+ Thursday 2nd – update for PALMS drive-through pick-up and a brief homily with today’s readings
02 April 2020
Today’s street sign
Hello everyone and wishes to you for a hope-filled Thursday. You would’ve seen today’s street name – Walkers Cr – in the cover picture to this post. It’s part of this week’s simple visual theme to encourage us to pause and spiritually unite in friendship with people isolating in all our local streets. It’s heavy hearted news to hear each morning of the updated report of deaths to COVID-19. The report I heard this morning focussed in again on France – as stories of Italy, Spain, the U.K and U.S.A. also featured with enormous gravity. So, it’s with people in all the streets of those places and beyond that we unite across our nation and world.
Update on Palm Sunday ahead – Drive through palms pick-up!
You might have seen the post yesterday about palms.
Palms will be spread out and organised on tables at the door of the church (19 Troy St Emu Plains and all are welcome to participate even if not a regular parish person) using appropriate hygienic care. The palms will be first blessed in a small ceremony as would happen before a Palm Sunday Mass.
Drive-through slowly under the roof at the church doors and stop. Pick-up your palms and drive on around and out the driveway. I’ll be there to say hello.
6pm-7pm Saturday
9am – 10.30am Sunday
You are invited to come and pick up blessed palms for yourself, family and a parishioner you know who is isolated. AND you are invited to pick up some printed cards to drop in letter boxes or leave at neighbours’ doors. The message on the card is suitable for people of any faith background or for those who do not profess a faith.(See the next post on Friday 3rd April for finalised details of this special initiative) The card both explains the use of palms and gives an encouraging message for all. This challenge of COVID-19 isolation is a chance for excellent outreach and unity in many creative ways and hopefully this is one such small way that many can join in to express our interest in others.
Today’s Readings from Mass and a brief recorded homily below
Opening Prayer of Mass
Let us pray.
Be near, O Lord, to those who plead before you,
and look kindly on those who place their hope in your mercy,
that, cleansed from the stain of our sins,
we may persevere in wholesome, holy living
and be made full heirs of your promise.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
First Reading
A reading from the book of Genesis (17:3-9)
Abram bowed to the ground and God said this to him, ‘Here now is my covenant with you: you shall become the father of a multitude of nations. You shall no longer be called Abram; your name shall be Abraham, for I make you father of a multitude of nations. I will make you most fruitful. I will make you into nations, and your issue shall be kings. I will establish my Covenant between myself and you, and your descendants after you, generation after generation, a Covenant in perpetuity, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. I will give to you and to your descendants after you the land you are living in, the whole land of Canaan, to own in perpetuity, and I will be your God.’
The word of the Lord.
Responsorial Psalm 104(105):4-9
Response: The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
Consider the Lord and his strength;
constantly seek his face.
Remember the wonders he has done,
his miracles, the judgements he spoke.
The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
O children of Abraham, his servant,
O sons of the Jacob he chose.
He, the Lord, is our God:
his judgements prevail in all the earth.
The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
He remembers his covenant for ever,
his promise for a thousand generations,
the covenant he made with Abraham,
the oath he swore to Isaac.
The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
Gospel Acclamation
Glory and praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ!
If today you hear his voice,
harden not your hearts.
Glory and praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ!
Gospel
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John (8:51-59)
Jesus said to the Jews:
‘I tell you most solemnly,
whoever keeps my word
will never see death.’
The Jews said, ‘Now we know for certain that you are possessed. Abraham is dead, and the prophets are dead, and yet you say, “Whoever keeps my word will never know the taste of death.” Are you greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? The prophets are dead too. Who are you claiming to be?’ Jesus answered:
‘If I were to seek my own glory
that would be no glory at all;
my glory is conferred by the Father,
by the one of whom you say, “He is our God”
although you do not know him.
But I know him,
and if I were to say: I do not know him,
I should be a liar, as you are liars yourselves.
But I do know him, and I faithfully keep his word.
Your father Abraham rejoiced
to think that he would see my Day;
he saw it and was glad.’
The Jews then said, ‘You are not fifty yet, and you have seen Abraham!’ Jesus replied:
‘I tell you most solemnly,
before Abraham ever was,
I Am.’
At this they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid himself and left the Temple.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Homily
You are welcome to listen in to some thoughts I recorded this morning to share with you, based on the readings from today’s Mass. Just press the play button and check your volume is up.
And let’s include just a couple of pieces from the Mass prayers for each of us to use reflectively
At the Saviour’s command
and formed by divine teaching, we dare to pray:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,
graciously grant peace in our days,
that, by the help of your mercy,
we may be always free from sin
and safe from all distress,
as we await the blessed hope
and the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
For the kingdom,
the power and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen
Prayer after Communion
Let us pray:
Nourished by your saving gifts,
we beseech your mercy, Lord,
that by this same Sacrament,
with which you feed us in the present age,
you may make us partakers of life eternal.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen
Just for fun – Noah’s ark
Blessings to you and loved ones today – see you in the next post
