Dear Friends in christ

We have just concluded the church year, and prepared for Advent with, our Forty Hours Prayer; a time of adoration, praise and petition of Almighty God present in his Son Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar. I thank all those who helped prepare the church and liturgy for those Forty Hours and to our young people who stewarded the all-night vigil through Friday night. Continuing-on from this now, there will be an all-night vigil each First Friday night, organised by our young adults, and with the specific intention of praying for vocations to the priesthood and religious life in our Diocese; I hope many others of you will be able to join with them in the months ahead.

Having kept vigil in prayer with Christ we are ready for the start of Advent when the exhortation to us is: stay awake and stand ready! The countdown has begun for The Nativity of Our Lord, but first we must consider in this initial part of Advent the vigilance required of us as Christians living, as we do, as strangers in a foreign land. As exiles from our homeland, we have to give hope to the people of our time. As we approach the festive season, let’s ensure that we live this vigilance so as not to be drawn excessively into the materialism of the world around us, but transform it, and be transformed ourselves, by the brighter light that is our Saviour.

Next Sunday (10th) the Second Sunday of Advent, in place of the usual Vespers, there will be an Organ Recital given by James Devor - Organist Brentwood Cathedral - with Advent reflections, concluding with the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament; 5.30pm. This is an excellent way of entering musically and spiritually into this season of preparation for the Nativity.

God bless you as we begin a new season and year in the life of the Church!

Msgr Kevin Hale

✚ 01702 478078
Homily available at LourdesLeigh.org