Dear friends in Christ

On each of the Sundays throughout this Easter season, we are offered one of the post-Resurrection appearances of Jesus. One of the most touching, is that of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. It was this meeting, and the subsequent supper, in which they recognise Jesus in that most central of symbols: the breaking of bread.

After the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead the Apostles commemorated Sunday as The Lord's Day. This is the day on which He won victory over sin and death through His Resurrection. For this reason the first Christians had their meetings on Sunday. And that has been the constant and universal tradition up to the present day. This command of making Sunday holy is one of our essential duties towards God our Saviour and Redeemer. We render worship to God on this day dedicated to Him especially through our participation in the Sacrifice of the Mass. There is no other celebration which comes close to fulfilling the meaning of Sunday as The Lord’s Day. The Mass makes Jesus present in His Church: it is the Sacrifice of infinite value offered to God the Father in the Holy Spirit. All of our human, cultural and social values have to take second place to this. As Pope Pius XII once put it: We must try through example and apostolate to make Sunday into The Lord's Day, a day of adoration and glorification of God, of the Holy Sacrifice, of prayer, of rest, of recollection, of cheerful meetings in the family.

Whilst the Sunday Obligation has been suspended throughout this time of pandemic, soon we shall be able to return to normal routines and gatherings. There will then be a recommencement of the Sunday Obligation and our hope and prayer is that we can all once more return united as God’s Family—and as Parish Family—around the Altar of God.

God bless you all in your work and prayer in this coming week!

Msgr Kevin Hale