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
7 July 2024
http://www.st-teresas-church.co.uk
Email: st.teresas.cleveleys@gmail.com
Lancaster Roman Catholic Diocesan Trustees Registered Charity Number 23433
Sunday : 14th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Contents: Gospel
Notices
Reflection
Gospel: Mark 6:1-6
Jesus went to his home town and his disciples accompanied him. With the coming of the Sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue and most of them were astonished when they heard him. They said, ‘Where did the man get all this? What is the wisdom that has been granted him, and these miracles that are worked through him? This is the carpenter, surely, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joset and Jude and Simon? His sisters too, are they not here with us?’ And they would not accept him. And Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is only despised in his own country among his own relations ad in his own house’; and he could work no miracle there, though he cured a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.
Gospel Reflection : A Shocking Situation?
To say Jesus is having a bit of trouble as he continues his ministry is a bit of an understatement! He has had public praise for his healings, and indeed for his teaching. Now the opposition is beginning, and it would continue for the next months until his death in Jerusalem. The shocking aspect of the opposition we hear about in today’s Gospel is that his own people were turning against him.
Jesus is in Nazareth where he has lived for about thirty years. His relatives and the people in general there knew he was ‘one of their own’. But that could be a sure way of putting someone down. He was so ordinary. They could not imagine where he got the wisdom and could do the miracles that nobody else could do.
And then it went further. They could not accept him, and Jesus felt ‘despised’, the word he uses in that famous quotation. Perhaps it isn’t too hard to imagine what it feels like to be despised in your own hometown, and family. But Jesus still wanted to help them, to be compassionate to them, so ‘he cured a few sick people’. Maybe they were the only ones to trust him, and he cured them not as a reward but because they had the courage to come close. Then he would move on to other towns and villages, often to be despised in them also.
Jesus comes among us today as one like us. He comes to us in our needs, and in our love which, when shared, can be so powerful in healing others too.
We Remember In Our Prayers Eva Dunhill whose Funeral was last week and Barbara Pugh whose Funeral is at St, Teresa’s on Monday.8th July at 11 am and Beryl Puddifer, whose Funeral Mass is at St. John Southworth church on Friday 19th, July at 12.30 pm. We remember them and their families, and those whose anniversaries are at this time. May they all be in God’s peace.
We Welcome Into the Family of the Church Scarlett Jarzebsca whose Baptism takes place this Sunday at St. Teresa’s.
The SVP, (the St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Teresa’s) are very pleased indeed for the £182.50 which was raised recently for those in need locally.
Please Can You Help Your Mass Community At St. Teresa’s? At the moment we are in sore need for more Eucharistic Ministers at the weekend Masses. In recent times several Eucharistic Ministers have moved onward, or upward, and we are very short of the necessary help given, on a rota basis. Please consider this seriously, and if you can help, with guidance given, please phone our Deacon, Bernard (Tel. 01253 858346.
There is a Parish/Community Summer Night In St Teresa’s Parish Hall on Saturday, 20th July, starting at 7 pm. Becky and Steve Connor, who are helping to coordinate this event, write “The Parish/ Community Summer night is to raise money for St. Teresa’s Church (we are about to be hit with a very large repair bill shortly), and Trinity Hospice. The evening consists of live music and fund-raising games. Tickets are £5 each. Please bring your own food and drink. We hope to see you all there for a good Parish Hall do!
The Annual Mass In Honour Of Blessed Edward Bamber is at St. Winefride’s House, Low Moor Road, Bispham, FY2 0PA on Thursday 11th July at 6. 30 pm. As always it will be celebrated by Bishop Paul and our Deanery clergy, and is followed by light refreshments. All are very welcome.
The Food Pantry, situated at the back of church at St. Teresa’s, is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 10.30 am – 12 noon, and on Wednesdays, 2.30 pm – 4 pm. We are so grateful for all the volunteers who work in the Pantry, and all those who donate contributions.
Advance Notice – Confirmation : This year, for both our parishes, Bishop Paul is coming to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation at St. Teresa’s church, on Monday, 18th November, at 7 pm.
Young people, Year 8 or above at school. or any older people who may have missed out in the past, are invited to take part in the preparation programme, and receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. Please give the names of any young person (or older) to Fr. Chris (Tel. 01253 853340)
The dates of the Preparation Programme are as follows :
Thursday 10th October
Thursday 17th October
Thursday 31st October
Thursday 7th November
All 6 30 pm – 7.45 pm
Saturday, 9th November, 10 am – 2 pm
Sunday, 17th November Practice after the 10 am Mass
Monday 18th November Confirmation Mass at 7 pm
Daily Reflections for this week
Monday (Pope Francis)
It is curious that God’s revelation tells us that the fullness of humanity and of history is realized in a city. We need to look at our cities with a contemplative gaze, a gaze of faith which sees God dwelling in their homes, in their streets and squares. God’s presence accompanies the sincere efforts of individuals and groups to find encouragement and meaning in their lives. … This presence must not be contrived but found, uncovered. God does not hide himself from those who seek him with a sincere heart, even though they do so tentatively, in a vague and haphazard manner.
Scripture (Isaiah 6:9-10)
And I said , ‘Here I am, send me.’ He said ‘Go and say to this people “Listen and listen, but never understand! Look and look, but never perceive! This people’s heart has grown coarse, their eyes dulled, they have shut their eyes tight to avoid using their eyes to see, their ears to hear, their heart to understand.”
Tuesday (Anthony de Mello)
A wealthy farmer burst into his home and cried out in an anguished voice, “Rebecca, there is a terrible story in town—the Messiah is here!” His wife replied “I think it’s wonderful. What’s so terrible about it?” The husband replied, “After all these years of sweat and toil, we are finally rich. We have a large herd of cattle, our barns are full of grain and our trees are laden with fruit. Now we will have to give it all away and follow him.” His wife said, consolingly, “Calm down. The Lord our God is good. He knows how much we Jews have had to put up with. From the Pharaoh to Hitler, always somebody. But God found a way to deal with them all, didn’t he? Just have faith. He will find a way to deal with the Messiah too.”
Scripture (Ezekiel 2:2-5)
The spirit came into me and put me on my feet, and I heard him speaking to me. He said, ‘Son or man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to the rebels who have rebelled against me. They and their ancestors have been in revolt against me up to present day. Because they are stubborn and obstinate children, I am sending you to them to say, “The Lord God says this.” Whether they listen or not, this tribe of rebels will know there is a prophet among them.’
Wednesday (Thomas Merton)
Anyone whose intention is not pure is compelled by their own weakness and imprudence to pass judgement on the will of God before obeying it. They are not free to do the will of God with perfect generosity. They diminish their love and their obedience by making an adjustment between God’s will and their own and so, for them, the will of God comes to have a variety of values: richer when it is more pleasing, poorer when it offers less immediate satisfaction, valueless when it demands a sacrifice of their own selfish interests.
Scripture (Mark 6:1-6)
Leaving that district he went to his home town, and his disciples accompanied him. With the coming of the Sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue, and most of them were astonished when they heard him. They said ‘Where did the man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been granted him, and these miracles that are worked through him? This is the carpenter, surely, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joset and Jude and Simon? His sisters, too, they are not here with us?’ And they would not accept him. And Jesus said to them ‘A prophet is despised only in his own country, among his own relations and in his own house’; and he could work no miracle there, except he cured a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.
Thursday (The Desert Fathers)
They said of a hermit that he went on fasting for seventy weeks, eating a meal only once a week. He asked God the meaning of a text of the holy Scriptures and God did not reveal it to him. So he said to himself, ‘I have worked hard and gained nothing. I will go to my brother and ask him.’ Just as he had shut the door on the way out an angel of the Lord was sent to him to say ’The seventy weeks of your fast have not brought you near to God, but now you are humbled and going to your brother, I have been sent to show you the meaning of the text.’
Scripture (Luke 20:45-47)
When all the people were listening, he said to the disciples, ‘Beware of the scribes who like to walk about in long robes and love to be greeted respectfully in the market squares, to take the front seats in the synagogues and the places of honour at banquets, who devour the property of widows, and for show offer long prayers.’
Friday (Meister Eckhart)
We should properly and completely train the mind in its orientation to God, so that our interior being is made divine. We must train ourselves not to seek or strive for our own interests in anything but rather to find and to grasp God in all things.
Scripture ( Psalm 119:10-16)
With all my heart I seek you, do not let me stray from your commandments. In my heart I treasure your promises, to avoid sinning against you. Blessed are you, Yahweh, teach me your will! With my lips I have repeated all the instructions you have given. In the way of your instructions lies my joy, a joy beyond all wealth. I will ponder your precepts and fix my gaze on your paths. I find my delight in your will, I do not forget your
Martin Bennett