Dear friends in Christ
We are returning this Sunday to Ordinary Time in the liturgical calendar and we continue the reading of Saint Matthew’s Gospel. Jesus tells us this Sunday Do not be afraid… fear was undoubtedly experienced by Matthew when Jesus called him. Whenever we think of life, especially the future, we may often be filled with many apprehensions. We have been living through days and weeks of uncertainty since the end of March, and many of us have been confused in our minds about what has is happening. All the way through the Scriptures there is the the constant admonition: Do not be afraid. Fear is something very dominant in our world these days: the fear of where society is going, fear for our health, fear for our jobs and the well-being of our families; what will the world, my life, look like in six months time? Fear is a very debilitating emotion; it can paralyse us. If we are children of God, then we know by faith that we can live securely under His protection. Whatever happens, God knows about it and has allowed it for some reason — best known to Himself — so that we may benefit from it. We cannot believe that what has occurred in the world and in our lives these past months has not got a supernatural meaning. If the world cannot see it, then we at least must. God is calling us, as he called Saint Matthew, to be totally dependant upon Him, to follow Him, trust Him and know that we are in His safe and loving hands.
Now that the Parish has been able to see the completed work on the Reredos, I hope you will remember to pray for the repose of soul of the benefactor who made this possible, together with those Parishioners who made donations, which has more than paid for the work. The general appreciation for the restoration has been lovely to hear. We have a beautiful church, and everything in it is done for the glory of God and not merely for show. I am grateful to the many Parishioners who encouraged this work. I am so pleased that it has surpassed expectations, restoring it to it’s original glory!
It has been a tremendous joy to have been able to have the church open again this week, albeit for only a couple of hours each day. We are extremely grateful to all those who have volunteered to act as stewards and cleaners. We shall be in need of this help for the weeks to come and if you can help, please go to the relevant area on the Parish website and hit the volunteer button. Once we are allowed to start coming back to Mass and the Sacraments, we will need this help even more. Obviously the numbers allowed to gather at any one time will need to be regulated and with your help, we can manage this effectively.
God bless you all in this coming week!
Msgr Kevin Hale