Newsletter- 17th Week of Ordinary Time

Dear Parishioners

Many of our congregation have already left us for the summer holidays either at home or abroad but to those who will be travelling this coming week for time away I wish you a wonderful holiday. Travel safely and return to us refreshed! A very warm welcome too to all who may be visiting our parish this week during the summer holidays.

The 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B focuses on the themes of God’s care for us and our unity in faith. These themes highlight God’s love and our call to live in harmony with each other.

In the First Reading at Mass this weekend we hear about our need to trust in God’s Care. Elisha’s miracle of feeding a hundred people with twenty loaves shows that God can provide even when it seems impossible. This theme is mirrored in the Gospel where Jesus feeds thousands with just five loaves and two fish. There is also in the Gospel a Foreshadowing of the Eucharist. We see this through Jesus feeding the crowd with bread and fish hints at the Eucharist. It also shows how Jesus will later give Himself as the Bread of Life for all. In the Second Reading at Mass, we are reminded by St Paul of our Unity in Faith. St Paul urges the Ephesians to live in unity, showing love and patience. He emphasizes that we are all one body in Christ, sharing in one faith and one baptism. St Paul also reminds us to be humble, gentle, and patient. This means putting others first and striving for peace in our communities and in the wider world as well.

All the readings at Mass this weekend remind us that God cares for us deeply and He calls us to live in unity and love. They challenge us to trust in His care and to share generously with others. Let us in the week ahead ask for God’s grace to help us to put these themes into practice in our daily lives

With my prayers for you and your families during the holiday season,

Your parish priest and friend,

Fr Jonathan

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