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
8 October 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 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Contents: Gospel
Notices
Reflections for the coming week
Gospel:
Matthew: 21:33-43
Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people, “Listen to another parable. There was a man, a landowner, who planted a vineyard; he fenced it round, dug a winepress in it and built a tower; then he leased it to tenants and went abroad. When vintage time drew near he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his produce. But the tenants seized his servants, thrashed one, killed another and stoned the third. Next he sent some more servants, this time a larger number, and they dealt with them in the same way. Finally, he sent his son to them. “They will respect my son” he said. But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, “This is the heir. Come on, let us kill him and take over his inheritance.” So they seized him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” They answered, ‘He will bring those wretches to a wretched end and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will deliver the produce to him when the season arrives.’ Jesus said to them, ‘Have you never read in the scriptures:
It was the stone rejected by the builders
that becomes the keystone.
This was the Lord’s doing,
and it is wonderful to see?
‘I tell you, then, that the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people who will produce the fruit.’
Gospel Reflection : Stones Are Not Just For Stumbling Over
They rejected Jesus, crucified his body, and thought they had killed his spirit too. But, he lives on in the family of Christians everywhere, a ‘keystone’ to hold us together.
Who are the strong ones in the family now? What stone will keep together every other stone?
A family often notices that those who some may think are the weakest – maybe the ill, or the old, or anyone of special need – can bring out the best in us, and keep us together.
The one nailed to the cross, by the fear and pride of his people, is still the biggest name and influence the world has ever known.
Perhaps this week we should notice just who we reject, belittle, or look down on. They may be the keystones in the building of God’s kingdom now!
We Remember In Our Prayers Aubrey Atherton whose Funeral was last week, and Maureen Wilson whose Funeral Service is at St Teresa’s on Friday, 20 October at 10 am. We remember them, and their families. May they all be in God’s love and peace.
We Welcome Into The Family Of The Church Martha Neil Sutcliffe whose Baptism was last Sunday, and Jacob James William Ellis whose Baptism is this Sunday.
S.V.P. A big thank you for the £160 which was kindly donated in the S.V.P. collection last weekend at St. Teresa’s
CAFOD/Family Fast. Many thanks to those who are returning their CAFOD envelopes this weekend, after the annual Family Fast Day last Friday. Of course you can return them next week, or can at any time pick up an envelope at the back of church and return it whenever you come.to a weekend Mass. Some people do so regularly, and your generous donations are sent on to CAFOD throughout the year.
CAFOD writes to us for this weekend : “We work at the frontiers of climate and conflict emergencies in over 40 countries. Thanks to the support of parishes like yours, we are working with our sisters and brothers to build resilience in the face of the huge challenges posed by the climate crisis, to respond quickly to help communities devastated by climate-induced disasters, and to continue to call on those in power to take urgent action.. We pray that, inspired by Pope Francis, and by St. Francis of Assisi himself, we will always strive to care for and protect our common home.”
A Big Thank You Too to the staff and children of our St. Teresa’s school who last Monday, with our parishioners, celebrated St. Teresa’s Feast Day and Harvest time. Thank you for the food gifts which the children brought from home, and which have all been passed on to others in need. It was a wonderful occasion, with the children’s singing and participation making it so positive, and really life-enhancing.
A Date For Your Diary : St. Teresa’s Parish Christmas Fayre is on Sunday 26th November, 10.00 am – 2.00 pm. Further details will be announced in forthcoming Parish Weekly Bulletins.
There Is A Day Of Renewal On Saturday 14th October, 10 am – 4 pm, at St. Clare’s Church, Sharoe Green Lane, Fulwood, Preston. PR2 9HH. The day, with the title ‘Hearing the Heart of Mary in Scripture’, starts with Mass at 10 am, and is led by Brother Jonathan of the Friars of Renewal, of St. Pio Friary, Bradford. Please bring a packed lunch. Tea and coffee are available.
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 A Table Top Sale in St. Teresa’s Parish Hall on Saturday, 21st October, 11. am – 1.pm. Table hire is available for only £10. For more information please contact Sue on 07889 532158
CAFOD Harvest Prayer 2023. “Seeds of Hope”
Generous God, we thank you for the gifts you have given
for all people to share. We plant seeds of hope,
and nurture them as we seek a harvest of plenty for all.
Forgive us for the times these seeds fail to take root in our hearts.
We grieve when homes and crops are washed away by floods,
when lives are uprooted by disaster, or trampled by fear or greed.
Living God, you lead us to a new way of being.
Move us to help one another in our times of need,
to care for the earth and to love one another,
sharing your harvest with all. Amen. Catherine Gorman/CAFOD
Daily Reflections for this week
Monday (St. Augustine)
Two cities have been formed by two loves: the earthly city formed by the love of self, leading to contempt of God, and the heavenly city by the love of God. The former glories in itself, the latter in the Lord. In the one city, the rulers and the nations that it subdues are ruled by the lust for domination; in the other city rulers and subjects serve one another in love. The wise men of the former city, living by human standards, sought bodily or intellectual profit or both. In the other city, however, there is only godliness which offers due worship to the true God.
Scripture (Isaiah 5:2,4,7)
My beloved had a vineyard on a fertile hillside. He dug it, cleared it of stones, and planted it with fine grapes. He expected it to yield fine grapes: sour grapes were all it yielded. He expected fair judgement, but found injustice, uprightness, but found cries of distress.
Tuesday (Chief Seattle, 1854.)
(To the American President) We will consider your offer to buy our land, but the idea is strange to us. This we know: the earth does not belong to man, man belongs to the earth. Man did not weave the web of life, he is merely a strand in it. One thing we know— our God is the same God. You may think now that you own him as you wish to own our land, but you cannot. The whites, too, shall pass. But in your perishing, you will shine brightly, fired by the strength of the God who brought you to this land and for some special purpose gave you dominion over this land. That destiny is a mystery to us. One thing we know, our God is the same God. The earth is precious to him. Even the white man cannot be exempt from the common destiny.
Scripture (Matthew 21:34-43)
‘When vintage time drew near, the owner sent his servants to the vineyard to collect his produce. But the tenants seized his servants, stoning one and killing another. When he sent a larger number, the same happened. Finally he sent his son to them. When the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, “ This is the heir. Come on, let us kill him and take over his inheritance.” So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. Now, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?’ They answered, ‘He will bring them to a wretched end and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will deliver the produce to him at the proper time.’ Jesus said ‘I tell you, then, that the Kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to people who will produce the fruit.’
Wednesday (Antoine de Saint-Exupery )
Humility does not cast us down as individuals, it raises us up and makes clear to us our role as ambassador. It obliges us to respect the presence of God in ourselves and in others, to make us the messenger of God or the path taken by God. Humility forces us to forget ourselves in order that we might wax and grow; for if we exult in our own importance, the path is transformed into the sea.
Scripture (Rm. 6:13-19)
Are we free to sin now that we are not under law but under grace? Out of the question! You can be the slave of either sin, which leads to death, or obedience which leads to saving justice. Once you were the slaves of sin, but thank God you have given whole-hearted obedience to the pattern ot teaching to which you were introduced; and so, being free from sin, you took uprightness as your master.
Thursday (Fr. Austin Smith, CP)
Francis of Assisi possessed and exercised power. Adolf Hitler possessed and exercised power. The origins of their power differed and their exercise of power may not bear comparison, not to mention the consequences of both its possession and exercise. So often today, these matters seem to be removed from the “God” question. The struggle towards justice for all who are stigmatised, marginalised and alienated is not perceived as a profound question about the active presence of God at the centre of humanity’s possession and exercise of power. The presence of God is not quite the starting point. The intermingling of church, world and human quest does not seem to be a radical ground for living and conversing.
Scripture (Zephaniah 3:1-2,9,12-13)
Woe to the rebellious and defiled, the oppressing city! She has not listened to the Lord, she has not bowed to correction, she has not trusted in the Lord, she has not drawn near to her God. Then, declares the Lord, I shall purge the lips of the peoples, so that all may invoke the name of the Lord and serve him shoulder to shoulder. I shall leave surviving a humble and holy people, and those who are left will take refuge in the name of the Lord.
Friday (Oscar Romero)
This is what we are about. We plant seeds that will one day grow. We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise. We lay foundations that will need further development. We provide yeast that produces effects far beyond our capabilities. We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker. We are prophets of a future that is not our own.
John 15:1-2,4-6
Jesus said, “I am the vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that bears no fruit he cuts away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes to make it bear even more. Remain in me, as I in you. As a branch cannot bear fruit all by itself, unless it remains part of the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. 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.
Martin Bennett