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
11 December 2022
http://www.st-teresas-church.co.uk
Email: st.teresas.cleveleys@gmail.com
Lancaster Roman Catholic Diocesan Trustees Registered Charity Number 23433
Sunday : 3rd Sunday of Advent
Contents: Gospel
Notices
Gospel: Matthew 11:2-1
John in his prison had heard what Christ was doing and he sent his disciples to ask him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or have we got to wait for someone else?’ Jesus answered, ‘Go back and tell John what you hear and see; the blind see again, and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised to life and the Good News is proclaimed to the poor; and happy is the man who does not lose faith in me.’
As the messengers were leaving, Jesus began to talk to the people about John: ‘What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the breeze? No? Then what did you go out to see? A man wearing fine clothes? Oh no, those wear fine clothes are to be found in palaces. Then what did you go out for? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet: he is the one of whom scripture says: Look, I am going to send my messenger before you; he will prepare your way before you. I tell you solemnly, of all the children born of women, a greater than John the Baptist has never been seen; yet the least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater than he is.’
Gospel Reflection : “Now Is The Winter Of Our Discontent”?
By now winter has stripped many trees of their leaves. How bare they look!
Yet it is only when a tree has lost its leaves that we can appreciate its true shape; and only then that we can see through its branches to the blue sky beyond, when we get it.
It is the same with ourselves. When we can manage to leave behind all that is unimportant, then our true worth is revealed.
Christ comes to our world to help us live without the inessentials, even to help us cope with the wounds underneath, for he comes to heal them.
If we can let God’s light into our world, then somehow we will be able to look through to the world beyond, because we will already be sharing eternal love.
We Remember In Our Prayers Gerry Diamond whose Funeral was last week, Mavis McQillen (the widow of our late organist, Peter), whose Funeral Service is at St. Teresa’s this Wednesday, 14th December at 11.30 am, and Kathleen McTaggart, whose Funeral is at St. Teresa’s, on Wednesday, 21st December, at 1.45 pm. We remember them and their families, and all those whose anniversaries are at this time. May they be in God’s peace.
This Weekend, 10th/11th December, the SVP have their special collection ‘for those in need’ at each Mass in St. Teresa’s
St. Georges Avenue Food Pantry @ St.Teresa’s Are you, or someone you know, struggling to meet the cost of living? Members of our Community are committed to helping anyone who finds themselves at this point of need. We, at St. Teresa’s, have created a small ‘Food Pantry’ in the church kitchen, which is capable of providing basic foods, for individuals, couples or families. Please do contact us in advance on this dedicated mobile number 07841 610655 to talk about how best we might be able to help you, OR visit us at the back of church between 10.30 am and 12 noon Monday. Tuesday, Thursday or Friday, or Wednesday, 2.30 pm – 4 pm. A volunteer will be able to put together a bag(bags) of food to help see you through the week. Alternatively, we would be happy to deliver a free food parcel to peoples’ doorstep on a weekly basis. The types of food we give out depend partly on what our church members donate. We have plenty of pasta and pasta sauces, cereals, rice, biscuits, tinned goods, i.e. soup, veg, fruit, long-life milk, and a small selection of toiletries, and even pet food.
‘Warm Space’ In St. Teresa’s Hall on Wednesdays 2. pm – 4 pm. All are very welcome to call in, and spend some time with others in a safe, warm environment, where you can enjoy a hot drink and a snack.
Christmas Mass Times
St. Teresa’s : Saturday, 24th December, 6.30 pm
Sunday, 25th December, 9.00 am and 10.30 am
St. John Southworth : Sunday, 25th December, 10.00 am
(There is no 5 pm Mass that Sunday)
St. Teresa’s School Christmas Events :
Key-stage 2 Carol Concert in church: Monday 12th December, at 2 pm, and Tuesday 13th December, at 10.30 am and 6 pm.
Key-stage 1 Christmas Nativity in the school hall : Thursday, 15th December at 6 pm, and Friday, 16th December at 9.15 am
Next Sunday, 18th December at 2pm The Dream Team Singers and Health Singers are kindly giving us a Christmas Concert at St. Teresa’s Church, with carols and traditional songs. All are very welcome.
100 Club Winners for December, Plus Two Christmas Specials
Martin Brady, £15, John Tirrell, £10, Sue Ward, £5.
Stuart Murray £100, Catherine Redfern £100
The Church Shop, in the outer porch of St. Teresa’s Church, is open before and after each weekend Mass. Christmas cards are available, as well as many other cards and gifts, including 2023 diaries, and the latest 2023 Lancaster Diocese Directory, with all the latest information about our Parishes, and every aspect of our whole Diocese, including the support it gives us.
Carols by Candlelight, next Thursday, 15th December, 7 pm at Sacred Heart Church, Blackpool. The singing will be led by ‘The Sing With The Spirit Choir’, whose choir members come from our own Deanery area, including our own parish. There will be congregational singing of well-loved carols. All are most welcome.
Stamps : With the increased amount of mail at this time of year, please remember we collect used stamps for the Missions. There is a box for them in the church porch.
Daily Reflections for this week
Monday So God became man. He took on the weakness and ordinariness of man, and He hid Himself, becoming an anonymous and unimportant man in a very unimportant place. The presence of God in His world as its Creator depends on no one but Him. His presence in the world as Man depends, in some measure, on men. Not that we can do anything to change the mystery of the Incarnation in itself: but we are able to decide whether we ourselves, and that portion of the world which is ours, shall become aware of His presence, consecrated by it, and transfigured in its light. The accidents of a poor and transient existence have an ineffable value. They can be the transparent media in which we apprehend the presence of God in the world. (Thomas Merton)
Scripture (Matthew 11:1-6)
When Jesus had finished Instructing his twelve disciples he moved on from there to preach and teach in their towns. Now John had heard in prison what Christ was doing and he sent his disciples to ask him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or are we to expect someone else?’ Jesus answered, ‘Go back and tell John what you hear and see; the blind see again, and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life and the good news id proclaimed to the poor. And blessed is anyone who does not find me a cause of falling.’
Tuesday Father, all-powerful and ever-living God, we do well always and everywhere to give you thanks through Jesus Christ our Lord. You fill our hearts with joy as we recognise in Christ the revelation of your love. No eye can see his glory as our God, yet now he is seen as one like us. Christ is your son before all ages, yet now he is born in time. He has come to lift up all things to himself, to restore unity to creation, and to lead mankind from exile to your heavenly kingdom. With all the angels of heaven we sing our joyful hymn of praise: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might. Heaven and earth are full of your glory. (Preface of Christmas II)
Scripture (Psalm 145:10-14,17-19)
All your creatures shall thank you, Lord, and your faithful shall bless you. They shall speak of the glory of your kingship and tell of your might. Your kingship is a kingship for ever, your reign lasts from age to age. The Lord is trustworthy in all his words, and upright in all his deeds. He supports all who stumble, lifts up those who are bowed down. Upright in all that he does, the Lord acts only in faithful love. He is close to all who call on him from the heart. He fulfils the desires of all who fear him, he hears their cry and save them.
Wednesday Ours is a God who always forgives, who does not fret about our sins, who just cannot prevent the suffering in our society, but weeps powerlessly with us. God never changes his mind about us. He is simply always in love with us. What God does again and again is to change our minds about him. God’s love is always at the heart of our weakness, our powerlessness, our constant vulnerability. Most Catholics do not believe in an unconditionally loving God. The caricature of an angry Father has burned a deadly suspicion into our minds. Small wonder that most Catholics still regard God with a hidden fear. For generations, the clouds of threat about hell and limbo and divine anger and retribution have savagely closed the pathways into God’s loving, reaching heart. (Daniel O’Leary)
Scripture (Luke 1:68-79)
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel! He has visited his people and redeemed them. He has raised up for us a mighty Saviour in the house of David, his servant, as he promised by the lips of holy men, those who were his prophets from old. As for you, little child, you shall be called a prophet of God, the Most High. You shall go ahead of the Lord to prepare his ways for him, to make known to his people their salvation through forgiveness of all their sins, the loving kindness of the heart of our God who visits us like the dawn from on high. He will give light to those in darkness, those who dwell in the shadow of death, and guide us into the way of peace.
Thursday And when we have fallen, through frailty or blindness, then our Lord touches us, stirs and calls us. And then he wills that we should see our wretchedness and humbly acknowledge it. But it is not his will that we should stay like this, nor is it his will that we should despise ourselves. But he wills that we should quickly turn to him, for we are his joy and his delight, and he is our salvation and our life. It is his will that we rejoice more in the fullness of his love than sorrow over our frequent failures. (Julian of Norwich)
Scripture (Jeremiah 29:11-14)
I know what plans I have in mind for you, God declares, plans for peace, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. When you call to me and come and pray to me, I shall listen to you. When you search for me, you shall find me; when you search wholeheartedly for me, I shall let you find me, the Lord declares. I shall bring you back to the place from which I exiled you.
Friday Outside of those redeeming relationships that speak truth to us, that challenge us, we do not know who we are. How many people are living in that kind of enslavement! They don’t know who they are or what they want. When individualists come with their problems, one has no power to help. You pray with them, assure them that God loves them, that God forgives them, then they go right back to a sick world-system to which most people are addicted. Often the only way we can free these people is by inserting them in a new set of relationships that finally tell them the truth. That truth-telling of God’s grace is what the Church is all about. It is the eternal mystery of Church and Christ at work. (Fr. Richard Rohr)
Scripture (John 5:33-36, 44)
Jesus said to the Jews, ‘You sent messengers to John, and he gave his testimony to the truth – not that I depend on human testimony; no, it is for your salvation that I mention it. John was a lamp lit and shining and for a time you were content to enjoy the light that he gave. But my testimony is greater than John’s: the deeds my Father has given me to perform, these same deeds of mine testify that the Father has sent me. How can you believe, since you look to each other for glory and are not concerned with the glory that comes from God?
Martin Bennett