+ Fri 8th – Scripture today and a few inspirations from St Paul (plus weekend Mass notice)

08 May 2020

Dear friends,

The image on the cover of today’s Parish Blog post is from one of the earliest known depictions of St Paul. It was discovered in a Roman catacomb and is dated around 1,600 years old. The scriptures set down for daily Mass at this time of the Easter Season really show us the emergence and flourishing missionary growth of St Paul following his Damascus conversion and conversion. Today’s Gospel from Mass will be repeated and expanded this very weekend so the homily shared here via a voice recording today is focusing only on the Acts of the Apostles and Paul. I’ll leave some reflection on the Gospel to the weekend – but encourage you to go ahead and ponder this Gospel passage too in readiness for the weekend’s liturgy.

TODAY’S READINGS FROM MASS

First Reading

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles (13:26-33))

Paul stood up in the synagogue at Antioch in Pisidia, held up a hand for silence and began to speak:

‘My brothers, sons of Abraham’s race, and all you who fear God, this message of salvation is meant for you. What the people of Jerusalem and their rulers did, though they did not realise it, was in fact to fulfil the prophecies read on every sabbath. Though they found nothing to justify his death, they condemned him and asked Pilate to have him executed. When they had carried out everything that scripture foretells about him they took him down from the tree and buried him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead, and for many days he appeared to those who had accompanied him from Galilee to Jerusalem: and it is these same companions of his who are now his witnesses before our people.

‘We have come here to tell you the Good News. It was to our ancestors that God made the promise but it is to us, their children, that he has fulfilled it, by raising Jesus from the dead. As scripture says in the second psalm: You are my son: today I have become your father.’

The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm

Response> Alleluia

‘It is I who have set up my king

on Zion, my holy mountain.’

I will announce the decree of the Lord:

The Lord said to me: ‘You are my Son.

It is I who have begotten you this day.

Response> Alleluia

‘Ask and I shall bequeath you the nations,

put the ends of the earth in your possession.

With a rod of iron you will break them,

shatter them like a potter’s jar.’

Response> Alleluia

Now, O kings, understand,

take warning, rulers of the earth;

serve the Lord with awe

and trembling, pay him your homage.

Response> Alleluia

Gospel Acclamation (John 14:6)

Alleluia, alleluia!

I am the way, the truth, and the life, says the Lord;

no one comes to the Father, except through me.

Alleluia!

GOSPEL

A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to John (14:1-6)

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘Do not let your hearts be troubled.

Trust in God still, and trust in me.

There are many rooms in my Father’s house;

if there were not, I should have told you.

I am going now to prepare a place for you,

and after I have gone and prepared you a place,

I shall return to take you with me;

so that where I am

you may be too.

You know the way to the place where I am going.’

Thomas said, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going, so how can we know the way?’ Jesus said:

‘I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.

No one can come to the Father except through me.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

HOMILY FOR TODAY’S READINGS AT MASS

Prayer of the Faithful

Lord Jesus, as we appreciate many images of you as the one who said ‘I am the Way, the Truth and the Life’ – we ask that you would encourage our faith: Encourage us Lord Jesus to be your face, your image, in the world you have given us today. May people experience in us a piece of your promise that they can be safe, living not with troubled hearts but held in care, mercy, purpose and hope. We pray to the Lord

You are welcome to take a few moments to pray for some other themes today to form our prayers of the faithful – and to be aware that we are together in faith across our various places and homes.

____________________ We pray to the Lord
____________________ We pray to the Lord
____________________ We pray to the Lord
____________________ We pray to the Lord

Closing prayer of Mass today

Let us pray.

Keep safe, O Lord, we pray,

those whom you have saved by your kindness,

that, redeemed by the Passion of your Son,

they may rejoice in his Resurrection.

Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.

Amen

THE FOLLOWING IS A REPEAT OF YESTERDAY’S INFO ABOUT WEEKEND MASS PLANS AHEAD FOR OUR LADY OF THE WAY PARISH

WEEKEND MASS AHEAD – 6PM AS A ‘NORM’

Having tried varied approaches to sharing the Mass – having tried different times for a live streamed optioned – and having consulted and invited comment from people about approaches and times – the ongoing decision for weekends at Our Lady of the Way whilst churches remain closed, is to have

+one full weekend Mass live streamed with a few people present as a mini congregation

+which will stream every Saturday evening from 6pm via Facebook

VIA FACEBOOK

The live stream will be via Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/olowparishemuplains/ (or just google something like Facebook Emu Plains parish).

Please help to share this with parishioners and any others who you can make welcome with us. The Mass will then continue to be able to be viewed on that Facebook page.

THE LIVE STREAM MASS CONTINUES TO BE AVAILABLE

The live stream of the Mass can continue to be accessed any time afterwards on the Parish Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/olowparishemuplains/ (or just google something like Facebook Emu Plains parish)

AND AVAILABLE A BIT LATER IN THIS PARISH BLOG SPACE

By a few hours after the end of the live stream Mass on Saturday night – hence by 10pm (or earlier) – the Mass will also be able to be viewed in the updated weekend blog post here in the parish blog space for that weekend

WANT HELP TO START A FACEBOOK ACCOUNT?

If anyone would like assistance to easily start a Facebook account you are welcome to email a message to the parish office: [email protected] – or – leave a voice message on 47351041.

Some people might not be aware that you can start an account that doesn’t even have to be public to others if you don’t want it to be. For example, you might only initially want to have Facebook so that you can easily link to the live stream Mass of the parish once a week.

CONTINUING OTHER APPROACHES

We will also continue to have other varied approaches to prayer and Mass on some days during the week. I hope those other approaches (eg guided text and prayer exercises – with part visual, voice recording and video) can encourage people in their own initiatives, growth and ongoing journey of faith leadership.

See you in the next post and

with friendship in God’s mission,

fr Paul

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