SCRIPTURE
READINGS (A)
2
Kings 4:8-11, 14-16 A good
woman offers hospitality to a prophet
Psalm
88
I will sing
forever of your love, O Lord
Romans
6:3-4,8-11
You are dead to sin but alive to Christ
Matthew
10:37-42
Anyone who welcomes yo welcomes me
CHANGE,
OR MORE OF THE SAME?
Change
is something that we all resist. Life throws so many things
at us that we seek some kind of security in things that
stay the same, and who can blame us? It's hard enough
earning a living, looking after children, parents and
so on that we want some constancy in our lives. After
a while, we might find it and settle snugly into a routine
which suits us. Give it a bit longer and we will fight
to keep that style of life our own and will feel entirely
justified in doing so. Quite right, we might think; we've
had enough and want to settle. And then we become bored.
What
next? Not another round of change and confusion, surely?
It's even worse if its thrust upon us in an unwelcome
fashion since – wait a minute – we didn't ask for this.
Huge sighs of annoyance well up from within us and we
knuckle down to the task, all the time waiting for our
former state to return. Dream on….!
Which
is why we can have great sympathy with Jesus and indeed
his mother Mary. The Gospels tell us that for them, change
was the only constant in their lives. Indeed even before
he is born, Mary and Joseph have to move again and again
and again. Not much fun there. When he beings his public
ministry, Jesus is on the move all the time
and is often fleeing from those who seek to kill him.
A lot of the time he is in hiding before, of course, its
time to move on once more. He never stops and must have
been more than a little exasperated with it all. He more
or less says so. People and events are thrust into his
face and he has to deal with them.
Our
own lives can be helped by watching how Jesus does this.
He is not a goody two-shoes; sometimes he gets rattled,
sometimes annoyed and angry, sometimes he is gentle and
understanding. Importantly, he res-ponds to each situation
as himself, not as a robot. He has the most sympathy with
those in need or those whom others say are outside the
community. His life changes all the time and it can't
have been easy.
For
us, this can be a source of encouragement: it doesn't
make us feel any better but when we realise what
Jesus endured, we might become a bit more at peace with
it. This won't take away our reactions but that's alright;
we can temper our reactions accord-ingly and try to emulate
those of Christ. This will never be easy for us but if
it results just in our biting our tongue, not saying the
unhelpful word and so on then we will have made progress.
James Campbell, SJ
FARM
STREET TALKS
Today
is the last in the series The
Jesuits: History & Life
Speaker:
Fr James Campbell, S.J.
Venue:
Church Hall
Time:
5-6pm .
Admission
free.
All
welcome.
POST-
TSUNAMI REPORT
Copies
of the latest reports from Jesuits working in Sri Lanka
are available at the church doors. These continue to keep
us informed of the precise ways in which the trauma of
destruction and reconstruction is being dealt with. There
is also a detailed financial statement. Our church was
able to send over £26,000 in direct aid to the Jesuits
based on the island and (in spite of recent press concerns
about the use of Western donations) we can be sure that
our contribution is being used wisely and efficiently.
May God bless the efforts of all those who are
rebuilding broken lives.
EVENTS
CALENDAR
A
MASS FOR THE HOLY FATHER
This
Wednesday is the Feast of SS Peter and Paul, a Holy Day
of Obligation. There will be a sung Mass at 6pm in honour
of the newly-elected Pope Benedict XVI. We welcome the
Gregorian Chant Society under the direction of Peter Wilton
(a member of the Farm Street Singers) who will be leading
us in English and Latin. The Mass will conclude with a
solemn Te Deum.
A
CONTEMPLATIVE MONASTIC AFTERNOON
The
Benedictine nuns of Tyburn Convent ( Bayswater Road ,
near Marble Arch) offer an afternoon of prayer and reflection
with a talk on the Catholic martyrs, and an introduction
to the contemplative life of the nuns followed by tea
and Vespers. If you have never been to Tyburn, this is
a chance to visit an important historic site. Sunday July
3 rd , 2-5pm .
YOUTH
2000
WALSINGHAM
2005
A
prayer festival will take place on 25-29 August at the
Walsingham shrine in Norfolk . For information see the
website: youth2000.org
CAKE
AND JAM SALE FOR THE JESUIT REFUGEE SERVICE
Please
come and enjoy the goods on offer (home-made cakes of
all sizes, home-made jams, marm-alade, chutney, etc) in
the Meeting Room, 114 Mount Street, on Sunday July 3 rd
, 10.15am-1pm. Proceeds go to the support of AIDS orphans
in East Africa. This is a chance to meet JRS volunteers.
FAREWELL
We
say good-bye to Nicolas Steeves SJ who returns to France
to complete his theology studies. Those of you who were
able to know him from his presence with us in Sunday mornings
will appreciate his contribution to our parish in many
ways and the clrgy also thank him for all his “behind
the scenes” work. Bon voyage et bonne chance!
MOUNT
STREET CENTRE TALKS
Fr
Anthony Carroll SJ, Assistant Director of the Heythrop
Institute for Religion, Ethics and Public Life, will speak
on Monday June 27 th ( 7.30-9.30pm ) in the Hall on Catholic
Social Teaching: 40 Years since Vatican II. There
is a light supper and drinks from 7pm for those who wish
to attend. Please let Brian Purfield, course co-ordinator,
know if you plan to attend.
brianpurfield@hotmail.com
Tel:
020 7495 1673
(£5
donation requested)
READERS
Please
collect your rota for the coming months from the sacristy.
FIRST
SUNDAY
The
monthly First Sunday young adult Mass rakes
place next Sunday. All young adults in their 20's and
30's are most welcome. It begins at 7.15pm with quiet
prayer. There is a social afterwards.
SADHANA:
A WAY TO GOD
Those
who have just completed the six-week beginner's course
have asked that we continue. We will therefore be running
until 7th July, 6:30-7.45pm. Beginners are welcome to
join this new course. See notice board for details or
ring 8374 6959 or leave a message at Mount Street reception
for Lynne.
The
Church Team
Fr
William Pearsall SJ (Parish Priest)
Fr
James Campbell SJ (Asst Priest)
Fr
Anthony Meredith SJ (Asst Priest)
Philip
O'Brien (Parish Council Chairman)
David
Graham (Director of Music)
Patrick
Mallon (Sacristan)
Fr
Hugh Duffy SJ ( Superior
of the Jesuit
Community)
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