This Week
Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
JUSTICE & PEACE
The Justice and Peace group encourages parishioners to think and pray about poverty and injustice in the world and to respond in the light of our faith with actions against the injustice.
We support charities such as CAFOD, (the official aid and development charity of the Catholic Church), Pax Christi (our official peace organisation), the Manna Centre for the homeless (London Bridge) and Enfield Food Bank. We organise annual Fairtrade events to encourage ethical shopping and living more simply and sustainably. We use reflections of St Oscar Romero of El Salvador to accompany the Stations of the Cross each Lent. We stand in solidarity with prisoners of consciousness and human rights defenders by sending cards each December.
We need more helpers which can be as small a commitment as helping on an occasion, before and after your usual Sunday Mass. Please chat to one of the Group after Mass this weekend to find out more.
DISTRACTED WITH MUCH SERVING
This is what one of my managers used to say about his peers. If you tried to book a meeting with them, they were always “busy” Sometimes I find myself doing this at work, at home and in my Ministry. Rather than spending time thinking and praying about what I should be doing, I can quite easily make myself very busy doing things, usually for someone else in the name of service. But am I doing what is really needed, or am I being distracted by the easy tasks? Am I giving time for Jesus to work in my life so I can concentrate on the type of service he is asking me to engage in?
In the Gospel today we hear about Mary and Martha. The two sisters represent the absolute extremes of active service and vocation. To make the point Jesus takes this to extremes. Martha is busy serving and Mary is sitting at the Lord’s feet, listening to his teaching and doing “nothing”. Jesus’ response to Martha is not a dismissal of service, but rather a reminder to prioritise spiritual nourishment and presence with him.
Deacon Peter
Readings at Mass Today
First Reading
Psalm
Second Reading
Gospel
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