Parish of Our Lady & Saint David, Cwmbran

In the East, this Season of Christmas is called the “Time of Manifestation, or Showing. Today is the Feast of the Manifestation, or the Showing of the Saviour to the whole world, to all nations. In the wise men who travel from the East, we see all the nations other than the people of Israel being welcomed at the New Temple of the New Covenant – the new born child in the manger. A look at the Psalm response shows this: “All nations shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.” The same is true of the key word in the second reading: “Revelation: Remember that for the people of Israel this was to be their Messiah, come to restore their fortunes. By this feast, we proclaim God’s plan was to extend his salvation to men and women of every nation, of every time and every place – including us. In many ways this is our Christmas Feast, when we celebrate the Good News of the Saviour’s birth revealed at last to us.

PSALM

O God, give your judgement to the king, to a king’s son your justice, that he may judge your people in justice and your poor in right judgement. In his days justice shall flourish and peace till the moon fails. He shall rule from sea to sea, from the Great River to earth’s bounds. The Kings of Tarshish and the sea coasts shall pay him tribute. The kings of Sheba and Seba shall bring him gifts. Before him all kings shall fall prostrate, all nations shall serve him. For he shall save the poor when they cry and the needy who are helpless. He will have pity on the weak and save the lives of the poor.

The Epiphany 2016 Newsletter

4^th WEEK OF ADVENT

Morning Prayer: Monday 9.10am

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The Nativity Of Our Lord Jesus Christ Solemnity

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THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH (FEAST)
Morning Prayer: Mon, Tues, Wed and Thurs 9.40am   Fri 11.10am

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Advent to Christmas 2015 Newsletter

This Sunday is called Gaudete Sunday, Rejoice Sunday”. This comes from the readings we hear today, and it underlines an important point. In the Gospel, we hear John the Baptist telling different groups what to do – they must repent, and change their lives. We might think of this as a rather joyless thing – something which is hard and unrewarding. The message of this Sunday is that repentance and changing our lives to welcome Jesus is something richly joyful. When we are planning to welcome anyone we love to our homes, we set about cleaning and preparing for their visit with enthusiasm – nothing is too much trouble for someone we care for greatly. Even scrubbing the bath or polishing the furniture can be a happy and joyful thing! The message of this Sunday is that preparing to welcome the Lord – even though it may involve hard work – is something utterly joyful, because of our love for Him, and His love for us.

PSALM

Truly, God is my salvation, I trust, I shall not fear. For the Lord is my strength, my song, he became my saviour. With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. Give thanks to the Lord, give praise to his name! Make his mighty deeds known to the peoples! Declare the greatness of his name. Sing a psalm to the Lord for he has done glorious deeds, make them known to all the earth! People of Zion, sing and shout for joy for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.

First Reading: Zeph 3:14-18

Second Reading: Phil 4:4-7

Gospel Reading: Luke 3:10-18

3rd Sunday in Advent 2015 Newsletter

Again we hear about the coming “Day of Christ”, and meet the character of John the Baptist. Just as once before he prepared the way” for the coming of Christ, so today he does the same for us. Our hearts should be open to his voice, as he calls us to repentance, and asks us to make the way straight for the coming of our Lord. The imagery of this Sunday is particularly rich: the dominant image is of a vast population moving together – the return from exile in the first reading, the going and coming of the sowers in the psalm, the community of the Church preparing together in Paul’s letter. We prepare for the coming of the Lord as His people – a community who cooperate to make the processional way” of the Holy One – flattening the hills of opposition and ridicule, filling in the valleys of doubt and despair, so that all mankind shall see the salvation of God

PSALM

When the Lord delivered Zion from bondage it seemed like a dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, on our lips there were songs. The heathens themselves said: “What marvels the Lord worked for them!” What marvels the Lord worked for us! Indeed we were glad. Deliver us, O Lord, from our bondage as streams in dry land. Those who are sowing in tears will sing when they reap. They will go out, they will go out, full of tears carrying seed for the sowing: they will come back, they will come back, full of song, carrying their sheaves.

First Reading: Baruch 5:1-9

Second Reading: Phil 1:4-6,8-11

Gospel Reading: Luke 3:1-6

2nd Sunday in Advent 2015 Newsletter

“Your liberation is near at hand.”

As usual, the great Season of Advent begins, not by talking about Christmas, but about the Second Coming. We’ve had this theme already for the past two weeks, but there is a slight change of emphasis in the Scripture readings offered for this Sunday: here the tone is positive: it is the promise of what is to come that we contemplate. Even in the Gospel, though it talks of the dreadful signs that mark the end times, we hear of a promise – “liberation. For this we should stand erect and hold our heads high. The central theme is that we welcome the coming of a person – Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah, and this is what links this Sunday to the coming feast of his birth: we are now preparing to celebrate how he once came: may these preparations also help us to prepare for him when he comes again.

PSALM

Lord, make me know your ways. Lord, teach me your paths. Make me walk in your truth, and teach me: for you are God my saviour. The Lord is good and upright. He shows the path to those who stray, he guides the humble in the right path; he teaches his way to the poor. His ways are faithfulness and love for those who keep his covenant and will. The Lord’s friendship is for those who revere him; to them he reveals his covenant

First Reading: Jer 33:14-16

Second Reading: Thess 3: 12-4:2

Gospel Reading: Luke21:25-28, 34-36

1st Sunday in Advent 2015 Newsletter

“It is you who say I am a king.”

Every time we complete the cycle of the liturgical year, there is a seamless blending into the new year: so, just as this week we hear of the King who is to come, next week, we begin a New Year and the Season of Advent by more medita­tion on the end of time, and the One who is to come again, as he once came among us. This feast affirms that Christ is King, that he is Judge, that he is Ruler of the kings of the earth. By his own words we know that this is true, as he stands before Pilate and says, “Yes, I am a king.” But his kingship is different: it is not of the same kind as earthly kings, whose empires fade and pass away. His kingship is eternal, and holy until the end of time. Through his love for us, we share in this sovereignty – this holiness – as priests and kings who “serve his God and Father”. We end our year in simple, awe‑filled praise of the One who is, who was, and who is to come ‑ the Almighty. Alleluia! Amen!

PSALM

The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed; the Lord has robed himself with might, he has girded himself with power. The world you made firm, not to be moved; your throne has stood firm from of old. From all eternity, O Lord, you are. Truly your decrees are to be trusted. Holiness is fitting to your house, O Lord, until the end of time.

First Reading: Daniel 7:13-14

Second Reading: Apocalypse 1:5-8

Gospel Reading: John 18: 33-37

Christ the King 2015 Newsletter

“He will gather his chosen from the four winds.”

As always at this time of year, we begin to contemplate the end of the world ‑ a theme that carries us over next Sunday’s feast (Christ the King) and so into Advent. Such a contemplation is not gloomy or morbid: throughout the ages (and especially in the early days) Christians have been utterly posi­tive about the coming end of all things, because we know what will happen, and in fact we earnestly desire it to come: the phrase that gives this away is in the Gospel: “Then… he will send his angels to gather his chosen from the four winds.” This gathering of God’s children to­gether will be a truly wonderful event, when we will all be completely enfolded in that love of God that we talk so much about.

PSALM

O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup; it is you yourself who are my prize. I keep the Lord ever in my sight: since he is at my right hand, I shall stand firm. And so my heart rejoices, my soul is glad; even my body shall rest in safety. For you will not leave my soul among the dead, nor let your beloved know decay. You will show me the path of life, the fullness of joy in your presence, at your right hand happiness for ever.

First Reading: Daniel 12: 1-3

Second Reading: Hebrews 10: 11-14, 18

Gospel Reading: Mark 13:24-32

33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time 2015 Newsletter

“This poor widow has put in more than all.”

God does not have favourites”, Saint Paul tells us, but God always makes a special place for the poor, and those whom society would push into second place. In the traditions of Israel God invited the people to have special care for the “widows and orphans” – so the story we hear in today’s Gospel would have a particular resonance. The paradox of Christian faith is this: in giving, we receive. Christ gave everything, sacrificing his very life, and in return received a new and unending life. The widow in the first reading gave her last food for the prophet Elijah, and in return received an endless supply. This is a challenge to us in our turn: what are we invited or asked to give, and in what spirit will we do so, and what will be our reward?

PSALM

It is the Lord who keeps faith for ever, who is just to those who are oppressed. It is he who gives bread to the hungry, the Lord, who sets prisoners free. It is the Lord who gives sight to the blind, who raises up those who are bowed down.   It is the Lord who loves the just, the Lord, who protects the stranger. The Lord upholds the widow and orphan but thwarts the path of the wicked. The Lord will reign for ever, Zion’s God, from age to age.

First Reading: 1 Kings 17:10-16

Second Reading: Hebrews 9:24-28

Gospel Reading: Mark 12:38-44

32nd Sunday of Ordinary Time 2015 Newsletter

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven!”

“A huge number, impossible to count” – that is the picture this Solemnity creates. In every age there have been men and women who have followed the Lord faithfully, and who now rejoice in the Liturgy of Heaven, as they stand before the throne of the Lamb. These are the “anonymous” saints, whose names we don’t remember ‑ but even though their names are not on our lips, their memory, inspiration, example and prayers are set before us today, so that we too can be encouraged in our own “journey of perfection”. What does it take to be a saint? Surely the Gospel that is appointed for today (the Beati­tudes) shows us that it is in the small things that we triumph: gentleness, mercy, making peace, faithful mourning, purity of heart, poverty in spirit ‑ these are not grand, public ways to sanctity. They are domestic, and homely, to be practised and perfected with those closest to us. We sometimes exalt the “named” saints to the degree that we can feel they are distant from us. Today’s feast, as well as celebrating the memory of the many whose name we do not know, also prompts us to see holiness as within our grasp.

PSALM

The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness, the world and all its peoples. It is he who set it on the seas; on the waters he made it firm. Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord? Who shall stand in his holy place? The man with clean hands and pure heart, who desires not worthless things. He shall receive blessings from the Lord and reward from the God who saves him. Such are the men who seek him, seek the face of God of Jacob

First Reading: Apocalypse 7:2-4.9-14 

Second Reading: 1 John 3:1‑3 

Gospel Reading: Mark 5:1-12

The Solemnity of All Saints 2015 Newsletter

“Master, let me see again.”

All of Jesus miracles can be read in many different ways: there is always a message almost a parable behind each one, that tells us something about God, about his care for his people, about Jesus and about the promises God has made to us, his children. Today is no excep­tion: on the simplest level, we see Jesus offering the greatest gift he could give to Bartimaeus ‑ the gift of sight. It shows us Jesus ’’love and care for those who suffer. But that alone is not the whole meaning of this story, as the first reading makes clear: there, through Jeremiah, God promises to gather his children into a new and perfect Kingdom, washing away the tears and restoring comfort. So Jesus appears as a fulfilment of this prophecy, as the One who brings this Kingdom into the world. But it doesn’t end there: in our own age we still have the blind, and those who suffer: there are still tears to be washed away – Jesus’ work is begun, but not completed. God’s promises extend to us as well. As followers of Jesus, we should imitate him in doing what we can to bring that comfort which is the Kingdom of God to all in need.

PSALM

When the Lord delivered Zion from bondage, it seemed like a dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, on our lips there were songs. The heathens themselves said: “What marvels the Lord worked for them!” What marvels the Lord worked for us! Indeed we were glad. Deliver us, O Lord, from our bondage as streams in dry land. Those who are sowing in tears will sing when they reap. They go out, they go out, full of tears, carrying seed for the sowing: they come back, they come back, full of song, carrying their sheaves.

First Reading: Jeremiah 31:7-9

Second Reading: Hebrews 5:1-6

Gospel Reading: Mark 10: 46-52

30th Sunday of Ordinary Time 2015 Newsletter