One of the greatest myths of modern life is the notion that happiness is attainable and that more money, a bigger house, a new car and the latest designer fashion can satisfy the mysterious restlessness in our hearts. We long for a trouble free existence where everything runs smoothly and where there is comfort without effort, roses without thorns and happiness without tears. Pain and discomfort of any kind is something to be avoided at all costs. According to the received wisdom of our age, happiness is to be found in the avoidance of suffering and in the relentless pursuit of pleasure. There is a pill for every ill, and suffering is generally regarded as an affront to our pride because of the difficulty in penetrating its mystery and bringing it under our control. All this is a long way from the world of the gospel and a far cry from the culture in which our parents grew up. While it may appear that previous generations were all too willing to accept suffering as the will of God, at least they were aware that you cannot take the cross out of Christianity, any more than you can take the pain out of living. In the real world no one can be guaranteed an easy life and the teachings of Jesus offer no promise of this. Suffering is an unavoidable part of human existence and at some time or other most people have to deal with sadness, disappointment, a sense of failure and pain. Human suffering is never meaningless and can be both the measure of a person and the test of love and courage. Sometimes the trials that come our way can become a blessing if they help us see ourselves more clearly. We cannot avoid the path of pain, but how we walk it makes all the difference.
As we journey on our pilgrim way, Jesus asks us as a community of believers the pointed question, 'Who do you say that I am?' Our response will reveal much as to the kind of people we are and what we want from life. To acknowledge Jesus as the Son of the living God means that we see life differently and have a deep-seated conviction about Christ, which calls us to live in a particular way. This will be evident in the way we treat each other because when we offer shelter to the homeless or reach out to someone in need we encounter Jesus. It is a day to give thanks for being members of the church built upon the rock of Simon Peter. We can learn so much from Peter about our own relationship with Christ in the way we share his faults and failings and blow hot and cold in our loyalty. What we need to acquire is Peter's trust in the Master.
Following the recent consultation - Growing Together in Christ - a Pastoral Plan for Portsmouth Diocese has been drawn up. This was presented by Bishop Crispian to Parish Representatives at a meeting in Reading. The Bishop will issue a Pastoral letter in September and booklets with details of the plan will be available at the same time.
The Vision: The watchwords are 'communion' and 'mission'. "Our vision - and hope - is of ourselves as the gathered community of the disciples of the Lord, united in baptism and bonded together by Christ in the Eucharist. Our mission is to live out this communion in the power of the Spirit that we proclaim the Gospel by our words and become the Good News by our way of life."
The Pastoral Plan: Many projects will be discussed later but at the heart of them all is the centrality of the Sunday Eucharist. The Diocese wants to ensure that Sunday Mass continues to be celebrated as widely as possible by as many people as possible. For this reason, the current arrangements of parishes will be developed into larger 'Pastoral Areas' so that priests and people can celebrate Sunday Mass in a way that truly forms the community for mission and gives glory to God. The establishment of these Areas will enable the multiplicity of God-given talents and gifts in our diocesan community, together with the ministries that sustain them, to be harnessed. This is a particularly urgent priority that will entail a radical reassessment of our parish culture and of the ways in which we can be more effective as a missionary community.
Jesus told stories that gave his followers an insight into life. He compares the kingdom of God to a priceless pearl found after a long search by a merchant who is so enthused by his discovery that he is willing to sell all his earthly belongings in order to purchase it. Those who risk their whole fortune know the value of their investment and searching for the kingdom of God is no different. Drastic risks have to be taken and personal resources expended as its prize is worth more than all other possessions and interests put together. The point of the story is that no sacrifice is too great, no price too high to pay for the timeless treasure and precious pearl of the kingdom of heaven.
This is a practical invitation to put aside all the distractions that can take the place of God in our hearts. It may be power, possessions, prestige or the comforts of an easy life. While they are important, if we overvalue them we devalue God. Nothing in the world should take priority over our pursuit of God's kingdom. There is a pearl for everyone, and the price to be paid to acquire it is the ability to detach ourselves and walk away from what we cherish most without any regrets. What counts when we die is not the possessions we have acquired in life but the type of people we have become in the process of living. The pearl of great price is to be found in doing God's will which brings meaning, direction, happiness and peace into our own lives and in discovering this we find our true selves.
Next Thursday sees the opening of the Diocesan Assembly on Growing Together in Christ. The preparation for this assembly has been the most comprehensive of any event in the history of the diocese. More people, more discussion and more responses than any event in the history of the diocese. We hope that there has also been more prayer because unless the Lord is with us during this event then it will fail. We need that prayer to continue especially this week during the assembly. There will be five parishioners representing our parish in Reading this week - please keep them all in your prayers.
What will be the outcome of the assembly? Clearly at this stage we don't know. Our hope is that the opportunity given to the diocese at this vital time will be grasped and that the diocese will move forward with a new sense of purpose. What we do know is that life in the diocese will be changed and there will be no going back. Every parish will be affected sooner or later.
Prayer: 'Father pour out your Spirit upon our diocese
and grant us a new vision of your glory,
a new experience of your power,
a new faithfulness to your Word
and a new consecration to your service
so that your love may grow among us
and your kingdom come through Christ our Lord. Amen'
Since the parish Sisters left the parish we have been trying to replace them by appointing a Parish Catechist. Nicky Stephens of the diocese has been advising us on the way forward. We have advertised twice. The first trawl brought three applications, none of whom we interviewed because we felt that they did not have the experience we hoped for in someone coming to lead catechists in our parish. The second trawl again brought three applications two of whom we interviewed on Friday 1st July. We did not appoint because they lacked what we felt were the necessary qualities.
So where do we go from here? We are fortunate that in the various areas of parish life we have many catechists who have a lot of experience and expertise. However, I feel that they need an overall leader who would have the time and the resources to give leadership to develop the spiritual life of the parish. I think that this role is too big for a volunteer. I have always felt that each catechist should only be involved in one programme, so that they can concentrate on that programme and being involved in the life of the parish does not become a burden. It also gives an opportunity for many different people to be involved in parish life.
I would like to hear from any parishioner, particular catechists, their views on how they see the way ahead. One idea I have is that if there is anyone who would like to attend courses in catechetics to develop their skills, the parish would be willing to help with funding. (The courses held at Heythrop College are particularly recommended).
The annual Day for Life was called for by Pope John Paul II. He wanted to encourage a greater awareness within the Church of the crucial importance of the Church's teaching on the gift of life. Our theme this year celebrates that gift in the lives of older people, and the witness the Church gives by working to enable older people to age with grace. In the way he approached his own death earlier this year, Pope John Paul II taught us all a wonderful lesson about the dignity of old age, and the way in which death can be faced with courage and dignity, even in the face of great suffering.
'Thanks to the contribution of science and medicine, one sees in society today a lengthening of the human life span and a subsequent increase in the number of elderly. This demands a more specific attention to the world of so-called "old" age, in order to help its members to live their full potential by placing them at the service of the entire community. It is necessary to raise the awareness in public opinion that older people represent a resource to be valued.'
(Pope John Paul II)
'May He support us all the day long, till the shades lengthen and the evening comes, and the busy world is hushed, and the fever of life is over and our work is done. Then in His Mercy may He give us a safe lodging and a holy rest and peace at the last.'
(Cardinal Newman)
At the February consultation sessions, participants reflected on the pastoral needs of an imaginary deanery. Thoughtful, honest and courageous responses were submitted. Those who took part showed a great openness to change, a great willingness to engage with the world around them and a very prayerful approach to the whole process. The Bishop and the Working Group are very grateful to those who took part.
Here is a summary of a couple of the major themes from the feedback:
Availability of Sunday Eucharist: This was a major issue. "The Mass is the centre of Catholicism. Without it, we are nothing." A number of proposals were made, often very specific to a deanery. Some envisage just one Mass centre for a deanery/group of parishes; others, just one Sunday Mass in each parish church/Mass centre and others suggest much wider use of Services of Word and Communion to replace some Sunday Masses.
Formation and training for lay people: Especially those with particular ministries such as catechists and Special Ministers of Communion. Be prepared to fund this. Offer leadership training and encourage lay people to take on all administrative, non-spiritual roles in a parish/deanery in order to take this burden off the shoulders of their priests. "Use all their skills and enable people to share their skills around parishes and deaneries. Requirements to recognise strengths/gifts of all the People of God and utilise them to address the needs of the community."
Feedback of all the major issues can be seen on the noticeboards. If you would like a copy, please contact the Parish office.
As never before, winners evoke admiration and allegiance. World record-breakers command enormous sponsorship fees. Olympic champions have become household names. It seems that everyone loves a winner and wants to be identified with success. Such adulation is enjoyable and harmless enough but in the serious business of daily living, the one who died on the cross demands that his followers stand by him on Calvary as well as Cana, in Gethsemane as in Galilee, on Good Friday as well as on Palm Sunday. There is never enough room on a bandwagon and so he has no shortage of fair weather friends. But today’s gospel is very clear. Jesus expects friends to be courageous as well as compassionate, committed as well as concerned when called upon to promote and defend the values of truth and justice for which he lived and died. He asks us for a deepening loyalty in response to his own unswerving fidelity to us. Martyrdom may be the result but his care will overcome all our trials
Today's gospel is a dangerous one. The danger lies in the probability of its being heard merely as the call of the twelve apostles, with its challenges directed to them and to their successors, the clerics in the Church today. The call is more profound and widespread and is directed to each one of us.
Jesus was and is moved by the plight of the harassed, the poor, the deprived, the leaderless in society, the sheep without a shepherd. Their needs are many. The task is enormous. The opportunity for harvest is great but so few are willing to spend themselves at it.
So today's gospel is about recruiting workers who will care for God's people, who will build his kingdom of justice and love. Each one can make even a little contribution to the ethos of service rather than to the atmosphere of selfishness each day. It may be only a drop in the ocean but without raindrops there would be no ocean. True enough, to achieve a fairer world would need new economic structures, but in the meantime, each one can lighten another's load and strengthen another's faith.
The choices of God are significantly different from our own. The world says, “I cannot use him because he is broken”. Whereas Jesus says, “I cannot use him unless he is broken”. It is only an acknowledgement of our brokenness and misery that places us in a position where Christ can show us the full extent of his saving grace in us. Such an acknowledgement is a prerequisite lest one becomes self-righteous and it is only then that one’s misery becomes engulfed in the boundless mercy of Christ. He often chooses the most unlikely candidates imaginable because Jesus looks beyond what we are to what we can become if enveloped by his redeeming power. Indeed, God does not call the qualified but qualifies the called.
We must realise that this calling is not merely extended to those whom we might wrongly deem less worthy, but to all of us. Many of us might feel there is some kind of sin that keeps Jesus away from us. The truth is that there is no sin that is stronger than his love. Jesus sees things in each of us that we do not see in ourselves. He believes in us because he has given us his spirit. For this reason there is no place for any of us to hide from him, he will always search us out.
Our Sunday liturgy now returns to the Ordinary Sundays of the year. This year, cycle A, we follow St Matthew's gospel for the main part.
On Wednesday, June 1st we will have our first meeting of a new Journey in Faith group that will meet in the Presbytery every Wednesday from 8pm to 9.30pm. These meetings are for those who intend to join the Catholic Church or for Catholics who wish to renew and update their faith. There is no obligation on anyone who attends to make any commitment unless they really wish to. For those who do intend to join the Church, clearly there is the expectation that they would attend the meetings on a regular basis and gradually get to know the people of the community they intend to join.
We will also need some helpers and catechists to help run the group and form a basis of welcome to those who are new to the life of the parish. I would be interested to hear from anyone who would wish to be involved in any way in the group.
A key element in understanding who one is, is to appreciate and accept where one has to come from. Roots are important. To be secure in one's origins is a cornerstone for growing into maturity. To be unwilling to fully accept one's beginnings is a recipe for life-long frustrations as one searches endlessly for inadequate substitutes.
People identify us by a surname springing from our roots and may often categorise us by our social origins. The people of Jesus' time did it to him. He was the son of Joseph, the carpenter from Nazareth and a child of Mary, whose relations were all around the place. Jesus was comfortable and grateful for these roots. Without rejecting them, he gradually grew in a wisdom that enabled him to realise that he was much more, that he was the Son of one who he called Father.
The wonder of this relationship possessed him more and more throughout his life and he strove to share it with the disciples and in turn, with us. This living love relationship between the Father and himself, he called the Spirit whom he promised to send to live in our hearts. Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the awesome core of faith, that we celebrate on Trinity Sunday.
Our roots are human but they are more. We come from God and are rooted in God. This is the reason for the hope that is in us, a hope that we must never let any person or circumstance steal from us. To lose such roots would be to be impoverished forever.
Glory be to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
The first Pentecost Sunday marks the birth of the church. Before Pentecost the disciples were gathered in fear. They were unable to go out in public. They lacked motivation and energy. They had no idea of where they were going and they were probably very close to falling apart as a group.
With the coming of the spirit, everything suddenly changed. They opened the doors; they now had mission that they wanted to share with the world. They were now full of energy and nothing was too much trouble for them.
Today we can look back at that early church and we can compare ourselves with them. If we are honest, we do not come out very well in that comparison. Where is our energy and motivation? There are more of us in this parish than there was in the community of the first Pentecost. We have far greater means of communication than they had, yet what impact do we make in our town?
Today's celebration is a call to us all to wake up to who we are and what we are capable of doing if only we allow the Holy Spirit to work through us. We too could have energy and we could be such a source for good if only we allowed it all to happen through us and among us.
Sunday gospels vary a great deal. Some report on miracles and other noteworthy events in the life of Jesus. Others give aspects of his teaching. But today's gospel is different. It is very special. It is a prayer - the prayer of Jesus before his death, a prayer for his followers, a prayer for you and me.
We need to stop in our busy lives to absorb the extraordinary fact that the Son of God prayed to his Father for each of us, and continues to do so. It is a gospel to be heard in the heart rather than in the head.
He prays that he may give eternal life to everyone who has been entrusted to him. This is his gift to us, to share in the life of God, now and forever. His prayer is that our hearts may be open to receive such a gift and that receiving it we may glorify the one who brought it to us.
To know God is the pinnacle of human life. No other acquisition, achievement or gift can match it. Indeed, all human effort finds its enrichment in so far as it leads to God. Today's gospel is an invitation and an opportunity to absorb something of this wisdom.
Catholic Social Teaching is rooted in Scripture and draws from the wisdom of Christian thinkers and Church documents. At its heart is the Common Good. We have a responsibility to each other and a duty to promote and work for a society and a world in which all thrive.
The diversity of our society today can enrich us, but it takes the efforts of all to foster one that is cohesive and characterised by a commitment to equality and respect for the human rights of every person. Political parties, especially at the time of elections, must set an example and avoid appealing to prejudice. Catholics should never support parties with racist policies.
Our belief as Catholics is that faith and reason always go together. We believe that the truths of the Gospel have implications for how we are to live in society for the good of all, and that we have reasons and arguments to support what we say. Our faith has a public dimension; it cannot remain private if we are to live it as fully as Christ calls us to do. Catholic Social Teaching provides a way of thinking about the public side of our faith. It helps us all to reflect on the political world in the context of our relationship with God.
In our teaching document Cherishing Life, published in 2004, we stated, 'Voting in a general election should seldom, if ever, be based on a single issue, because elections are concerned with a whole range of issues, very many of which are concerned with life and human flourishing.' We have highlighted some particularly important issues - but not the only ones - that we should consider as we decide how to vote. In each case we have suggested a question you may with to bear in mind.
For previous "Thoughts" click here
Contact Details
Parish Priest: Fr. Tom McGrath, Tel: 01628 783988
Parish Office: 01628 783988 Fax: 01628 776863 (Monday to Friday 9.am to 12 noon)
Parish Centre: 01628 636312 (Monday to Friday 9.30am to 12.30pm)
Web author : webmaster@stjosephsparish.co.uk
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