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
26 March 2023
http://www.st-teresas-church.co.uk
Email: st.teresas.cleveleys@gmail.com
Lancaster Roman Catholic Diocesan Trustees Registered Charity Number 23433
Sunday : Fifth Sunday of Lent
Contents: Gospel
Notices
Gospel Reflection
Gospel: John 11:1-45
“The sisters sent this message to Jesus, ‘Lord, the man you love is ill.’ On receiving the message, Jesus said, ‘This sickness will end not in death but in God’s glory, and through it the Son of God will be glorified.’ Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, yet when he heard that Lazarus was ill he stayed where he was for two more days before saying to the disciples, ‘Let us go to Judaea.’
On arriving Jesus found that Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days already. When Martha heard that Jesus had come she went to meet him. Mary remained sitting in the house. Martha said to Jesus, ‘If you had been here, my brother would not have died, but I know that, even now whatever you ask of God, he will grant you.’ ‘Your brother’ said Jesus to her ‘will rise again.’ Martha said, ‘I know he will rise again at the resurrection on the last day.’ Jesus said: ‘I am the resurrection and the life. If anyone believes in me, even though he dies he will live, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?’
‘Yes Lord,’ she said ‘I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who was to come into the world.’
Jesus said in great distress, with a sigh that came straight from the heart, ‘Where have you put him?’ They said ‘Lord, come and see.’ Jesus wept; and the Jews said, ‘See how much he loved him!’ But there were some who remarked, ‘He opened the eyes of the blind man, could he not have prevented this man’s death?’ Still sighing, Jesus reached the tomb: it was a cave with a stone to close the opening. Jesus said, ‘Take the stone away.’ Martha said to him ‘Lord by now he will smell; this is the fourth day.’ Jesus replied ‘Have I not told you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?’ So they took away the stone. Then Jesus lifted up his eyes and said:
‘Father, I thank you for hearing my prayer.
I knew indeed that you always hear me.
But I speak
For the sake of all these who stand round me,
So that they may believe it was you who sent me.’
When he had said this, he cried in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, here! Come out!’ The dead man came out, his feet and hands bound with bands of stuff and a cloth round his face. Jesus said to them, ‘Unbind him, let him go free.’ Many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary and had seen what he did believed in him.
Gospel Reflection : The raising of Lazarus is a strange story. It’s not about the afterlife but about coming back to the present life and living it fully.The early Christians knew Jesus as the God of the living. We also get to see Jesus, as a man, grieving for his friend, and as the Son of God, raising him from the dead. We can think of Lazarus coming back with new light in his eyes. Had he seen a bit of what is to come? Jesus comes to bring life, and to the full.
As human beings we can sometimes kill ourselves on the inside. Grief, understandably, can overcome us. We can live with anger for years. We need the shared love that comes from being heard, being listened to. And we need the faith that comes from our love of God, and our own prayer life, leading us to Faith, Perseverance and Courage.
The call from Jesus is to live to the full, with love and prayer, and for us to unbind each other from what cripples our spirits. We live our life to the full in our care for those in need, in whatever way. We encourage the young person scared of exams and unemployment, and wondering will they ever find real love. We support each other when fear and worry and anxiety get us down.
In the time of bereavement Martha shared her grief with Jesus. Death will always call on our faith and trust, as it did for the friends of Jesus. We can do that with those things which keep us down in life. Martha looked to Jesus and prayed to him for hope and new life. Prayer like that is also the door to a freer life.
We Remember In Our Prayers Yvonne Rawcliffe whose Funeral Mass is on Monday, 27th March, 12.30 pm at St.Teresa’s, and Patricia (Pat) McAloon whose Funeral is at St. John Southworth on Monday, 3rd April at 1 pm, We remember them and their families and friends, and all those whose anniversaries are at this time. May they be in God’s peace.
Planned Giving/Gift Aid Envelopes: Boxes of envelopes for the coming new tax year are available this weekend at the back of church at each of our Masses – from Steve Laird at St. Teresa’s and Jane Collier at St. John Southworth. If you are a taxpayer this is a very important source of income for our parishes, and we are most grateful to those who contribute in the weekly offertory in this way. Please will anyone who is not already using ‘Gift Aid’ also see Steve or Jane, in order to complete the simple paperwork. If your circumstances have changed, and you are no longer paying tax, please also see them. We need to take you off the Gift Aid scheme, otherwise we are obviously contravening the rules.
The 100 Club at St.Teresa’s This is also the time of year for renewing subscriptions to, or joining, the 100 Club, for £10 a year, where money prizes are given each month, and more at Christmas. This is a way of supporting parish funds, where every little bit helps, especially at the moment. 100 club Envelopes are at the back of church for this, and Kathryn Brimelow is there to help you. We are so grateful to Kathryn, who has organised the 100 Club for many years.
Stations of The Cross This Sunday, and every Sunday in Lent, we have the Stations of the Cross Service, with Benediction, at 3 pm at St. Teresa’s. This is a short Service (about thirty-five minutes) which is very suitable for our Lenten reflection.
The Church Shop, in the porch at St. Teresa’s, is open before and after each weekend Mass, and currently has cards and gifts for Easter and First Holy Communion. The last few remaining Diocesan Directories are also on sale, priced at £5. “We look forward to seeing you”.
‘Warm Space’ In St.Teresa’s Hall on Wednesdays, 2pm – 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.
Our ‘Warm Space’ has become a popular meeting place for both parishioners and other local residents. Please note : We will not be open on the Wednesdays before and after Easter, that is 29th March and 5th April. We hope to see your friendly faces again – and maybe a few new ones – when we reopen on Wednesday 12th April, 2pm – 4pm in the Parish Hall.
The Food Pantry, situated in the kitchen across from the entrance as you come into St. Teresa’s Church, is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Friday, between 10 30 am and 12 noon, and on Wednesdays, 2.30 pm – 4 pm. This free facility may be of help to many of us in these hard times.
On behalf of the volunteers and many recipients of the Food Pantry, we wish to say a huge ‘Thank You’ for your kindness and generosity. shown through your donations of food and money to buy food. Please Note During the Easter Holiday period we will only be closed on Good Friday (7th April) and Easter Monday (10th April).
St. Teresa’s SVP, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, have their regular collection at each Mass next weekend, 1st / 2nd April
Daily Reflections for this week
Monday (Thomas Merton)
If we could let go of our own obsession with what we think is the meaning of it all, we might be able to hear his call and follow him in his mysterious cosmic dance. The more we analyse the phenomena of life into strange finalities the more we involve ourselves in sadness, absurdity and despair. But we are in the midst of this cosmic dance, and it is in the midst of us. We are invited to forget ourselves on purpose, cast our awful solemnity to the wind and join in the general dance.
Scripture (John 11:35-45)
Jesus wept. The Jews said, ‘See how much he loved him!’ But there were some who remarked, ‘He opened the eyes of the blind man. Could he not have prevented this man’s death?’ Sighing again, Jesus reached the tomb and said, ‘Take the stone away.’ Martha said to him, ‘Lord, by now he will smell; this is the fourth day since he died.’ Jesus replied, ‘Have I not told you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?’ So they took the stone away. Then Jesus lifted up his eyes and said: ‘Father, I thank you for hearing my prayer. I knew that you hear me always, but I speak for the sake of all these who are standing around me, so that they may believe it was you who sent me.’ When he had said this, he cried in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ The dead man came out. Many of the Jews who had seen what he did believed in him.
Tuesday (Martin Luther King)
Every time I look at the cross I am reminded of the greatness of God and the redemptive power of Jesus Christ. Somehow I can never turn my eyes from that cross without also realising that it symbolizes a strange mixture of greatness and smallness, of good and evil. As I behold that uplifted cross I am reminded not only of the unlimited power of God, but also of the sordid weakness of man. I think not only of radiance of the divine, but also of the tang of the human. I am reminded not only of Christ at his best, but of man at his worst. We must see the cross as the magnificent symbol of love conquering hate and of light overcoming darkness.
Scripture (Psalm 118: 1,5-6,13-17)
Give thanks to Yahweh for he is good, for his faithful love endures for ever. In my distress I called to Yahweh, he heard me and brought me relief. With Yahweh on my side I fear nothing. I was pushed hard, to make me fall, but Yahweh came to my help. Yahweh is my strength and my song, he has been my Saviour. Shouts of joy and salvation in the tents of the upright, ‘Yahweh’s right hand is triumphant, Yahweh’s right hand is victorious, Yahweh’s right hand is triumphant!’ I shall not die, I shall live to recount the great deeds of Yahweh.
Wednesday (A New Catechism)
The disciples who accompany him along the road are still full of hopes of seeing the prophecies being fulfilled in an earthly way. At the climax of his task, at the very moment he brings God’s kingdom to God’s city, the sin of mankind strikes him down. The struggle which he has waged with the weapons of preaching, healing and exorcism becomes a duel to the death. How does Jesus fight this duel? By responding resolutely to his call, his Father’s will, in obedience and love. He knows that out of his death, the Father can bring the kingdom of God in power, like the wheat from the grain that falls to the earth and dies.
Scripture (Colossians 1: 9,11-13,18)
That is why we have never failed to remember you in our prayers and ask that through perfect wisdom and spiritual understanding you should reach the fullest knowledge of his will and so be able to lead a life worthy of the Lord, fortified, in accordance with his glorious strength, with all power always to persevere and endure, giving thanks to the Father who has made you able to inherit the light. He has rescued us from the darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of the Son that he loves. He is the beginning, the first- born from the dead, so that he should be supreme in every way.
Thursday (Cardinal Newman)
Jesus hung for three hours. Then all was finished, and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. The holiest is dead and departed. The most tender, the most affectionate, the holiest of the sons of men is gone. Jesus is dead, and with his death my sin shall die. Sin shall no more have dominion over me. Into God’s hands I put myself, not by halves, but unreservedly.
Scripture (Romans 4:17-21)
Abraham is our Father in the eyes of God, in whom he put his faith, and who brings the dead to life and calls into existence what does not yet exist. Though there seemed no hope, he hoped and believed that he was to become the father of many nations in fulfilment of the promise. Even the thought that his body was as good as dead and that Sarah’s womb was dead too did not shake his faith. Counting on the promise of God, he did not doubt or disbelieve, but drew strength from faith and gave glory to God, fully convinced that whatever God promised, he has the power to perform.
Friday (Edith Stein)
Only children of grace can in fact be bearers of Christ’s cross. To suffer and to be happy although suffering, to have one’s feet on the earth and yet to be enthroned with Christ at the Father’s right hand, to laugh and cry with the children of this world and ceaselessly sing the praises of God –this is the life of the Christian until the morning of eternity breaks forth.
Scripture (2 Cor. 4:7-11)
We hold this treasure in pots of earthenware, so that the immensity of power is God’s and not our own. We are subjected to every kind of hardship, but never distressed; we see no way out, but we never despair; knocked down, but still have some life in us. Always we carry with us in our body the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus, too, may be visible in our body. Indeed, while we are still alive, we are continually being handed over to death, for the sake of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus, too, may be visible in our mortal flesh.
Martin Bennett