The Archbishop has requested that we ring the bell every day at noon and say this Angelus prayer together

Angelus

God Bless the world
Give it wisdom at this time
Grant us relief and release
Be with those who are ill
And bless the carers fighting this pandemic

For Jesus Christ sake.
Amen

Monica 

On the 4th of May, we also commemorated the life of Monica a Christian woman of North Africa. She was the mother of Augustine who caused his mother great sorrow as he rejected her church and seek self-fulfillment in the rival cults and philosophies of the day. She pursued him with her prayers, and when he crossed to Italy, followed him there in person, until in old age she had the joy of seeing her son come back to the Christian faith. When Monica knew her death was near, she tried to comfort her son: ‘Son, for my part I no longer find joy in the world. One thing there was for which I desired to remain in this life a little longer, that I should see you a Catholic Christian before I died. ‘And when her son promised to carry her body back to Africa for burial, she forbade him. ‘It does not matter where you bury my body. Do not let that worry you. All I ask of you is that, wherever you may be, you should remember me at the altar of the Lord.

What is it that we remember when we approach when we sit and when we stand at the altar of the Lord? 

Collect 

Eternal Father, Monica, Mother of Augustine of Hippo knew your Son to be the true and living way: grant that we may follow her along that way which leads to eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Eucharist Readings:

Acts 11:19-26                 Psalm 87                John 10:22-30

Friends as Jesus walked in Solomon’s porch, the Jews came to him, with the question they knew the answer to. Tell us plainly, are you or are you not God’s promised Anointed one? There is no doubt that behind that question were two attitudes of mind. There were those who genuinely wish to know. But there were others who beyond a doubt asked the question in order to catch Jesus out. 

How often do we ask questions in the hope for an answer, maybe just to start something, a debate, or to raise suspicion? We know what the reason was for the question to Jesus. Maybe we should rethink our motives before we raise our questions.

The words and deeds of Jesus were a continuous claim to be the anointed One of God. The very accent of authority with which Jesus spoke, the way in which he ceremoniously canceled the old law and put His own teaching in its place, was a claim that God was speaking in and through him.

Although many did not accept Jesus then, and today, Jesus promises us eternal life. All we must do is to accept him as our Lord and Saviour. There are lots of things and or situations that may cause doubt. Whatever those may be Jesus is bigger than our situations, bigger than the economic crisis that we are in, bigger than the novel virus we are facing. 

Jesus promises us a life that would know no end. Death would be, not the end, but merely the beginning, we will know the glory of everlasting life.

Jesus also promises a life that is secure. Nothing would be able to snatch us from his hand, we would be saved from sorrow, from suffering and death. In our sorest moments and our darkest hours, we would be conscious of the everlasting arms underneath us. Even in a world crashing to disaster, we would know the serenity of God.  

Let us continue to follow the great Shepherd Jesus Christ. Let us not doubt but persevere in the faith that we all know. Jesus has an unceasing vigilant and patient love for us. Let us show this love to and through one another.  

Let us Pray:

God grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, Courage to change the things we can and wisdom to know the difference.