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 23 July 2023 http://www.st-teresas-church.co.uk Email: st.teresas.cleveleys@gmail.com Lancaster Roman Catholic Diocesan Trustees Registered Charity Number 23433
Sunday : 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Contents: Gospel Notices Reflections for the coming week
Gospel: Matthew: 13:24-43
Jesus put a parable before the crowds, ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. While everyone was asleep his enemy came, sowed darnel all among the wheat, and made off. When the new wheat sprouted and ripened, the darnel appeared as well. The owner’s servants went to him and said, “Sir, was it not good seed that you sowed in your field? If so, where the darnel come from?” “Some enemy has done this” he answered. And the servants said, “Do you want us to go and weed it out?” But he said, “No, because when you weed out the darnel you might pull up the wheat with it. Let them both grow till the harvest; and at harvest time I shall say to the reapers: First collect the darnel and tie it in bundles to be burnt, then gather the wheat into my barn.”’
Gospel Reflection: “The World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly
In 1921 Pope Francis established this annual memorial day to fall on the nearest Sunday to the Feast of Sts. Joachim and Anne, who are counted as the parents of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Their Feast is next week. Pope Francis said “We must treasure the spiritual and human wealth that has been handed down from generation to generation.” By coincidence the Gospel this weekend is very apt for this. We celebrate the people who were the sowers of the seed of our faith. Their love and faith like the mustard seed can provide shelter and comfort for generations of their families. Many of us have run for a hug from our grandma or grandad when at times the whole world, even our parents, seemed set against us. The Gospel emphasis is that our love should be boundless. We must love each other even when we stray. The farmer would not weed out the bad for fear of hurting the good. We can read Jesus’ story both as advice about the need to accept the bad things that happen, to have patience and let God’s plan play out, and also as advice that the Christian heart must be constantly forgiving and supportive. Acceptance, born of the experience of love and forgiveness, is a constant trait seen in our grandparents and older people. So this week take some time to think of them, and thank them, even if they are in heaven already.
CAFOD Appeal :
A very big ‘Thank You’ to all those who last weekend signed the appeal organised by CAFOD to support some of the poorest farming communities in the world. Those farmers are in the situation of being forced by large, profiteering corporations and bankers to buy seeds for sowing which they can’t afford and which, unlike their own seeds, do not provide the food they need. The food they do need has come from the farmers’ own seeds for generations. It is amazing how far bullying tactics will go in our world, especially for financial gain!
We Remember In Our Prayers
Patsy Campbell, whose Funeral Service is at St.Teresa’s on Monday, 24th July at 10.45 am. and Mary Cliff, whose Funeral is at St Bernadette’s, Bispham, on Wednesday, 26th July at 11.30 am. We remember them and their families, and all those whose anniversaries are at this time. May they be in God’s peace.
Lourdes This week we also keep in our prayers all those who are on the Lancaster Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes, in France, from 21st – 28th July. Bishop Paul, who is leading the Pilgrimage, has told us that he will be praying for us all at the Grotto. This Weekend,
at all Masses, there is the annual Special Collection for the Good Shepherd Fund.
100 Club Winners for June :
Peter Bradley, £15, Judith Smith, £10, Des Stevenson, £5
There Is Going To Be A Table-Top Sale In St. Teresa’s Church Hall
on Saturday, 26th August, 10.30 am – 1. 30 pm. There will be a variety of stalls and refreshments. Limited table-hire is still available for only £10. (6ftx4ft). For more information please contact Sue on 07889 532158. All proceeds will go to support our Food Pantry.
The Food Pantry at St. Teresa’s Church
is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 10.30 am – 12 noon, and on Wednesday, 2.30 pm – 4 pm.
The ‘Warm Space’
takes place in St. Teresa’s Church Hall on Wednesday afternoons, 2 pm – 4 pm. All welcome.
Please Note
Warm Space’, or ‘Hub In The Hall’ as we now call it, especially in this warmer weather, will be closed during the month of August, and will reopen on Wednesday, 6th September.
Sow Good Seed, As, In General, ‘We Reap What We Sow’
We can’t expect to reap good if we have sown evil. We must sow peace if we do not want to reap conflict. We must sow loyalty if we do not want to reap betrayal. We must sow honesty if we do not want to reap deceit. Even though we have no absolute guarantee that what we sow will always fall on good ground, or that someone else may not come along and sow contrary seed, nevertheless, if we are careful to sow good seeds, we can, within reason, trust our expectations. Nature has shown us that if what is planted bears fruit at all, it will yield more of itself. So let us sow good seeds.
Daily Reflections for this week Monday (The Talmud)
An aged man, whom Abraham hospitably invited into his tent, refused to join him in prayer to the one spiritual God. Learning that he was a fire-worshipper, Abraham drove him from his door. That night God appeared to Abraham in a vision and said “I have borne with that ignorant man for seventy years; could you not have patiently suffered him one night?
Scripture (Wisdom 12:13,16-19)
There is no God, other than you, who cares for everything, to whom you might have to prove that you never judged unjustly. Your justice has its source in strength, and your sovereignty over all makes you lenient to all. You show your strength when your sovereign power is questioned and you confound any insolence in those who do not know it; but, disposing of such strength, you are mild in judgement, you govern us with great lenience. By acting thus you have taught a lesson to your people, how the virtuous must be kindly to others, and you have given your children the good hope that after sin you will grant repentance.
Tuesday (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)
Above all we should avoid getting absorbed in the present moment, and foster that peace of mind that springs from noble thoughts, measuring all things by them. Alas, there are so few who are capable of it, and that is what makes it so hard to put up with our fellow human-beings. It is weakness rather than wickedness that degrades a person, and it needs profound sympathy to put up with that. But all the time God still reigns in heaven.
Scripture (Romans 2:1-4)
So no matter who you are, if you pass judgement you have no excuse. It is yourself that you condemn when you judge others, since you behave in the same way as those you are condemning. When you judge those who behave like this while you are doing the same yourself – do you think you will escape God’s condemnation? Or are you not disregarding his abundant goodness, tolerance and patience, failing to realise that this generosity of God is meant to bring you to repentance?
Wednesday (St. Teresa of Avila)
Before prayer, endeavour to realise whose presence you are approaching and to whom you are about to speak, keeping in mind whom you are addressing. If our lives were a thousand times as long as they are we should never fully understand how we ought to behave towards God, before whom the angels tremble, who can do all he wills, and with whom to wish is to accomplish. Ought we not to rejoice in these perfections and to learn to know him and what our lives should be? Why should I be prevented from knowing who this man is, who is his Father, what are the riches he promises to endow me with?
Scripture (Psalm 86:5-10,15-16,18)
Lord, you are kind and forgiving, rich in faithful love for all who call upon you. Among the gods there is none to compare with you, no great deeds to compare with yours. All nations will come and adore you, Lord, and give glory to your name. For you are great and do marvellous deeds, you, God, and none other. You, Lord, God of tenderness and mercy, slow to anger, rich in faithful love and loyalty, turn to me and pity me. My enemies will see to their shame that you, Lord, help and console me.
Thursday (John Main, OSB)
Reality stretches far beyond the frontiers of our limited experience and in time we come humbly to realise that a greater whole actually contains our experience. Dogmatism, fundamentalism, rigidity, the closed mind or heart, are signs of an attempt to avoid the challenge to be continually sensitive to the unfolding of our destiny and to co-operate with it. Whatever befalls us, the divine perspective is a redeeming reality because all possible human experience, every kind of reality, has been shot through with Christ’s redeeming love.
Scripture (John 3:11-12,14-17)
Jesus said, ‘In truth I tell you, we only speak about what we know and witness only to what we have seen and yet you people reject our evidence. If you do not believe me when I speak about earthly things, how will you believe me when I speak about heavenly things? The Son of man must be lifted up so that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him. For this is how God loved the world: he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish, but may have eternal life. For God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but so that through him the world may be saved.
Friday (Thomas a Kempis)
Christ speaks to the disciple: St. Paul did whatever lay within his power to bring instruction and salvation to others, but even he could not escape being misjudged and despised by others. Accordingly he trusted himself wholly to God, who knows all things, and used the shield of patience and humility against the unjust accusations, empty lies and vain boasts of his detractors. Why should you fear mortals? Today they are here; tomorrow they are gone for ever. Keep God always before you, and do not engage in bitter controversies. Even if for the present you seem to suffer defeat and undeserved disgrace, raise your eyes to me in heaven, for I have power to deliver you from all shame and wrong.
Scripture (Isaiah 55:7-9)
Let the wicked man abandon his way, and the evil one his thoughts. Let him turn back to Yahweh who will take pity on him, to our God, for he is rich in forgiveness. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways, declares the Lord. For the heavens are as high above the earth as my ways are above your ways, my thoughts above your thoughts.
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