Parish of Our Lady & Saint David, Cwmbran

I am the gate of the sheepfold

This Sunday is traditionally called ‘Good Shepherd Sunday’, because of the Gospel references to Jesus as the Good Shepherd. It is also the day of prayer for Vocations to the Priesthood. On this Sunday we hear one of the great ‘I am’ statements of Jesus from Saint John’s Gospel today ‘I am the gate of the sheepfold’.  Through Jesus we enter into life and safety, and we ‘go through Jesus, the gate’ by baptism. This image is implied in all today’s readings: the people listening to Peter find this gateway and enter through it: Peter writes to remind us that we have come back to the Good Shepherd, who heals us by his wounds.

During the Season of Easter we walk with the Risen Lord, enjoying his appearing to his disciples. Today’s gospel is one of the loveliest accounts of his appearing – and one especially important for the reader. Jesus appears and teaches the two disciples, by reference to the Scriptures, the meaning of his death. This is very close to the way in which the neophytes (newly baptised) would continue to be taught, through hearing the scriptures, during Easter. The reader should take to herself or himself the words of the Gospel Acclamation: “Lord Jesus, explain the scriptures to us. Make our hearts burn within us as you talk to us.”

First Reading:Acts of the Apostles  2:14.22-33.

Res: Show us, Lord, the path of life

Second Reading:Peter 1:17-21.

Gospel: Luke 24: 13-35

Morning Prayer – Tuesday and Thursday 9.10am
Evening Prayer – Friday 4.40pm
Rosary – After weekday Mass

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Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament

Tuesday, 29th April 10am – 12pm

Friday, 2nd May 9.30am – 5.00pm

Sacrament of Reconciliation on Saturday 3rd May

Our Lady’s: 12noon to 12.30pm

St David’s: 3.45pm to 4.15pm

Blessings on him who comes in the name of the Lord!

On Palm Sunday the long reading of the Passion dominates the celebration, and in a sense its meaning is obvious. Do not allow this, however, to detract from the other readings, which give the vital context necessary for understanding the Passion as more than just a long story. It is our story – the tale of how God achieved OUR salvation by the supreme sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

First Reading: Isaiah 50:4-7

Second Reading: Philippians 2:6-11

Gospel Reading: St Matthew’s Passion

An invitation to everyone to participate in the Easter Triduum

Please come along and bring your children to celebrate The Mass of the Lord’s Supper, The Passion, Death and Resurrection of Our Lord in 2014

Holy Thursday:  7.30pm      Our Lady’s

Good Friday:      3.00pm      Both Churches

Holy Saturday:  7.30pm      Our Lady’s

I am the resurrection and the life

The Gospel of the Fifth Sunday is perhaps the deepest meditation on the mystery of Baptism and membership of the Church. It is a prelude to the events of Easter Sunday, when we celebrate the triumph of life over death. To be plunged into the waters of baptism is to be buried with Christ, only to rise with him from the waters. This paradox of life and death is the content of today’s readings. There is no more important part of our faith that the resurrection: that Christ rose from the dead is the very centre and heart of all that we believe – without it, our faith is useless. In the same way our belief in our own resurrection is vital: it is the most deeply needed gift that Christ gives us. This is why the climax of the instructions given to candidates for Baptism was this teaching: that Christ would give them life after death. Look ahead to the 3rd Sunday of Easter, where Saint Peter preaches to the crowds – what he teaches them is that life comes after death, as it did for Lazarus, and for Christ himself.

First Reading: Ezekiel 37:12-14

Second Reading: Romans 8:8-11

Gospel Reading: John 11:1-45

He went off and washed himself, and came away with his sight restored

When we get to Easter, there are two symbols of the resurrection that we use in Church: fire and light (the Easter Candle) and water (the Font). Last week we reflected on water, and this week there are passages all about light – true light, that defeats the blindness of sin. Again, this would have been offered to those preparing for Baptism, but speaks to all of us who have been baptised, inviting us to be renewed in the light of Christ at Easter. Remember that one of the oldest titles of the newly baptised was “neophyte”, which means “newly enlightened” There is a subtle link between the readings on this Sunday: in the first reading, David is anointed, and the Spirit of the Lord seizes on him. This anointing lights him along the right path – ‘no evil would I fear’ as the Psalm says. Then Paul tells us more about this light: it is Christ shining on us, calling us to live as children of light. All this is summed up in the Gospel, the marvellous story of the healing (by being ‘anointed’ with spittle) of the man born blind. Jesus is the light of the world.

First reading:  Samuel 16: 6-7, 10-13

Second Reading:  Ephesians 5: 8-14

Gospel Reading: John 9: 1-41

A spring of water welling up to eternal life

The Gospel of the third Sunday is the remarkable conversation between Jesus and the Samaritan woman by the well, the theme is water – which gives life, which cleanses, which is so necessary. This reading forms part of the catechesis given before Baptism at Easter: the candidates who would go into the water are invited to reflect on what that means. But more necessary than the water which gives life is the water which gives eternal life – the water of baptism, the water flowing from Jesus’ side on the cross. Even if your Church does not have any candidates preparing for Baptism, we will all renew our baptismal promises at Easter: we should take this opportunity to reflect on what baptism has given us, and what God has done for us in this gift.

First reading: Exodus 17:3-7.

Response: O that today you would listen to his voice: “Harden not your hearts”.

Second Reading: Romans 5:1-2, 5-8.

Gospel Reading: John 4: 5-42

Lent is a Season of preparation for the whole Paschal Triduum – Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday: not just a time to reflect on the Cross. Often our Lenten devotions can focus exclusively on the Cross, and the idea of Baptism can be lost. This is why the Church invites us to join the disciples in looking beyond the cross this Sunday: we see the glory of Easter, the glory of the resurrection and the glory of the baptised. We see all this in the Transfiguration: we are invited to recognise who Jesus is. It is the glorified Jesus, whom we will celebrate at Easter, who calls us to journey through Lent, just as God called Abram to journey far from his home. So the readings lead to us acknowledge that Lent is a very special ‘calling’, to follow the Lord of glory to the renewal of baptismal purity.

First reading: Genesis 12:1-4.

Response: May your love be upon us, O Lord, as we place all our hope in you.

Second Reading: Timothy 1:8-10

Gospel Reading: Matthew 17 :1-9

In the Cycle of Sunday Readings, the oldest are those of Year A in Lent – these Gospels have accompanied the Church for many centuries. We must realise why: Lent was originally the time of immediate preparation of candidates for Baptism at Easter (something which has been reintroduced to the Church by RCIA): those already baptised used it as a time to prepare for the renewal of Baptismal promises. This is why so much of the Scripture in Lent is about Baptism, New Life and Salvation. What is the new life of Baptism? What are we set free from? What is sin? We begin Lent by hearing about sin and temptation; the Gospel will tell us of Jesus’ own temptations, something he shares with us, though he did not sin. The other Scripture readings prepare us for the Gospel, in which Jesus, the new Adam, triumphs over temptation.

First reading: Genesis 2:7-9. 3:1-7.

Response: Have mercy on us, O Lord, for we have sinned

Second Reading: Romans 5:12-19

Gospel Reading: Matt 4: 1-11