We thought you would like to see a picture of Fr Frank after being awarded a Girl Guiding 'Thank You' badge recently.
Liz and the units here at St Augustine's church kindly organised the award at the time of his retirement in appreciation of his valuable support for girl guiding over the years. He was thrilled with it!He wanted everyone to know that he is settling in really well at St Joseph's home. He was in good form (still with lots of stories from his past and of the people he is meeting in the home, many of whom know him from his days in the cathedral.)
It is 2 weeks until his operation and he sent this message:
"I wish to send grateful thanks to all the people for their prayers and good wishes.
God willing I will have a full recovery. Please keep me in your prayers.
Every life is a preparation for the kingdom of God and I have such great memories of everyone I met in the parish over my 14 years. You are all wonderful people."
Reflections for 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A
Thanks Deacon Vincent!
1st Reading from the book of Leviticus 19: 1-2, 17-18.
Leviticus is not a book of mere outdated rules. It is much more than this There is a refrain that runs throughout the book, which goes, “You are to be holy, because I, the Lord, am holy.” This holiness of God is the backdrop of all that we read. The people of Israel are encouraged to guard against other influences around them, and there is a constant encouragement to protect the weakest, the poor, the orphans and the widows. We come face to face with God’s option for the poor. This selected reading for this week, is part of an instruction on how to keep the Commandments, we are not to bear hatred in our hearts, in order to avoid vengeance, and so fall into sin. No, we must love our neighbour, as ourselves, and become more like the Lord.
Psalm 102: 1-4, 8-10, 12-13.
A song in praise of God for all that he has done for us. God forgives and heals; he is compassion and love. God casts all our sins behind his back as far as east is to west. A beautiful vision of the “Divine Mercy”.
2nd Reading from the first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians 3: 16-23.
Paul is emphasising that the Spirit dwells within us and as such we are being built into a spiritual temple, God’s Temple. We must be careful how we treat each other, if we destroy one of us; we are destroying God’s Temple and that has consequences for us. Do not let us delude ourselves with our assumed cleverness, which makes us start to feel superior to others. We make ourselves superior in intellect and learning and that is wrong. It is a delusion, for this world’s cleverness is stupidity before God. God is not convinced by the arguments of the wise. There is nothing to boast about in anything human. We belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God. We need to align ourselves with Christ not human thought or philosophy. This is central to Paul’s thinking; because his life is entirely wrapped up in Christ as the source and summit of all he does and thinks.
The Holy Gospel according to Matthew 5: 38-48.
This week’s Gospel reading concludes the six ways towards a better righteousness. We should be shocked and startled by Jesus’ strict interpretation of the Torah. Jesus has taken six sayings from the Pentateuch, and really does take them several stages further on. He is saying that his followers need to aspire to be as perfect as their Heavenly Father. We should be stunned at this no nonsense, direct instruction to us. God is merciful and does understand us, but that does not give us the permission to sin. We must strive for perfection and be more meticulous about our inter-action with each other. It is no good feeling sorry for being unkind and unthinking about somebody else, just be more careful with one’s own opinions; for we do not know the other person’s sources, or reasons for being who they are. We can see how Paul concludes that our idea of wisdom does not coincide with the way God views things. We always need to go to the source, not some human idea or philosophy, we need to seek out Jesus and absorb him into our whole being. Then we might find true peace and harmony between ourselves and God.
May Almighty God Bless as strive for perfection.
Deacon Vincent
Thanks Deacon Vincent!
1st Reading from the book of Leviticus 19: 1-2, 17-18.
Leviticus is not a book of mere outdated rules. It is much more than this There is a refrain that runs throughout the book, which goes, “You are to be holy, because I, the Lord, am holy.” This holiness of God is the backdrop of all that we read. The people of Israel are encouraged to guard against other influences around them, and there is a constant encouragement to protect the weakest, the poor, the orphans and the widows. We come face to face with God’s option for the poor. This selected reading for this week, is part of an instruction on how to keep the Commandments, we are not to bear hatred in our hearts, in order to avoid vengeance, and so fall into sin. No, we must love our neighbour, as ourselves, and become more like the Lord.
Psalm 102: 1-4, 8-10, 12-13.
A song in praise of God for all that he has done for us. God forgives and heals; he is compassion and love. God casts all our sins behind his back as far as east is to west. A beautiful vision of the “Divine Mercy”.
2nd Reading from the first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians 3: 16-23.
Paul is emphasising that the Spirit dwells within us and as such we are being built into a spiritual temple, God’s Temple. We must be careful how we treat each other, if we destroy one of us; we are destroying God’s Temple and that has consequences for us. Do not let us delude ourselves with our assumed cleverness, which makes us start to feel superior to others. We make ourselves superior in intellect and learning and that is wrong. It is a delusion, for this world’s cleverness is stupidity before God. God is not convinced by the arguments of the wise. There is nothing to boast about in anything human. We belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God. We need to align ourselves with Christ not human thought or philosophy. This is central to Paul’s thinking; because his life is entirely wrapped up in Christ as the source and summit of all he does and thinks.
The Holy Gospel according to Matthew 5: 38-48.
This week’s Gospel reading concludes the six ways towards a better righteousness. We should be shocked and startled by Jesus’ strict interpretation of the Torah. Jesus has taken six sayings from the Pentateuch, and really does take them several stages further on. He is saying that his followers need to aspire to be as perfect as their Heavenly Father. We should be stunned at this no nonsense, direct instruction to us. God is merciful and does understand us, but that does not give us the permission to sin. We must strive for perfection and be more meticulous about our inter-action with each other. It is no good feeling sorry for being unkind and unthinking about somebody else, just be more careful with one’s own opinions; for we do not know the other person’s sources, or reasons for being who they are. We can see how Paul concludes that our idea of wisdom does not coincide with the way God views things. We always need to go to the source, not some human idea or philosophy, we need to seek out Jesus and absorb him into our whole being. Then we might find true peace and harmony between ourselves and God.
May Almighty God Bless as strive for perfection.
Deacon Vincent
Next weekend, at church, your donations to CAFOD’s Family Fast Day Appeal will help families fighting the climate crisis & ensure that our Church network can quickly respond to emergencies, like the recent earthquake in Syria & Turkey.
Pick up an envelope from the church from this weekend if you are able to Gift Aid your donation plus there will be a basket next week for any loose change you can spare. Or go to cafod.org.uk/give
Please pray for the development of CAFOD’s work and for all who work in emergency situations around the world.
Hotel Irelande: (3 Star): Single Room: £660.00 or sharing Room (two people sharing) £505.00 per person
Hotel Astrid: (4 star): Single Room: £790.00 or sharing Room: (two people sharing) £575.00Costs include:
Coach transfers from the airport to Lourdes and return.
Accommodation in a 3 or 4 star hotel, full board close to the Domain.
To include:-
Blessing of the Sick ~ Visits to the Grotto ~ Daily Mass ~ Torchlight Procession ~ Stations of the Cross ~ Day trip to Bartres ~ ‘A water gesture’ at the Baths ~ Sacraments of the Anointing of the Sick and Reconciliation ~ and much more.
Bishop Declan invites you to take part in the Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes - Friday 18th- 25th August 2023
See below the latest poster for the 2023 Lourdes Pilgrimage.
This is the first time we have been able to travel to Lourdes in three years, so we are expecting it to be popular. Please note there is no coach or Jumbulance going this year so everyone will need to fly.
Hotel Irelande: (3 Star): Single Room: £660.00 or sharing Room (two people sharing) £505.00 per person
Hotel Astrid: (4 star): Single Room: £790.00 or sharing Room: (two people sharing) £575.00Costs include:
Coach transfers from the airport to Lourdes and return.
Accommodation in a 3 or 4 star hotel, full board close to the Domain.
To include:-
Blessing of the Sick ~ Visits to the Grotto ~ Daily Mass ~ Torchlight Procession ~ Stations of the Cross ~ Day trip to Bartres ~ ‘A water gesture’ at the Baths ~ Sacraments of the Anointing of the Sick and Reconciliation ~ and much more.
Further information: Lourdes@cliftondiocese.com
0117 902 5590 https://cliftondiocese.com/pilgrimage/lourdes/
0117 902 5590 https://cliftondiocese.com/pilgrimage/lourdes/
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