Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Dear friends in Christ
Jesus came upon earth to relieve our burdens by taking them upon Himself. Come to me all you who labour and are overburdened and I will give you rest. Close to Jesus any difficulty will be easier. Problems will not disappear, but close to Him, and united in His Heart, we experience a way of being that makes the crosses of life somehow lighter and even joyful. Jesus still bears upon Himself the weight of our sorrows. The Gospels give us constant examples of His concern for all men, women and children. He raises the dead, cures the blind, the lepers, the dumb, and frees those possessed by the Evil One. At times He does not even wait for people to be brought to Him, but offers to go and heal them. Even at the moment of His death He shows concern for the people around Him. We can imitate Our Lord in small ways by avoiding whatever gives pain to others; by not causing them unnecessary anxiety, and not adding to the burdens of others with our own self-preoccupation. As disciples of Jesus, our task is always to look-out for ways that we can alleviate the burdens of others, create a lightness of touch in our approach to difficulties and always seek to raise up, rather than bring down.
We have all seen the scenes, and been shock by, the devastation caused by the earthquakes in Venezuela: thousands dead and many more thousands still missing, and all those who have lost their homes and possessions. As we pray for them, we can also offer our practical charity; one of the best and simplest ways to donate is through the website of Aid to the Church in Need God, and our brothers and sister, are never outdone in charity.
Please pray for the Reverend Andrei Ilies who is ordained priest this Saturday morning in Brentwood Cathedral. Further down in the Newsletter you will find the recent Appointments of Clergy which take effect from the first weekend in September. May God bless all our Priests and Religious as they endeavour to be Christ to others, relieve their burdens and bring souls to Heaven!
God bless you!
Msgr Kevin Hale