Newsletter- 2nd Week of Lent
Today’s readings on this the 2nd Sunday of Lent encourage each of us to think about our journey of faith in the company of the transfigured Lord, and the importance of trusting in the call and grace of God our Father.
The First Reading tells of God’s astonishing call to Abram to abandon his land, his family and his nation, and Abram’s generous response. With divine blessing and guidance, Abram (who becomes Abraham) finds a new home and a new life, serving as an example to us all. In his letter to Timothy, St Paul makes it clear that we are called to holiness: a holiness not of our own making, but of God. Like Timothy, we are reminded that we are not alone. We are invited to rely on the divine power and grace revealed by the life and death of Christ Jesus. Like Abraham, we, too, must learn to live by trusting in God’s grace and His call to us to witness to him and to follow him day by day. In the Second Reading we are encouraged to trust in God the Father as revealed to us in the life of Jesus. Today’s Gospelshows him transfigured on the mountain top, radiant with divine light. The Father proclaims Jesus as his Beloved Son and adds the all-important invitation: ‘Listen to him’. The Responsorial Psalm meditates on the creative power of God encouraging us to put all our trust in the One who fills the earth with His love.
This week, we may like to pray for a deeper personal relationship with Christ as we ask for the grace from God to listen more attentively to His still small voice, which summons us to deepen our relationship with God and with each other through out Christian witness and discipleship in the world in which we live, in all the many different situations of our lives.
Andrew Wakley – Ministry of Lector: This Sunday during the evening Mass at St Barnabas Cathedral at 6 pm, Andrew alongside two other men training for the permanent diaconate within our diocese, will receive the ministry of lector from bishop Patrick. We keep Andrew in our prayers as he makes this new commitment as part of his vocation journey.
Weekdays in Lent: You will see in the Bulletin the times of the scheduled extra periods of Confession, Exposition and Stations of the Cross taking place in the parish during Lent. The Holy Week Liturgies can also be found in this week’s Bulletin.
Walk With Me: A Journey of Prayer for Lent 2023: The copies we purchased for this year HAVE NOW ALL BEEN TAKEN. I hope you will find them of help to you during Lent.
CAFOD – Family Fast Day – 3rd March: Envelopes for making donations to the Family Fast Day are still available as you come into church. Donations can be put into the envelopes provided and placed in the Mass collection plate at all Sunday Masses celebrated during Lent. We shall send in your donations to CAFOD at Easter. The theme for this year is: Growing in Strength rooted in Love.
With prayer for you and for your families as we journey together through Lent,
Your parish priest and friend,
Father Jonathan
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2023 5th March– Newsletter – Download