St Teresa & St John Southworth Churches, Cleveleys
Fr Chris Cousens—Phone: 853340
Rev Bernard Ward (Deacon) (Tel: 858346)
Enquiries for St John Southworth: Phone: 853340
18 August 2024
http://www.st-teresas-church.co.uk
Email: st.teresas.cleveleys@gmail.com
Lancaster Roman Catholic Diocesan Trustees Registered Charity Number 23433
Sunday : 20th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Contents: Gospel
Notices
Reflection
Gospel: John 6:51-58
Jesus said to the crowd:
‘I am the living bread which has come down from heaven.
Anyone who eats this bread will live forever;
And the bread that I shall give
Is my flesh, for the life of the world.’
Then the Jews started arguing with one another: ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’ they said. Jesus replied:
‘I tell you solemnly,
If you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man
And drink his blood,
You will not have life in you.
Anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood
Has eternal life,
And I shall raise him up on the last day.
For my flesh is real food
And my blood is real drink.
He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood
Lives in me
And I live in him.
As I, who am sent by the living Father,
Myself draw life from the Father,
So whoever eats me will draw his life from me.
This is the bread cine down from heaven;
Not like the bread our ancestors ate:
They are dead,
But anyone who eats this bread will live forever.’
Gospel Reflection : I Give My Flesh For The Life Of The World
The promise of Jesus is the promise of someone who wants to give everything.Like the parent wanting to give everything – life, love, money, education, to the point where it hurts. Jesus wants to give himself, and the best way to do it now is to give his body. It’s his way of saying : I want to give everything.
We know what he means when we love someone, and our giving means it hurts ourselves.
Where we suffer for another, we give our lives. Where we suffer with another, we give our lives. Where we share the joy of another, we give our lives.
What Jesus gives us, the bread and the wine of his body and blood, is energy for growth, food for the journey, nourishment for the community, and we are, one and all, raised up, now and in the future.
For this bread of strength, for this Eucharist of love, we give thanks today.
We Remember In Our Prayers Betty Wilson whose Funeral Mass is at St.Teresa’s on Wednesday, 4th September, at 2 pm.
We Welcome Into The Family of The Church Sophia Lily Bland whose Baptism takes place this Sunday, 18th August, at St. Teresa’s.
There Is A Meeting of St. Teresa’s Parish Council This Monday, 19th August at 7 pm. This will take place at the back of church, not the church Sacristy. The essential repair work to the rooves and ceilings of the sacristy rooms is still ongoing this week, but is thankfully nearing completion
We Are Very Grateful To The Organisers of The St. Teresa’s Parish Social We Had On Saturday 20th July. They have generously donated £300 to the Parish from the proceeds taken that night. This is going towards the cost of the sacristy repairs which is the largest amount we have had to spend in over ten years. So well done organisers! Your kindness has come at a very needy time.
There is a Craftroom Clearout Tabletop Sale In St Teresa’s Parish Hall On Saturday 14th September 11 am – 2 pm To The Public – Sellers Only at 10 am. Why not sell those stashed supplies that you no longer use. A 6 ft table is £15. Please email nanstabletopevents@hotmail.com to book.
Diocesan Centenary Our Diocese of Lancaster, comprising the whole area in the north west of England, from Preston to Carlisle, was first founded in October 1924. To help us prepare for Centenary Celebrations in October this year, a Centenary Prayer Card has been produced, which you will find in the church porch, It has a capital ‘C’ on the front against a red and green background. Please feel free to take one.
The Food Pantry, situated at the back of church at St. Teresa’s, is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 10.30 am – 12 noon, and on Wednesdays, 2.30 pm – 4 pm. We are so grateful for all the volunteers who work in the Pantry, and all those who donate contributions.
Confirmation : This year, for both our parishes, Bishop Paul is coming to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation at St. Teresa’s church, on Monday, 18th November, at 7 pm.
Young people, Year 8 or above at school. or any older people who may have missed out in the past, are invited to take part in the preparation programme, and receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. Please give the names of any young person (or older) to Fr. Chris (Tel. 01253 853340)
The dates of the Preparation Programme are as follows :
Thursday 10th October
Thursday 17th October
Thursday 31st October
Thursday 7th November
All 6 30 pm – 7.45 pm
Saturday, 9th November, 10 am – 2 pm
Sunday, 17th November Practice after the 10 am Mass
Monday 18th November Confirmation Mass at 7 pm
Daily Reflections for this week
Monday We have ourselves to recognise the life of God in all situations and peoples and to identify it for a sceptical generation looking for signs elsewhere. We are numbed by the extravagance of the claims put by the New Testament writers and we read them as metaphor or tone them down in safe theological formulae. But the essence of the message of Jesus is an unlimited generosity, a complete self-giving of the infinite God. By his very nature, he is impelled to give all of himself, and the power, the urgency of the love-impulse radiating from the Father make it impossible for Jesus to retain any area of special privilege, of non-communication. (John Main, OSB)
Scripture (Matthew 15:21-28)
Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. Then out came a Canaanite woman and started shouting, ‘Son of David, take pity on me. My daughter is tormented by a devil.’ But he said not a word in answer to her. And his disciples went and pleaded with him, saying ‘Give her what she wants, because she keeps shouting after us.’ Jesus said in reply, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel.’ But the woman had come up and was bowing before him. ‘Lord,’ she said, ‘help me.’ He replied, ‘It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to little dogs.’ She retorted, ‘Ah, yes, Lord. But even the little dogs eat the scraps that fall from hteir master’s table.’ Jesus answered, ‘Woman you have great faith. Let your desire be granted.’ And from that moment her daughter was well again.
Tuesday Voluntary displacement as a way of life rather than as a unique event is a mark of discipleship. The Lord, whose compassion we want to manifest in time and place, is indeed the displaced Lord. The mystery of the incarnation is that God did not remain in the place that was proper for him but moved to the condition of a suffering human being. God gave up his heavenly place and took a humble place among mortal men and women. God displaced himself so that nothing human would be alien to him and he could experience fully the brokenness of our human condition. (Henri Nouwen)
Scripture (Ephesians 3:8-12, 20-21)
I have been entrusted with the special grace of proclaiming to the gentiles the unfathomable treasure of Christ and of throwing light on the inner workings of the mystery kept hidden through all the ages in God, the Creator of everything. The purpose of this was, through the Church, the principalities and ruling forces should learn how many-sided God’s wisdom is, according to the plan which he had formed from all eternity in Christ Jesus our Lord. Glory be to him whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine.
Wednesday We believe that Infinite Love (and note well the word infinite – let it sink ever deeper) has seen us from all eternity, has loved us and wanted us; has given us being and life and maintains us therein; is directing our every step, overshadowing us at all times and in all places with the loving care of a father and mother. We believe that our weaknesses and spiritual miseries, our obstacles and difficulties, cannot prevent this union but, on the contrary, that God uses them as a means to bring about the realisation of his love’s designs. (A Carthusian)
Scripture (Philippians 2:6-11)
Make your own the mind of Chris Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not count equality with God something to be grasped. But he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, becoming as human beings are; and being in every way like a human being, he was humbler yet, even to accepting death, death on a cross. And for this, God raised him high and gave him a name which is above all names; so that all beings, on earth and in the underworld, should bend the knee at the name of Jesus and that every tongue should acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Thursday God, everywhere present, pours out his undivided love on each of his creatures, and calls each into an ever-deepening communion with him. He rides upon the floods. It is because of our own limitations that we seem only to receive him in trickles. In the story of the Pharisee and the tax collector, the tax collector knew he was an imperfect, needy man without any claims or rights. That opened a channel, started a communion with the rich God and the poor soul. But the Pharisee’s accurate statement of his own excellent situation started no communion. He was dressed in his own spiritual self-esteem; and it acted like a mackintosh. The dew of grace could not get through. (Evelyn Underhill)
Scripture (Isaiah 56:1.6-7)
Thus says the Lord: have a care for justice, act with integrity, for soon my salvation will come and my integrity be manifest. Foreigners who adhere to the Lord and serve him, to love his name and to become his servants, all who observe the Sabbath, not profaning it, and cling to my covenant: these I shall lead to my holy mountain and make them joyful in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar, for my house will be called a house of prayer for all peoples.
Friday The Disciple says to Christ: The prophets can preach the word, but they cannot bestow the Spirit. They speak most eloquently, but if You are silent, they cannot fire the heart. They instruct in the letter, but You open the understanding. They set forth the mysteries, but You reveal the meaning of all secrets. They teach your commandments, but You help us to observe them. They point the way. But You grant us strength to follow it. You instruct and enlighten the heart. They water the seed; You make it fruitful. They proclaim the words, but You impart understanding to the mind. (Thomas a Kempis)
Scripture (Colossians 1:15-20)
He is the image of the unseen God, the first-born of all creation, for in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, everything visible and everything invisible, thrones, ruling forces, sovereignties, powers – all things were created through him and for him. He exists before all things and in him all things hold together, and he is the Head of the Body, the Church. He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, so that he should be supreme in every way, because God wanted all fullness to be found in him, everything in heaven and everything on earth, by making peace through his death on the cross.
Martin Bennett