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
17 September 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 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Contents: Gospel
Notices
Reflections for the coming week
Matthew: 18:21-35
Peter went up to Jesus and said, “Lord, how often must I forgive my brother if he wrongs me. As often as seven times”? Jesus answered, “Not seven, I tell you, but seventy-seven times.
“And so the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who decided to settle his accounts with his servant. When the reckonings began they brought him a man who owed ten thousand talents; but he had no means of paying, so his master gave orders that he should be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions to meet the debt. At this, the servant threw himself down at his master’s feet. ‘Give me time’ he said ‘and I will pay the whole sum.’ And the servant’s master felt so sorry for him that he let me go and cancelled the debt. Now as this servant went out, he happened to meet a fellow servant who owed him one hundred denarii; and he seized by the throat and began to throttle him. “Pay what you owe me’ he said. The fellow servant fell at his feet and implored him, saying, ‘Give me time and I will pay you.’ But the other would not agree; on the contrary, he had him thrown into prison till he should pay the debt. His fellow servants were deeply distressed when they saw what had happened, and they went to their master and reported the whole affair to him. Then the master sent for him, ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I cancelled all that debt of yours when you appealed to me. Were you not bound, then, to have pity on your fellow servant just as I had pity on you?’ And in his anger the master handed him over to the torturers till he should pay all his debt. And that is how my heavenly Father will deal with you unless you each forgive your brother from your heart.”
Gospel Reflection : Forgiveness – For Whom?
One of the meanings of the parable in today’s Gospel is that God’s forgiveness is unconditional and amazing.The huge debt is a way for Jesus to say that the forgiveness of the first man was like the forgiveness of God. Of course none of us go through life without needing forgiveness in things both big and small, and knowing that we have received it is like switching a light on in a dark room. Forgiveness has to be both offered and received in trust. We are to trust that no matter what our past has been, the present is full of the brightness of forgiveness which can flow around the world, as it flowed from Jesus on the cross, from where he even forgave those who had tortured and killed him.
So as we all know, forgiveness is rarely easy. As C.S. Lewis wrote : “Everyone thinks that forgiveness is a lovely idea until they have something to forgive”. However, it is not just with Jesus’ example that we learn to forgive, it is with his help too. It is not easy to understand the mind of God. He sees goodness where we see none; he showers blessings where none seem to be deserved. Yet even with our limited vision we can be sure he is near us whenever we call him.
We Remember In Our Prayers Rod Yiannaki, whose Funeral is at St. Teresa’s on Wednesday, 20th September, at 10.30 am, and Freya Coppen, whose Funeral is at St. Teresa’s on Monday, 25th September at 11 am, and Aubrey Atherton whose Funeral is at Carleton Crematorium on Monday 4th October at 2 pm. We remember them, and their families, at this very sad time. May they all be in God’s love and peace.
The ‘Hub in the Hall’ Meetings take place in St. Teresa’s Church Hall each Wednesday, 2 pm – 4 pm. All are very welcome.
The Church Shop, in the porch at St. Teresa’s, is open before and after each Weekend Mass. You are very welcome to go in and browse.
The Food Pantry At St. Teresa’s Church is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 10.30 am – 12 noon, and on Wednesdays, 2.30 pm – 4 pm
There Is An Open Evening At Cardinal Allen Catholic High School, next Thursday, 21st September. Doors will be open at 4.45 pm, with the Headteacher’s address at both 5 pm and 6 pm, giving parents and pupils the option of either. All will be very welcome.
This Sunday, which is normally called Home Mission Sunday, has this year been given the intriguing title ‘Evangelii Gaudium Sunday
Evangelii Gaudium Sunday calls us to be joyous in proclaiming our faith. “Evangelii Gaudium” is Latin for “Joy of the Gospel”. The day supports the work carried out by the Mission Directorate on behalf of the Bishops’ Conference.
A key focus of work for the next few years is responding to Pope Francis’calling of a Jubilee Year in 2025 with the theme Pilgrims of Hope. The Holy Father has invited the whole Church to prepare for the Jubilee in the two years prior through:
• Reflecting on the four Constitutions of the Second Vatican Council in 2023.
• Deepening our prayer life, with a special focus on the Lord’s Prayer, in 2024.
To support the Church in England and Wales in this important initiative the Mission Directorate has produced a series of videos on the four Constitutions which reflect on the Liturgy, the Word of God, the Church and on its role in the modern world.
A range of resources are being prepared for the Year of Prayer in 2024 which include a course
on the Lord’s Prayer from small groups for Lent, encouragement to try different ways of praying from the tradition of the Church. The Mission Directorate will be supporting the Jubilee co-ordinator appointed by each diocese.
Please support the Mission Directorate through prayer and giving to the second collection. However much you give, big or small, it will go directly to support this important work to bring the joy of the Gospel to all.
Daily Reflections for this week
Monday (Pope Paul VI)
A love of reconciliation is not weakness or cowardice. It demands courage, nobility, generosity, heroism, an overcoming of oneself rather than one’s adversary. In reality it is the patient, wise art of peace, of loving, of living with one’s fellows, after the example of Christ, with a strength of heart and mind modelled on his.
Scripture (Col. 3:12-14)
As the chosen of God, then, the holy people whom he loves, you are to be clothed in heartfelt compassion, in generosity and humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with one another; forgive each other if one of you has a complaint against another. The Lord has forgiven you, now you must do the same.
Tuesday (from the website of St. Anne and St. Bernard, Liverpool)
You are welcome….
WHOEVER you are: young, old, black, white, asylum seeker, immigrant, gay, lesbian, tearaway, rebel, stranger…
You are welcome….
Whatever your situation: sick, healthy, unmarried, married, co-habiting, single parent, poor, rich, unemployed, employed, homeless, HIV/AIDS, disabled, bereaved, widowed, lapsed Catholic…
Whatever your experience: divorced or re-married, hurt by the Church, depressed, fearful, unforgiven, rejected…
Whatever you wish to leave behind you: alcoholism, paedophilia, child abuse, prostitution, drug pushing, drug addiction, gambling, murder, adultery, wife/husband battering, pornography, abortion, coercing into abortion, thieving, burglary, vandalism, violence…
You are always very welcome
Scripture (Matthew 18:21-26)
Peter said, ‘How often must I forgive? As often as seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘Not seven, I tell you, but seventy-seven times.
The Kingdom of Heaven may be compared to a king who decided to settle his accounts with his servants. When the reckoning began, they brought him a man who owed ten thousand talents; he had no means of paying, so his master gave orders that he be should be sold, along with his wife and children and all his possessions. At this, the servant threw himself down at his master’s feet, saying, ‘Be patient with me and I will pay the whole sum.’ The servant’s master felt so sorry for him that he let him go and cancelled his debt.
Wednesday (Reinhold Niebuhr)
Forgiving love is a possibility only for those who know they are not good, who feel themselves in need of divine mercy, who know that the differences between the good person and the bad person are insignificant in God’s sight.
Scripture (Psalm 103:8-10)
Yahweh is tenderness and pity, slow to anger and rich in faithful love; his anger does not last for ever, nor his resentment remain for all time; he does not treat us as our sins deserve, nor repay us as befits our offences. As high as heaven is above the earth, so strong is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our sins. As tenderly as a father treats his children, so Yahweh treats those who fear him; he knows what we are made of, he remembers that we are dust.
Thursday (C.S.Lewis)
In the creed we say “I believe in the forgiveness of sins”. We believe that God forgives us our sins; but also that he will not do so unless we forgive other people their sins against us. No part of his teaching is clearer, and there are no exceptions to it. He doesn’t say we are to forgive other people’s sins providing they are not too frightful, or providing there are
extenuating circumstances. We are to forgive them all, however spiteful, however mean, however often they are repeated.
Scripture (Ecclesiasticus27:30 – 28:7)
Resentment and anger, these are foul things, and both are found with the sinner. Whoever exacts vengeance will experience the vengeance of the Lord, who keeps strict account of sin. Pardon your neighbour any wrongs done to you, and when you pray you will be forgiven. If anyone nurses anger against another, can they then plead for their own sins? Remember the last things and stop hating. Remember the commandments and do not bear your fellow ill-will; remember the covenant of the Most High and overlook the offence.
Friday (Thomas a Kempis)
In all things, have regard to the end, and in what fashion you will stand before a strict judge, to whom nothing is hidden. The patient person who, suffering wrongs, is more upset over another’s malice than the harm done to themselves, who prays gladly for their adversaries, forgiving their faults from the heart, who is not slow to ask the pardon of others, who is quicker to pity than to anger, has a great and healthy source of cleansing
Scripture (Luke 6:27,-38)
Jesus said, “I say this to you who are listening: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who treat you badly. Be compassionate just as your father is compassionate. Do not judge and you will not be judged, do not condemn and you will not be condemned; forgive and you will be forgiven, because the standard you use will be the standard used for you.”
Martin Bennett