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 13 August 2023 http://www.st-teresas-church.co.uk Email: st.teresas.cleveleys@gmail.com Lancaster Roman Catholic Diocesan Trustees Registered Charity Number 23433
Sunday : The 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time Contents:
Gospel Notices Reflections for the coming week
Matthew: 14:22-33
Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side while he would send the crowds away. After sending the crowds away he went up into the hills by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, while the boat, by now far out on the lake, was battling with the heavy sea, for there was a head wind. In the fourth watch of the night he went towards them, walking on the lake, and when the disciples saw him, walking on the lake they were terrified. “It is a ghost” they said, and cried out in fear. But at once Jesus called out to them, saying “Courage, do not be afraid.” It was Peter who answered, “Lord”, he said “if it is you, tell me to come to you across the water.” “Come” said Jesus. Then Peter got out of the boat and started walking towards Jesus across the water, but as soon as he felt the force of the wind, he took fright and began to sink. “Lord! Save me!” he cried. Jesus put out his hand at once and helped him. “Man of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” And as they got into the boat the wind dropped. The men in the boat bowed down before him and said, “Truly, you are the Son of God.”
Gospel Reflection: Take My Hand – And I’ll Be There When you fear you’ll not keep friends, and will be left alone –
Do not be afraid When you fear love may be lost, and commitment run dry –
Do not be afraid When you fear for the future, and wonder if you or others will make it safely through –
Do not be afraid When faults and failings take over, and you worry ‘can anyone really love you as you are’ –
Do not be afraid In all the moments of life, when it seems like you are asked to walk on water, God speaks in the storm, and the gentle breeze –
“Courage, It Is I – Do not be afraid”
We Remember In Our Prayers Joe Harvey whose Funeral was last week. We remember him and his family, and all those whose anniversaries are at this time. May they be in God’s peace .
This Sunday, At Each Mass At St. Teresa’s, The S.V.P.
have their special collection “for those in need.” You can place your kind offering in the named basket at the back of church. Thank you.
This Week, on Tuesday 15th August, We Celebrate the Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady.
This is a Holyday of Obligation. On Tuesday there will be one Mass at each of our two churches : St. Teresa’s at 9.30 am St John Southworth at 6.30 pm
100 Club Winners for July :
Paula Pangburn £15, Carol Gregson £10, Linda Irwin £5
The ‘Hub in the Hall’ Meeting,
which normally takes place in the Church Hall on Wednesday afternoons, will be closed during the month of August, and will reopen on Wednesday, 6th September.
The Food Pantry and Table-Top Sale : Bernard and Sue write
“The Food Pantry, situated at the back of St. Teresa’s Church, will continue to remain open for those who require help during these difficult times.We are extremely grateful to all our supporters for your generous donations – we couldn’t function without you.
“We are having a Table-Top Sale, to help fund the Food Pantry, in the Church Hall on Saturday, August 26th, 10.30 am to 1.30 pm. Please take a flyer from the back of church if you are interested in helping, or wish to have a table of your own. Donations of books, DVD’s, and ‘Good as New’ items will be gratefully received. We also hope to have a Stall dedicated to selling children’s toys etc, so now is your chance to de-clutter and help the Food Pantry at the same time. There will be a Raffle of course, and Refreshments will be available.” Please contact Sue or Bernard on 07889 532158 or 01253 858346 to leave a message if you require any further information.
The Diocesan Pilgrimage To Ladyewell, Fernyhalgh takes place on Saturday, 2nd September. This begins with Mass at St. Mary’s Church, Fernyhalgh at 11 am, followed by a Blessed Sacrament Procession down the lane to Ladewell for Benediction. Everyone is welcome.
A Prayer For Trust Lord, when our trust falters, as it sometimes does, may we hear your gentle voice saying to us ‘Courage! Do not be afraid.” In that moment, Lord, may your divine power uphold us, calm our fears, steady our nerves, and enable us to steer our little boat to a place of safety and peace beyond the wind and the waves.
Daily Reflections for this week Monday (Meister Eckhart) God, who is faithful, allows his friends to fall frequently into weakness only in order to remove from them any prop on which they might lean. For a loving person, it would be a great joy to be able to achieve many great feats; this joy would be a source of hope so that their works become a prop and a support on which they can lean. Our Lord wishes his friends to be freed from such an attitude, and so he removes their support from them so they must henceforth find their support only in him. The more essentially and simply the mind rests on God and is sustained by him, the more deeply we are established in God and the more receptive we are to him in all his precious gifts—for human kind should build on God alone.
Scripture (Matthew 14:22,24-31)Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side while he went by himself to pray. The boat, when it was some furlongs from land, was hard pressed by rough waves, for there was a strong head wind. In the fourth watch of the night Jesus came towards them, walking on the sea, and when the disciples saw him they were terrified. But at once, Jesus called out to them, saying, ‘Courage! It’s me! Don’t be afraid.’ Peter answered, saying, ‘Lord, if it is you, tell me to come to you across the water.’ Jesus said, ‘Come.’ Peter got out of the boat and started walking towards Jesus, but then noticing the wind, he took fright and began to sink. ‘Lord,’ he cried, ‘save me!’ Jesus put his hand out at once and held him. ‘You have so little faith,’ he said, ‘why did you doubt?’ And as they got into the boat, the wind dropped.
Tuesday (Cardinal Newman) If, then, faith be the essence of a Christian life, it follows that our duty lies in risking upon Christ’s word what we have, for what we have not, and doing so in a noble and generous way, not indeed rashly or lightly, still without knowing accurately what we are doing; uncertain about our reward, and about our extent of sacrifice, in all respects leaning, waiting on him, trusting in him to enable us to fulfil our own vows, and so in all respects proceeding without carefulness or anxiety about the future.
Scripture (1Thessalonians 2:1-2,4-6)You know yourselves, my brothers and sisters, that our visit to you has not been pointless. Although, as you know, we had received rough treatment and insults, God gave us the courage to speak his gospel to you fearlessly, in spite of great opposition. God has approved us to be entrusted with the gospel, and this is how we preach, seeking not to please human beings but God who tests our hearts. Indeed, we have never thought of acting with the thought of flattering anyone nor as an excuse for greed, God is our witness; nor have we looked for honour from any human beings
Wednesday (Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh) Every encounter is an encounter with God and in his sight. We are sent to everyone we meet on our way, either to give or to receive, sometimes without knowing it. Sometimes we experience the wonder of giving what we did not possess, sometimes we have to pay with our own blood for what we give. We should be completely open and like putty in God’s hands. The things that happen in our life, accepted as God’s gifts, will give us the opportunity to be continually creative, doing the work of a Christian.
Scripture (Jeremiah 4:1-10)The word of Yahweh came to me, saying: ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you came to birth I consecrated you; I appointed you as prophet to the nations.’ I then said, ‘Ah, ah, ah, Lord, Yahweh; you see, I do not know how to speak: I am only a child!’ But Yahweh replied, ‘Do not say, “I am only a child,” for you must go to all to whom I send you and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of confronting them, for I am with you .’ Then Yahweh stretched out his hand and touched my mouth, and said to me: ‘There! I have put my words into your mouth.
’Thursday (2nd Vatican Council— ‘Priests’) The Lord Jesus has made his whole Mystical Body share in the anointing by the Spirit with which he himself has been anointed. For in him all the faithful are made a holy and royal priesthood. They proclaim the perfections of him who has called them out of darkness into his marvellous light. Hence, there is no member who does not have a part in the mission of the whole Body. Rather, each one ought to hallow Jesus in their heart and bear witness to Jesus in the Spirit of prophecy.
Scripture (John 15: 5,8-10)I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me, with me in him, bears fruit in plenty; for cut off from me you can do nothing. It is to the glory of my Father that you should bear much fruit and be my disciples. I have loved you just as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.
Friday (Oscar Romero) A church that doesn’t provoke any crises, a gospel that doesn’t unsettle, a word of God that doesn’t get under anyone’s skin, a word of God that doesn’t touch the real sin of the society in which it is being proclaimed—what gospel is that? Very nice, pious considerations that don’t bother anyone, that’s the way many would like preaching to be. But preaching which avoids thorny matters, avoids conflicts and difficulties, does not light up the world it is preached in. The gospel is courageous, it’s the good news of him who came to take away the world’s sins.
Scripture (2Timothy 4:1-5)Before God and before Christ Jesus I charge you, in the name of his appearing and of his kingdom: proclaim the message and, welcome or unwelcome, insist on it. Refute falsehood, correct error, give encouragement—but do all with patience and the desire to instruct. The time is sure to come when people will not accept sound teaching and they will collect themselves a whole series of teachers according to their tastes; and then they will shut their ears to the truth. But you must keep steady all the time; put up with suffering; do the work of preaching the gospel; fulfil the service asked of you.
MartinBennett