Newsletter - 4 August
SUMMER NEWSLETTER
Dear brothers and sisters,
August marks for many of us a time for a holiday or summer break from usual or ordinary activities and duties. In this respect, the children’s school calendar is a good reminder and helps us to stop and have a welcome break. The question of having a break is rooted in both the Old and New Testaments. Jesus calls his disciples – after a busy day of evangelisation when they did not even have time to eat – to “come away to some lonely place all by yourselves and rest for a while” Mk 6:31. Jesus himself distanced himself from his occupations and full days of work where he did not spare his pains and efforts, praying in deserted places and in silence, far from others and he invites his disciples to rest, recharge and do the same.
The account of creation in the book of Genesis states that God, after six days of hard creation work in doing useful and beautiful things, considered it sound and good to rest on the seventh day: “He rested on the seventh day after all the work he had been doing” Gn 2:2. First, the act of creation is related to work, God creates by his Word but this creation process is work indeed. Then God rests, pointing out that there is something else other than work in our existence, we are worth more than what we do or achieve. French singer Jean-Jacques Goldman said in a song called ‘Les choses’ in 2001:
If I possessed this, if I had that
I would be this, I would be that
Without things, I don’t exist
I take hold of things and things take hold of me
They provide consideration, they give me a price
I take hold of things, they fill my life
It's no more "I think" but "I have, therefore I am"
Work is necessary but we are to ensure that it does not become the main purpose of our life. God is the source of man and his finality. This is why the Sabbath is a founding law and will become a commandment. Rest is what takes man out of necessity, and brings him back to gratuity. It allows man to replenish his strength. The Sabbath is thus a liberating factor from the excesses of human work.
I wish you all a holy and happy Summer break
Fr Pascal Sullivan
Parish priest
Focus of the Week
Masses On Sunday During August
Last year many of you expressed enjoyment in having a combined Mass in August on Sundays.
Therefore, this year, we will once again have only one Mass on Sundays at 10:00am, followed by tea and coffee. This will be a great opportunity to mingle and get to know each other better.
There is also no children’s liturgy during the month.
Adoration
There will be no Adoration during the summer.
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Adoration will resume on Monday 9 September.