includes a concern to bring the whole human family together to seek a sustainable and integral development, for we know that things can change. The Creator does not abandon us; he never forsakes his loving plan or repents of having created us. Humanity still has the ability to work together in building our common home. Here I want to recognize, encourage and thank all those striving in countless ways to guarantee the protection of the home which we share. Particu¬lar appreciation is owed to those who tirelessly seek to resolve the tragic effects of environmen¬tal degradation on the lives of the world’s poor¬est. Young people demand change. They wonder how anyone can claim to be building a better fu¬ture without thinking of the environmental crisis and the sufferings of the excluded.

Laudato Si (continued) 12. What is more, Saint Francis, faithful to Scripture, invites us to see nature as a magnificent book in which God speaks to us and grants us a glimpse of his infinite beauty and goodness. “Through the greatness and the beauty of creatures one comes to know by analogy their maker” (Wis 13:5); indeed, “his eternal power and divinity have been made known through his works since the creation of the world” (Rom 1:20). For this reason, Francis asked that part of the friary garden always be left untouched, so that wild flowers and herbs could grow there, and those who saw them could raise their minds to God, the Creator of such beauty. Rather than a problem to be solved, the world is a joyful mystery to be contemplated with gladness and praise.

Laudato Si (continued) 11. Francis helps us to see that an integral ecology calls for openness to categories which transcend the language of mathematics and biology, and take us to the heart of what it is to be human. Just as happens when we fall in love with someone, whenever he would gaze at the sun, the moon or the smallest of animals, he burst into song, drawing all other creatures into his praise. He communed with all creation, even preaching to the flowers, inviting them “to praise the Lord, just as if they were endowed with reason”. His response to the world around him was so much more than intellectual appreciation or economic calculus, for to him each and every creature was a sister united to him by bonds of affection. That is why he felt called to care for all that exists. His disciple Saint Bonaventure tells us that, “from a reflection on the primary source of all things, filled with even more abundant piety, he would call creatures, no matter how small, by the name of ‘brother’ or ‘sister’”. Such a conviction cannot be written off as naive romanticism, for it affects the choices which determine our behaviour. If we approach nature and the environment without this openness to awe and wonder, if we no longer speak the language of fraternity and beauty in our relationship with the world, our attitude will be that of masters, consumers, ruthless exploiters, unable to set limits on their immediate needs. By contrast, if we feel intimately united with all that exists, then sobriety and care will well up spontaneously. The poverty and austerity of Saint Francis were no mere veneer of asceticism, but something much more radical: a refusal to turn reality into an object simply to be used and controlled.

Laudato Si (continued) Saint Francis of Assisi 10. I do not want to write this Encyclical without turning to that attractive and compelling figure, whose name I took as my guide and inspiration when I was elected Bishop of Rome. I believe that Saint Francis is the example par excellence of care for the vulnerable and of an integral ecology lived out joyfully and authentically. He is the patron saint of all who study and work in the area of ecology, and he is also much loved by non-Christians. He was particularly concerned for God’s creation and for the poor and outcast. He loved, and was deeply loved for his joy, his generous self-giving, his openheartedness. He was a mystic and a pilgrim who lived in simplicity and in wonderful harmony with God, with others, with nature and with himself. He shows us just how inseparable the bond is between concern for nature, justice for the poor, commitment to society, and interior peace.

Laudato Si (continued) 9. At the same time, Bartholomew has drawn attention to the ethical and spiritual roots of environmental problems, which require that we look for solutions not only in technology but in a change of humanity; otherwise we would be dealing merely with symptoms. He asks us to replace consumption with sacrifice, greed with generosity, wastefulness with a spirit of sharing, an asceticism which “entails learning to give, and not simply to give up. It is a way of loving, of moving gradually away from what I want to what God’s world needs. It is liberation from fear, greed and compulsion”.17 As Christians, we are also called “to accept the world as a sacrament of communion, as a way of sharing with God and our neighbours on a global scale. It is our humble conviction that the divine and the human meet in the slightest detail in the seamless garment of God’s creation, in the last speck of dust of our planet”.

Laudato Si (continued) 8. Patriarch Bartholomew has spoken in par-ticular of the need for each of us to repent of the ways we have harmed the planet, for “inasmuch as we all generate small ecological damage”, we are called to acknowledge “our contribution, smaller or greater, to the disfigurement and de¬struction of creation”. He has repeatedly stat-ed this firmly and persuasively, challenging us to acknowledge our sins against creation: “For hu¬man beings… to destroy the biological diversity of God’s creation; for human beings to degrade the integrity of the earth by causing changes in its climate, by stripping the earth of its natural forests or destroying its wetlands; for human be¬ings to contaminate the earth’s waters, its land, its air, and its life – these are sins”. For “to commit a crime against the natural world is a sin against ourselves and a sin against God”.

Laudato Si (continued) 7. These statements of the Popes echo the reflections of numerous scientists, philoso-phers, theologians and civic groups, all of which have enriched the Church’s thinking on these questions. Outside the Catholic Church, other Churches and Christian communities – and oth¬er religions as well – have expressed deep con¬cern and offered valuable reflections on issues which all of us find disturbing. To give just one striking example, I would mention the statements made by the beloved Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, with whom we share the hope of full ecclesial communion.

Laudato Si (continued from last week) 6. (cont.) Both are ulti¬mately due to the same evil: the notion that there are no indisputable truths to guide our lives, and hence human freedom is limitless. We have for¬gotten that “man is not only a freedom which he creates for himself. Man does not create himself. He is spirit and will, but also nature”. With pa¬ternal concern, Benedict urged us to realize that creation is harmed “where we ourselves have the final word, where everything is simply our prop¬erty and we use it for ourselves alone. The misuse of creation begins when we no longer recognize any higher instance than ourselves, when we see nothing else but ourselves”.

Authentic human development has a moral character. It presumes full respect for the human person, but it must also be concerned for the world around us and “take into account the nature of each being and of its mutual connection in an ordered system”. Accordingly, our human ability to transform reality must proceed in line with God’s original gift of all that is. 6. My predecessor Benedict XVI likewise proposed “eliminating the structural causes of the dysfunctions of the world economy and correcting models of growth which have proved incapable of ensuring respect for the environment”. He observed that the world cannot be analyzed by isolating only one of its aspects, since “the book of nature is one and indivisible”, and includes the environment, life, sexuality, the family, social relations, and so forth. It follows that “the deterioration of nature is closely connected to the culture which shapes human coexistence”. Pope Benedict asked us to recognize that the natural environment has been gravely damaged by our irresponsible behaviour. The social environment has also suffered damage.

Laudato Si (continued from last week) “…the urgent need for a radical change.. in the conduct of humanity” in as much as “the most extraordinary scientific advances, the most amazing technical abilities, the most astonishing economic growth, unless they are accompanied by authentic social and moral progress, will definitively turn against man”. 5. Saint John Paul II became increasingly concerned about this issue. In his first Encyclical he warned that human beings frequently seem “to see no other meaning in their natural environment than what serves for immediate use and consumption”. Subsequently, he would call for a global ecological conversion. At the same time, he noted that little effort had been made to “safeguard the moral conditions for an authentic human ecology”. The destruction of the human environment is extremely serious, not only because God has entrusted the world to us men and women, but because human life is itself a gift which must be defended from various forms of debasement. Every effort to protect and improve our world entails profound changes in “lifestyles, models of production and consumption, and the established structures of power which today govern societies”.

3. More than fifty years ago, with the world teetering on the brink of nuclear crisis, Pope Saint John XXIII wrote an Encyclical which not only rejected war but offered a proposal for peace. He addressed his message Pacem in Terris to the entire “Catholic world” and indeed “to all men and women of good will”. Now, faced as we are with global environmental deterioration, I wish to address every person living on this planet. In my Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, I wrote to all the members of the Church with the aim of encouraging ongoing missionary renewal. In this Encyclical, I would like to enter into dialogue with all people about our common home. 4. In 1971, eight years after Pacem in Terris, Blessed Pope Paul VI referred to the ecological concern as “a tragic consequence” of unchecked human activity: “Due to an ill-considered exploitation of nature, humanity runs the risk of destroying it and becoming in turn a victim of this degradation”.2 He spoke in similar terms to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations about the potential for an “ecological catastrophe under the effective explosion of industrial civilization”, and stressed “the urgent need for a radical change. Pope Francis. (to be continued)

1. “Laudato si’, mi’ Signore” – “Praise be to you, my Lord”. In the words of this beautiful canticle, Saint Francis of Assisi reminds us that our common home is like a sister with whom we share our life and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace us. “Praise be to you, my Lord, through our Sister, Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us, and who produces various fruit with coloured flowers and herbs”. 2. This sister now cries out to us because of the harm we have inflicted on her by our irresponsible use and abuse of the goods with which God has endowed her. We have come to see ourselves as her lords and masters, entitled to plunder her at will. The violence present in our hearts, wounded by sin, is also reflected in the symptoms of sickness evident in the soil, in the water, in the air and in all forms of life. This is why the earth herself, burdened and laid waste, is among the most abandoned and maltreated of our poor; she “groans in travail” (Rom 8:22). We have forgotten that we ourselves are dust of the earth (cf. Gen 2:7); our very bodies are made up of her elements, we breathe her air and we receive life and refreshment from her waters. Nothing in this world is indifferent to us. Pope Francis. (to be continued)

The story to cap all stories today: The story of the Good Shepherd. Probably many of us have no appreciation of what it is to be a shepherd. A few of us may have a dog or a cat or a gerbil, to whom we give much love and care. And more importantly they bring the best out of us. That's what Jesus wants to do for us, get the best out of us. He spoils us by feeding us, teaching us, caring for us, dying for us. Loving us into being, so that we may in turn love each other. Why people have problems with Jesus, I will never understand. Problems with Jesus are really problems with loving. Because Jesus is love. Prayer is love and love is faith.

The Easter gospels are full of humanity and generosity. Two powerful gifts in any person. Jesus’ concern for Thomas last week: Touch me Thomas, look here are the holes. Today, millions of fish. Sadly most people only see the miracle. Jesus is worried about the disciples going home to their hungry wives and children. "Daddy, daddy, the children are all excited, daddy is coming home and they are going to eat. He probably sold some fish and bought some sweets.....but...... sorry children a bad night, no food again today. And not just a few fish, millions. The joy of the Gospel is a true joy to possess and be part of. Thank you Jesus.

When we try to own beauty we corrupt it. That's what I love about Thomas; he did not try to own Jesus. He had a healthy doubt. Lord deliver me from people who say they know Jesus. They not only know Him, they possess Him. The Buddhists say that when you find the Buddha, kill him. Jesus lives and our faith lives in a healthy doubt. "Dark night of the soul." Mother Theresa suffered mega doubt all her life. But in that she remained faithful and committed. I have mega doubts but the community is my strength and support. Thank you. Thomas cut himself off for a while and lost it. But he came back and found it.

For those who believe, no proof is needed. For those who do not believe no proof is adequate. Today's feast of the Resurrection is not on trial. You are. The Resurrection has survived for 2000 years and will for many more. Where will you be? Looking into the depths of your heart, what do you find? You see the miracle of healing comes from inside. Happiness is an internal job. How many times has our body healed itself. Remember, the only thing that separates you from God is the thought that you are separated - Your own inadequacies. Life does not have to be perfect to be wonderful. Golf does not have to be perfect to be wonderful.

This is the week of all weeks in the life of the Church: - The death and resurrection of Jesus – Which we should try to imitate in our own lives. Try to be part of the whole week, it is a unit.

Today Paul has a terrific surge of energy, or inspiration: "Nothing can outweigh the supreme advantage of knowing Jesus Christ." If only we could make this view our own. For most of us, it will not happen overnight, it may be a slog, but a worthwhile slog. And Paul gives us the secret for those who are interested: Enjoy life, but see it for what it really is, enjoy it and help others to enjoy it. The perfection that comes not from the law, but from knowing Jesus Christ and the power that comes from being filled with His spirit. Yes anyone who claims to be Christian should have moved beyond the law of having to do things and be driven by a love and care for people; that we wish for them, all of them, what we wish for ourselves. The joy is in the journey.

An ambassador is someone who represents his or her country. Ideally they do not have opinions of their own. They represent their country and should carry the opinions of their government with them, pushing the good of their own country. Paul tells us we are ambassadors for Christ. We represent Christ. An awesome task, but unlike countries’ ambassadors, wherever we go Christ goes with us. This is the real difference, because when Christ is with us we are capable of achieving great things. Paul goes further and says we are reconciling ambassadors. That is the great contribution of the Catholic Church: To be reconcilers in the world. Pope Francis is the master: A Christ like ambassador, going into the most dangerous and controversial countries, facing the challenges of their often hostile people and usually coming up smelling of roses. Yes truly, because Christ goes with him. He is also with you and I and across the table with your partner. Don't disappoint Him.

Often in the face of natural disaster, people in the name of religion begin to blame God. When a tsunami, cyclone, flood or drought hit certain places, we say they were bad people, they deserve no better. Our God, the God of Jesus, is not a vindictive God. They also may say, "The Will of God, God's plan." God cannot even think evil. How we cope is a completely different question.. Jesus in today's gospel is faced with two contemporary disasters: Pilate and the Galileans and then the Tower of Siloam. Jesus does not waste time in trying to answer. He moves it on to the bigger question of repentance. Tragedy often leads to bad theology about God and humanity. Jesus tells us we have been given choices. Use the experience to choose repentance, to turn away from sin. He uses a parable about a fig tree that we must produce fruit. This Lent let us use the opportunity that God has given us AGAIN, to produce fruit.

Jesus is transformed in the mountain, giving the Apostles encouragement and inspiration. We say Jesus is the Light of the World, and that is so, but really Jesus coming into the world was like a second Incarnation. The Word was present with God at the beginning, in the creation of the universe when God said, - "Let there be light." So really I talk about the First Incarnation: Light coming into the world at the beginning of time. Light is not so much something I see, but the light by which I see everything. It is because of the light I see everything. So God is present in everything and everyone since the beginning of time.. As there is light all around us, let us pray for eyes to truly see, since there is plenty of light.

Today's gospel reveals, I believe, a very human side of Jesus. I spent six years in college trying to figure out my vocation. Jesus seems to have got away with 40 days. As he finished, it seems He was full of doubts in the shape of many temptations of one kind or another. Eventually he took the plunge and agreed to be baptised; the beginning of his ministry. I also decide to take the plunge and go ahead. The father told Jesus He was the beloved Son. The bishop agreed to call me and ask me "Jack, are you ready and willing?" I said, "Yes." Throughout the Gospel we see Jesus having doubts and temptations now and again, I can totally sympathise with him. But more importantly, he can empathise with us, in our temptations and doubts But Jesus always kept the Father in his sights and referred everything back to Him. Equally if I don't keep my eyes firmly of the Father, I am lost and so for all of us. Take your eyes off the Father and you too will be lost. So no need to worry about doubts and temptations: Just like a footballer if he takes his eyes off the ball - he loses.

FR JACK For those of you with cars, you take them for an MOT every year. Lent is like a spiritual MOT, just checking out if I am good for another year.. And more especially, is there need for a serious review of some part of my life? There are a million checks we can make, but I put before you the Church’s tried and tested ways.. PRAYER. Come to an extra mass each week. Help your children with the Wednesday Word from school. Prepare your mass by looking at next Sunday’s Readings. Benediction every Friday at 4pm. Holy Hour and Benediction every Friday 5.30 to 6.30pm. Stations of the Cross, every Wednesday and Friday at 10.30am. Find time to be quiet with Jesus. FASTING Fasting has always been part of the Church’s life. Every Friday should be a day of fast, from meat, in solidarity with others, or from some other food or drink, or entertainment, of which you regularly partake. All this is to put us in solidarity with the poor of the world. ALMS GIVING What you manage to save in your endeavours above, give to the poor. A family fast envelope is included this week.

CONGREGATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (HOLY GHOST FATHERS) “One heart and one Soul”. We are members of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Holy Ghost Fathers), which was founded in the year 1703 by a young noble French man of 24 years – Claude Poullart Desplaces. This religious group is international and of Catholic descent. It comprises of priests, reverend brothers and lay associates. Our mission involves the advocacy, support and defence of the weak and the little ones, against all who oppress them, regardless of class, race, or religion. We opt for missions where the church finds it difficult to get workers, especially where the Gospel message has never been preached, or been scarcely preached. We depend mainly on people’s generosity to carry out most of our missionary activities. Fr. Patrice Anyanwu. C.S.Sp.

"Happy is the person who has placed their trust in the Lord." What a beautiful saying. Live it, and find peace. The famous ‘Sermon on the Mount’ in Matthew, suddenly becomes the ‘Sermon on the Plain’ in Luke, where Jesus speaks more directly to the people…"Happy are YOU...” etc. Rich or poor, we are all called to put our trust in the Lord. We will become like Jeremiah says: "He will be like a tree by the waterside ….when the pressure is on he has no fear, he stays green, and never ceases to bear fruit. "Happy indeed is the person who has placed his/her trust in the Lord." This is why listening to the voice of the church is so important, because when we seek Jesus apart from the community of the Church, we end up with a Jesus who looks and sounds like us.

Two boats filled with fish to sinking point. What is all that about, except the magnificent generosity of Jesus. When will we get it into our heart and soul and mind, that our God is a God of reckless over-abundance? And the only way we can appreciate it, is by trying to imitate Him. Even the poorest of the poorest are generous. So no matter how poor we are, we all have something to give. Don't be shy. AND IN GIVING WE RECEIVE. Other things we learn from Peter:- 1. He did not give up with failure. 2. He was rewarded for trying. 3. He was aware of his sinfulness. 4 He was preaching to the locals. St Augustine asked God for two things:- 1. To know Him. 2. To know himself.

Priests should be moved about every two years! Because, like in Jesus' day, familiarity breeds contempt. "We know what he is going to say”. "Ah yes, that's Fr So and So”. Equally, from each other, we grow callous and cold. We have decided what, or who a person is, or will say and we do not even listen. We need to be open to the Spirit, He is around every corner. "Out of the mouths of babes” etc. The people eventually got so callous with Jesus that they wanted to kill Him. In today’s gospel, he challenged their own hypocrisy and they did not like it. None of us do. And often that is why it is difficult to move on. Have a look at the second reading again and Paul's great practical advice as to what love is. Those who only think of number one, should remember it is next to nothing.

There are many forms of addiction: smoking, alcohol, drugs, food, hobbies, Ipads, tablets (both kinds), computers, the list is endless. I think it’s fair to say some addictions are better than others, but all addictions are bad. Nothing should control my life apart from myself. And even then I can be addicted to myself, my own importance, which can be the most toxic of addictions and obsessions: Addicted to my own way of doing things and thinking. Jesus went to the synagogue and the Spirit of the Lord was upon him. He anointed him for a job - "to bring the Good news to the poor." To take Him out of himself as it were. To move Him onto God's Agenda. Honesty and humility are needed to bring us on to God's Agenda. I often think my thoughts are reality. - Don't believe everything you think. At mass, through the power of the Holy Spirit, bread is changed into the body of Christ. We in receiving the Body become what we receive. We are changed into the Body of Christ, but we need to listen to Christ to truly become his body, to be freed from our addiction.

A few very significant facts in today's Cana story. Sadly many people see only the miracle, but this is Jesus’ launch of his ministry so:- 1 Wine is flowing out the door. Meaning: THE IMMENSE GENEROSITY OF JESUS. 2. "They have no wine...” Jesus listens to his mother. 3. Jesus’ passionate care for other people. Sure they could have survived without wine! 4. All the water is changed into wine. What about those who come late....they have no water to wash. All rituals of the past are done away with and now Jesus rushes in a totally new era. An era of love and concern. I can't change water into wine but I can do most of the above. Be generous. Listen to Mary. Care for other people. Care about people out of love, not because I have to.

Often, when parents want children baptised and I ask them ‘Why?’ sometimes there are strange answers, often they border on selfishness. 'Want him to go to heaven.' ‘Want her to know God.' 'Want him to get into a Catholic school.' 'Want her to be safe.' All about the child!!! Jesus today is baptised, he is commissioned by the Father to start his public ministry, to go out and preach the love of the Father and to tell us how to live. He came to establish the Kingdom of God on Earth, to show us how to live, so that we too may make the world a better place. You join the army to fight for your country, you are baptised to become a soldier of Jesus Christ and join his army of people who want to make the world a better place for all of us. We are baptised so that we can help Jesus to make the world a better place, so that we may help our brothers and sisters to find happiness by GIVING.

The wise men met Jesus. They went home by a different way. In simple English it just means "If we do meet Jesus, nothing can ever still be the same, things change, I change. If I don't change then, I believe, you have really got to ask a serious question, "Have I really met Jesus?" Meeting Jesus puts most if not all things in perspective. I see things with new glasses. I thought I saw before, but in the light of Jesus, new things have really taken over my life. More important things possess me. I know Christmas is gone, or has it? Yes the glitz and the food and presents have gone which means you really have missed Christmas. But Christmas is about Jesus which means He will be with us all the year around. For the Christian, every day is Christmas Day. Enjoy the peace of the Lord with you and share it with others. Give peace as a present to others every day of the week.

…I would like to ask you, dear families: Do you pray together from time to time as a family? Some of you do, I know. But so many people say to me: But how can we? …But in the family how is this done? After all, prayer seems to be something personal and besides there is never a good time, a moment of peace… Yes, all that is true enough, but it is also a matter of humility, of realising that we need God… all of us! We need his help, his strength, his blessing, his mercy, his forgiveness. And we need simplicity to pray as a family: simplicity is necessary! Praying the Our Father together, around the table, is not something extraordinary: it’s easy. And praying the Rosary together, as a family, is very beautiful and a source of great strength! And also praying for one another! The husband for his wife, the wife for her husband, both together for their children, the children for their grandparents, praying for each other. This is what it means to pray in the family and it is what makes the family strong: prayer.

The great season is on us again. Many things to notice, but just let’s look at a few. 1. Mary was overshadowed by the spirit. 2. An angel appeared and SHE LISTENED. 3. She heard because her heart was prepared. 4. Through her, the WORD became flesh. I would like to think that we are always overshadowed by the spirit. The word is always speaking to us in the daily event of our life. In the bible, in the joy of meeting another, in nature, in some TV programmes, in the mass, in the joy of my children, etc. Big question......DO I LISTEN? Has my heart been prepared especially by PREPARING THE READINGS FOR MASS? If so, the word will also take flesh in me. A gardener prepares the land for many months before he plants seed. Failure to prepare is failure to achieve good results. We don't prepare to fail. We fail to prepare.

Why is Christmas so wonderful? Why are you so wonderful? If you do not believe me read the readings for today. Surely Our God is a wonderful God. That is the reason for the greatness of everything. 1 R. "Shout for joy, shout aloud. The Lord has repealed your sentence; the Lord has driven your enemies away." Psalm: "God is my salvation, God is my strength, God is my Saviour." 2 R. "Be happy, all I want is your happiness, Let your tolerance be evident to everyone." Gospel: After seeing such wonderfulness as above, the only way we can enjoy it, is by sharing it with others.....UBUNTU. If we don't, we will never enjoy the joy that I talk about above. "If you have two tunics, give one away." If you have money to buy a new pair of shoes, buy them for someone else. If you want to buy a bottle of whiskey for me, buy a goat for someone else. Just because you have money, remember you are only its caretaker. BUY FOR OTHERS. Soldiers: "No intimidation, no extortion." Play fair. Members of St James’: Support parish activities. Many people contribute much and many contribute NOTHING.

Thousands of years ago Baruch had a beautiful vision, a vision of a great time to come: ‘Put on the dress of a bride and not a funeral dress. Put a crown of gold on your head.’ He has unbelievable hope; things are going to get better. Jesus still picked up on this, with a slight difference I would say - Hope through suffering - probably more realistic. "The grain of wheat must die before it can bring forth fruit." This is our time of advent, a time of preparation. A little penance/confession, a bit of fasting for appreciation of our fellow pilgrims in worse conditions. Preparing for the joy of the birth of the child within in us. Then Christmas can truly be Christmas, Christ within is. And that surely will bring about the reign of the Lord.

New Year, New Resolutions. 1. Today's first reading is a basic start. Am I a person of integrity? When I look in the mirror what do I see? I have to be honest that I am not a sham. 2. If I am to be serious about having a Christian spiritual journey, it is absolutely essential that I do something about helping the poor. The poor at home and abroad, spiritually and materially. 3. I must have community somewhere in my life. There is no communion without community. And this is Eucharist. 4. It is important that a person who is genuinely trying to be holy should have peacefulness and calm about them. They should be easy to live with. (Brian D'arcy)

Solitude and Loneliness I can see in your words that you are living a very unhappy life, closed in upon yourself. A person who does that cannot be happy, since the Lord has created us as people able to communicate with others who are made in his image and likeness. God never closes in on himself. God gives himself to the others, and the greatest proof we have of this is that he gave his own Son for the salvation of the others. That is exactly what he wants us to do, too. Christ’s suffering didn’t make him unhappy but, on the contrary, was the necessary step toward the resurrection – that is to say, toward life. I would advise you to begin to reflect seriously on your life. God created you to be happy. You will not find that happiness by yourself, losing heart with your problems. You will find it to the extent that you discover that there are other people who suffer like you and who need you, so that together you can find a positive sense to your life. (Oscar Romero)

For many people death and spooks have a fascination, but they would rather not think about their own death. We say there are four last things:- death, judgement, heaven and hell. The only certainty in life is death, so why not face up to it. HEAVEN........................... I believe in it DEATH............................. I believe in it. JUDGEMENT................... I believe in it. HELL................................ I believe in it. MERCY OF GOD............. I believe in it. JUSTICE OF GOD........... I believe in it. And funnily enough the bible talks about all of them, so I have it on good authority. Don't mess with God or eternity. Check out your credit. And don't forget St Francis' famous dictum, "The world is full of good people who do nothing." With your parish pack this weekend you will find a Cafod brochure. In there, there are gifts ranging from £4 to £4,000.  Something to suit everybody’s pocket, even the poorest. Pick one to suit your pocket. Send it to Cafod. Or give it to me in an envelope, by next weekend if possible and then we will be on time to get a card back for our Christmas tree.  A TREE FULL OF 500 GIFTS FOR OTHER PEOPLE. Don't forget to encourage the children to do their own gift from their pocket money. 

The Widow’s Mite is a very familiar story, but, I fear that such a challenge can put most of us off and we dismiss it as an impossible dream. Not a good way to treat any part of the Bible. Jesus said it, so it must be worthy of our consideration. I say this because I know people who have done exactly as the widow, they have given their last bite. THE BIBLE IS GOD'S BOOK, ABOUT US. Helping us to live with a good attitude. I also see children after 10am mass grabbing six biscuits, as if no one else wants a biscuit. Instead, think about taking the black banana rather that the best one, as tomorrow the black one will be rotten and thrown out. Use water with respect, even though there seems to be an endless supply. How much waste do I throw out of my fridge every week? Do I drop litter as if I had my own private litter collector? The list is endless.. Add your own. Do I just spend because I have the money, or do I help others? Are others included in my shopping plans for Christmas? But my attitude about the above says much about me and my relationship to others and God.

I have never understood why God has allowed children to be born out of drunkenness, rape, basically out of lack of love. And sadly maybe that is why many of us, here in U.K. would say we have become a nanny state. Parents produce the children but do not rear them. Our lack of parenting skills is becoming very apparent. Maybe this is why the state had to move in. How many of the chicken shops are feeding your children? How many of our children have a breakfast at home? Do I leave the smart phone/screen/TV to raise my child? Do we expect the government, social services, churches, schools, youth clubs/centres to raise our children? Come on parents if God has given you a child, He trusted you to parent that child and bring him/her up as a descent child of His. Knowing, loving and serving Him as the First Commandment today. To know, love and serve God with all your heart. Why should I serve Him, since I don't love Him and how can I love him since I don't know him? And how can I know Him since we never say a meaningful prayer in our house?

The blind man is told by the crowd to keep quiet and not to be annoying Jesus. Yes, people with "less ability" are usually told to keep quiet and let the "more abled" people take control. This happened 2000 years ago, today there does not seem to be any great difference. Yet he is the one remembered today, 2000 years later.  Who were the people who told him to keep quiet?   The usual crowd who hid behind each other. And yet again, he is the one Jesus is looking for, like the woman who gave the mite in the temple. Yes, the people of Jesus’ line are usually the famous ones.  KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR THE LESS ABLED AND TALK TO THEM. Yet again the blind man is not greedy. He does not ask for his sight to be restored. He asks "That I might see." Most of us have sight and good sight.  But how much do we see?

We are all familiar with today’s gospel and Jesus telling us from time to time that we are called  TO SERVE. The washing of the feet is immediately linked to the Eucharist. Jesus wanted to make it quite clear that we dare not share in the Eucharist if we are not serving. The minute we separate them, we are depriving both of their meaning.   This is why I believe, that many people see the Eucharist as boring. It does not lead them to serve their brother or sister.  Hence mass can become an empty ritual for many people. So here in St James’ 1.  Will you be a reader at mass? 2.  Will you serve? 3.  Will you join the SVP to help people with small jobs, a bit of decorating, shopping or keeping them company for an hour a week? 4.  Join the Legion of Mary and call on people to help them live their faith? 5.  Clean the church once a month (with others), or form your own team? 6.  Wash church linen? 7.  Help teaching children? 8.  Run an event for some charity? 9.  Run a social event in the Hall? 10.  Help with the making of tea/coffee after mass? 11.  Be a hospitality person and welcome people at the back of the church? 12.  Play a musical instrument at 10am or 12 noon mass? 13.  Do you pray/teach your own children? 14. Or add your own special expertise and set the parish ablaze with the spirit? Aspire not to have more but to be more. (O. Romero)

Now you can argue away today's Gospel as much  as you like, but you cannot get away from the fact  of Jesus' challenge about money. I must give to the poor. Money itself is good. How I use it may be questionable! A few  thoughts; 1.  Governments collect taxes to redistribute money.      Fundamentally a good principle.  2.  I have been more gifted than others!  "Thank God." 3.  Many people, sadly, are not gifted, through no fault of their own.  Many more have been abused.  4.  Archbishop Romero, "Anything you have that you don't use you have stolen." 5.  Helder Camara, "When I feed the poor they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor are poor they call me a communist." 6.  Fr. Jack: Money fulfils my desires.  When I get rid of it to help others, it fulfils my needs. 7.  Jesus:   Sell your things. Get money. Buy food. Help the poor.  Go to heaven. “I was hungry and you gave me to eat.”

As Catholics we should define ourselves as what we are and what we believe in, rather than what we are up against. Marriage was created by God from the beginning as "two becoming one." Two becoming one mentally, spiritually, emotionally, psychologically and then and only then physically.  Sadly many people start the other way around, beginning with the physical.  Is it any wonder after a few years they look at each other and say "I do not know what I saw in you."  And they split. Intimacy seems to be missing in many relationships.  If it were not for the many good friends I have, both men and women, with whom I am intimate, "I would not be half the man I am."  For this intimacy the physical is not present. Consequently it can go to a much deeper level.  Give intimacy a chance in your life.

Scandal is not a word you hear much these days. Jesus was very hot on it, especially leading others astray and more especially still, if they were children or people of weak faith. Most of us would never think of leading others astray, least of all children, but let's look a little deeper. Do I really use every chance to instruct or advise, or even to show people what is right? Do I work with my children to show them God's way? Do I pray with them every day?  Is my life an example that others would like to follow?  Am I a good role model for my son or daughter? These are the things we say at the beginning of mass "What I have done, and what I have failed to do." As St Francis Says: "All that is necessary for evil to thrive is for good people to do nothing." Be pro-active in the field of the Lord especially in your own family.

Again Jesus is on one of his favourite themes: SERVICE. He came into the world as a suffering servant who does not want anyone to be lost. There are many people in this parish who have put themselves at the service of others. They give of themselves tirelessly and unselfishly for the benefit of the parish and others.. They are the ones who make the parish what it is. Thank you very much. I ask YOU, would you like to do something for the service of others? If everyone does something, no matter how little, for the benefit of the parish/others we really could become a model parish of the church in action. Please consider, offer don't wait to be asked.

Last week I said Jesus is TRUTH.  I say this because faith is not as simple to understand. Basically, am I a person who speaks the truth all the time? If so then I believe in God. God is also ACTION.  Positive action.  This is the challenge of James in the second reading.  Often I try to bluff my way out of a situation, when in fact I am as guilty as sin itself. What do I have to show for the faith I claim to possess. Do I give my children good example? Do I know what my children are watching on any screen? Do I know their friends? Do I guide my children? Do I/we pray as a family? Do I teach them the faith? FAITH WITHOUT ACTION IS DEAD

When we come to God's word we must come with an open mind and a needy heart. Apparently what 98% of motivational speakers say is Gospel based. They may not admit that, but if you look closely and listen attentively, you will also agree. Life so often is boring because we see the obvious and never dream the dream. Martin Luther had a dream and thank God, it has become a reality. We have come a long way and we still have a long way to go, so we need to dream on. The science fiction of yesterday is today's reality, how much more so with our Heavenly Father. With Him all things are possible.

Is your life dreary, lack lustre, aimless, depressed or tired? "Take notice of the laws and customs that I teach you today, and observe them that you may have life and enter and take possession of the land that the Lord  the God of your fathers is giving to you." As a Catholic and priest, I have always found that when I feel down, the law of the Lord is a fantastic consolation. It makes me look outside myself. It expands my horizons. Makes me look beyond the horizon, think outside the box and lifts me up. When I look inside and see my true potential, God draws me out of myself. He lifts me up, diminishes my depression. Otherwise I look inside and I see sadness, no future, depression. The Pharisees were worried about washing hands and pots and pans. Jesus says be a fantastic lover and never count the cost.

Greetings to you. I take this opportunity to thank you for the love and care you have given me while Fr. Jack has been away. Thanks, be to God that he is back from his holiday. When am here at St. James, I feel like I am at home. Thank you for loving your Church. It is my prayer that you continue loving your God no matter how hard it is for us to understand his ways and words sometimes.  Let us remain with Him because He is the best choice of our life. So like Joshua, Let us say "As for me and my house we shall serve the Lord".  Like the Israelites, let us say "We have no intention of deserting the Almighty God and serving other gods". I promise you my prayers.  Amen.

In our different cultures, success can often be a game of numbers.  A successful television programme is one that has a very large viewing audience. If the numbers watching declines, the programme is in trouble.  Democracy is based on majority vote. The candidate with the most votes gets elected. Every political party is anxious to maximise their vote on election day. In all kinds of ways, numbers matter in our society. The schools with the biggest number of graduates going on to University are considered the better schools.  If some event that is organised only attracts a small crowd it is considered a failure. Today’s gospel suggests that Jesus was not too concerned about numbers.  Jesus puts Himself at our disposal. Jesus wants us to look again at our personal relationship with Him and choose to follow Him more closely or to follow someone else.

 

What a difference our attitude towards life makes to our enjoyment of life. This is the positive approach of one woman: Lord, thank you for this sink of dirty dishes, we have plenty of food to eat. Thank you for this pile of dirty laundry, we have plenty of nice clothes to wear. And I would like to thank you, Lord, for those unmade beds. They were so warm and so comfortable last night. I know that many have no beds. My thanks to you, Lord, for this bathroom, complete with all the splattered mirrors, soggy towels and dirty lavatory. They are so convenient. Thank you for this finger-smudged refrigerator that needs defrosting so badly, it has served us faithfully for many years.  It is full of enough leftovers for a few meals. Thank you, Lord, for this oven that absolutely must be cleaned today. It has baked so many things over the years. Lord, the presence of all these chores awaiting me says you have richly blessed my family. I shall do them all cheerfully and I shall do them gratefully.

UBUNTU is a very nice story from Africa... The motivation behind the Ubuntu culture in Africa... An Anthropologist proposed a game to the African tribal children... He placed a basket of sweets near a tree And made the children stand 100 meters away. Then announced that whoever reaches first would get all the sweets in the basket. Then he said 'ready steady go! ‘.. Do you know what these children did? They all held each other's hands, ran together towards the tree, divided the sweets equally among themselves, ate the sweets and enjoyed them. When the Anthropologist asked them why they did so, They answered..."Ubuntu" Which meant- 'How can one be happy when the others are sad?' Ubuntu in their language means- "I am because we are" A strong message for all generations. Let all of us always have this attitude and spread happiness wherever we go. Let's have an "Ubuntu" Life.... .