Previous months this year

Father Philip writes....
Previous months this year

August

During August we celebrate our Summer Festival – our Patronal Festival in honour of our Patron Saint, the Blessed Virgin Mary. The feast speaks of life beyond the grave and the feast of the Assumption of Mary into heaven begs the question as to what heaven is like.

The Bible tells us that it is better than our present life and gives us a series of pictures, mostly in the form of visions. I have to admit that sitting around playing harps for eternity sounds rather boring! Basically heaven is beyond our comprehension. We must not treat visions as though they were literal – e.g. pearly gates, streets paved with gold. If we could talk to a baby in his or her mother’s womb, we could not explain to him or her what the world is like. All I can say about the nature of heaven is that it is a state of peace, joy, healing and beauty, where we will experience God ever present.

What about the resurrection of the body? Before Jesus' death he had a completely normal human body. After his resurrection there was obviously a great change in his body. He appeared in locked rooms and at different locations many miles apart. He was not a ghost, as he could eat and drink, speak and be touched. Our earthly bodies will decay – some buried, others cremated. The spirit returns to God and ultimately God will give us a new resurrection body like Jesus had. Resurrection is the way in which God changes us, giving us new bodies as well as new minds and spirits to live in his presence.

The Bible compares this resurrection with a growing seed being clothed with its appropriate plant-form. Our ‘resurrection’ bodies develop from the ‘seed’ of what we are now.

The Church believes the Blessed Virgin Mary has already reached this goal of resurrection. St John, in the Book of Revelation, writes:

“A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman, adorned with the sun, standing on the moon and with the twelve stars on her head for a crown.”

The preface for the feast says:

“Today the Virgin Mother of God was taken up into heaven to be the beginning and pattern of the Church in its perfection, and a sign of hope and comfort for your people on their pilgrim way. You would not allow decay to touch her body, for she had given birth to your Son, the Lord of all life, in the glory of the incarnation…..”

Mary is a constant reminder of the saving work God wants to do in all our lives. He calls us to be faithful disciples like the perfect disciple, Mary. And if we persevere in our walk of faith as she did, we, too, will be raised in body and spirit in the glory of heaven.

What's on at St Mary's in August

Our Easter Candles, which were organised before the lockdown, will be blessed and lit for our departed loved ones and burn in the Holy Cross Chapel during August and most of September.
6th August - Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord. Spiritual writers sometimes speak of a moment of grace when the border between heaven and earth appears to fade for a brief moment and God’s presence touches our lives in a most profound way. Such a moment graced Peter, James and John on the mountain. (Luke 9 v 29-33)
10th August – St Lawrence. We know very little about his life, but his martyrdom made a deep and lasting impression on the early church. He was a deacon in Rome under Pope Sixtus (whose feast day is 7th August) in the time of the Roman Emperor Valerian. As a deacon he had been responsible for the material goods of the Church and care of the poor. The Prefect of Rome gave Lawrence 3 days to gather the treasures of the church. He gathered the blind, lame, maimed, lepers, orphans and widows and put them in rows. Lawrence simply said, “These are the treasures of the Church.” The Prefect was so angry he ordered Lawrence to be put to death on a gridiron with hot coals beneath it. As we keep our Patronal Festival as best as we can in restricted circumstances, I hope we can make St Mary’s more a home for those with broken lives. This is the least we can do to follow Christs own example.
12th August – Monthly Requiem for those who died in August, whose names are in the Chantry Book or the American Chantry Book. Please give me additional names of any loved ones which are not already there.
15th/16th August - ASSUMPTION OF OUR LADY

We are unable to have a special brew of beer this August -or fireworks or a visitors’ evening Mass on the Friday, but we will celebrate as best we can on Sunday 16th August at the 9.30 Parish Mass. The Mass will be special as during it Paula will be baptised and she, Shane and Shane will receive their First Holy Communion. Please bring a picnic (providing the weather is set to be fine) – and your own chairs or rug – and we will socially distance in the South churchyard.

17th August – Requiem Mass for departed friends and benefactors of our church.
23rd August – PCC meeting at the end of Mass (socially distanced within the church)
30th August – 9.30 Parish Mass and Confirmation. We welcome Bishop Norman, Bishop of Richborough, who will Confirm Graham, Shane and Paula.

July

Many people are unaware that a Vicar/Parish Priest is bound by the law of the Church of England (known as Canon Law) to ensure Morning and Evening Prayer are said daily in at least one church in the benefice and give public notice by tolling the bell (or other appropriate means).

This has been done in St Mary’s for almost 46 years since I have been Vicar, apart from the first 6 weeks of lockdown when churches were completely closed and I had to offer the Mass and daily Offices in the Vicarage.
Those of you in Mendlesham who can hear the bell know that it is rung 33 times – one for each year of Our Lord’s life on earth; this is because a priest continues Our Lord’s ministry.
The ‘Angelus’ bell is rung 3x3 and then 9 times. This is in honour of the Incarnation – God becoming Man. Mary heard the Good News, she responded to it and God made Man was made flesh in her body.

The bell is also rung for the daily Mass: the early Christians “broke bread daily” and we follow in that tradition here.

A young monk had a question about his Order’s motto: “Pray and Work”.

One day the Abbot invited him to row across a lake with him. The Abbot rowed first, but used only one oar. As a result, the boat obviously turned in circles. The young monk said, “Abbot, unless you row with both oars, you won’t get anywhere!”
“You’re right,” replied the Abbot, “The right oar is prayer; the left oar is work. Unless you keep them in balance and use them together, you’ll end up going round in circles.”

A spiritual writer said, “Each Christian needs at least ten minutes of prayer a day, except when he or she is busy: Then we need 20 minutes.”
The reality and effectiveness of prayer can be proved only by praying. Alexis Carvel, a French physician who won the Nobel Prize for his contribution to medicine wrote: “When we pray, we link ourselves with the inexhaustible motive power that spins the universe. We ask that a part of this power be apportioned to our needs.”

Max Handel wrote in similar vein:
“Prayer is like turning on an electric switch. It does not create the current; it simply provides a channel through which the current can flow.”
WIllliam McGill wrote:
“The value of persistent prayer is not that God will hear us, but that we will finally hear God.”
Lighting candles can be a sign of prayer and are again becoming much more popular. The following quote comes from Salisbury Cathedral:
‘Lighting a candle is a prayer:

When we have gone it stays alight, kindling in the hearts and minds of others the prayers we have already offered for them and for others, for the sad, the sick and the suffering and prayers for thankfulness too.
Lighting a candle is a parable:

burning itself out, it gives light to others. Christ gave himself for others. He calls us to give ourselves.

Lighting a candle is a symbol:

of love and hope, of light and warmth.
Our world needs them all.’

I conclude with a quote from Admiral Chester Nimitz that shows God always answers prayer… but not perhaps in the way we ask:
I asked God for strength that I might achieve….
I was made weak that I might learn humbly to obey.
I asked for health, that I might do greater things…
I was given infirmity that I might do better things.
I asked for riches, that I might be happy….
I was given poverty, that I might be wise.
I asked for power that I might have the praise of men…
I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God.
I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life…
I was given life, that I might enjoy all things.
I got nothing that I asked for, but everything I had hoped for.
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.
I am among all men most richly blessed.

St Mary's now open for public worship and private prayer
Mass will be celebrated publicly in St Mary’s on Sunday 5th March at 9.30 for the first time since the end of March – and will take place daily from then onwards. The times are on the July Calendar
I look forward to celebrating Mass with as many as are able to be present – and all are welcome (unless displaying symptons of Covid-19). Andrew and Chris, the churchwardens, and I spent over 2 hours in conducting a risk assessment and we would appreciate full co-operation from everyone who attends, as we are responsible for maintaining order in the church and churchyard at this time.
The summary of guidance is as follows:

Daily Mass resumes from 5th July, but it is vital that everyone follows social distancing and hygiene requirements. 2 metres (6’6”) is still the recommended distance, with ‘1 metre+’ only where that is impossible. The church remains open daily for prayer from 11.00 to 4.00 pm.
Hand sanitiser stations are each side of the porch, in the chancel and near the toilet.
Please touch as few surfaces as possible with your hands.
Only 1 person/household in porch at a time & follow the one-way signs in church.
On Sunday one of the churchwardens will direct you to a place. Pews are marked by round white stickers alternately placed at opposite ends. Please sit where asked, though you may indicate a preference if it is available when you arrive. Only those in the same household may sit together.
No books/leaflets will be given out; Sunday bulletins can be printed (see the Worship page for latest version) or viewed on your (silenced) phone or tablet.
There will be no singing, offertory procession, physical sign of peace or coffee afterwards. Those wishing to receive Holy Communion: please wait until directed by a churchwarden, follow the direction signs and keep your distance.
I, alone, will receive from the chalice, then will stand in front of the altar rails to administer the sacred host (consecrated bread) to other communicants. Please sanitise your hands before receiving this- standing - and return the opposite side.
If you need to use the toilet, please flush with seat closed and clean the toilet, handle, basin and door handles thoroughly with antibacterial wipes afterwards.
After Mass, please stay in your place until directed and leave the church straight away, unless you have a specific task such as cleaning. I will go to the churchyard (weather permitting.) You are welcome to remain in the churchyard but PLEASE retain strict social distancing at all times and do not block the path after Mass.

I am most conscious that some of our regular congregation are unable to come to church: whether key workers who would prefer to wait before mixing in company with any more people – - or are vulnerable, or living with someone in that category– or maybe you are simply not yet ready or able to come. We therefore plan to continue filming the Mass, and will send the link as usual tomorrow after it has been processed to YouTube and post it on the special 'Worship' page.

June

June is a month dotted with feast days in the Church’s calendar and I am writing about two of them.

1. CORPUS CHRISTI (14th June)

This is a day of thanksgiving for the Blessed Sacrament of Holy Communion. Jesus said, “Do not work for food that spoils; instead work for the food that lasts for eternal life. This is the food which the Son of Man will give you.” (John 6 v 27)

Jesus is clearly speaking of food for the soul - and so many people suffer from chronic spiritual hunger.

I have been reading about a family who paid to emigrate many years ago from Ireland to the United States by ship. To save the little money they had left, they remained in their cabin and ate hard bread and drank only water, rather than go to the ship’s dining room with its expensive food.

When they docked in New York, they learned that the meals were free, and included in the price of the ticket!

I fear many people voyage through life in a similar way. They starve spiritually rather than eat of the Bread of Life which is given freely at Mass. Think how much more we tend to care for our bodies, which are perishable, than our souls, which are everlasting.
Someone wrote:
“The goal of religion is not to get us into heaven – but to get heaven into us.”

It was the saintly Pope Leo the Great who wrote:
“The effect of our sharing in the Body and Blood of Christ is to change us into what we receive.”

2. THE FEAST OF THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS (15th June)
The heart is a symbol of love – and the Sacred Heart is a symbol of God’s great love for us in Jesus. St Paul tells us: “What proves that God loves us is that Christ died for us while we were still sinners.” (Romans 5 v 8)

This is seen most clearly in John 4 v 5-42, where Jesus meets an outcast woman who has had 5 husbands and is now living with another man. What do we learn about Jesus and his love for this outcast woman?

First, he treats her with respect. The holier a person is, the less s/he is inclined to judge others.

This woman was deeply wounded by a series of broken relationships. In this Gospel Jesus was thirsting for ordinary water, but the woman had a greater thirst – which was in her heart – and Jesus awakened the gift of God within her. In the hearts of all people is an indestructible core of goodness, and he greatest good we can do for other people is to show them their own worth. Christ meets us where we are. He knows our deepest thirst – that of the heart.

It was St Augustine who said:
“Our hearts are made for you and they will not rest until they rest in you.”

To satisfy this thirst we all need another kind of water that Jesus wants to give – and that is the Water of Life: the Life of God bubbling up inside us, but so often smothered by the 'moss and vegetation' of our self-centredness, sin, anxiety and worry.
Ever so gently Jesus shows the woman she has been looking for love in the wrong places.

Where is this ‘living water’ to come from? It will come from inside herself, for the spring is there, but hidden and blocked off. Christ makes people aware of their own emptiness and shows them how to fill it from within.

The feast of the Sacred Heart challenges us to discover the spring of God’s spirit within us.
Let us ask ourselves:

In what ways am I spiritually dry?
Am I thirsting for God like the woman by the well?

The answer to unblocking the spring of God’s spirit is PRAYER. Prayer is not just asking lots of things of God, but also involves receiving what he wants to give us.

We would do well to heed what Cardinal Mercier wrote about Prayer to the Holy Spirit:

"I am going to reveal to you a secret of sanctity and happiness. For five minutes every day quieten your imagination, close your eyes to everything visible and your ears to all external sounds and withdraw into the sanctuary of your baptised soul which is the temple of the Holy Spirit. There, speak to the Holy Spirit and say:

O Holy Spirit,
soul of my soul
I adore you.
Enlighten, guide, strengthen and console me.
Tell me what I ought to do
and command me to do it.

I promise to submit to everything
that you ask of me
and to accept all
that you allow to happen to me.
Just show me what is your will.

If you do this, your life will be happy and serene. Even in the midst of troubles you will experience great consolation, for grace will be given to strengthen and help you to cope with every difficulty."

CHRISTIAN AID WEEK
Thanks to all who donated via the special page set up by Val Arnold. £701.20 was given, with an extra £166.55 in Gift Aid, making a total of £867.75 – and thank you to Val for organising this. Considering there could be no URC coffee morning or house-to-house collection this year, this is a good result.

If you didn’t give and wish to, you can do so via the main Christian Aid website: https://www.christianaid.org.uk/appeals/key-appeals/christian-aid-week

Preparing to return to Church.

We still do not know when we can all return to church, but it is well to plan ahead and the entire church will need to be cleaned thoroughly first. If you would like to volunteer, please email or phone so we can compile a rota in readiness.

Of course we will have to follow whatever social distancing and hygiene regulations apply at the time, which will probably mean only one person or members of the same household working at a time and we will only be able to start work when both the Government and the Diocesan Bishop allow.

Parish Giving Scheme.
Thanks to all who give regularly to the work of the church, whether by Direct Debit or Standing Order. Please consider regular giving if you do not already do so.
You can read about the Parish Giving Scheme (PGS) at: https://www.parishgivingscheme.org.uk/for-donors/ It is now possible to set up a regular Direct Debit gift through the PGS by phone: 0333 002 1271, Mon to Fri, from 9 – 5pm. You will need to quote: 330633127 - Mendlesham: St Mary.
If you would prefer to give online by standing order or make a single donation, the church account details are:
Sort code: 40-52-40 Account No: 00021465 Bank: CAF Bank
You are also welcome to send a cheque made payable to ‘Mendlesham PCC’ to me [The Vicarage, Mendlesham, Stowmarket, Suffolk IP14 5RS] to pass to Andi our treasurer.

May

This month's letter is slightly longer than usual and contains several different messages, including one about Christian Aid Week and a thought-provoking poem and video to conclude.

When will things return to normal? There was so much to look forward to in May: VE celebrations; the Street Fayre; Church Tours, the National Pilgrimage to Walsingham; the Crowning of the May Queen and May Fiesta celebrations. My question cannot be answered because we do not know the answer.
May is known as Mary’s month and we can learn so much from her as Jesus’ first disciple.

Mary is a woman of FAITH. Look at her response to Gabriel’s message; look at her faith in bringing Jesus into this world in the poverty of a filthy stable at Bethlehem; look at her faith in living in exile in Egypt; her faith at the wedding at Cana; her faith as she stood at the foot of the cross and watched her son die; her faith in the upper room at Pentecost. Faith is an acceptance, and adherence of one person to another.

Mary is a woman of PRAYER. At Cana she made a simple prayer of petition: “They have no wine.”

Mary is a woman of SILENCE. “She stored up all these things in her heart.” (Luke 2 v 51). “She treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart.” (Luke 2 v 19). One positive way I am using this time of isolation is consciously spending more time with God rather than doing things for Him.
Mary STANDS AT THE FOOT OF THE CROSS. She was given strength when she saw her son dying on it.
This terrible Coronavirus/Covid-19 has claimed many lives. As a result many people have been bereaved and have not had a chance to grieve properly. E.C. McKenzie wrote:

“Hope is putting faith to work when doubting would be easier.”

Mary had that faith and that is why she is a great model of discipleship for us.

The feast of Our Lord’s Ascension falls on 21st May. One of my favourite stories is that of the Angel Gabriel being surprised to see Jesus back so soon after his time on earth; after all, 33 years is not a long time. Gabriel says, “Back so soon?”
“I would have stayed longer but they crucified me.” Jesus replies.
“That means you have failed,” replies Gabriel.
“No,” says Jesus, “I have called together a group of disciples. They will carry on my work.”
“And what if they should fail?” asks Gabriel.
Jesus answered, “I have no other plan.”
Jesus commissions you and me to witness in this place. It is daunting at the moment with so many questions about the future. May we have the faith of Mary as we step into the unknown.

CHRISTIAN AID WEEK
(10th – 16th May)

A woman saw a little girl on the street. She was poorly dressed, ill-nourished and playing in the gutter. The woman became angry and said to God, “Why do you let a thing like that happen in the world you created?”
“I did do something about it,” replied God, “I created you.”

We may not feel we can make a huge difference, but Captain Tom Moore’s achievement is a great example of something amazing resulting from small beginnings.

On 10th April this year, aged nearly 100, he set himself the challenge to raise £1,000 via JustGiving for NHS Charities Together by walking 100 lengths of his garden. When I started to write this article, 19 days later, the total stood at £29,456,625.59. Now, less than 24 hours later, which is Captain Tom’s 100th Birthday, a further £2.5Million has been raised. So at this point, the total now stands at £32,069,721 plus another £6,036,913.43 through Gift Aid…. Over £38Million in 20 days…and it is rising all the time.

Let us ask ourselves how we might respond to Jesus’ invitation to help Him transform the lives of people living in hunger and poverty.
The need is greater than ever, especially since many in poorer parts of the world do not have access to the medical facilities that we do. In previous years you have given most generously in Christian Aid Week.
However, this year we can't have our usual House-to-House collection or the churn in church. Of course you can make a donation directly to Christian Aid via their website, but it wouldn’t show as coming from Mendlesham.

So, in response to a suggestion by Christian Aid, our parish organiser, Val Arnold, has set up a special JustGiving page for Christian Aid Week from Mendlesham. The link is:
www.justgiving.com/camendlesham2020
You will then see the following:

You can Gift Aid your donation if you are a taxpayer at no further expense to yourself.
A friendly warning: JustGiving ask for a donation to themselves to keep the platform going and if you are not careful you can end up automatically giving 10% more, as this is the default position. You are not obliged to do this, and can easily change the amount in the box to give another percentage or none at all.

Coronavirus reflection by Vivienne Reich

The earth whispered but you did not hear.
The earth spoke but you did not listen
The earth screamed but you turned her off.
And so I was born...
I was not born to punish you…
I was born to awaken you…
The earth cried out for help...
Massive flooding. But you didn't listen.
Burning fires. But you didn't listen.
Strong hurricanes. But you didn't listen.
Terrifying Tornadoes. But you didn't listen.
You still don't listen to the earth when…
Ocean animals are dying due to pollutants in the waters.
Glaciers melting at an alarming rate.
Severe drought.
You didn't listen to how much negativity the earth is receiving.
Non-stop wars.
Non-stop greed.
You just kept going on with your life…
No matter how much hate there was...
No matter how many killings daily…
It was more important to get that latest iPhone than worry about what the earth was trying to tell you…
But now I am here.
And I've made the world stop in its tracks.
I've made YOU finally listen.
I've made you take refuge.
I've made you stop thinking about materialistic things…
Now you are like the earth...
You are only worried about YOUR survival.
How does that feel?
I give you fever... as the fires burn on earth.
I give you respiratory issues... as pollution filled the earth’s air.
I give you weakness as the earth weakens every day.
I took away your comforts…
Your outings.
The things you would use to forget about the planet and its pain.
And I made the world stop...
And now...
China has better air quality.. Skies are clear blue because factories are not spewing pollution unto the earth's air.
The water in Venice is clean and Because the gondola boats that pollute the water are not being used.
YOU are having to take time to reflect on what is important in your life.
Again I am not here to punish you.. I am here to Awaken you...
When all this is over and I am gone... Please remember these moments…
Listen to the earth.
Listen to your soul.
Stop Polluting the earth.
Stop Fighting amongst each other.
Stop caring about materialistic things.
And start loving your neighbours.
Start caring about the earth and all its creatures.
Start believing in a Creator.
Because next time I may come back even stronger....
Signed,
Coronavirus.

... and finally, a video challenging us on our response to the current pandemic

"We fell asleep in one world...."
by Haroon Rashid

I continue to offer Mass and pray the Offices each day at home for the needs of the congregation, the parish and the wider world, especially remembering all affected by the pandemic. Please contact me with any prayer requests or pastoral needs on 01449 766359 or through the CONTACT page.
Online Worship
We have have videoed some Masses offered in the Vicarage and uploaded to YouTube. you can see these on the Worship page

April

"We have eaten and drunk with Him after His Resurrection… He has ordered us to proclaim this to His people and to tell them….” (Acts 10 v 41&42)

'Goosey, Goosey Gander,
Whither shall I wander?
Upstairs and downstairs
And in my Lady’s chamber.
There I met an old man
Who wouldn’t say his prayers.
So I took him by the left leg
And threw him down the stairs'

Many people have become like ‘Goosey Gander’ in their religious convictions. They believe Christianity is a ‘DO IT YOURSELF KIT’ e.g.

Lead a decent life;
Don’t harm anyone;
Say your prayers;
Read the Bible … and all will be well.

Such a man-centred religion will inevitably tend to despise those who do not come up to those standards. The Jewish religion had fallen into similar snares and Jesus clashed with it and was crucified.
So what is different about the Christian religion?
The essence of Christianity lies in total commitment to Jesus, who will make us new creatures through his risen life.

Peter and the ‘Beloved Disciple’ (John) emerged from the empty tomb as changed men – not just because of the physical evidence of Christ’s resurrection but because their minds were opened by the power of God in Christ. The religion of the early apostles was God-centred; it was one of new life in Jesus and not revenge and punishment.

Today we are called to proclaim Jesus is alive and promises that same power to his Church. We all want an effective church but all too often it is man-centred: dominated by money, ‘keeping the show on the road’ instead of outreach and mission. We can give the impression that it is important to look terribly busy, to be seen to be doing something which brings the approval of other people.

The Apostles were filled with the power of the Risen Lord and proclaimed His kingdom by word and sign. This is how St Mark’s Gospel ends: “The disciples went and preached everywhere and the Lord worked with them and proved their preaching was true by the miracles that were performed.” (Mark 16 v 20)
What does Easter mean to you?

Of course it is a historical fact that Jesus rose from the dead, but even more important is what follows on logically from that: the fact that Jesus is alive today.He calls us to respond to Him and does not condemn us if we refuse his love.

He is not like ‘Goosey Gander’ in the nursery rhyme who will throw someone down the stairs.
We all need the new life that can only come from Christ. We continually need to ask Christ to make us new people. We need to live the Gospel and proclaim his kingdom at Mass. We need to live with a greater sense of expectancy in the work of healing.

When this happens Easter is more than just a historic occasion but becomes a feast for today. The Church is you and me. Together let us respond to the Risen Christ!
Happy Easter!

March

The time has come,” Jesus said, “and the Kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent and believe the Good News.” (Mark 1 v 15)
Jesus calls us all to repent, and we think especially of this during Lent. Real repentance means that a person has come not only to be sorry for the consequences of his or her sin, but to hate the sin itself. Jesus tells us to believe the Good News – that we take him at his word.

Repentance involves getting rid of what is unclean and prevents Jesus from entering our lives, such as hatred for others, lack of forgiveness, grudges, jealousy, greed for material objects and obsession with money.
We need to open our hearts to all people and not be exclusive. Above all we need to acknowledge Jesus is the real Lord and Master of our lives.

The Kingdom of God is not something that can be seen, for God rules over people’s hearts. An unknown poet wrote the words:

“How I wish there was some wonderful place called ‘The Land of Beginning Again’, where all our mistakes and all our headaches… could be dropped like a shaggy coat at the door and never be put on again."

There IS such a place – in God’s heart, as revealed in Jesus Christ. What convinces me most that God isn’t interested in what I was, but in what I can become; not in what I was, but in what I am becoming?
Alexander Pope wrote:

Teach me to feel another’s woe
To hide the fault I see;
That mercy I to others show,
That mercy show to me.” (The Universal Prayer)

It is a real discipline to allow yourself to be forgiven. To believe that God wants to wipe out all your guilt and give you a new heart and a new spirit is a challenge. It means you give up being in control and respond by saying: “Yes, Lord, I need your help.”

The more you discover God’s light and forgiveness, the more you discover that part of you that you keep hidden to yourself.

A patient was surprised to see a Bible on a psychiatrist’s desk. He asked, “Do you, a psychiatrist, need the Bible?” He replied, “I not only read it; I study it!”
He then added: “If people would absorb its message, a lot of us psychiatrists would close our offices and go fishing.”

To clarify this point, he said that if patients plagued by guilt feelings took the heart of the prodigal son (Luke 15 v 11-31) they would be healed overnight. God’s forgiveness is infinitely greater than any mistakes we can make. …. Remember the lovely quotation from St Isaac the Syrian:

"Our sins are but a handful of dust
thrown into
the ocean of God’s love."

This Lent, please ask yourself:
“What is the one thing I find hard to forgive myself?”
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is here to help you find that peace that our Heavenly Father wishes to give.

February

CANDLEMASS – 2nd February.
The Feast of Candlemass is given 3 names:

The Presentation of Christ in the Temple. The Jewish Law stated that every first-born son was to be dedicated to the service of God, for He saved Israel’s first-born when the first-born of Egypt died at the first Passover (Exodus 12 v 12);
The Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The purification of a woman was to be completed 40 days after the birth of a male child. Only then could she re-enter the ‘Court of Women’ on the Temple Mount;
CANDLEMASS. The Romans used to carry candles and torches in the street to honour the goddess Februa. We carry candles not in honour of Februa but in honour of Christ, proclaimed by Simeon in the Temple to be ‘a Light to Enlighten the Gentiles’ – words used by the Church daily at Night Prayer

The blessing and distribution of candles should challenge us. The candle is a symbol of being a light for Christ. Jesus said, ‘You are the light of the world.’ The candle is also a symbol of sacrifice, for in giving light it gives of itself.
In Luke 2 v 22 we see how Mary and Joseph’s lives revolved completely around Jesus, how the prophetess Anna was devoted to serving God in prayer in the Temple and the old man Simeon believed he would not die until he had seen the Messiah.

We, too, need to live lives of sacrifice and radiate the love of Christ to those around. Even one person can make a difference in today’s world. Let us make sure each one of us shines as a light for Christ.

New gate to rood loft stairs

What is a Rood Screen? In mediaeval churches, Rood Screens were used to mark the separation between the nave (the body of the church) and the chancel (where the High altar is situated). The word rood comes from the old English rōd, meaning the Cross of Christ and the rood figures consisted of Jesus on the Cross, with Mary and St John on either side. In our church the original screen and figures were removed at the Reformation, but the original steps leading from the Lady chapel remain. Our Rood figures were restored in 1981 above the chancel arch and for many years I have wanted a beautiful gate primarily for safety reasons.

The restored Rood held a fascination for John Herron for many years, and so the new gate given by his widow Anne, is a fitting memorial.

It bears a symbol copied from the South porch – a crowned AMR – standing for Ave Maria Regina – Hail Mary, Queen, and the lock cover has an amusing and fitting rebus (an image like a pun, representing a name) of a heron.
John was for many years a faithful member of St Mary’s congregation and the gate will be dedicated at parish Mass on Sunday 2nd Feb with shared refreshments afterwards. All are welcome.

January

At the beginning of January the Church keeps the Feast of the Epiphany.
"Epiphany" means “manifestation” or “showing forth”.

It means that Jesus is shown as Saviour of the World. I used to have a joke mug in the Vicarage with the caption ‘Jesus loves you….. but I’m his favourite!’ The Jewish people of Jesus’ time thought they were God’s favourites and that the Messiah would be the Saviour just of them. In the Old Testament the Jews are portrayed as God’s chosen people but it came to be interpreted in a way that made all other people second class. The orthodox Jews of the time despised others who did not keep to their strict rules, yet the first Jewish people who heard the Good News of the Messiah’s birth were unorthodox shepherds – considered to be the lowest or outcasts of society.

2. The manifestation of Jesus at Epiphany may be compared to a Royal birth. When a member of the Royal Family has a baby, the whole nation is told about it, but many people will camp on pavements outside the hospital until the mother leaves a short while afterwards and shows them the baby. Christ is born at Bethlehem at Christmass but the Epiphany is the showing forth to the Wise Men a while afterwards, rather like a royal couple showing their child.

3. The manifestation of Jesus involved a journey of faith. The wise men saw a star, but they did not know where it would lead them. Their journey was an act of faith. We tend to think the star led them to Bethlehem – the impression given by the carol “The First Nowell”, but the Bible shows the journey was one of searching, questioning, pain, joy, fear and hope.

The star was at the beginning and end of their journey and these Gentile (non-Jewish) visitors had to make an act of faith. Like the shepherds, even when they saw the child they had to believe it was a royal birth. Their gifts showed Gold for a king, Incense for God and Myrrh for his death.

This feast challenges us: The wise men brought their best gifts. What can I bring?
Do I give God my best or what’s left over?

God loves all and nobody is his favourite. There is nothing worse than ‘I’m saved’ (‘…and you are not!’) Fr Faber wrote:

‘For the love of God is broader
than the measure of man’s mind;
and the heart of the Eternal
is most wonderfully kind.

But we make his love too narrow
by false limits of our own
and we magnify his strictness
with a zeal he will not own.’

That does not mean ‘anything goes’ but it means our attitude should change. St Mary’s is a welcoming church, but I hope we can make it even more welcoming for all; God is manifested in us in his Royal Birth and we must do the same for others.

Father Philip writes....​Previous months this year