FEBRUARY IS THE MONTH OF THE HOLY FAMILY
The Fifth Week of Ordinary Time
Dear parishioners,
‘You are the salt of the earth. You are light of the world’
Thanks to all who contributed to a beautiful celebration of Candlemas last Thursday. This coming Sunday, 5th of ordinary time, is also known as ‘Septuagesima’ Sunday, meaning there are seventy days before Easter. In some Churches, green turns to purple at this time too, as we approach Lent. Traditionally Alleluias and Glorias stopped from now until Easter with some people even beginning a pre-lent fasting at this time too.
In this Sunday’s readings, there is though still a glimmer of Candlemas in the reference to ‘light’ in the gospel. It refers to the light which come from God that is in the souls of all baptised followers of Jesus Christ. For we are told not to hide our lamps under a tub, but place it on a lamp stand for all to see. We are called to be the light of Jesus in this world. The way we do this is by being true to Him and the Teaching and Tradition of the Church, through how we pray and practice our religion in our public worship in the Church and good works in the world. When catholics accommodate and embrace the beliefs and morals of this world, our light gets dimmer and dimmer, no longer offering anything different to the world around us. A catholic family comes to mass on Sunday. That makes us really different and that’s wonderful! Everyone else may have a lie-in, play on the computer, wash the car, go on a trip but we Catholics are different… for on a Sunday we go to the altar of God, who gives us his joy and gladness for the week ahead.
When non-believers find out about our beliefs, it may cause them puzzlement and wonder, but that may be the first act of spreading the Gospel to others*. If we hide our light and say and do just like everyone else in in the world, we will interest no-one. If the catholic mass looks the same as an evangelical service, or a meditation workshop or a rock concert – but not done as well, people may well ask, why bother? Truly, as salt of the earth, our salt will have lost its saltiness. To be a light to the world, the church must be light in the darkness, and light, it goes without saying, is different from dark. That’s what our faith makes us: different, as Jesus said ‘If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you’. (John 15: 19)
(see Fr Denis McBride ‘Seasons of the Word’ p188-189)
God bless
Fr Jonathon
PARISH NOTICES
FOOD BANK.
Thanks to all who offered to help with collecting our donations and taking them to the Food Bank on Monday morning. Tony McLaughlin will be covering for Paul for a few weeks and will collect the donations after the Sunday 11.00 a.m. mass.
UPCOMING EVENTS
PARISH YOUTH NOTICES
DEATHS
MASSES AND INTENTIONS FOR THE FIFTH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME
FEBRUARY PRAYER FOR CATHOLIC FAMILIES