WebCam Schedule
If the live stream is not showing in the frame above please click on this direct link to church Media https://churchmedia.tv/st-agnes-church/embed
REFLECTION – 9th/10th NOVEMBER, 2024
My grandmother on my mother’s side had a great love for supporting the work of our Irish Missionaries. She fund-raised for them, she sold tickets for various raffles and gave as much as she could out of her sparse income. She seemed to be forever giving to charities of the little that she had. After she died in 1981 her family found a list of the charities and the Missionary Religious Orders she supported. In a small note she expressed a desire that her family would continue her work. My mother, already a supporter of the St. Martin, Far East, Africa and the Messenger magazines took on selling tickets for the Missionaries for Africa. Her siblings did likewise for other missionaries. I thought of all of them as I read the word of God for today. Jesus honours the small gesture of kindness and generosity from the little which the poor widow possessed. There was no sense of self-serving or showing off in her generosity unlike the Scribes and Pharisees who ensured people saw the huge amounts they gave. “If you need to call attention to your good deed then it isn’t a good deed, it’s self-serving.” (Donna Lynn Hope).
“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.” (Letters of John Wesley). Jesus himself said that we must carry out our charitable deeds secretly and what matters is that GOD sees our acts of kindness, goodness, giving and generosity, He will reward us for these. Even if we give just a cup of cold water to one of the least of these, it has eternal significance.
The poor widow gave away her two coins which made up the total of all her resources. She does in this gospel what Jesus will eventually do: she gave totally of what she had as Jesus did: she gave that all as an offering to God, as Jesus will do with his life on the cross.
Every day demands are made on us: we are called to be generous with our love, caring and compassion. We are called to give out of our resources to those in need. The hall mark of a true EUCHARISTIC COMMUNITY is the extent we are prepared to respond with the mind and heart of Jesus, however much it may cost us. My grandmother said “The little we give to others will not lessen us but will make life better for someone.” She was inspired by her Christian faith and the gospel of Christ. Let us too hear the call of Jesus today and be willing to give in such a way we make a difference to others.
Fr. Tony
PRAYER FOR PEACE
Lord, when my heart is overburdened, overwhelm me with your peace. Lead me to you, my rock, strength and refuge. Guide me to your Word which gives me strength and comfort. Help me not to run to lesser things. Draw me to run to you first. Help me to get into the habit of taking my burdens to you and placing them in your care. For your Son, Jesus said, “Come to me all who labour and overburdened and I will give you rest: for I am gentle and humble of heart and you will find rest for your souls”.
AMEN.
The Hopes of Pope Francis for the future of the Church
464 Bishops, Priests, Religious and lay people have gathered in Rome for the month of October 2023 to take part in the Synod which is the most important happening in the Church since the 2nd Vatican Council. Of that number 81 are women and 54 of those are voting members.
Pope Francis seeks to bring a revived sense of mission to the Church, and many are hoping that new life will emerge as a result. The documents that will emerge at the end of the month are not the final word, the same people who attend the present gathering will meet again in October 2024, and the Pope is expected to respond to the documents in the months after.
One topic that will be addressed is the role of women in the Church and perhaps we might have women deacons in the years ahead. The Synod will address the role of all those of us who are Baptised and encourage us to become more active in the Church and in our Parishes. We all share in the common priesthood of the Baptised. This gathering is a culmination of the work that took place in our parish and the parishes of Ireland in 2022.
Ireland is represented by Alan McGuckian, Bishop of Raphoe, and Brendan Leahy, Bishop of Limerick, his early years were spent as a child in the parish of St. Agnes.
PRAYER FOR THE SYNOD
We Stand before You, Holy Spirit, as we gather together in Your name.
With You alone to guide us, make Yourself at home in our hearts;
Teach us the way we must go and how we are to pursue it.
We are weak and sinful; do not let us promote disorder.
Do not let ignorance lead us down the wrong path nor partiality influence our actions.
Let us find in You our unity so that we may journey together to eternal life
And not stray from the way of truth and what is right.
All this we ask of You, who are at work in every place and time,
In the communion of the Father and the Son, forever and ever. Amen.