Fr Frank writes:
My dear friends,
Last week we were thinking about the Commandments and The Law of Love. You will remember Jesus’s words: “I come not to abolish the Law and the Prophets, but to fulfil them”.
The injunction to Love is not new. In today’s first reading (from Leviticus) we hear: “You must love your neighbour as yourself”. This sort of love leads to the good ordering of society – of our Church, our parish.
Our Gospel, however, takes it further: “Love your enemies….pray for those who persecute you”. This is not easy, but in loving even our enemies we become more Christ-like, for we are called to “be perfect just as your heavenly father is perfect.” How wonderful it is to have a heavenly Father who forgives us even when we act as his enemy. If we feel that our thoughts, or our words, or our behaviour have betrayed God, what a comfort it is to know that by truly repenting and by faithfully attending the Sacrament of Reconciliation and confessing our sins we can be Reconciled to God – the God of Love.
Wednesday this week is Ash Wednesday, the day which marks the beginning of the solemn season of Lent. Please make every effort to be present at Mass, either in the parish or close by your place of work, on this important day.
Throughout Lent there will be special services: ecumenical Lent services, healing Masses and Reconciliation Services. Please keep an eye on the Newsletter and endeavour to be present at as much as possible in preparation for Easter, the Queen of Feasts.
May God Our Loving Father bless you today and always.
Frank ofs
Sunday Smile:
A priest called at the home of a young female parishioner. He rang the bell a number of times, but receiving no response, even though it seemed obvious someone was home, he dropped his visiting card through the door on which he simply wrote: “Revelation 3:20”.
The following Sunday his card was returned via the Offertory. The parishioner had added: “Genesis 3:10”
Reaching for his bible to check the quote he broke into gales of laughter!