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
22 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 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Contents: Gospel
Notices
Reflections for the coming week
Gospel:
Gospel:
Matthew: 22:15-21
The Pharisees went away to work out between them how to trap Jesus in what he said. And they sent their disciples to him, together with the Herodians, to say, “Master, we know that you are an honest man and teach the way of God in an honest way, and that you are not afraid of anyone, because a man’s rank means nothing to you. Tell us your opinion, then. Is it permissible to pay taxes to Caesar or not?’ But Jesus was aware of their malice and replied, ‘You hypocrites! Why do you set this trap for me? Let me see the money you pay the tax with.’ They handed him a denarius and he said, ‘Whose head is this?’ ‘Caesar’s’ they replied. He then said to them, ‘Very well, give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar – and to God what belongs to God.’
Gospel Reflection : Rich Man, Poor Man, Beggar Man, Thief
Most of us value and budget our money and possessions, and feel powerless without them. Understandably, in the current crisis, this might be on our minds at the moment, and we must be aware of anything that we need to share, even something as basic as food.
We also value, but perhaps do not fully appreciate, the wealth that friendship gives in the currency of love between us. Without friendship we are emotionally and spiritually penniless. It cannot be bought, borrowed, begged or stolen.
In the scale of things there must be a balance between material and spiritual wealth, between money and grace.
In this balance, after looking at a coin with Caesar’s head on it, Jesus reminds us that we must be faithful servants of the State, and the community it should support, and of God and the creation He sustains.
We Remember In Our Prayers Maureen Wilson whose Funeral was last week, Don Eckley whose Funeral Mass is at St. Teresa’s on Tuesday, 24th October at 2.15 pm, Emma Hinchcliffe whose Funeral is at Carleton Crematorium on Tuesday, 31st October at 3.30 pm, Stan Rawcliffe whose Funeral Mass is at St. Teresa’s on Friday 3rd November at 12 noon, Veronica Parker whose Funeral Mass is at St.Teresa’s on Thursday, 9th November at 12 noon, and Eileen Malnacs whose Funeral Service is at St. Teresa’s on Thursday 16th November at 12 noon. We remember them and their families at this sad time. May they all be in God’s love and peace.
This Sunday Is World Mission Sunday which is celebrated in every country where the Catholic Church is present. This is the one day when our ‘family in faith’ joins together to pray and support the poorer parishes overseas. Your prayers and donations in the special collection today will support the work of missionary churches as they share faith, build churches and provide healthcare and education, often in difficult and dangerous circumstances.
St.Teresa’s Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) The Chairman of the Council, Eamon Brady, writes : “Our Parish Pastoral Council was one of the casualties of the Covid lockdowns and following experiences. Largely due to the persistence of Bernard, our Parish Deacon, the PPC has reconvened. A number of initiatives are under active consideration, to try and enliven the spiritual and social life of the Parish, in support of, and alongside, Fr. Chris and the whole parish community. Dates of future Council meetings will be announced in the Parish Bulletin, and the Minutes of Meetings will be on the Notice Board at the back of church. Please be involved. Your comments will be welcome.”
St.Teresa’s Parish Christmas Fayre Is On Sunday, 26th November, 10 am – 2 pm. Raffle tickets are now on sale at the weekend Masses. As always, donations, prizes, bottles, cakes etc would be greatly appreciated, as would offers of help for the day. Hopefully, together we will make the Fayre a happy occasion, bringing us a little closer as a community in the run up to Christmas.
A Big Thank You to those who kindly organised, helped with or supported the Table-Top Sale this Saturday. The results will be announced in next week’s bulletin
.
Thornton Cleveleys Friends of Trinity Hospice Are Holding A Coffee Morning, Next Saturday 28th October, 10 am – 12 noon In St. Teresa’s Parish. Entrance £1, which includes coffee/tea and biscuits. There will be various stalls, a raffle and tombola. Please help our wonderful local Hospice in Bispham which needs, like all the others, the funding of the general public to survive.
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 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
Daily Reflections for this week
Monday (Cardinal Basil Hume)
We are to serve God. How we do this will depend on each one’s personal vocation. One factor is common to all of us. Everything human has a new significance since God became man. It is an idea rich in consequences, for it means that whatever we do looks different to the Father than it does to us. You have that floor to sweep. God sees more than the sweeping. He sees it as a service of him. Your daily work is your daily service of God. To make that service a loving one adds to it, both in giving honour to God and in the joy you will experience.
Scripture (1 Cor. 12:4-7,11)
There are many gifts, but it is always the same Spirit; there are many different ways of serving, but it is always the same Lord. There are many different forms of activity, but in everyone it is the same God who is at work in them all. The particular manifestation of the Spirit granted to each one is to be used for the general good. At work in all is one and the same Spirit, distributing them at will to each individual.
Tuesday (Rabindranath Tagore)
At midnight, the would-be ascetic announced: “This is the time to give up my home and seek for God. Ah, who has held me so long in delusion here?” God whispered “I,” but the ears of the man were stopped. With a baby asleep at her breast lay his wife, peacefully sleeping on one side of the bed. The man said, “Who are you that have fooled me so long?” The voice said again, “They are God”, but he heard it not. The baby cried out in its dream, nestling close to its mother. God commanded “Stop, fool, leave not your home,” but still he heard not. God sighed and complained “Why does my servant wander to seek me, forsaking me?”
Scripture (Psalm 139:1-6)
Yahweh, you examine me and know me, you know when I sit, when I rise. You understand my thoughts from afar. You watch when I walk or lie down, you know every detail of my conduct. A word is not yet on my tongue before you, Yahweh, know all about it. You fence me in, behind and in front, you have laid your hand upon me. Such amazing knowledge is beyond me, a height to which I cannot attain.
Wednesday (Ignatius of Antioch)
I have been impressed by the godly qualities of your mind—anchored, as it seemed, to an unshakable rock. You must do justice to your position by showing the greatest diligence both in its temporal and spiritual duties. Spend your time in constant prayer and beg for ever larger gifts of wisdom. The very reason you are given a body as well as a soul is to help you gain the favour of this outward and visible world; though at the same time you must pray for insight into the invisible world as well. Critical times like these need you as the storm-tossed mariner needs a haven, if people are ever to find their way to God.
Scripture (Mt. 22:15-21)
The Pharisees’ disciples said to Jesus “Master, we know that you are an honest man and that you teach the way of God in all honesty. Give us your opinion, then. Is it permissible to pay taxes to Caesar or not?. But Jesus was aware of their malice and replied “You hypocrites! Why are you putting me to the test? Show me the money you pay the tax with.” They handed him a denarius. “Whose portrait is this?” They replied “Caesar’s.” Then Jesus said to them “Very well, pay Caesar what belongs to Caesar—and God what belongs to God.”
Thursday (Julian of Norwich)
I saw in truth that God does all things, however small they may be. And I saw that nothing happens by chance, but by the far-sighted wisdom of God. If it seems like chance to us, it is because we are blind and blinkered. The things planned before the world began come upon us suddenly, so that in our blindness we say they are chance. But God knows better. Constantly and lovingly he brings all that happens to its best end. All that is done is well done, for it is done by God.
Scripture (Isaiah 45: 1,4-6)
Thus says the Lord to his anointed, Cyrus, whom he has taken by his right hand to subdue nations before him and strip the loins of kings, to force gateways before him that their gates be closed no more: It is for the sake of my servant Jacob, of Israel my chosen one, that I have called you by your name, conferring a title though you do not know me. I am the Lord unrivalled; there is no other God besides me. Though you do not know me, I arm you that men may know you from the rising to the setting of the sun that, apart from me, all is nothing.
Friday (Fr. Daniel O’Leary, from his farewell letter)
When I equate God with life itself, a transformation takes place in the way I understand our Catholic Christianity. Once I remove everything that separates divinity and humanity, Heaven and Earth, grace and nature, I begin to live and move in another milieu. And once I commit to identifying God’s intimate presence in my evolving perception of the world’s most beautiful artistry and creativity, in my darkness and in my invincible light, and in my very breath, then I am living the incarnation of God in Jesus in my life – and living it now with a passion “at the hour of my death”. This is not spiritual vagueness. It is a kind of heart-wisdom that touches the most substantial parts of me this very day.
Into the restless, relentless distress of these, my last January nights, there is a final all-embracing vision, a kind of gradually forming vision, a perspective, a radical paradigm shift. It is the moment when you know for sure that the birth and death of everything, the sustaining and empowering of all that works towards good, the source of all beauty, the precious energy that creates, heals and quickens our souls and our tumours, the invisible unimaginable, universal energy of the cosmos –is Love.
Scripture (Ecclesiasticus 39: 16-20, 33-34)
How wonderful the actions of the Lord! Whatever he orders is done at the proper time! At his command, whatever he wants is done, no one can stop him if he intends to save. His gaze stretches from eternity to eternity, and nothing can astonish him. The works of the Lord are all good, when the time is right he gives whatever is needed. You must not say “This is worse than that” for, sooner or later, everything proves its worth.
Martin Bennett