Dear Friends in Christ

The message of this Sunday of Lent is: the thought of Heaven is what keeps us steadfast in the midst of life on earth. It was the moment of the Transfiguration of Jesus, that let the Apostles see his glory as God, which kept them steadfast in the face of the Passion which was to come. Without this help they would have quite probably lost faith. St Bede comments on this passage of the Gospel saying: Our Lord in a loving concession allowed Peter, James and John to enjoy for a very short time the contemplation of the happiness that lasts forever, so as to enable them to bear adversity with greater fortitude. There is no doubt that the memory of those moments beside Our Lord on the mountain helped the three Apostles through many difficult moments in their lives. Often God gives us such moments of comfort, which we can cherish, but most of the time Faith is lived-out without these sensible helps. The Christian life is very ordinary, which is why it is our task to make something extraordinary out of the prose of daily living. Heaven awaits us; and we must invest everything in that conviction.

Please pray for our young adults who will begin their preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation at Pentecost this Sunday evening. Also our younger children who are preparing for their First Holy Communion by their First Confession over these two weekends. Please also remember to pray daily our Parish Mission Prayer not only for a fruitful Mission in October but also for those souls who have wandered from the practise of their Faith; by our prayers and apostolic efforts they may receive the grace to come Home. May God bless you in your continued Lenten endeavours of prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

Msgr Kevin Hale

Priest@LourdesLeigh.org ✚ 01702 478078
Homily available at LourdesLeigh.org