|
SCRIPTURE
READINGS
|
Zechariah |
12:10-11 |
| Psalm |
62 |
| Galatians
|
3:26-29 |
| Luke |
9:18-24 |
THE
ANOINTED ONE
This
is a thought that is staggering: imagine the entire
universe as but a speck of sand surrounded by God.
One is reminded of St Anselm's comment about God,
that He is greater than that which can be thought.
The thought is indeed staggering since it means
that, as we are so used to saying but rarely appreciate,
God is everywhere and in everything at all times.
There is never a time when He is not there and so
we look at the universe not as empty space but from
another perspective, that of it being filled with
the presence of God. This was an intuition felt
by the astronauts who ventured into space; many
returned changed by their experience of the immensity
of the universe and of the intelligence and presence
they detected behind it. This then gives our lives
another meaning since we should conduct ourselves
at all times with this knowledge at the forefront
of our minds. God is everywhere and in everything.
We
are also reminded of St Ignatius Loyola's imperative
of “finding God in all things” and we note the comment
on this by Jean Daniélou in his Prayer
as a Political Problem when he says: “…men
can find God in everything. This is perfectly true.
Nevertheless, we begin to be able to find God in
everything when we have begun by finding him above
and beyond everything. It is practically impossible
to lead a life of union with God so long as there
as not been that minimum of formal prayer which
allows us to acquire spiritual liberty by accustoming
us to disengagement from the chains of our environment”
It
is from this astonishing perspective that we come
to consider the wonderful event which took place
just some two thousand years ago – not a great deal
of time given God's eternal existence and human
history, not to mention that of geological time.
God who now reveals His character – what He is like
– in and through human beings. And he is kindness
itself, a feature wholly unexpected but revealed
through the prophecy of Zechariah through the promptings
of the Holy Spirit. The Gospel from St Luke today
has the Father reveal the nature of His Son to Peter
as the One who was expected to redeem mankind from
their sins, that is, the Anointed One of God, the
Christ. Peter replies to the request from Jesus
to the disciples about his identity and acknowledges
the Father's revelation, that is, the giving of
knowledge about God, to Peter.
That
a human being should be given this insight into
the divine nature of Jesus is, again, an astonishing
thought. But there it is. We have been, are, and
will be, receivers of grace from God in whom we
live and move and have our being and, more than
that, we are made citizens of heaven by the actions
and courage of Jesus in facing death, being buried,
but rising to a new kind of life, one never seen
on earth before and witnessed to by those closest
to him. Human nature was changed forever and is
now charged with the divine: the kindness and generosity
of God shown by the love of Jesus who laid down
his life for his friends, that is, you and me, and
who calls to turn away from the world of illusion
and sin to gain a new life with him.
Fr
James Campbell, SJ
JAPANESE
CATHOLIC COMMUNITY
Many
of our parishioners may not be aware that we have
a Mass in Japanese on the third Sunday of every
month at 12noon in the House Chapel at 114
Mount Street .
This is organized by the Japanese Catholic Community
in London
. Although
not numerous, our Farm
Street
group is very strong and committed. We will have
a chance to meet some of their members at the parish
Garden
Party
on SUNDAY 4th JULY; we also draw your attention
to the notice below.
CONCERT
IN THE CHURCH
The
Japanese Catholic Community invites you to a concert
in support of the Jesuit Refugee Service on WEDNESDAY
14th JULY at 7:30pm
. Harpist
Yuko Tomonaga with ensemble will perform music by
Bach, Respighi, Elgar, Debussy and others. Admission
£10 (students £5). For further information,
contact Mr Matsuo on 0207 240 4250 or see Fr James.
FILIPINO
GROUP
The Farm Street
Filipino Community is a thriving part of our parish
life and continues to expand its activities and
interests. Every first Wednesday of the month at
6:30pm
, there
is a novena to Mother of Perpetual Help in the House
chapel at 114
Mount Street
and there are regular Masses in Tagalog. All these
occasions are capped by a splendid meal. Please
see the notices at the doors for contact details.
JESUS
CHRIST FULNESS OF LIFE
This
is an ecumenical group which we support and it is
made up of people from all ages. We invite you to
join the prayerful worship which the group organizes
once a month. We will meet in the church on the
first Thursday of July, August and September at
7:30pm
and
there will be a fellowship meal at 8:30pm
. Join
us on JULY 1st! For further information, see Fr
William or see their website www.jcfllondon.wordpress.com
.
MEET
YOUR NEIGHBORS
Churches
Together in Westminster
invites
you to visit the French church (Notre Dame de France,
Leicester
Place ,
off Leicester
Square ,
Soho
) on
WEDNESDAY 14th JULY at 6:30pm
. Talk,
tour and refreshments. The event is free. See Fr
William for more information.
LITURGICAL
DATES
MONDAY
21st JUNE: ST ALOYSIUS GONZAGA SJ
TUESDAY
22nd JUNE: SS JOHN FISHER AND THOMAS MORE
TUESDAY
29th JUNE: SS PETER AND PAUL (Holy Day of Obligation.
There will be music at the 6pm Mass.)
FARM
STREET
SUMMER
GARDEN PARTY
AND
OPEN DAY
SUNDAY
4 TH JULY, 12pm – 4pm
We
extend a big invitation to everyone for this popular
annual event. “Bring and share” picnic in Mount
Street Gardens (additional refreshments will be
available). Punch and Judy show, children's games,
cakes and jam, bookstall and a band! Tour of the
church at 3pm , Benediction at 4pm .
Bring friends!
HANDS-ON
HELP FOR THE NEEDY
The
Farm
Street
branch of the St Vincent de Paul Society organizes
a ‘soup-run' for homeless people in the local area
on a Monday evening. New volunteers would be very
welcome. If interested, please come along to 114
Mount Street
any Monday at around 8pm
or
contact Dominic Beary for further information at
svpfarmstreet@gmail.com
.
BOOK
SIGNING
In
1910 Pope St Pius X imposed an oath against Modernism
to be taken by all Catholic priests. At the forefront
of the Modernist movement was an English Jesuit,
Fr George Tyrrell
(at Farm
Street
1896 – 1900). He died excommunicated from the Church.
Fr Oliver Rafferty, SJ is a member of the Mount
Street community and will be signing copies of his
new book George Tyrrell and Catholic Modernism
on SUNDAY 27th JUNE in the Hall following
9:30am and 11am Masses.
ST
IGNATIUS MASS AND CELEBRATION FRIDAY JULY 30th
The
Feast of St Ignatius, Founder of the Jesuits, is
celebrated on the 31st, but in order to ensure that
as many as possible can be with us for the Mass
and reception, we are having a Solemn Mass on Friday
at 6pm
. The
choir will be performing and we will be welcoming
Jesuit alumni and alumnae from all over the world
for a reception in the gardens. A very special event!
OUR
SENIORS
As
readers of this newsletter will be aware, Farm
Street
is very active in promoting programmes for our children,
young people and young adults. It would be very
unfair to neglect the needs of those who are older.
Not only do we want to show how much we value and
appreciate the contribution which older people make
to our lives, but we want also to do something practical
as a Parish to meet their needs and the cater for
their interests. We hope to revive our senior club,
to arrange home visiting and to organize outings.
In addition to active seniors there are also older
people who are not able to get our very much and
we are aware that the Peabody Estate in our parish
offers us an opportunity to do something for them;
we are therefore establishing community links with
the Estate. There will be a survey this summer for
parishioners regarding the needs of older people
in the church and in the community. Meanwhile if
you have any idea yourself, please let Fr William
know.
MOUNT
STREET JESUIT
CENTRE
114
Mount Street , London W1
Bookings
and information:
Lynne
Galloway 020 7495 1673 lynne@mountstreet.info
A
TALK IN PREPARATION FOR THE VISIT OF POPE BENEDICT
XVI
Presented
by BRIAN PURFIELD
7
- 8:30pm
Pope
Benedict XVI: “Charity in Truth”
Monday
21st June
Love
or charity is at the heart of the Christian vision
and is the key to the fulfilment and development
of the human person. This talk offers an overview
of the main points of this profound and powerful
vision of the Christian faith applied to the complex
problems involved in human development.
EXPLORING
PRAYER THROUGH DANCE
SATURDAY
WORKSHOP – 3 rd JuLY
11
am - 4 pm
Led
by Sr LORRAINE
PRATT
Using
modern choreography, this workshop involves participants
in exploring the spiritual dimension of dance: ‘a
meditation in movement, where every step becomes
a prayer.' For details see leaflet.
Details
of these programmes can be found in the leaflets
at
the doors of the church.
If
you would like us to put on a course or a one day
workshop on a particular topic of interest to you
now is your opportunity to make your requests.
Please
use Gift-Aid envelopes for your donations if you
are a UK
Tax-payer .
|
