Fourth Sunday of Advent 18th December 2011 Year B

St John the Evangelist

New Ferry, in the Diocese of Shrewsbury, Reg. Charity 234025

Fr. Frank Rice;

Revd. Philip White; Revd. Michael Daly phone: 0151 645 3314

email: stjohntheevangelist

websites: www.stjohnevang.co.uk www.lpa24.org

Fourth Sunday of Advent 18th December 2011 Year B

WORD OF GOD

I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let what you have said be done to me.

(Luke 1: 38)

WORD FOR TODAY

Every Christian, like Mary, is called to give birth to Jesus. Ours is the responsibility of bearing Christ to a world that God wants to bring to a life that is eternal. Each day is an Annunciation to us: we are to show our faith in Christ by the way that we respond to God’s message and deliver it to those with whom we live and work.

It was while I was in the Holy Land for the purpose of making three BBC Television programmes on the New Testament that a curious, almost magical, certainty seized me about Jesus’ birth, ministry and crucifixion. I became aware that there really had been a man, Jesus, who was also God. I was conscious of his presence. He really had spoken those sublime words. I heard them. He really had died on a cross and risen from the dead. Otherwise, how was it possible for me to meet him, as I did? The words Jesus spoke are living words, as relevant today as when they were first spoken. The light he shone continues to shine as brightly as ever. Thus he is alive while, for instance, Socrates who also chose to lay down his life for truth’s sake isn’t. The Cross is where history and life, legend and reality, time and eternity, intersect. There, Jesus is nailed for ever to show us how God could become a man and a man could become God.

(Malcolm Muggeridge)

I know God will not give me anything I can’t handle. I just wish that he didn’t trust me so much. (Mother Teresa)

Have you had a look at the brand new Diocesan Website? Log on to www.dioceseofshrewsbury.org.

FAITH IN FOCUS: THE COMFORT ZONE

Mary could have had a comfortable life. She seems to have been an ordinary girl and could have hoped for a good husband, a few children and a reasonably normal and happy existence in Nazareth.

Then the angel appeared on the scene. She was asked to be the mother of a child, given the boy’s name and told that she didn’t need a husband because the Holy Spirit would be taking care of things. Who on earth would agree to this? Yet she did. Let what you have said be done to me.

Then it all started: the difficulties of the birth in a cold stable while going to Jerusalem to register for the census, the scandal of not being married, the strange goings on with the star, the wise men and the angels, the prophecy by Simeon that she would end up heart-broken, the trouble when Jesus started preaching, his arrest and execution.

She could have stayed in her comfort zone and just said no. But then she would never have become the mother of God and never experienced the challenge of the adventure of her life. It turned out that, far from being a comfort to Mary, God set out to discomfort her.

Advent faith means being prepared to come out of our comfort zones. It means agreeing like Mary to give birth to Jesus. Each of us is called to take steps that will cause us discomfort and trouble. It would be easier if we treated religion as a hobby. We could attend church from time to time and just enjoy the music. Or we could throw ourselves fully into the uncomfortable business of standing up for Jesus in all the circumstances of our lives. We can be couch-Christians or Cross-Christians. But only the latter will lead us to the adventure which is God.

Advent asks us to reflect on how much we are prepared to be disturbed in our profession of faith. Do we want to watch as others do the work of bringing the Good News to our world or do we want to be on the front line? Are we comfortable in the waiting room or do we want to give birth? Do we simply want to carry the plaster statue of the baby in the crib or are we prepared to take on his flesh and bones with all that this entails?

4th Sunday of Advent	18th.	5.30 10 am 8pm	Parishioners Malcolm Hughes Prayer Meeting
Mon	19th.	9.15	Marie Pickering
Tues	20th.	9.15 7.30pm.	Laurence Rogers Reconciliation.
Wed	21st.	9.15	Nov list
Thu	22nd.	9.15	Nov List
Fri Sat.	23rd. 24th.	9.15 4pm.	James Sweatman Children’s crib service
‘Midnight’ Mass		8pm	Parishioners
Christmas Day	25th.	10am	Malcolm Hughes

Please pray for our sick and those who care for them Frances Heslin, James Sweatman, Liam Halpen, Philomena Moore, Margaret Randles, Michael Collins, Teresa McLean, Denis Welch, Josie Cohen, Peter Williamson, Kathy Smith, MarjorieHoey, Mrs H McCormack, Esther Roche, Fay Challoner, Sheila Stockley, Joan & Charles Reynolds, Kath Holland, MaryBryden, Owen & Josie Toohey, Betty Kennedy, Helen Worth, Christopher Hadfield, Ivan Gregory, Christopher & Raymond McNally, Mark Harrison, Genevieve Foster, Aileen McGuigan. & Chris Foster. Remember also those in theparish who do not wish their illness to be made public but who also need our prayers.

Money

Offertory last week: £797 9 p

120 Club Winners No. 108 D Humphrey £20

Christmas Fair revenue £2130 56p- fantastic result!

Our final collection for flowers will be taken this weekend. As you know, we collect just twice yearly, Advent and Lent in readiness to adorn our church for the two great feasts that the seasons herald. Please give as generously as you can so that our flower ladies can continue to provide such wonderful displays for us week after week. The lady who does many of the arrangements, Liz de Seine, is indisposed at present and in a lot of pain and may be unable to add her touch of genius. Are there any secret flower arrangers out there who may be able to lend a hand if necessary? Please give your name and number to Mike if you are able to help on Friday 23rd December.
PS We don’t expect you to give twice so if you contributed last week thank you very much!

Our Christmas Crib Service will take place on Christmas Eve, Saturday 24th December at 4.00pm here in church. The children are welcome to bring a card to give to Jesus, and their favourite toy to show him and wish him “Happy Birthday” A lovely occasion for the little ones!

The Carmelite Monastery are having an afternoon of readings, prayers and carols for the closing days of Advent centred round the ‘O’ Antiphons from 3pm this Sunday 18th December. Mulled wine and refreshments to follow. All welcome!

He was man as we are. His condition was no different from ours. He took our flesh, the nature of man as he comes from the fall. His sinlessness was not therefore his condition. It was the act of his being in which he defeated temptation, in his condition which is ours: in the flesh. He emptied himself, placing himself in the series of men who rebelled against God in their delusion. In so doing, in his own person, he reversed the fall in their place and for their sake. (Karl Barth)

Missals on order should arrive in the next day or two. There are some other lovely books there to help you and your family breathe in the scent of Advent, even at this late stage. Make the most of this last beautiful week. I can personally recommend Denis McBride’s journeying with Jesus in Advent and the children’s books are very attractive and not too expensive.

This coming Tuesday evening, we will be holding our service of Reconciliation and judging by the number of enquiries we have had, we have established a tradition ofproviding an opportunity for people to prepare themselves fully for the Feast ahead and possibly a return to the church fold for others. The theme of this Advent’s service will be living in the present moment. Please pass on news of the event to your friends. The Lord’s forgiveness is withheld from no-one who is sorry for their mistakes. There will be a collection for charity prior to the service.

Notice for grandparents at Mass this Saturday (too late for those of you at Sunday Mass I’m afraid!)

Mass for CGA (Catholic Grandparents Assoc.) at Liverpool Met. this Sunday 18th at 11am. More details on poster. You are welcome to attend this Mass to be jointly celebrated by Bishop Brian and Archbishop Kelly.

There is a wonderful story of a four year old child. On reaching her fourth birthday, her parents decided that it was time for her to sleep in a room of her own. As the mother put her to bed that night, she said – “you are now a big girl with your own room: there is no need for you to be afraid. We will always be near you”. Sometime later the mother quietly came to the room and heard the little girl crying – who then said to her mother. “I am frightened here; I do not want to be alone”. “You are not alone”, the mother said, “God is here with you”. “I know God is here, but right now I need someone with skin”. …..Today in the gospel we hear of a God who wants to come to us with skin. His love for us is so great that he decided to come amongst us as one like us in all things except sin. But he decided he needed help from a human being to bring this about. In his great humility he decided to ask a young Jewish woman Mary. This reminds us that God never forces his way into our lives. He shows us great respect and courtesy by asking our permission as he did in the case of Mary.

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