Parish newsletter, 26 November 2020

Saturday First Sunday of Advent PMB page 82: Mass for Peter Early RIP

Sunday Church open 8.30 – 12 noon

Mass in Private. Jose Vazquez IP

Monday no mass

Tuesday for the parish in private

Wednesday

9am: Olga Lawton Mass

10.30am: Olga Lawton Service in Croydon Crematorium

Thursday 10am: Noreen Henri da Costa REQUIEM MASS

Friday 10am: Clare Nunes RIP

Saturday In honour of the Mother of God (for Parish)

5.45 -6.15 Sacrament of Mercy

Sunday Second Sunday of Advent

Mass for Noreen Henri da Costa

A new Liturgical Year begins today. In the course of this year the Church retells the story of our salvation, a story that is centred on Christ. We are journeying towards the Kingdom of God in the footsteps of Jesus. Advent is about new beginnings, a season of hope the value of which cannot be exaggerated. While there is hope there is life and no situation is impossible. Our job is to keep hope alive in the world. Advent summons us to wait in joyful hope for our saviour. He is our hope. We are to grow in the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ. We await with unwavering hope his return in glory. May the Lord keep us steadfast and without blame until the last day.

First Reading (Isa 63:16-17; 64:3–8)

God alone can get God’s people out of the mess, the misfortunes that have befallen them. God, the author writes, come and save his people. The matter is now urgent. Ingratitude and sinfulness have taken over.

Second reading (1 Cor 1:3-9)

All about the final coming of Christ. But in the meantime we are to recall that we have many amazing gifts. Paul thanks preachers for preaching. Thanks Paul for being so thoughtful!

Gospel (Mark 13:33-37)

Stay awake at our appointed tasks because we don’t quite know when it’s going to happen. We must live in such a way as to be always ready to meet the Lord. Ideally, we should not fear the coming of the Lord if we are true believers. He comes as a redeemer not judge. Pray for the grace ….

Noreen Henry da Costa and Olga Lawton of our parish died recently. We assure their families of our prayerful support during this sad time

Special Prayer composed by Mother Teresa as a rule of life for her and for us.

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centred. Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere, people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway

What you spend years creating, others could destroy over night. Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.

The good you do today will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.

In the final analysis it is between you and God.

It was never between you and them anyway.

Time for Prayer. There’s been a huge increase of people looking on the Internet for “How to pray”. Covid 19?

“Thanksgiving” A good way to start the day and our prayers. If we can see. Thank God. Do we see those in need? If we can hear, do we hear the cry of the suffering? If we have any brains whatsoever do we think about what is important?

“Take the Time” Even if you feel it’s not much. Do it anyway, Especially when you are stressed and you just know that you can’t cope. That’s the time to get going.

“Speak with Honesty” Look into those dark corners. God is there waiting for you to engage with him. He knows you but wants you to get to know yourself and the vacuum in your life. Come Holy Spirit prayer is always answered – and quickly

Listen attentively Give God a chance. Use your imagination and realise that he is sitting next to you in church or at your bedside or on the train – even washing up- simply as a friend and companion, brother and Almighty God

Sit in Silence Silence suggests encounter. Perhaps no need now for words. Just BE with God. St John Vianney, the Cure d’Ars, was good on this.

Mass Soon Public Masses will resume in early December and then each day as usual. At the weekend Mass at 10am Saturday, 6.30pm and then on Sunday at 8.30am and 10am and 11.30am. It has been a cruel learning experience for all of us – our loneliness, our need for other people, our essential fragility and our need to ask the right questions, to think, to pray, to examine our often broken lives.

Praying? Let us pray to enlarge our capacity to receive the gifts that God wants to give us St Augustine

Parish Mass Books Year B Volume One now available. Small donation suggested

God bless you and keep safe and holy.

Fr Martin