Dear Friends,
Last Sunday and on Ash Wednesday, we enjoyed celebrating the Liturgy in the new space in S. Michael’s Church. There are still some details that we need to sort out. Over the coming weeks we shall experiment a little and then evaluate and decide what works best.
Today we are happy to welcome children and their families to the new Sunday School and we are very grateful to Dr Marla Hughes, who has taken on the leadership role in this important work.
During the 40 days of Lent we are bidden to return to a simple and total trust in God who is the source and end of all life. We are called to reject all the temptations that would have us put our trust elsewhere, in less worthy things.
In the Gospels we see Jesus facing this ‘time of trial’ and giving himself utterly to love and serve God (whom he called ‘Abba’ ‘Father’) with heart and mind and soul and strength.
Last week I spoke of doing ‘more’ with less. For my prayer this Lent, I am concentrating again on praying the ‘Our Father’ more simply, more truly, more faithfully. I note that this prayer which Jesus gives us touches all that is important in human experience. Trust and reverence for God, commitment to God’s way in all things, and then our need for the daily essentials, for relationships in which we continually forgive and are forgiven, for relief from the ‘time of trial’ and deliverance from the evil that would poison and destroy us.
Some great saints have said that their greatest wish would be to pray the Lord’s Prayer perfectly, where every part of it was fulfilled as they did so. This Lent, let us all try to pray it daily with simple trust and love, and with real longing for understanding.
Throughout Lent we are providing a list of the daily Mass readings so that those of you who cannot come to the altar can still listen with the Church to God’s word for us. And on Friday evenings at 7:00 pm you are invited to gather and pray the Stations of the Cross together.
I hope that through Lent our Church community will be strengthened to face ‘the time of trial’, to be delivered from evil, and to give itself to God’s way wholly and joyfully.
May God bless you all.
Peter Williams
