LOWESTOFT CATHOLIC PARISH -OUR LADY STAR OF THE SEA & … · LOWESTOFT CATHOLIC PARISH -OUR LADY STAR OF THE SEA & ST NICHOLAS Presbytery: 19 Gordon Road, ... CAFOD PETITION ... rCatholic

LOWESTOFT CATHOLIC PARISH -OUR LADY STAR OF THE SEA & ST NICHOLAS

Presbytery: 19 Gordon Road, Lowestoft, NR32 1NL Tel: 01502 572453

Parish Priest, Rev. Paul Chanh, 07414 735102 (text message only)

email: [email protected]

www.ourladylowestoft.com http://www.catholiceastanglia.org

Deacon: Rev. Stephen Pomeroy

OUR CHURCHES OPEN FOR PRIVATE PRAYER

Our Lady’s and St Nicholas have been open for private personal prayer this past week on Mon, Tue, Wed & Sat at OLSS

and Thu at SN between 10 and 11 am. Thanks go to the parishioners who stewarded and cleaned afterwards. If you

could volunteer to go on the rota please email your contact details. We will open on the same days and times this

coming week

We follow social distancing and other safety rules. Please note that we are not allowed to have the toilets open. As

you enter one of the stewards will sanitise your hands and the same when you leave. When in the Church you will see

that alternate pews are closed. Please choose an unoccupied pew or be at least 2 meters from anyone in the pew.

Please pray silently. There will not be any conducted group prayer. There are similar arrangements at St Nicholas

where you enter via the main Church doors and leave through the Vestry. This is a 1 Way system.

Sat 20 June 08.00 am

09.00 am

10.00 am to

11.00 am

Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

OLSS Mass (Live streaming)

OLSS Open for personal private prayer

Priest’s Intention

Sun 21 June

12th Sunday

Father’s Day

09:00 am

10:30 am



People of the Parish

Mon 22 June

08.00 am

09.00 am

10.00 am

To 11.00 am





Tues 23 June

08.00 am

09.00 am

10.00 am

To 11.00 am





Wed 24 June

08.00 am

09.00 am

10.00 am

To 11.00 am





Thu 25 June

08:00 am

09:00 am

10.00 am

To 11.00 am



St Nicholas Open for personal private prayer


Fri 26 June

08.00 am

09.00 am




Sat 27 June 08.00 am

09.00 am

10.00 am

To 11.00 am





mailto:[email protected]

http://www.ourladylowestoft.com/

http://www.catholiceastanglia.org/

MASSES & SERVICES

We continue to stream online via www.ourladylowestoft.com

HYMN WORDS FOR SUNDAY

ENTRANCE HYMN Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy, whose trust ever childlike, no cares can destroy. Be there at our waking, and give us, we pray, your bliss in hearts Lord, at the break of the day. Lord of all eagerness,Lord of all faith, Whose strong hands were skilled at the plane and the lathe. Be there at our labours and give us, we pray, your strength in our hearts Lord, at the noon of the day. GLORIA (Creation Mass) Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of goodwill. RESPONSE TO THE PSALM: In your great love, answer me O God. COMMUNION HYMN Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you, I have called you by your name; you are mine. When you walk through the waters I’ll be with you, you will never sink beneath the waves. When the fire is burning all around you, you will never be consumed by the flames, When the fear of loneliness is looming, then remember I am at your side. You are mine, O my child, I am your Father, and I love you with a perfect love. FINAL HYMN Walk with me , O my Lord, through the darkest night and brightest day, Be at my side, O Lord, hold my hand and guide me on my way. Sometimes the road seems long, my energy is spent. Then, Lord, I think of you and I am given strength. Stones often bar my path and there are times I fall. But you are always there to help me when I call. Just as you calmed the wind and walked upon the sea, conquer, my living Lord, the storms that threaten me.

CHILDREN’S LITURGY

The papers are attached.

WE PRAY FOR THOSE WHOSE ANNIVERSARIES OCCUR ABOUT THIS TIME:

Walter Cleveland, Agnes Dodds, Thomas Brookland, Daniel O'Rourke, Gertrude Greaves, Shaun Faben, Josefa Smith,

Thomas Murray, Mary Dodds, Brenda Smith, Angela Kinder, Joan Bestard, Bernard Higgins, Josephine Hurn, Edith

Shanahan, Victor Francis, Mary Simpson, Nora Upson, Lily Fleming, John Gilligan, Egremont Wilson, Theresa Pead, Cyril

Blake, Ivor Soans, Jeanne Riley, Peter Lipscombe, Edward Hood.


CAFOD PETITION

As we cope with Coronavirus in the UK, we think of our sisters and brothers in developing countries who are facing

this pandemic with fragile health systems, some of which have almost no intensive care beds or ventilators.

Food prices have already risen with borders closing, the poorest are losing their jobs and income with wholesale

shutdowns. Furthermore, inadequate healthcare, lack of access to washing facilities and limited ability to social

distance will result in loss of life on an intolerable scale. The likely impact will be devastating.

We are one global family. Please will you sign the CAFOD petition to ask the government to work with other world

leaders to help the most vulnerable people in our world cope with this crisis?

To sign the petition visit cafod.org.uk/coronaviruscampaign.

COMMUNICATIONS

Tony Walmsley will continue to send these bulletins in emails to all the parishioners who gave an email address in the

Parish Census but because of the government restrictions on movement, it will no longer be available in printed format

in the church porch. If you know of anyone who would like to receive the email, advise them to send their email details

via the church website www.ourladylowestoft.com.

ROYAL VOLUNTARY SERVICE & NHS VOLUNTEER SUPPORT

The volunteer support scheme is now working for shielded and other vulnerable groups under the GoodSam title. For

more information go online to goodsamapp.org/assets/pdf/Guide_for_Referrers.pdf

OFFERTORY

While social distancing was operative it seemed sensible to suggest you might pop your offertory through the

Presbytery letterbox. That will no longer work, so either put it your piggy bank until normal service is resumed or

arrange to send via your bank as some parishioners have done,

Parish bank details: Barclays sort code 20-53-06 Ac No.10719587 Our Lady Star of the Sea Registered Charity No 278742

Parish Account and remember to reference your name so we can count it for Gift Aid. Some banks also ask for the type

of account and ours is a Business Current Account.

There are various companies that will take credit card donations on our behalf but of course they charge for doing so.

We are researching their terms to see if it would be worthwhile.

COMMENTRY SIDE OF BULLETIN & SUNDAY PLUS

What you would have seen on the commentary side of the bulletin is attached as is this week’s Sunday Plus.

.

http://cafod.org.uk/coronaviruscampaign


Children’s liturgy – Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A) Gospel: Matthew 10:26-33 Jesus said: “So do not be afraid of people. Whatever is now covered up will be uncovered, and every secret will be made known. What I am telling you in the dark you must repeat in broad daylight, and what you have heard in private you must announce from the housetops. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather be afraid of God, who can destroy both body and soul in hell. For only a penny you can buy two sparrows, yet not one sparrow falls to the ground without your Father's consent. As for you, even the hairs of your head have all been counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth much more than many sparrows! “For those who declare publicly that they belong to me, I will do the same before my Father in heaven. But if anyone rejects me publicly, I will reject him before my Father in heaven.” (Gospel passage taken from Good News Translation® and used with permission, see details below*)

Gospel reflection: What do you remember from today’s reading? Jesus’ friends are afraid and don’t know what to do. They feel that they aren’t very important. Jesus looks at the world around him and sees that God is watching over everything, even tiny birds like sparrows. Have you ever seen sparrows? What do they look like? In our country, there are not so many sparrows as there used to be a few years ago. We are starting to realise that we need to look after them and to protect the places where they live. Around the world, lots of the birds and animals and plants that remind us of God also need us to care for them. Can you remember some of the things Jesus said? He said we should try to love our neighbours as we love ourselves And because of the coronavirus lots of people around the world need our help too to stay safe and well, just like they do in our local community The local experts that the charity CAFOD works with around the world are there helping make sure that more people have the food that they need and can wash their hands to stop the spread of germs. They are speaking up on radio stations and on tv so that as many people as possible know how to keep themselves, their families and their communities safe. God loves us all and so we are called to take care of one another, to love one another, no matter where in the world that we are. This can be hard sometimes. We might need to be brave and to speak out for what we know is right when we see others treating people or the earth badly. Remember that God loves you .Can you try to share that love with others just like the disciples?

Prayer: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit .Amen We pray for the Church throughout the world: that she may continue to follow Jesus’ example of respect and love for all people. Lord, in your mercy...Hear our Prayer We pray for children who are poor: that they may have enough food and health care May we share God’s love and bring hope to our world. Lord, in your mercy... Hear our Prayer We pray for our parish, family and friends: that we may see that all people are equally important and treat them with love and respect Lord, in your mercy... Hear our Prayer We pray for all Dads today as it is Father’s day in the UK Lord, in your mercy... Hear our Prayer Closing prayer: God of life, help us to see the beauty of your world Amen. Activity suggestions:

There are 2 pictures to colour about the Gospel Story- Jesus and Sparrows. Enjoy!

Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time Gospel: Matthew 10:26-33

Find more children’s prayers at cafod.org.uk/kidzzone

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Catholic Agency forOverseas Development

House Sparrow to colour

Male House Sparrows are brightly coloured birds with grey

heads, white cheeks, a black bib, and rufous neck – although in

towns you may see some that are dull and grubby.

Female House Sparrows are a plain buffy-brown overall with

dingy grey-brown underparts. Their backs are noticeably

striped with buff, black, and brown.

Do you ever wonder how Father's Day got started? It all started because a lady wanted to thank her father for all he had done for her and her family. The first Father's Day in the United States was celebrated in a town called Spokane, in Washington on June 19, 1910. It was proposed by Mrs. John B. Dodd in 1909. Her father, William Smart raised six children alone after his wife died in childbirth. He was also a civil war veteran.It wasn't until 1966 that Father's Day was declared a national holiday in the U.S. and it wasn't until 1972 that the special day happened every year.In some Countries it is celebrated on 19th March which is St. Joseph’s Day. We are asked to obey our Mother and Father in the 4th Commandment. Do you remember?

Activity and Craft Ideas: Make a card or poster; bake a cake; play a game with him; make a jigsaw for him; write a prayer for him. Above all have a really happy relaxing day! Bonne fête Papa ! Buona festa del papà!

Feliz día del padre Feliz dia do pai!

Wszystkiego najlepszego z okazji Dnia Ojca

Thanthaiyar Thina NalvaazhththukkaL!

- Chúc mừng ngày của Bố!

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SUNDAY BULLET INSB

David McLoughlin is a teaching theologian who has spent near ly for ty years helping to train Christian teachers, ministers and activists. Over the next few weeks he wil l be ref lecting for Sunday Bulletin on the Sunday readings.

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The Sunday Bulletin. Written by David McLoughlin. Edited by Peter Edwards © Redemptorist Publications. A Registered Charity limited by guarantee. Registered in England 03261721. Mass Text: excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 2010, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. Psalms from the Grail Psalter reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd © 1963. All rights reserved. Concordat cum originali Ann Blackett. Imprimatur + Peter Doyle, Bishop of Northampton 13 July 2018. Permission granted for distribution in the dioceses of Scotland.

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Next Sunday’s Readings:Acts 12:1-11

2 Timothy 4:6-8. 17-18Matthew 16:13-19

Mass text

ENTRANCE ANTIPHONThe Lord is the strength of his people,a saving refuge for the one he has anointed.Save your people, Lord, and bless your heritage,and govern them for ever. FIRST READING Jeremiah 20:10-13

PSALM Psalm 68

RESPONSE In your great love, answer me, O God.

1. It is for you that I suffer taunts, that shame covers my face, that I have become a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my own mother’s sons. I burn with zeal for your house and taunts against you fall on me. R.

2. This is my prayer to you, my prayer for your favour. In your great love, answer me, O God, with your help that never fails: Lord, answer, for your love is kind; in your compassion, turn towards me. R.

3. The poor when they see it will be glad and God-seeking hearts will revive; for the Lord listens to the needy

and does not spurn his servants in their chains. Let the heavens and the earth give him praise, the sea and all its living creatures. R.

SECOND READING Romans 5:12-15

GOSPEL ACCLAMATIONAlleluia, alleluia! The Spirit of truth will be my witness; and you too will be my witnesses. Alleluia!

GOSPEL Matthew 10:26-33

COMMUNION ANTIPHONI am the Good Shepherd,and I lay down my life for my sheep, says

the Lord.

21 JUNE 2020

12TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIMEYEAR A

DIVINE OFFICE WEEK IV

Catching

the kingdom

But we are not naïve, our lives of discipleship are not free from suffering. Following the generous and other-focused way of Jesus will bring its own crosses. No life is free of some pain and failure and disappointment and of encounters with evil, but Jesus reminds us all this can be faced with faith in the loving Father whose love never abandons us. In that love we can face the real world and take responsibility individually and communally, and with courage and creativity face the challenges that come our way.

MANY FEARSOur country and our contemporary world have many fears, and recent politics has shown us that many feel insecure. People deal with this in different ways: some go out and shop, some look for semi-permanent entertainment and stimulus to help them dull the burden of reality, some become disillusioned and feel powerless, some look for strong leaders who will tell them what to do and a strong state to keep everything in control. But all of these are cop-outs.

Faith and hope are what help us to live with the fears that rise in all of us. But faith and hope are not based on our gifts and strengths, but on the one who lived and died for us and for all, the one who calls us into the circle of the divine love which we celebrate in every Mass. This, that we share today, is the circle of free divine life, of love and fellowship that he has promised to all who accept his offer.

DO NOT BE AFRAID“Do not be afraid” is a theme of Jesus throughout the Gospels and especially in the post-resurrection appearances when he encounters very fearful people indeed: Mary in the garden, Peter on the beach at Lake Gennesaret, the couple of disciples on the way to Emmaus…

The disciples inevitably meet opposition in following Jesus, and he acknowledges this. They are to share the knowledge of his inner circle, the good news of God’s revelation in Jesus, with the wider world. Christians have been doing this ever since across the centuries, in new contexts and cultures and languages.

But you can’t pass on the good news in fear. Fear makes us insecure, untrusting, suspicious. Encounter with Jesus, then as now, inevitably heals and forgives. It lifts burdens and leads to an inner freedom in knowing him. Jesus reveals God as Abba, a loving parent who chooses to simply welcome back the prodigal and in doing so removes the fear of failure and rejection and opens up renewed confidence in the new living space that is the divine mercy; what Paul will call grace. Abba, like the God Moses encountered in the burning bush, cannot be limited by our sad little mistakes and concerns and fears. “I am who I am,” “I will be where I will be,” is a God we can’t limit either by our ideas and concepts or our images. God thankfully breaks out of the limits of our fears and so opens up hope for us so that we might know love and joy. The community of discipleship is invited to live out of trust in the living God, to live lives beyond the inevitable fears that come our way or that well up within our subconscious.

But to do this we sometimes need to be shocked out of our accommodations. Our world demands we earn our keep, pay our way, are productive, but Jesus’ life and teaching validates a different way of seeing things. We don’t, we can’t, earn God’s love. It’s given in our very existence, freely, and is never taken back. If we can come to accept this, and the way to do this is to fall in love with the life and teaching of Jesus where we see this writ large, then we become free to be what we are called to be, the fully alive sons and daughters of God.

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Sunday Plus. Edited by Denis McBride C.Ss.R. and Sr Janet Fearns FMDM. Copyright © Redemptorist Publications, Chawton, Hampshire GU34 3HQ, A registered charity limited by guarantee. Registered in England 03261721. www.rpbooks.co.uk. Printed on FSC approved paper.

SUNDAY PLUS21 June 2020

So precious!by Moire O’Sullivan

When my son was born, all I could think about was him. He was so little, so helpless. All I wanted was to protect him.

Within days I knew him intimately; how long he slept, how much he ate, what every little sound he made meant.

When he was sick, I would drop everything in a blind panic to soothe his screams. I would refuse to sleep until he was well again.

I could not wait to share with others the tiniest bit of

news, about his first smile, his first word, his first step. I adored him, and couldn’t believe it if others didn’t see or feel exactly as I did.

All these reactions were just for one, little innocent child.

There are 7.53 billion people alive in this world. How great a God we have who feels like this, and more, for each and every one of us!

Moire O’Sullivan is a mountain runner, adventure racer, an author, mum and a regular contributor to Look, the younger children’s Sunday sheet of Gospel-focused activities and games, available from Redemptorist Publications, www.rpbooks.co.uk.

What more could we ask?by Sr Janet Fearns FMDM

Did you know that there are twenty-eight species of “true” sparrows? It is described as the world’s most common bird even if, in Britain, its numbers seem to be in decline. In fact the sparrow is so familiar – even to small children – that it is easily

overlooked. Somehow we marvel at the glorious colours of the goldfinch, the song of the blackbird, the “dancing clouds” of starlings, the powerful dive of the red kite, and miss the unspectacular brown bird which chooses to live close to human beings.

Jesus knew all about sparrows. He saw them everywhere he went – and yet he didn’t take them for granted. That’s why he used them as an example when he described his Father’s love for each one of us. He was saying that we don’t need to be big and influential, colourful or great achievers for God to notice us – and if God loves each sparrow, we are even more important and unforgettable. What more could we ask?

Sr Janet Fearns is a Franciscan Missionary of the Divine Motherhood.

Lord, apparently there are now fewer sparrows around than there used to be. That makes each one increasingly precious. It’s easy to take a sparrow for granted and yet, if we lose sight of the little things in life, we are the poorer. Lord, there are 7.53 billion people in this world, but there is only one of me. Thank you for noticing me and loving me. Amen.

“We should be comforted by what Jesus tells us: ‘There is a Father. There is a Father who loves you. There is a Father who cares for you.’”

Pope Francis

Challengedby hair and

sparrowsApparently the average person

has approximately 100,000 hair follicles on their scalp, but the number varies with hair colour, blondes having more and redheads, fewer. Men’s hair tends to grow faster than women’s and we all lose an estimated 50-150 hairs each day.

More than many sparrows

Today:Jeremiah 20:10-13Romans 5:12-15Matthew 10:26-33

Tuesday:2 Kings 19:9-11. 14-21. 31-35. 36Matthew 7:6. 12-14

Wednesday:Isaiah 49:1-6Acts 13:22-26Luke 1:57-66. 80

Friday:2 Kings 25:1-12Matthew 8:1-4

Saturday:Lamentations 2:2. 10-14. 18-19Matthew 8:5-17

Next Sunday:Acts 12:1-112 Timothy 4:6-8. 17-18Matthew 16:13-19

Thursday:2 Kings 24:8-17Matthew 7:21-29

Monday:2 Kings 17:5-8. 13-15. 18Matthew 7:1-5

12th Sunday in Ordinary Time • Divine Office Week IV • Year A • Day for Life (E&W)

Jesus was making an incredible claim about his Father, who knows, not only the number of hairs on your head, but also on 7.53 billion others. That says something about God’s care!

As for sparrows, some estimate that, in 1966, there were roughly 30 million sparrows in the UK, a number which has decreased to 10 million – but how do we even begin to think of counting 10 million sparrows? Yet Jesus said that not one falls to the ground without God knowing about it!

As we celebrate the Day for Life, the annual day “dedicated to raising awareness about the meaning and value of human life at every stage and in every condition”, the Gospel is an unmatchable statement from Jesus about where we stand in God’s eyes. There are 10 million sparrows just in the UK alone and we “are of more value than many sparrows” which God knows individually.

Phil Ferguson is a former teacher.

A Year of the Word

by Phil Ferguson

Have you ever tried to count the number of hairs on your head? Even people

with a shortage of hair might find themselves challenged.

Monday (E): 2 Maccabees 6:18. 21. 24-31Matthew 24:4-13

The vast majority of us don’t bother to count our daily hair loss, especially as most of us have about 5 million hairs distributed between our heads and bodies, so why should we spend time counting the number of hairs on our heads?

10% off for Sunday Plus readers! Go online www.rpbooks.co.uk or call us 01420 88222 with discount code Plus

Celebrate: Summer MagazineFun through the holidays

A new magazine for kids full of cool puzzles and fun quizzes. Celebrate: Summer comes with a six-week summer calendar and activity sheet for even more things to do through the school holidays. Temporary Cover

Concordat cum originali: +Diarmuid Martin, Archbishop of Dublin. Additional material, cum permissu: +Diarmuid Martin, Archbishop of Dublin. Commentary by Fr Anthony Cassidy CSsR. The English translation of the Entrance and Communion Antiphons, Collect, Prayer over the Offerings, Gloria, Profession of Faith and Prayer after Communion are taken from The Roman Missal, © 2010 International Commission of English in the Liturgy Corporation. Jerusalem Bible version of the scriptures © Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd., and Doubleday & Co. Inc. Responsorial Psalms are copyright The Grail and/or Geoffrey Chapman Ltd. Published in Ireland by Redemptorist Communications (www.redcoms.org); Published in the UK by Redemptorist Publications (www.rpbooks.co.uk).

12TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME21 JUNE 2020

THE WORD Year A • Psalter Week 4

Think about how you witness to the Gospel every day, whether at work, school or at home. How good a witness are you?

DO

Today’s Gospel is part of Jesus’ mission discourse. The disciples are given reasons why they should be confident as they set out on their mission. Twice they are told, “Do not be afraid.” The first time, it is intended to inspire boldness in their preaching. The second time, it is to encourage the disciples to remain steadfast in the face of persecution.

A prominent feature of the Old Testament stories of the calling of prophets is the comforting words: “Do not fear.” The preachers of Jesus’ message take their place alongside the prophets of old. The message they are to deliver is a bold, public proclamation of the good news of the kingdom of God. They may have received much of the substance of the message in private teaching from Jesus but the time has now arrived for them to proclaim that word publicly, even “from the rooftops”. Many ancient religions claimed to have secret teaching that was only to be made known to those who had undergone lengthy rites of initiation. Christianity made no such claims. Its message was the Gospel, the good news of the coming reign of God, that was to be made known free of charge “to every creature”, as Jesus would repeat in his final words after his resurrection.

But such public proclamation runs the risk of persecution and death. The call to confidence is supported by some sayings about God’s provident care for the disciple. Mere earthly existence is not as valuable as the life of the soul. The one who has dominion over the life of both body and soul is the compassionate Father in heaven. Two comparisons of God’s providence drive the point home. Sparrows, the smallest of birds, might appear to be of insignificant value but the Father keeps count even of them. By the same token, every hair on the human head has been counted and a human being is worth more than hundreds of sparrows.

The discussion of persecution introduces the theme of public witness. Declaring oneself for Jesus was part of Christian martyrdom. A disciple was a martyr because he or she had given public testimony for Jesus before the courts. The other side of martyrdom is that Jesus, the first witness, will in turn give evidence on behalf of the disciple in the heavenly court. The contrary is also true: a disciple who is so paralysed by fear that he or she publicly disowns Jesus will in turn be disowned by him before the heavenly court. n

LEARN

“Persecutions are not a reality of the past, for today too we experience them, whether by the shedding of blood, as is the case with so many contemporary martyrs, or by more subtle means, by slander and lies. Jesus calls us blessed when people “utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account”. At other times, persecution can take the form of gibes that try to caricature our faith and make us seem ridiculous.” – Pope Francis, Gaudete et Exsultate

SAY“Lord, do not allow me to abandon or deny you in times of difficulty. Give me the strength to always speak your word.”

Matthew stresses that faith in Jesus can never be a purely private matter to be kept

under wraps. This doesn’t mean it is only preachers who give testimony to their faith in Jesus. When St Francis of Assisi was sending out his first friars to preach the good news, he told them “Preach the Gospel to every creature, using words if necessary.”

Francis appreciated the importance of the witness of life, that everything we do and say is a witness to the Gospel. That witness can be as risky as the preached message. Confessing faith in Jesus publicly will earn the right to have him stand as our witness on the day of judgement. n

REFLECT

21 June 2020 Year A • Psalter Week 4 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time

ENTRANCE ANTIPHONThe Lord is the strength of his people,a saving refuge for the one he has anointed.Save your people, Lord, and bless your heritage,and govern them for ever.

COLLECTGrant, O Lord,that we may always revere and love your holy name,for you never deprive of your guidancethose you set firm on the foundation of your love.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 Jeremiah 20:10-13

A reading from the prophet Jeremiah.

Jeremiah said:

I hear so many disparaging me, “‘Terror from every side!’ Denounce him! Let us denounce him!” All those who used to be my friends watched for my downfall,“Perhaps he will be seduced into error.Then we will master himand take our revenge!”But the Lord is at my side, a mighty hero;my opponents will stumble, mastered,confounded by their failure;everlasting, unforgettable disgrace will be theirs.But you, Lord of Hosts, you who probe with justice,who scrutinise the loins and heart,let me see the vengeance you will take on them,for I have committed my cause to you.Sing to the Lord,praise the Lord,for he has delivered the soul of the needyfrom the hands of evil men.

The word of the Lord.Thanks be to God.

PSALM Psalm 68

Response:In your great love, answer me, O God.

1. It is for you that I suffer taunts, that shame covers my face, that I have become a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my own mother’s sons. I burn with zeal for your house and taunts against you fall on me. (R.)

2. This is my prayer to you, my prayer for your favour. In your great love, answer me, O God, with your help that never fails: Lord, answer, for your love is kind; in your compassion, turn towards me. (R.)

3. The poor when they see it will be glad and God-seeking hearts will revive; for the Lord listens to the needy and does not spurn his servants in their chains. Let the heavens and earth give him praise, the sea and all its living creatures. (R.)


A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans.

Sin entered the world through one man, and through sin death, and thus death has spread through the whole human race because everyone has sinned. Sin existed in the world long before the Law was given. There was no law and so no one could be accused of the sin of “law-breaking”, yet death reigned over all from Adam to Moses, even though their sin, unlike that of Adam, was not a matter of breaking a law. Adam prefigured the One to come, but the gift itself considerably outweighed the fall. If it is certain that through one man’s fall so many died, it is even more certain that divine grace, coming through the one man, Jesus Christ, came to so many as an abundant free gift.


GOSPEL ACCLAMATIONAlleluia, alleluia!The Word was made flesh and lived among us;to all who did accept himhe gave power to become children of God.Alleuia!


A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew.

Jesus instructed the Twelve as follows: “Do not be afraid. For everything that is now covered will be uncovered, and everything now hidden will be made clear. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the daylight; what you hear in whispers, proclaim from the house-tops. “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; fear him rather who can destroy both body and soul in hell. Can you not buy two sparrows for a penny? And yet not one falls to the ground without your Father knowing. Why, every hair on your head has been counted. So there is no need to be afraid; you are worth more than hundreds of sparrows. “So if anyone declares himself for me in the presence of men, I will declare myself for him in the presence of my Father in heaven. But the one who disowns me in the presence of men, I will disown in the presence of my Father in heaven.”

The Gospel of the Lord.Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

PROFESSION OF FAITHI believe in one God,the Father almighty,maker of heaven and earth,of all things visible and invisible.

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,the Only Begotten Son of God,born of the Father before all ages.God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God,begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;through him all things were made.For us men and for our salvationhe came down from heaven,

(all bow during the next three lines)

and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,and became man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third dayin accordance with the Scriptures.He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.He will come again in gloryto judge the living and the deadand his kingdom will have no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,who proceeds from the Father and the Son,who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.

I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sinsand I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.

PRAYER OVER THE OFFERINGSReceive, O Lord, the sacrifice of conciliation and praise and grant that, cleansed by its action, we may make offering of a heart pleasing to you.Through Christ our Lord.Amen.

COMMUNION ANTIPHONThe eyes of all look to you, Lord,and you give them their food in due season.

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNIONRenewed and nourishedby the Sacred Body and Precious Blood of your Son,we ask of your mercy, O Lord,that what we celebrate with constant devotionmay be our sure pledge of redemption. Through Christ our LordAmen.

“To be connected with the church is to be associated with scoundrels, warmongers, fakes, child molesters, murderers, adulterers, and hypocrites of every description. It also, at the same time, identifies you with the saints and the finest persons of heroic soul within every time, country, race, and gender. To be a member of the church is to carry the mantle of both the worst sin and the finest heroism of soul... because the church always looks exactly as it looked at the original crucifixion, God hung among thieves.”

Ronald Rolheiser OMI

DON’T BE AFRAID (MATTHEW 10:26-33)

Jesus tells us that we have nothing to fear. God has counted every hair on our heads. God is as close to us as our very own heartbeat. Thank the Lord for the gift of his love. Ask God to deepen your faith and trust in him.

PRAY

Concordat cum originali: +Diarmuid Martin, Archbishop of Dublin. Additional material, cum permissu: +Diarmuid Martin, Archbishop of Dublin. Commentary by Fr Anthony Cassidy CSsR. The English translation of the Entrance and Communion Antiphons, Collect, Prayer over the Offerings, Gloria, Profession of Faith and Prayer after Communion are taken from The Roman Missal, © 2010 International Commission of English in the Liturgy Corporation. Jerusalem Bible version of the scriptures © Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd., and Doubleday & Co. Inc. Responsorial Psalms are copyright The Grail and/or Geoffrey Chapman Ltd. Published in Ireland by Redemptorist Communications (www.redcoms.org); Published in the UK by Redemptorist Publications (www.rpbooks.co.uk).

12TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME21 JUNE 2020

THE WORD Year A • Psalter Week 4

Think about how you witness to the Gospel every day, whether at work, school or at home. How good a witness are you?

DO

Today’s Gospel is part of Jesus’ mission discourse. The disciples are given reasons why they should be confident as they set out on their mission. Twice they are told, “Do not be afraid.” The first time, it is intended to inspire boldness in their preaching. The second time, it is to encourage the disciples to remain steadfast in the face of persecution.

A prominent feature of the Old Testament stories of the calling of prophets is the comforting words: “Do not fear.” The preachers of Jesus’ message take their place alongside the prophets of old. The message they are to deliver is a bold, public proclamation of the good news of the kingdom of God. They may have received much of the substance of the message in private teaching from Jesus but the time has now arrived for them to proclaim that word publicly, even “from the rooftops”. Many ancient religions claimed to have secret teaching that was only to be made known to those who had undergone lengthy rites of initiation. Christianity made no such claims. Its message was the Gospel, the good news of the coming reign of God, that was to be made known free of charge “to every creature”, as Jesus would repeat in his final words after his resurrection.

But such public proclamation runs the risk of persecution and death. The call to confidence is supported by some sayings about God’s provident care for the disciple. Mere earthly existence is not as valuable as the life of the soul. The one who has dominion over the life of both body and soul is the compassionate Father in heaven. Two comparisons of God’s providence drive the point home. Sparrows, the smallest of birds, might appear to be of insignificant value but the Father keeps count even of them. By the same token, every hair on the human head has been counted and a human being is worth more than hundreds of sparrows.

The discussion of persecution introduces the theme of public witness. Declaring oneself for Jesus was part of Christian martyrdom. A disciple was a martyr because he or she had given public testimony for Jesus before the courts. The other side of martyrdom is that Jesus, the first witness, will in turn give evidence on behalf of the disciple in the heavenly court. The contrary is also true: a disciple who is so paralysed by fear that he or she publicly disowns Jesus will in turn be disowned by him before the heavenly court. n

LEARN

“Persecutions are not a reality of the past, for today too we experience them, whether by the shedding of blood, as is the case with so many contemporary martyrs, or by more subtle means, by slander and lies. Jesus calls us blessed when people “utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account”. At other times, persecution can take the form of gibes that try to caricature our faith and make us seem ridiculous.” – Pope Francis, Gaudete et Exsultate

SAY“Lord, do not allow me to abandon or deny you in times of difficulty. Give me the strength to always speak your word.”

Matthew stresses that faith in Jesus can never be a purely private matter to be kept

under wraps. This doesn’t mean it is only preachers who give testimony to their faith in Jesus. When St Francis of Assisi was sending out his first friars to preach the good news, he told them “Preach the Gospel to every creature, using words if necessary.”

Francis appreciated the importance of the witness of life, that everything we do and say is a witness to the Gospel. That witness can be as risky as the preached message. Confessing faith in Jesus publicly will earn the right to have him stand as our witness on the day of judgement. n

REFLECT

21 June 2020 Year A • Psalter Week 4 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time

ENTRANCE ANTIPHONThe Lord is the strength of his people,a saving refuge for the one he has anointed.Save your people, Lord, and bless your heritage,and govern them for ever.

COLLECTGrant, O Lord,that we may always revere and love your holy name,for you never deprive of your guidancethose you set firm on the foundation of your love.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 Jeremiah 20:10-13

A reading from the prophet Jeremiah.

Jeremiah said:

I hear so many disparaging me, “‘Terror from every side!’ Denounce him! Let us denounce him!” All those who used to be my friends watched for my downfall,“Perhaps he will be seduced into error.Then we will master himand take our revenge!”But the Lord is at my side, a mighty hero;my opponents will stumble, mastered,confounded by their failure;everlasting, unforgettable disgrace will be theirs.But you, Lord of Hosts, you who probe with justice,who scrutinise the loins and heart,let me see the vengeance you will take on them,for I have committed my cause to you.Sing to the Lord,praise the Lord,for he has delivered the soul of the needyfrom the hands of evil men.


PSALM Psalm 68

Response:In your great love, answer me, O God.

1. It is for you that I suffer taunts, that shame covers my face, that I have become a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my own mother’s sons. I burn with zeal for your house and taunts against you fall on me. (R.)

2. This is my prayer to you, my prayer for your favour. In your great love, answer me, O God, with your help that never fails: Lord, answer, for your love is kind; in your compassion, turn towards me. (R.)

3. The poor when they see it will be glad and God-seeking hearts will revive; for the Lord listens to the needy and does not spurn his servants in their chains. Let the heavens and earth give him praise, the sea and all its living creatures. (R.)


A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans.

Sin entered the world through one man, and through sin death, and thus death has spread through the whole human race because everyone has sinned. Sin existed in the world long before the Law was given. There was no law and so no one could be accused of the sin of “law-breaking”, yet death reigned over all from Adam to Moses, even though their sin, unlike that of Adam, was not a matter of breaking a law. Adam prefigured the One to come, but the gift itself considerably outweighed the fall. If it is certain that through one man’s fall so many died, it is even more certain that divine grace, coming through the one man, Jesus Christ, came to so many as an abundant free gift.


GOSPEL ACCLAMATIONAlleluia, alleluia!The Word was made flesh and lived among us;to all who did accept himhe gave power to become children of God.Alleuia!


A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew.

Jesus instructed the Twelve as follows: “Do not be afraid. For everything that is now covered will be uncovered, and everything now hidden will be made clear. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the daylight; what you hear in whispers, proclaim from the house-tops. “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; fear him rather who can destroy both body and soul in hell. Can you not buy two sparrows for a penny? And yet not one falls to the ground without your Father knowing. Why, every hair on your head has been counted. So there is no need to be afraid; you are worth more than hundreds of sparrows. “So if anyone declares himself for me in the presence of men, I will declare myself for him in the presence of my Father in heaven. But the one who disowns me in the presence of men, I will disown in the presence of my Father in heaven.”

The Gospel of the Lord.Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

PROFESSION OF FAITHI believe in one God,the Father almighty,maker of heaven and earth,of all things visible and invisible.

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,the Only Begotten Son of God,born of the Father before all ages.God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God,begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;through him all things were made.For us men and for our salvationhe came down from heaven,

(all bow during the next three lines)

and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,and became man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third dayin accordance with the Scriptures.He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.He will come again in gloryto judge the living and the deadand his kingdom will have no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,who proceeds from the Father and the Son,who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.

I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sinsand I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.

PRAYER OVER THE OFFERINGSReceive, O Lord, the sacrifice of conciliation and praise and grant that, cleansed by its action, we may make offering of a heart pleasing to you.Through Christ our Lord.Amen.

COMMUNION ANTIPHONThe eyes of all look to you, Lord,and you give them their food in due season.

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNIONRenewed and nourishedby the Sacred Body and Precious Blood of your Son,we ask of your mercy, O Lord,that what we celebrate with constant devotionmay be our sure pledge of redemption. Through Christ our LordAmen.

“To be connected with the church is to be associated with scoundrels, warmongers, fakes, child molesters, murderers, adulterers, and hypocrites of every description. It also, at the same time, identifies you with the saints and the finest persons of heroic soul within every time, country, race, and gender. To be a member of the church is to carry the mantle of both the worst sin and the finest heroism of soul... because the church always looks exactly as it looked at the original crucifixion, God hung among thieves.”

Ronald Rolheiser OMI

DON’T BE AFRAID (MATTHEW 10:26-33)

Jesus tells us that we have nothing to fear. God has counted every hair on our heads. God is as close to us as our very own heartbeat. Thank the Lord for the gift of his love. Ask God to deepen your faith and trust in him.

PRAY

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