Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear friends in Christ

Our Lord tells us in the Gospel that we are the salt of the earth and light of the world. He says this to each and every one of us who wants to follow Him. Salt gives flavour and makes food more pleasant, and light shows the way out of darkness. When we look around us, it is not difficult to see the results of mankind not living as the salt and light of Christ. But when we do live as salt and light in the midst of the world, we can transform the world from the inside. As G K Chesterton said: The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried. Saint John Paul II reminds us of this in a Homily given in 1983: In some way you lend Him your face, your heart, your whole person, when you are convinced, dedicated to the good of others, faithful servants of the Gospel. Then it will be Jesus who attracts people. But if you were to be weak and evil-minded, you would obscure His true identity and would give no honour to Him at all.

It is not too soon to start thinking about Lent which begins in just ten days time; the time of radical penance and renewal. Start to plan how we will live these forty days of Lent so as to be more profoundly the salt and light our world needs right now.

Wednesday is the Solemnity of Our Lady of Lourdes—Patroness of our Parish and Diocese. We celebrate Mass with our Primary School in the morning, asking that Our Blessed Mother continues to watch over us, draw us closer to Jesus and show us how to live as ever more dedicated members of His Church.

May our Lady of Lourdes and Saint Bernadette pray for us!

Msgr Kevin Hale