LITURGY
Scripture Readings For The Sundays Of June
Eleventh Sunday In Ordinary Time 15th June
Exodus 19:2-6 Psalm 99 Romans 5:6-11 Matthew 9:36-10:8 Each one of us has been called by God, personally, for his own kind purposes (Eph 1:5) and he has promised us that he will count us a kingdom of priests, a consecrated nation. We have been rescued from faithlessness and hopelessness, for in Jesus Christ we have already gained our reconciliation And since we have received without charge we are obliged to give without charge. We too have the power to do good as the apostles had, if only we believed in Jesus’ presence in us and in his power working through us. The kingdom of heaven is indeed close at hand, if only we could discern it in ourselves and in those around us.
Twelth Sunday In Ordinary Time 22nd June
Jeremiah 20:10-13 Psalm 68 Romans 5:12-15 Matthew 10:26-33 In our missionary task we are not to be afraid or discouraged, but are to speak the truth, welcome or unwelcome. For at all times God is walking beside us and living with us in his Spirit, and , as Jesus promised the apostles, the Spirit will teach you everything and remind you of all I have said to you’(Jn 14:26). We may not be called to the ultimate configuration with the crucified Christ in martyrdom, but we offer ourselves with that sacrifice at every Mass, and we are all called to be his martyres, his witnesses in our world in out time, seeking to make it his world and his time.
SS Peter & Paul 28th 29th June
Vigil Acts 3:1-10 Psalm 18 Galatians 1:11-20 John 21:15-19 Morning Acts 12:1-11 Psalm 33 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18 Matthew 16:13-19 Although we rightly honour these two great apostles, the readings show them to be not ‘great’ in worldly terms, but chosen and made great by God’s inscrutable choice. It is all God’s work. Both hotheaded men by nature, they learned through humility of the power of the God who had chosen them. The Lord stood by me and gave me power….it was not flesh and blood that reveled this to you but my Father in heaven. It is for their response to the grace of God – not without doubts and hesitations – that we give thanks today.
Fourteenth Sunday In Ordinary Time 6th July
Zechariah 9:9-10 Psalm 144 Romans 8:9, 11-13 Matthew 11:25-30 If we regard religion as burdensome, then somehow we have missed the wood for the trees. Jesus’ statement yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light was intended to contrast with the ‘yoke of the Law’ a common Jewish saying. Faith in Jesus Christ is not the observance of rules and regulations. Jesus promises ‘rest’ to those who, like children, will simply entrust themselves to him. We have to learn from him – ‘disciple’ means learner. For that to be possible we must copy his gentleness and humility of heart so that ‘the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven’ may be revealed to us.(Mt 13:11)
Fifteenth Sunday In Ordinary Time 13th July
Isaiah 55:10-11 Psalm 64 Romans 8:18-23 Matthew 13:1-23 Continuing from last weeks gospel we learn how to listen to God’s Word – and indeed this is a lesson in liturgy, for we might well ask ourselves how, week after week, we dispose ourselves to listen to the Word of God being proclaimed to us. Could the prophecy of Isiah quoted by Matthew be said of us – that we are dull of hearing.. that we listen and listen again but do not understand? How can we prepare our ears and our hearts to be rich in soil so that we can produce a worthy harvest? Much is expected of those to whom the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven have been revealed. Reflections taken from Music and Liturgy Spring 2008
Devotions
During The nine days leading up to the 27th June the parish will be promoting a Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Succour/Help as part of its preparation for the celebration of the Feast of the patron of the Diocese of Hallam. Novena of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour/Help Thursday 19th June until Friday 27th June 2008