Dear Friends in Christ
This is the time of year when normally we would be celebrating First Holy Communion Masses with our children and their families. This will happen as soon as it is practically possible to do so. In the meantime, we are all trying to nurture a deeper love of the Mass and Holy Communion as best we can. I reflected on this last weekend as it was the anniversary of my own First Communion. I can recall that day well, since I still have my First Holy Communion certificate (rather faded) and my First Communion medal. In fact, the medal had been worn by my mother and grandmother at their own First Communions and so it has become something of a family heirloom. I used to keep it in a frame on the mantlepiece but recently someone offered to have it mounted on a chalice pall (the covering that goes upon the chalice during Mass) and it has been done very beautifully. I have taken the liberty of making it the image for the Newsletter/website for this week. I wish this little detail to help encourage you not to lose heart in these days. When I celebrate Mass, seeing this memento of my First Communion upon the Chalice is a reminder of what is most important for us. We are all having highs and lows, inevitably. We are missing seeing our loved-ones, friends and what gives joy and meaning to life. But there are other ways of getting joy and meaning at this time, and hopefully we are using the time to reflect on what defines us as persons. The great seventeenth century French philosopher Blaise Pascal said: All of the problems of mankind stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone. Most of our lives have been spent, up until now, in diverting ourselves from what is really important in life. This pandemic is inviting us, indeed compelling us, to sit quietly and reflect prayerfully, on what is most important in life.
This Thursday is Ascension Day; the end of the time that Jesus spent with the Apostles after His Resurrection, and the moment He departs from them into Heaven. He has gone physically from this earth, but He remains with us still in the Blessed Sacrament, under the appearance of Bread and Wine by which He comforts and consoles us as we look to where He has ascended ahead of us. I encourage you to persevere with following Mass by means of the livestream; making a Spiritual Communion (see the formula on the website) and join in praying the Holy Rosary each evening at 6pm (please send-in your prayer requests). In our spiritual lives we cannot stand still or tread water; to do so would be to regress and lose hope. A greater effort and resourcefulness is required of us all in this time. Let us continue to help and support each other to keep fully alive and thriving!
May Our Lady in this month of May, help us to keep our eyes fixed on Heaven where Jesus has gone before us, and where we hope to live one day!
Msgr Kevin Hale