Fr Paul’s Letter - March 2010

You can’t take it with you when you go. That’s what people say, especially when they’re trying to justify (to others or themselves) something that involves spending a lot of money and of course they’re right. When you finally shuffle off this mortal coil you can’t take your money with you, nor can you take the things you spend your money on: houses, for example, or cars or furniture or electrical gadgets or clothes or entertainment systems. Thousands of years ago, rich Egyptians did try to take it with them when they made their funeral arrangements. Their spacious tombs were roomy enough to accommodate a wide range of desirable objects that they would find useful in the afterlife. Many of these objects are now in museums rather pathetically separated from their original owners.

Lent is a good time to reflect on the fact that you can’t take it with you when you go. It’s a specially powerful thought if, like the two of us in the Clergy House, you’re getting ready to move house. We go from room to room making lists. We open cupboards and drawers and discover things we did not know we had. We’re amazed at the amount of junk in our possession. But is it all junk? Most of it may not have any material value, but what about the memories associated with it? What about letters, photographs, small but treasured gifts, drawings that children have put a lot of effort into? The more we look at our habitat, the more we’re challenged.

We know that we can’t take it with us when we go & at least, not all of it. Trying to get a quart into a pint pot is never an easy job. But at least we’re being forced to ask ourselves what are the important things, the things that really matter. It’s a painful process, but when removal day comes we shall be glad we did it, and we shall be better prepared not only for the journey but also for the next stage of our lives.

In these weeks of Lent we all need to do a bit of stocktaking. We need to remind ourselves that we’re not permanent residents on this earth. We are children of God on our way to heaven. But things hold us back on our journey. What holds us back is the presence of sin in our lives, and there particularly our attachment to material objects. We spend so much time and effort acquiring them and enjoying them. Encouraged by the voices of advertising, we tell ourselves that there’s so much we need. But the "need" just goes on growing. In the end, it’s our possessions that own us, and not the other way round.

Even if you don’t come to Stations of the Cross in church (and I do commend this devotion as a very powerful and valuable method of prayer), do please spend some time standing in front of the Tenth Station: Jesus is stripped of his garments. Remember how Jesus didn’t allow attachment to material things to hold him back on his journey, or to stand in the way of his doing the Father’s will. He never lost sight of the things that really matter. On Calvary it seemed that he was left with nothing. Everything was taken away from him, even the clothes on his back. And yet not everything. He was still rich in faith and rich in love that came from the Father, and flowed through him to his disciples and followers.

"You are well aware of the generosity which our Lord Jesus Christ had, that, although he was rich, he became poor for your sake, so that you should become rich through his poverty" (2 Cor. 8 : 9)

Fr Paul’s Letter - February 2010

We are very grateful to Bishop Edwin Barnes for visiting the parish on 9 January. The meeting was attended not just by members of our own church but also by people from churches in Southampton, Winchester and elsewhere. Bishop Edwin explained very clearly how changes in the Church of England (and more generally in the Anglican Communion) over recent years have created serious problems for traditionally-minded Catholic Anglicans. These problems centre on various moral issues, church order (who can be ordained) and authority within the Church.

Bishop Edwin pointed out that promises made to traditionalists, that they would have an equal and permanent place within the life of the Church, seem to have been abandoned. However delayed it may be, the arrival of women bishops will mean that traditionalists (if, as seems likely, they are denied what they asked for) will have no acceptable long-term episcopal care or assurance of receiving valid sacraments.

Bishop Edwin then went on to talk about Pope Benedict’s apostolic constitution Anglicanorum Coetibus. He showed how the Holy Father was trying to provide some sort of structures for groups of Anglicans who felt that their position within the Church of England was impossible and who, while accepting the teaching and authority of the Roman Catholic Church, wanted to take with them something of their cherished Anglican "patrimony"; not so much property and buildings as valued customs, the inheritance of prayer, worship and scholarship, attitudes to mission and ways of relating to the wider community.

It now remains to be seen how many groups of Anglicans, not just in the British Isles but just as importantly in other parts of the world, want to go further with this proposal. No doubt people will respond in different ways and at different speeds. Here in England, Bishop Keith, Bishop Andrew and the other PEV’s have asked those in their care to spend some time in prayerful discernment. As part of this process they have designated Monday 22 February as a special day of prayer.

In our own parish we shall have exposition of the Blessed Sacrament from 10.00am (when we shall say Morning Prayer) through to 7.00pm (when Mass will be celebrated) Everyone at S. Francis should support this day of prayer. Whatever our theological views, whatever our position on (say) women bishops, the future and well being of God’s Church is our common concern. The continuing prayer of Jesus is that all his disciples should be one. The best way to join him in this prayer is to spend some time in his sacramental presence on 22 February. The day must be covered. Please sign the rota in church. (And in your daily prayers go on praying for the gifts of wisdom, discernment and charity for all God’s people)

Lent begins this month. Faithful attendance at Mass, personal prayer and bible-reading, almsgiving and the service of others should be included in your Lent rule. Use the resources that the Church offers. On most Sunday evenings in Lent there will be Stations of the Cross and Benediction. On four Wednesday evenings (beginning 24 February) I’m planning to lead a Lent Group after the 7.00pm Mass. This will be my last Lent with you, so I hope you’ll forgive me if I tap into one of my long-standing enthusiasms and share some religious poetry with you. Perhaps there’s room for a little self-indulgence, even in Lent!

Fr Brian’s Letter - December 2009

People often say, “Christmas is a time for children.”

Yes, so it is. Children love it. They love getting presents, who doesn’t. They love Christmas dinner, who doesn’t. Many children even love the Christmas visit from grandparents and other family members. Christmas TV is largely for children, although ‘The Guns of Navarone’ is a bit boring for them. Yes, children and Christmas go together, usually happily, and that is good.

There may be an awareness, perhaps from school, of the lovely story of the birth of Jesus in the stable. Small girls still compete for the role of Mary in a Nativity play. Boys with tea-towels on their heads make good shepherds. Children have heard of the Christmas story, though some have not, and what a remarkable story it is. Children like a good story.

This good story comes from the Bible, from the beginning of the gospels of St. Luke mainly and St. Matthew. However, have you looked at the beginning of St. John’s gospel? I defy anyone to say this is written for children – unless they are like Mr. and Mrs. Einstein’s little lad Albert. This is for adults; grown-up thinking. ‘In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God and the Word was God. The Word was made flesh and lived among us, and we saw his glory, the glory that is his as the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth!

The Christmas baby is the Son of God, God-made-man. St. John later quotes Jesus as saying that he has come so that people ‘may have life and have it to the full’. This is the Christmas message for children and adults. John Paul II said, “In man’s history the revelation of God’s love and mercy has taken the name and form of Jesus Christ.”

So we celebrate again the mystery of God’s love for us. We know why we love some people. We do not know why they love us. So too with God. His love for us is a mystery. God loves us so much that he gave his Son to this world. Jesus is the reason for the season. He gives purpose and meaning to Christmas. He can transform our Christmastime if we wish. He offers us God’s boundless love and mercy – surely everyone wants love and acceptance. Don’t miss out!

Wishing you joy and peace at Christmas.

Fr Paul’s Letter - November 2009

In France the wayside shrines take a religious form. Calvaries and crucifixes are a familiar sight at crossroads or at the corners of village streets. Even though France is a largely secular nation, some of these shrines still show signs of attracting devotion.

In Britain, however, we have a different kind of wayside shrine. I’m talking about the places by the side of the road, often deep in the countryside, where people have put loads of flowers in memory of friends or family members who’ve died suddenly and tragically. These shrines commemorate the victims of accidents, but you see the same sort of thing on pavements outside fire-gutted houses where people have died, or at the gates of schools where a pupil has been killed. My impression is that this setting up of floral shrines is quite a new thing. Does it date back to August 1997 and the death of Diana, Princess of Wales? Remember the mountains of flowers and teddy bears outside Kensington Palace.

However it all started, I find it a bit depressing that this is the only way that many people have to express their love for the departed and their grief at losing them. They are spiritually impoverished. It no longer occurs to them that it might be a good thing to relate their thanksgiving or their sorrow to God. He has nothing to do with them in their daily lives, and he’s equally irrelevant at a time of bereavement. Non-religious funerals are on the increase. Families prefer to put together a customised package of songs, personal tributes and popular music in which God gets little or no mention.

Atheists would say that this is inevitable in an age of declining belief, but I would disagree. I’m reminded of G.K. Chesterton’s famous observation “When people stop believing in God they don’t believe in nothing, they believe in anything”. What we meet in society these days is not so much atheism as a confused, lukewarm and self-centred paganism.

In a climate like this Christians must keep their nerve. The Catholic faith is a coherent and intellectually respectable system of belief, and the fact that belief systems are unfashionable shouldn’t make us feel apologetic or embarrassed about it.

As far as attitudes to the dead are concerned, we should set an example to others. November, which is for Catholic Christians the month of the departed, gives us an opportunity to set a lead. The feast of All Saints and the Commemoration of the Faithful departed (All Souls) are days for celebrating our Faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We proclaim our belief that the will of God is that all people should be saved and that they should share in his glory in heaven. Many faithful people have already arrived there. They continue to take an interest in us and show their love by praying for us.

Others, we believe, are still on their way to entering into the fullness of life. We show our love for them by praying for them, just as we do for our brothers and sisters who are still with us on this earth. In all this we affirm the love of God who is stronger than death and which is offered to us supremely in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus his Son. We gain a greater sense of the community of faith which is made up of human beings both living and departed. We feel more strongly united with those who have died. We know we belong together in one spiritual family.

All this happens as we come to Mass and share in our worship on All Saints Day and All Souls Day. Of course we miss our friends and family members who have died, but we’re confident that God knows and understands our sadness, all that those who put their faith in him will never be lost.

In short, we make sure that the focus of our sorrowing and rejoicing is God himself, and not a bunch of flowers left by the side of the road.

Fr Paul’s Letter - October 2009

If you are looking for something to read, let me recommend the novels of C.J. Sansom. He’s an accomplished crime writer, mostly to be bracketed with figures like P.D.James and Colin Dexter, but the special thing about him is that his novels are set in the reign of Henry VIII. His central character, Matthew Shardlake, is a lawyer who is reluctantly caught up in the political and religious upheavals of his time. Shardlake begins the series of novels as a loyal servant of Thomas Cromwell, but he’s increasingly repelled by the brutality and the climate of fear and suspicion that dominate Tudor politics. He’s a flawed but fundamentally decent and sympathetic character, portrayed with great skill. As he sets about dealing with various problems he draws the reader into a vivid and fascinating, 16th century world. A world that someone has called "not-so-merry England"

C.J. Sansom is a historian by training. He’s brilliant at evoking the sights and sounds and smells of the 1530’s and 1540’s. His novel Dark Fire is set in London, and part of the background of the story is the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Everywhere in the city monasteries are being demolished or converted into houses. Churches stand roofless. Building gangs load rubble and tiles into wagons. Altar stones and tombstones are being broken up. Dust hangs thick in the air and adds to the stench and confusion.

The people of mid-Tudor England had to get used to a changing landscape. Whether they liked it or not, they watched the disappearance of buildings and institutions that had been part of everyday life for hundreds of years. Monks and nuns had to find other homes and other jobs, if any. Their property made its way into the hands of the King. Some ordinary people must have welcomed the change. Many more must have deplored them. Still others must have cared little about them, regarding them as inevitable under a tyrannical political system. But whatever people’s feelings were, the monasteries disappeared.

I sometimes wonder what would happen if the Church of S. Francis disappeared. Some of you will be horrified at the every thought, and I quite understand that. We don’t want our church to disappear. We love it. It’s our spiritual home, a place to which we can invite others so that they can share in our worship and learn about the Christian faith. It stands as a physical reminder to the local community that Christian men and women exist and that it matters to us what we believe.

But what if the building wasn’t there? What impact would that have ON YOUR faith? If you say that you would just go to another church, you have to extend my question to cover that building, too, because the question is about all buildings. Of course they’re important, and they have a valuable part to play in our Christian life and witness. But how far does our faith depend on them? If they didn’t exist, would we go on saying our prayers and practising our faith? Would we find a way to come together with other Catholic Christians to share in the Eucharist week by week?

This month we celebrate our Feast of Dedication. We express our love and gratitude for the church of S. Francis and for all who have worshipped and served God in this place. But at the same time we remind ourselves that the Church is made up of living stones - people rather than bricks and mortar. The first Christians came together to pray in one another’s homes. Their faith was what mattered. Persecuted Christians and minority Christians in the past, and in our own day, haven’t let the absence of a church building undermine or get in the way of their faith. They have pressed on.

We love the church of S. Francis, and quite rightly, too. We celebrate its dedication and everything that goes on in it. But what if it wasn’t there? That’s the question.

C.J. Sansom has written (so far) four Matthew Shardlake novels, published by Pan Books between 2003 and 2009. The titles are: Dissolution, Dark Fire, Sovereign and Revelation.

Fr Jonathan writes... September 2009

Writing shortly after the lively and exhilarating "Lift Off" holiday club week "Earthshakers" which included a wide range of people from eight months to eighty years old, I am left reflecting on this exciting experience and why it was so enjoyable and enjoyed by all of whatever age. 

The focus was on children and young people, and the mixture of craft activities, games, story time and singing certainly engaged them fully.

Yet many others as adult leaders, supporters and helpers also had a very good time despite the enormous preparation, and the energy required to keep up with the liveliness of the young people. 

I would want to echo what others have said - that it was a success. It was a sort of parable, a lived experience of God's kingdom and the enjoyment of being together as part of his family. In a real sense Christ was the Light shining over the whole week. 

It remains in the memory enjoyably and we might take from it something to inform and encourage us in our ongoing life as a Christian community and as fellow pilgrims treading the same path.

Children are the best examples of people who fully absorb themselves in the present moment. Someone who works with pre-school children describes it this way: "They allow themselves to stay completely involved in whatever they happen to be doing and with whomever they happen to be with. Because children are so in the moment, they milk every ounce out of their experience".

Living fully in the present moment would be of great benefit for all of us.

One great exponent of this was an 18th century spiritual writer John-Pierre de Caussade who speaks of the "sacrament of the present moment".

As an adult we may have got into the habit of allowing past regrets and future concerns to squeeze the life out of our present moments. As we become more orientated to the present moment, we will open the door to enjoying our lives. Instead of seeing potential problems, we will see beauty; instead of reviewing past mistakes, we will learn from those mistakes and move forward. Yes, we might learn something of the reality of that scriptural verse : "whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it".

De Caussade puts it like this : "To discover God in the smallest and most ordinary things, as well as in the greatest, is to possess a rare and sublime faith. To find contentment in the present moment is to relish and adore the divine will in the succession of all the things to be done and suffered which make up the duty of the present moment. The pure of heart, simple souls, worship God in all the most adverse circumstances; their faith triumphs over everything."

Fr Paul’s Letter - July/August 2009

We’re very lucky to have our team of Eucharistic ministers. Like our servers and musicians they have a vital part to play in our worship. All of you will have experienced the dignified ministry of the men and women who assist with the administration of Holy Communion at the Parish Mass on Sunday mornings, although their services are often not needed when three priests are concelebrating.

Some of you may not know that our Eucharistic Ministers (e.m.’s for short) operate at other times – at Mass on Wednesday evenings and Thursday mornings, for example. One of the excellent things about the team members is that they don’t wait to be asked: they simply come forward when they see that the priest needs them.

Several of our e.m’s also assist in the important task of taking the Blessed Sacrament to the sick and housebound. People who are devoted to Jesus in the Sacrament and want to receive him can continue to do so even when a priest is absent.

The absence, or scarcity, of priests is an issue to be taken seriously by the whole church. Of course we need to pray for more priests and to foster vocations. Organisations like the Additional Curates Society are doing some fine work in this respect. But there are likely to be fewer priests than there once were, and this presents the church with great challenges over how to sustain ministry and mission. Anyone who attends diocesan or deanery synod meetings or reads the church press will be aware of this.

Churches like ours which have a strong Eucharistic tradition, often based on a daily Mass, face a particular challenge. Do we value that tradition? Do we want it to continue? What happens if no priest is available, either on a specific occasion or even for an extended period? Do we just shrug our shoulders and say that nothing can be done, or do we look to the people who already have an authorised ministry for help?

My view, and the view of the PCC and the em’s themselves, is that we should use them in this kind of way. When no priest is available we hope that some of them will be prepared to conduct a short service in church consisting of prayers, bible readings and Communion from the Reserved Sacrament. Of course the service would not be a Mass, but it would have a similar shape. It would mean that people would still meet Jesus the Word of God in the scripture readings and receive him in Holy Communion.

The em’s and I have discussed all of this. Several have said they are willing to help. We have had an experimental Service of the Word and Holy Communion such as I have described. What we now need to do is to give our ministers a little more experience so that they can grow in confidence. The proposal, therefore, is that every so often – perhaps every 2 months – a Wednesday evening or Thursday morning Mass will be replaced by a Service of the Word and Holy Communion. As well as giving the ministers some practical experience this will also mean that ordinary members of the congregation can become familiar with this form of service.

Whenever such a service is to take place, it will be clearly indicated in the magazine or news-sheet (unless, of course, it happens in an emergency) Do let me emphasise that this is in no way “the thin end of the wedge”. It’s to ensure that our Eucharistic tradition remains strong. And I welcome your questions and comments.

Fr Paul’s Letter - June 2009

When groups of schoolchildren come to visit our church I always draw their attention to Mrs Reckitt’s teapots. I explain how the kind lady who paid for S.Francis to be built also left a gift to the church when she died. I tell them how the silver teapots were cleverly adapted into hanging lamps. Afterwards the children explore the church, then come back and ask some questions “Why are the lights in the lamps different colours?” is one question. Another is "What’s that thing underneath a coloured cloth on the altar at the top of the steps?” This is my big opportunity to tell the children about the tabernacle and how important it is. I tell them about the blessed bread of Holy Communion, something we call the Blessed Sacrament. I explain that the members of S.Francis’ Church believe that Jesus himself is present in that bread, and that therefore it’s not ordinary bread at all. The white light burns in the lamp made out of a Victorian teapot to remind everyone that Jesus is there in the Blessed Sacrament. He’s there so that people can receive Holy Communion at other times than at Mass. He’s there also so that people can enjoy being with him — sitting or kneeling, saying their prayers or just spending time with him, as one would with a friend or family member.

That’s what I tell the children, and it’s true. What I wish is that the bit about people spending time with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament were more true (if you see what I mean) Jesus says “I am the bread of life. No-one who comes to me will ever hunger; no-one who believes in me will ever thirst” (John 6:35). As Catholic Christians we have the most wonderful opportunity to come to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. There he is in the tabernacle of S. Francis’ Church, waiting to welcome us, to show his love for us, to speak to us and encourage us. All we have to do is to respond to that invitation “Come to me”.

Sadly, we often prefer to do something else. We have our church jobs to do. Instead of arriving a bit earlier for Mass or staying on afterwards, we rush about and have no time to fix our attention on Jesus. We chat to one another. We read the news-sheet. Anything but hear Jesus say “Come to me”. We say we’re too busy on Sundays, and ignore the opportunities that exist during the week.

This month we celebrate the feast of the Body and Blood of Christ—Corpus Christi. May that feast remind you that Jesus is there for you in the Blessed Sacrament—not just when you receive communion at Mass, but also in the sacrament reserved in the tabernacle. Notice the white light burning in the lamp. Hear the voice of Jesus as he says “Come to me”. Stop what you’re doing for just a while and pay attention to him. He will bless you and guide you. It will make a real difference to your life.

Fr Paul’s Letter - May 2009

We recently spent a couple of days in Bristol. Whatever its blemishes, it’s an attractive city with a lively atmosphere, and I know it quite well. I enjoyed re-visiting the Cathedral and church of S. Mary Redcliffe, with its superb Perpendicular architecture. It was also good to explore the old city centre, where some fine 18th and 19th century commercial buildings have survived both the Blitz and equally destructive 1960’s town planners.

But the unexpected highlight of the visit was discovering a building tucked away behind the dreary facades of the Broadmead shopping centre. Wesley’s New Room is in many ways the cradle of Methodism. It was the first purpose-built Methodist place of worship, and work on it began in 1739, when John Wesley arrived in the city and chose it as one of the regional centres for his nation-wide preaching tours.

The New Room is a plain but dignified building with seating for the hundreds of people who came regularly to hear Wesley preach. In the middle is the pulpit from which he spoke, and below is the simple table where he conducted the Communion service, Upstairs is the study-bedroom where he stayed on his visits, and the desk at the window where stood and wrote his sermons. There are many personal mementoes of him. The whole place has a remarkably calm and spiritual atmosphere, a surprise for those of us used to looking for holiness in churches and shrines with more obviously catholic features.

John Wesley was a great man and a great Christian. To the end of his life he remained a priest of the Church of England, and it’s a tragedy that his personal holiness, eloquence and spiritual energy were not allowed to renew the life of the established Church in his lifetime. Many of his Anglican contemporaries felt threatened by him and jealous of his achievements. It was their lack of sympathy and imagination which resulted in the setting up of a separate church organization — something never intended by Wesley himself.

Catholic Christians like ourselves have much to learn from Wesley. We should imitate his commitment to personal and corporate prayer and the study of the scriptures, Like him we should see that what comes inescapably out of this is the active desire to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. We should remember too, that Wesley’s life was centred very much on the frequent celebration of the eucharist and the receiving of Holy Communion. His spirituality was shaped by the Fathers of the Church and Catholic writers such as Thomas à Kempis and Francis de Sales, as well as by figures from the reformed tradition. His firm sacramental theology is expressed most popularly in the wonderful hymns by his brother Charles, many of which we know well and sing often.

John Wesley knew that what mattered most in the Christian life was conversion of heart — a heart focused on Jesus Christ and open more and more to his grace. It was at a religious meeting in the city of London on 25 May 1738 that Wesley had the experience that changed the course of his life and ministry. As he listened to someone reading from the works of Luther:-
“About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation; and an assurance was given that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death”

Conversion of heart is as important this May as it was on that May day long ago, and though we may not experience it quite as suddenly and remarkably as Wesley did, we must still hope and pray that the process of conversion will continue in each one of us. As Charles Wesley wrote in one of his splendid hymns:

O for a heart to praise my God
A heart from sin set free;
A heart that always feels thy blood
So freely spilt for me

A heart resigned, submissive, meek,
My dear Redeemer’s throne;
Where only Christ is heard to speak,
Where Jesus reigns alone.

And if you find yourself in Bristol, do try to visit Wesley’s New Room, which is a genuinely holy place and well worth the effort of finding it.

Fr Paul’s Letter - April 2009

The old spiritual gets it right: 'Were you there when they crucified my Lord?' Go through the song, and the question is repeated again and again. Were you there when they nailed him, pierced him, laid him in the tomb? Were you there? Were you there?

This is the only question worth asking in Holy Week. The days leading up to Easter are very precious ones, and Christians have observed them faithfully and solemnly for many centuries. But they aren't a time for discussion or theological debate. They are quite simply a time for being there— being there with Jesus to watch and listen to him and see what happens to him. Only by being there can we let the most important events in human history take hold of our lives.

It's no use just reading about it. You have to be there in person. You aren't just a disembodied intelligence. You are a flesh and blood human being, and if you are to grow in understanding, faith and love you must give yourself physically as well as mentally to the process. You must be there to watch and listen and walk about and kneel and ache and feel tired and doze off as the great events unfold.

Were you there? So that we can answer this question positively, the Church gives us the Holy Week liturgies—Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday. These are wonderful opportunities to put ourselves alongside Jesus as he enters Jerusalem with his disciples to fulfill the Father's will. Through the liturgies we can be with him as he institutes the Eucharist and gives his disciples the new commandment of love. We can be with him in Gethsemane, with him as he is arrested, put on trial and tormented. We can be with him on the Way of the Cross and with him as he completes the work of redemption by dying on Calvary.

Only by being with him in this way can we come to experience the astonishment and joy of the resurrection, as the new fire is lit and blessed and, illuminated by the Easter Candle, we reaffirm our baptismal promises and receive the risen Jesus himself in the Blessed Sacrament. Were you there? Let the answer to this be a resounding YES this Holy Week and Easter.

Fr Paul’s Letter - March 2009

Lent comes from an Old English word meaning Spring. The most obvious thing about Spring is that it’s a time of growth. Everywhere there are signs of new life as the buds on trees and shrubs swell, bulbs push their green shoots up through the soil, and the birds make a lot of noise in preparation for building their nests.

So much for natural growth. Lent, on the other hand is a time for growing spiritually.  How do we encourage that process? If I think of my life as a plant, one way might be to cut back some of the dead wood, or prune some of the stems that are going in undesirable directions and wasting energy that would be better used elsewhere. If I wanted a word for this pruning and trimming, I would call it fasting.

I might also try to give the plant more of the right nutrients. If it’s not in the right kind of soil, or the soil is exhausted, I can’t expect it to do well. I need fresh supplies. I must go back to the scriptures and the Church’s sacraments where I can’t fail to find the vitality of the Holy Spirit and all the nourishment my soul needs.

Encouraging the plant to grow needs time and effort. If I want my spiritual life to develop and flourish I need to spend time on it. The time I spend is called prayer. In the springtime of Lent, prayer must be my top priority.

And yours too. I do urge you to make the most of this special 6 week season leading up to Easter. Use the opportunities that are given. Be sure to come to Mass on Sundays, listening to the word of God and receiving the food that Jesus gives you in the Blessed Sacrament. Make daily use of your prayer booklet, that will be available to everyone.

You may also like to consider two further opportunities. On most Sunday evenings at 6.30 there will be Stations of the Cross followed by Benediction. This is a very helpful devotion that engages our bodies, minds and voices, and leads us to experience more deeply the reality of God’s love revealed in the Cross.

On several Wednesday evenings the 7.00pm Mass will be extended. There will be time for reflection on God’s word, and a period of silence at the end when we can focus our attention on Jesus present with us in the Blessed Sacrament.

Thank God for the Spring. Thank God also for Lent when he offers each one of us the chance to grow in love and discipleship.