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 20 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 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time Contents:
Gospel Notices Reflections for the coming week
Matthew: 15:21-28 Jesus left Gennesaret and withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. Then out came a Canaanite woman from that district and started shouting, ‘Sir, Son of David, take pity on me. My daughter is tormented by a devil.’ But he answered her not a word. And his disciples went and pleaded with him. ‘Give her what she wants,’ they said ‘because she is shouting after us.’ He said in reply, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel.’ But the woman had come up and was kneeling at his feet. ‘Lord,’ she said ‘help me.’ He replied, ‘It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the house-dogs.’ She retorted, ‘Ah yes, sir; but even house-dogs can eat the scraps of food that fall from their mater’s table.’ Then Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, you have great faith. Let your wish be granted.’ And from that moment her daughter was well again.
Gospel Reflection:“…You Have Great Faith” Luke wrote about Jesus in his Gospel : “As the child grew to maturity, he was filled with wisdom.” (Luke 2 : 40). .Matthew, the author of this Sunday’s Gospel, knew that Jesus, although Son of God, was fully human, and so, like every human being, he had to grow in wisdom, learning from his experiences as he went along. In today’s Gospel Jesus appears to be very rude to the Canaanite woman. It seems to show Jesus in a bad light. So why did Matthew include this story in his Gospel and not just leave it out? It was because this incident was so significant in understanding the mission of Jesus. Jesus, like every Jew, had been brought up to believe that the Messiah would be sent, exclusively, to the people of Israel. The Jews historically despised the Canaanites, and in Jesus’ own time relations between them were very hostile. They would not even speak to one another. This encounter with the Canaanite woman was a ‘watershed moment’ for Jesus, as it dawned on him that his mission, as Messiah, was not exclusively to those of the Jewish faith. He understood now that his mission was universal. The woman’s faith deserved a response from him, and on another occasion the faith of a Roman centurion too, a pagan, whose servant Jesus healed, saying to the soldier “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” (Luke 7 : 1-10). Before we become a Jew, a Christian, a Muslim, or atheist, we are a member of God’s family, and God will love us and care for us. The message is very clear. Excluding anyone from our love and care is not the way of Jesus, nor his followers, and believing that, and putting it into practice, would be a ‘watershed moment’ for us too!
We Remember In Our Prayers Paul Hughes who died recently. A few years ago Paul and his wife Maureen moved to London to be near their family. Maureen was a much-appreciated Eucharistic Minister in St. John Southworth parish. May Paul, and Maureen, and their family, be in God’s peace at this time.
We Welcome Into The Family of The Church the twins, Sophia Rose and Frankie Alfie Forrester, whose Baptisms take place at St. Teresa’s this Sunday.
This Weekend At Each Mass There Is The Annual Special Collection for The Catholic Trust For England And Wales.
Each year every parish in our country is levied in order to support the essential organisation of our national Church. What we receive in the special collection this weekend, in both our parishes, goes some way to fulfil what is demanded of us in paying this levy.
CAFOD School Volunteers Are Needed In Our Area : Looking for a new challenge? Please consider joining CAFOD’s team of school volunteers to inspire children and young people, and deepen their understanding of global justice. By running inspiring assemblies and engaging workshops, you will tap into their natural compassion and sense of fairness, and they will be excited about making a difference. Use your skills for the common good, and be an active part of creating the world without poverty. No experience is necessary. Full support, resources and regular training are provided. For more information please contact :
Nicola Blanchfield (supporting CAFOD’s work in Schools across our Lancaster Diocese) email : nblanchfield@cafod.org.uk mobile : 07710 094449
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 Ladyewell for Benediction. Everyone is welcome.
An Irish Blessing God be good to you in all your days, God be kind to you in all your ways. God give strength to you when crosses lean, God send light to you, the clouds between. God give peace to you in times of strife, God bless everything that fills your life. God send joy to you when grief is o’er, God make way for you at Heaven’s door. Brian O’Higgins
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.
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