Dear friends in Christ

Jesus Christ came into the world to show us the way to Heaven, which is also the way of the Cross; but He not only teaches us how to carry our burdens, but He carries them with us. Living life close to Christ ensures that we are not alone and will never feel abandoned no matter what the difficulties we experience. Furthermore, Jesus tells us that we must carry one another's burdens. This is the meaning of true Christian fraternity. If there are times in our lives when we are wrestling with a particularly difficult burden, we should never fail to call to mind the words of Jesus in the Gospel this Sunday: Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened and I will give you rest. Only Jesus can renew our strength and raise us up when we are downtrodden; only He can quench our thirst. Some words of Pope Saint Paul VI: We can be sure that Jesus constantly invites us to come to Him, sees our difficulties and has compassion on us. Still more does He offer us His promises, His friendship, the hope of goodness, of a healing remedy for our ills, of comfort, and still more does He offer nourishment, bread, the very source of energy and life.

Let us pray each day for the grace of tenacity in the face of our burdens and crosses, so that we may gain the supernatural courage we need in times of difficulty. We ask Mary, our Most Holy Mother, to stay close to us always, so that we may experience her maternal care also.

We are most grateful to all those who made the Flower Festival this weekend such a gloriously colourful and uplifting occasion, so appropriately centred around the Gospel narratives.

God bless you all!

Msgr Kevin Hale