Dear friends in Christ
One of the central figures of Advent is the Prophet Isaiah. He proclaims that God is both the judge and the saviour. This means that God has a plan to make all things right in the end, and that a necessary part of that process is declaring what is not yet right. The judgment of God declares what is broken; the promise of God is to heal. The message of the book of Isaiah to the world is that there is indeed a Saviour, the Messiah, who has humbly, painfully, and gloriously won salvation for sinners and for all who would trust in Him.This hope would be embodied through God's servant, Emmanuel, who will one day establish a new Israel and God's Kingdom on Earth. Isaiah's prophecies are fulfilled in Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. As we make haste through Advent to the celebration of the Birth of Jesus, may his message resonate together with that of Saint John the Baptist, as they call us to help establish the Kingdom of Christ here and now.
I am so grateful to all those who contributed to the Christmas Bazaar last Sunday. A great deal of effort goes into the arranging of this by a small group of helpers who year-by-year organise this event. I thank also those who have contributed to the Bazaar with gifts, the buying of Draw tickets, or by supporting it on the day. The Bazaar realised almost £2,000 and I am proposing that we support two important Charities this year: Aid to the Church in Need (which is carrying-out tremendous work in Ukraine and the Middle-East) and Mary’s Meals (which aims to ensure every child receives one daily meal in their place of education, and that those who have more than they need share with those who lack basic necessities). If you would like to make further donations to these Charities, you can find more information in their websites: https://acnuk.org/ and https://www.marysmeals.org.uk/our-story. I commend both of these charitable works to your generosity as we approach Christmas.
May God bless us as we make this gentle but determined movement through the Advent season!
Msgr Kevin Hale