After having had two Sundays where we celebrated the Feast of the Trinity followed by the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ we return now to Sunday's of ordinary time starting with 10th Sunday.
The Most Holy Body & Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi)
Preparing to receive the Body and Blood of Christ
Today we celebrate the great feast of the Body and Blood of Christ. Our Gospel is from Mark and contains two sets of instructions Jesus gave the disciples. The second set of instructions are very familiar we hear them every time we come to Mass when the Priest follows Jesus instructions by TAKING bread and, giving THANKS, BREAKING it, and GIVING us the People of God not the bread but the Body of Christ so that when we leave Mass and are sent out on our Mission we take Jesus with us.
We are reminded in the words used to bless the wine which becomes for us the Blood of Christ that this is a new covenant, a promise between God and his people. When we receive communion and say Amen, we are agreeing that we believe we are receiving Jesus and promising to fulfil his commandment to love one another.
The first set of instructions relates to preparing the room for the Passover meal which we know as the Last Supper. The disciples didn't know what was going to happen in that meal, but when we come to Mass we know what will happen which is both a mystery and something that is truly amazing. In reflecting on the opening section of the Gospel it struck me that what seemed everyday preparation of getting a room ready was also important.
For each of us coming forward to receive the Body of Christ we need to think about how we are preparing ourselves (our room). As we come forward as the Body of Christ each with our own hopes, fears, joys and sadness with our God given gifts and talents, we receive the Body of Christ who we take out into the world. So perhaps we can be more aware of how we prepare to receive Jesus in Holy Communion. AMH
Sacraments 101 Eucharist (How we receive)
There are two ways we can receive Jesus in our hands or on our tongue, this short video reminds us of things we should remember when receiving Holy Communion and provides some teaching from the catechism for those wanting to learn a bit more.
First Reading Exodus 24:3-8 The covenant is established between God and the people.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 116:12-13,15-16,17-18 God brings salvation.
Second Reading Hebrews 9:11-15 Christ is the mediator of the new covenant.
Gospel Reading Mark 14:12-16,22-26 Jesus shares his Last Supper with his disciples.
Covenants
In our first reading there is a covenant and then in the words of the consecration which Jesus spoke at the Last Supper which we hear about in our Gospel reading, there is mention of a new covenant. What is a covenant? In a short video below learn about 5 key covenants in the Bible.
Gospel Reflection: Jesus prays for us as we go out into the world
Albert Druer, Praying Hands
Today's Gospel is taken from John 17 and we hear Jesus praying to his Father to look after the disciples and consecrate them (make them sacred) as he sends them out into the world to share his Word. Jesus knows that whilst he was with them he was able to look after them to help them, but soon he will be going to his Father in heaven.
For those who have lost a parent or a loved one, we can remember how they helped us in our lives, we may remember their final words or those words of wisdom and the example they gave us whilst they were here on earth. For the disciples and for us, today's Gospel is a reminder that although Jesus isn't with us physically, he has shared his words of truth which guide us as we go out into the world to spread the good news.
Next Sunday, the Feast of Pentecost will be a special day in the faith journey of our confirmandi, 12 young people whose families have been helping them, like Jesus helped the disciples and helps us all. In this third sacrament of their Christian Initiation they become full members of the church and with the help of the Holy Spirit will go out into the world. We know that living in the world with all its tempations and distractions isn't easy, yet today's Gospel reminds and comforts us that Jesus prays for us, sends his Holy Spirit to help us as we go out to love and serve the Lord. Come Holy Spirit Fill the Hearts of your faithful. AMH
First Reading Acts of the Apostles 10:25-26,34-35,44-48 The gift of the Holy Spirit comes to Cornelius and his household, and they are baptized.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 98:1,2-3,3-4 A song of praise for God’s salvation
Second Reading 1 John 4:7-10 God is love.
Gospel Reading John 15:9-17 Jesus commands his disciples to love one another.
Our Gospel this week mentions two of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, Love and Joy. Jesus tells the disciples to love one another, and then explains how "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete". This week we share a word study from Bible Project
I love the end product of Viticulture! (the growing of grapes for producing quality wine) How the practice of this art can produce and influence such a wonderful end product is nothing short of miraculous. Grapes on the vine are a sight to behold too. But don’t let me loose near them with a pair of secateurs! To green things that grow in the ground I am Doctor Death! Even when I pass through the plants and flowers section at Sainsbury’s you can see them tremble as a dark shadow passes over them. So I am not one to be entrusted with pruning green things.
However, as the Lord describes it in this Sunday’s Gospel extract from St John, I have been pruned in the life of faith by the Word of God. How I, and in general terms, the Christian people, live life and understand it are profoundly influenced by the Word we encounter in sacred scripture and in personal prayer. Some extracts from the Word in Sacred Scripture which prune me include:
“Our Father who art in heaven” realising that God is the father of all creation not just me as a very small part of it:
“God is Love and anyone who lives in love lives in God, and God lives in them” (the connection between what we say of belief and the fact of how we live life is established in these words):
“Receive the Holy Spirit. For those whose sins you forgive they are forgiven. For those whose sins you retain they are retained” (the Lord gives to the Church the power to heal through the forgiveness or the retention of sins...he gives to us through faith divine qualities which can set people free).
Jesus is the Vine. We are joined to Him through the branches of faith. Let us continue to be cultivated and enriched by the Word of God challenging our understanding of love faith and humanity. Fr Steve.
First Reading Acts of the Apostles 4:8-12 Peter announces an act of healing in the name of Jesus Christ.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 118:1,8-9,21-23,26,28,29 A prayer of thanksgiving to God for his kindness
Second Reading 1 John 3:1-2 God revealed his love for us by calling us children of God.
Gospel Reading John 10:11-18 Jesus says that he is the good shepherd who knows his sheep.
The image of the good shepherd is on that Jesus used to help explain to the people of his time how much he loved them and looked out for them. He also talks about how he knows his sheep and they know him. We might think what image we might use today to describe that same message of God's loving care.
Gospel Reflection: Sharing OUR story & God's Gift of Peace
The Gospel for the 3rd Sunday of Easter is Luke’s account of the evening of that first Easter Day. Our reading starts with the two disciples who had met Jesus, the risen Lord on the road to Emmaus where he had helped them to understand the scriptures. Just like John's Gospel account last week, Jesus appeared and greeted the disciples with those words of reassurance 'Peace with you'. Understandably the disciples were frightened and wondered if they had seen a ghost, but again Jesus reassures them and showed them his wounds, and then to show them he wasn't a ghost he asked to have something to eat.
Jesus then explained to the disciples what had been written in the scriptures. Like the disciples we also need help understanding the scriptures and what they mean to us today. Since the pandemic something I have found helpful is meeting with other parishioners at the Gospel Share which is open to everyone (See Gospel Share page). We use Lectio Divina which is sacred reading - it's always interesting to hear what people say and then come on Sunday and listen to what our priests have to say in their homily. The homily is when they break open the word. Helping with Children's Liturgy is also another way of deepening my understanding as thinking about how to share the word with the children and hearing their response offers real insights.
Dove a symbol of peace
What has stood out last week and this was Jesus' greeting of Peace be with you. As we hear about the troubles in our world it is important to remember that Jesus came to bring peace to all. He says to each one of us, Peace be with YOU. We all need peace and we are all called to share God's peace. The greeting and words Peace be with you we also share every time we come to Mass. The Church Jesus founded was universal and in our parish we are fortunate to have people who come from around the world. At the sign of peace in Mass we not only say peace, but gesture signs of peace including a smile and an acknowledgement of others in our Church family.
With a special greeting of peace to those whose language isn't listed, please let me know if your word / language is missing. For now, see if you can find someone who you can greet with the words of: peace, Barış, Eiríni, Frieden, Kapayapaan, kedamaian, Mier, Myr, Pace, Paix, Pax, Paz, Pokój, Ramybė, Śānti, Shanti, síocháin. AMH
Original painting of the Divine Mercy (by Eugeniusz Kazimirowski in 1934)
The Second Sunday of Easter is traditionally called “Low Sunday” and more recently “Divine Mercy Sunday”. The gospel extract in the Mass is a heartening resurrection account from St John’s gospel. We are told that the apostles and some disciples are gathered in a room (possibly the room of the Last Supper). They are fearful , not only because of possible repercussions from the trial and execution of the Lord, but now confused because of the news brought by Mary of Magdala that she had seen the Lord alive and spoken with him. What were they to think in either case? They were anxious and afraid. What if the High Priest’s guards were to come looking for them as they had for Jesus...after all for all they knew Judas Iscariot could very well lead them to this location just as he lead them to Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane. Fear and Confusion...a lethal combination.
Into this locked room, into this fear and confusion, comes the risen Jesus in person. His risen body still has the marks of his passion but he is new and transformed yet still recognisably the Lord Jesus. “Peace be with you" are his significant word to them, repeated twice. This settles them and they can start relating to the life of resurrection which he had spoken of in his preaching. But now, no longer an abstract description in words, now flesh and blood amongst them.
The apostle Thomas, at this point not with this gathering, does not believe what the others tell him of that encounter. He wants proof of this being Jesus, proof even to the point of rudeness. A week later the proof is given: the Lord invites him to believe. And Thomas speaks the act of faith many of us speak when receiving Holy Communion at Mass: “My Lord and My God”. We too receive the same invitation to faith as Thomas did. We may have our doubts and fears, but the answer is to trust deeper in Jesus rather then look for his hands or side. It is said that the apostle Thomas went on to preach the gospel in India and that is where he died. Syro-Malabar Catholics secure the origin of their faith in the witness of the Apostle. With them, in the words of Thomas, let us renew our faith in Jesus Christ as our Saviour. “My Lord and My God”. Fr Steve
Today, we begin the celebration of the Holy Week with the solemn commemoration of the Lord's entry into the holy city, Jerusalem, to complete the Pascal mystery, and which means precisely, our Lenten observance is drawing close to an end. The procession narrative (Mark 11:1-10) and the Passion account (Mark 14:1-15:47) are drawn from the Gospel of Mark for Palm Sunday Year B. This gospel, known for its concise and urgent storytelling, vividly portrays Jesus' ministry, emphasizing His dynamic teachings, miraculous deeds, and, notably, His path to the Cross. Mark's narrative thrusts us into the heart of Jesus' mission, highlighting His deep compassion and unwavering dedication to humanity's redemption. Through these readings, we are invited to reflect on the profound paradoxes of Jesus' kingship and sacrifice, prompting a deeper engagement with the mystery of Easter.
As we hear the Passion narratives today, Christ was sentenced and condemned unjustly to die in the most humiliating way on the Cross in obedience and in fulfilment of His Father's will to save the world from the reign of sin and injustices. On Palm Sunday, the Mother Church invites all her faithful children to reflect and pray for the injustice committed by our world today through the oppression of the voiceless, those persecuted violently and innocently killed in conflict areas, war zones, and particularly those who suffer from hunger, starvation, and famine. May Christ's self-sacrifice and death enable us all to work faithfully and tirelessly for justice and peace in our parish and our society of today. Amen.
Fr Mathew Minisare
During our Friday online stations and Taize reflections we have been reflecting on and praying for those facing persecution and experiencing the challenges of War using resources by Aid to the Church in Need. Here is one of the many videos which remind us of their stories. This video reminds us of the impact on young people.
Gospel at the Procession with Palms Mark 11:1-10orJohn 12:12-16 Jesus enters Jerusalem as the crowds shout, “Hosanna!”
First Reading Isaiah 50:4-7 The Lord’s servant will stand firm, even when persecuted.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 22:8-9,17-18,19-20,23-24 A cry for help to the Lord in the face of evildoers
Second Reading Philippians 2:6-11 Christ was obedient even to death, but God has exalted him.
Gospel Reading Mark 14:1—15:47 (shorter form: Mark 15:1-39) Jesus is sentenced to death and crucified. The centurion who witnessed his death declared, “This man was the Son of God.”
A short video on the Messiah comes. Jesus entered Jerusalem with the crowds waving palms and shouting Hosanna. But as the video shows he comes again today in our lives, do we see him and what sort of a welcome do we give him.
Firstly, to all those people for whom the Saint we celebrate on March 17th is significant...Happy Feastday! Many people share in the devotion to St Patrick, and his intercession has assisted many ambitions in the Christian life. No matter about the issue of where he was born (and the village of Aspatria near Whitehaven in the diocese has a claim to this!)... he is not celebrated for where he was born. He is celebrated as the Apostle to the Irish people. Long may his intercession benefit all God’s people.
St Patrick Stained Glass Window
To be an apostle is to be one who is sent to share in the mission of the Lord. This “being sent” means that an individual agrees to go, but that the mission may demand several sacrifices to make it bear fruit within the life of faith. Think of many of the first individuals counted as apostles...their lives were often turned upside-down, for example St Peter himself! (and St Patrick for that matter). A humble Galilean fisherman, who with his brother St Andrew and his family kept the wolf from the door by catching fish in the Sea of Galilee. But then, recognising the promised Messiah in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, left all the security of family and location and followed Jesus wherever his itinerant life took him. Often sleeping under the stars he kept close to the Lord and his Gospel, even when it brought him into conflict with prevailing trends of his Jewish faith as it was lived by the scribes, pharisees, and ultimately when Jesus was tried for being “The King of the Jews”. Peter is remembered as one hailed by Christ as “the rock on which I will build my church”, and within minutes scorned by the Lord with the words “get behind me Satan!”.
Unless a grain of wheat shall fall ...
After the Lord’s death and resurrection Peter was pivotal in helping the young church develop its own sense of Apostolic identity, himself being sent on a journey of life and faith which took him first to Antioch and then to Rome. In both places he became their Bishop, and in Rome suffered the same fate as The Lord. “Unless a grain of what shall fall upon the ground and die, it remains just a single grain. But if it dies it yields a harvest”. The death the Lord refers to this Sunday isn't a physical death, but rather an opportunity to die to self so as to be more alive in Christ. What greater example can we ask for in these closing weeks of Lent 2024?
First Reading Jeremiah 31:31-34 Jeremiah tells the people that the Lord will make a new covenant with them, planting the law within their hearts.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 51:3-4,12-13,14-15 A prayer for God’s mercy and forgiveness
Second Reading Hebrews 5:7-9 Through his sufferings, Jesus gained salvation for all who obey him.
Gospel Reading
John 12:20-33 Jesus teaches his disciples about the way in which he will be glorified by God, and a voice from heaven is heard to affirm this teaching.
Gospel Reflection: A time to choose and a time to praise the Lord
Today is Laudate Sunday, which means we praise the Lord because we are halfway through our Lenten journey and getting closer to the great feast of Easter when we will be able to rejoice in the risen Lord who has come to save us. As the signs of spring appear we can rejoice that the signs of new life, lighter and warmer days will soon be with us, living in Lancaster we of course can't assume less rain! Spring is also a time when we can spring clean our homes and our souls.
Jesus talking to Nicodemus
Our Gospel reading today is from John. Jesus talking to Nicodemus offers us a message in which we can rejoice, namely, that God so loved the World (that means us all) that he sent his only Son Jesus, not to tell us off, but to save us. This is wonderful news, but the reading also reminds us we have a choice and sometimes that isn't always as easy. Jesus is the Light of the World, and yet sometimes we prefer or maybe find ourselves turning away from the Light because it highlights or reminds us of those times when we are not choosing to follow Jesus. Making a choice to do the right thing, for example, loving and serving our neighbours, being patient, accepting others irritating ways, is not easy. Yet we are invited to choose to believe in Jesus and try to live our lives by following his example.
Lent is a time when we are able to reflect on our life and to take the opportunity to go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation to receive God's forgiveness for those times when we haven't always followed him. I am always comforted by the words of the Act of Contrition that I am not alone, and that by the help of God's grace, what I need to do is to try not to sin again.
So we have lots to praise and give thanks to the Lord for, but also a time to choose to have that spring clean not only of our homes but also our souls. AMH
The causes for the Israelites’ captivity in Babylon are described.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 137:1-2,3,4-5,6 A lament from exile for the loss of Jerusalem
Second Reading Ephesians 2:4-10 In grace we have been saved, so that we may do the work of the Lord.
Gospel Reading
John 3:14-21 Jesus tells Nicodemus that the Son of Man will be raised up so that those who believe in him will have eternal life.
Colouring while we pray. This week we share a colouring page from CAFOD which links to our Gospel reading. Whether for adults or children why not take some time to colour and reflect on God's generosity and love which was so great he gave his only son.
Today’s Gospel is from John and gives us an example of Jesus showing his humanity, his anger, frustration and righteous indignation at the way His Father’s house, the Temple was being used like a market place.
In the Gospel we hear how Jesus drove out the money changers and the pigeon sellers. When asked by the Jewish authorities to justify his actions Jesus said, ‘Destroy this sanctuary, and in three days I will build it up’. This didn’t make sense to those around because the Temple had taken 46 years to build and still wasn’t finished. Of course, Jesus wasn’t talking about a building, he was talking about his body. And as we hear in the Gospel, the disciples remembered his words when he rose from the dead.
We talk about Jesus being the head of the Church and we are the body of Christ; we are the Church. As St Paul says in one of his letters to the Corinthians, we are all parts of that body with different roles to play. Some of those roles are public facing and therefore more visible and obvious but we are all called to play our part, even if what we do isn’t always visible to others.
As the final line of the Gospel says, Jesus could tell what a person had in them, so maybe as we pray this week we can ask how we can help Jesus to continue to build his body the Church in Lancaster.
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_-_stained_glass%2C_Eucharist.jpg/479px-Saint_John_the_Baptist_Catholic_Church_(Dry_Ridge%2C_Ohio)_-_stained_glass%2C_Eucharist.jpg "Chalice and Host")
.jpg/320px-Peace.._(23515829309).jpg "Dove a sign of peace")
.jpg/200px-%D0%A6%D0%B2%D0%B5%D1%82%D0%B8%2C_%D1%83%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%B7%D0%B0%D0%BA_%D0%A5%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B0_%D1%83_%D0%88%D0%B5%D1%80%D1%83%D1%81%D0%B0%D0%BB%D0%B8%D0%BC_(Church_fresco_-_Triumphal_entry_into_Jerusalem%2C_Bitola).jpg "Palm Sunday")
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_-_stained_glass%2C_Saint_Patrick.jpg "St Patrick")
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