This blog is for the use of the whole parish; please let me know if you'd like to contribute.

Chris (email link at the bottom of each page)

Jesus and Peter walk on the water

09-08-2020, 07:47comfort, faith, miracle, storm, strengthPermalink

1 Kings 19:9, 11-13 • Psalm 85: 9–14 • Romans 9:1–5 • Matthew 14:22–33

Jesus rescues Peter as he sinks

Both Jesus and Peter are recorded by the Gospel-writers Matthew, Mark and John as having walked on water.

In Dei Verbum the bishops of the Second Vatican Council explain this important and profound truth by saying: ‘The sacred authors wrote the four Gospels, selecting some things from the many which had been handed on by word of mouth or in writing, reducing some of them to a synthesis, explaining some things in view of the situation of their churches and preserving the form of proclamation but always in such fashion that they told us the honest truth about Jesus’ (para. 19).

If we approach the sacred text in this way, we open ourselves up to being taught, informed and enlightened by the Holy Spirit about the meaning of this event in Jesus’ life.

Jesus's walking on the water is certainly a miracle but it is also a sign. A sign of what? A sign of Jesus's divinity. Who else could walk on water? Who else could calm the wind and the waves? Only God. Only God can truly say: 'Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid' (v 27 NIV), because only God can promise true and everlasting peace.

Lord Jesus, you invite me to step out with you on the storm waters in the furious squalls of life. I do indeed take courage from your promises, because it is you who invite me not to be afraid and with your Holy Spirit all things are possible.

Chris

From Bible Alive

St Peter's Parish, Biggleswade

Comments

Faith as Small as a Mustard Seed

08-08-2020, 07:06faith, healing, mountainsPermalink

Matthew 17:14–20

A mustard seed held between two finger tips.

http://oneclimbs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Mustard-Seed-Faith-by-CRI.jpg

After glimpsing Jesus’s glory in his Transfiguration, the disciples had to come down from the mountain. They were truly brought back to earth by the failure of others to exorcise a demon. Though they had seen the glory of God, they still had to operate, as we all do, in a world where Satan has power because of human sin. Our encounters with God in prayer can give us the faith to be able to combat evil in our daily lives.

Jesus rebuked the disciples for their lack of faith. Unlike them, the father of the possessed boy was a model of faith: he knelt before Jesus and addressed him as Lord. He knew who Jesus was and that he had the power to set his son free. The disciples had some faith, but it was weak and needed strengthening. Jesus stressed the power of faith in a vivid way in his statement that even faith the size of a mustard seed could move a mountain. In the world’s perspective faith is something insignificant and powerless; yet it can achieve amazing results. If we only believe, God can do great things through us, and bring about what we think impossible.

Most of us would say we have faith and believe in God, but our challenge is to apply this faith in our daily lives. It is in times of trial and suffering that we are called to live by faith, and it is then that our faith can grow most. We need to exercise our faith, and work to make it grow — otherwise it may wither away and fail to reach its potential. We can nourish our faith by regular prayer, Scripture reading and celebrating the Eucharist. In these ways we allow God to speak to us and strengthen us with his grace.

We should not be content with a wavering faith. If we expect great things from God, he can do great things for us. Jesus’s saying about the grain of faith should not depress us and make us think ourselves inadequate, but inspire us with a vision of the wonderful work God can do if we truly have a firm faith in him and try to live it out every day.

Lord Jesus, I believe in you, but my faith is often weak. Strengthen my faith so that I may allow you to work through me in ways more wonderful than I can imagine.

Chris

From Bible Alive

St Peter's Parish, Biggleswade

Comments

(Feast) St Mary Magdalene

22-07-2020, 07:14equality, faith, grace, love, womenPermalink

John 20:1-2, 11-18

https://www1.cbn.com/why-jesus-chose-mary-magdalene-to-proclaim-his-resurrection

Mary Magdalene kneeling at the open tomb with the gardener

Today we celebrate the feast-day of one of the greatest women in the whole of the Bible. Clearly, Mary, Mother of God, has pride of place because she is our mother in faith. Mary Magdalene, however, can be seen as our sister in faith.

Of course, Mary Magdalene is often identified as being a woman of ill-repute, a prostitute no less, but there is no record of this in the Scriptures. We are simply told that seven demons were cast out of her (Luke 8:2; Mark 16:9). Quite why the reputation of this magnificent woman and example of the Christian life should have been imputed with this slur is hard to figure out. Was it hearsay? What we do know for sure is that the Lord delivered her from whatever bound her. Some suggest that it could have been a complex illness of some kind or maybe even some mental suffering or anguish. From that time on she dedicated her life to following Christ.

The Evangelists are especially sensitive to Mary’s closeness to the Lord during his last days on earth. She remained with him at the foot of the cross, staying when all the disciples except John had fled.

She was at his burial and, most striking and significant of all, she was a witness of the Risen Lord. God confounded the wisdom of an age in which women were regarded as second-class citizens and were not considered to be reliable witnesses in court. Ancient societies were misogynist and patriarchal, but God showed that this way of thinking to be a nonsense in the kingdom of God. Consider that God chose Mary to be the first person to witness the greatest event in human history — the resurrection — before Peter and the other disciples. We venerate her for this.

Mary can be seen to represent all women since the beginning of time who have witnessed Christ’s resurrection in their lives. In a way, in the kingdom of God, whether we are male or female is not an issue: we are equal before God, but we have different roles, different charisms and different strengths. Mary’s role was to support the Lord — it was a role of love and service, and this is the legacy she has left us. Today we cherish her memory, celebrate her life and strive to emulate her courageous witness.

Lord God, help as to follow the example of Mary Magdalene and live a life of humble service, sincere repentance and courageous witness for Christ.

Chris

From Bible Alive

St Peter's Parish, Biggleswade

Comments

Pentecost

31-05-2020, 07:08faith, Holy_SpiritPermalink

Acts 2:1–11

As we celebrate this feast day, we should remember that the event of Pentecost was as major an intervention by God as the creation of the Universe or the incarnation of God’s son, Jesus Christ.

This is what the Church has taught us since the beginning: through the grace of the liturgy it is as though what happened in Jerusalem over 2000 years ago is repeated on this holy feast day. The same Holy Spirit who came down on the disciples huddled together in the upper room descends on us too.

When the Holy Spirit came down at Pentecost, he instilled in the Church a dynamism and power which since then has been the principal agent behind all its fruitful work and mission in the world.

Let the Holy Spirit come into your lives: invite him, welcome him and pray to him.

”Whenever the Spirit intervenes he leaves people astonished; he brings about events of amazing newness; he radically changes persons and history. Faith is not abstract talk, nor vague religious sentiment, but new life in Christ instilled by the Holy Spirit. Christ says to each of us, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation’ (Mark 16:15). He is counting on every one of you and so is the Church. ‘Lo,’ the Lord promises, ‘I am with you always, to the close of the age’ (Matt 28:20). I am with you, Amen.” (Pope St John Paul II)

Chris

From Bible Alive

Photo by Bahram Bayat on Unsplash

St Peter's Parish, Biggleswade

Comments

Divine Jesus

31-03-2020, 09:53divinity, faith, God-manPermalink

John 8:21–30

It is amazing to think that the divinity in Jesus did not overwhelm his humanity, and that his humanity did not corrupt his divinity. “What he was, he remained and what he was not, he assumed.” Roman liturgy.

“O only-begotten Son and Word of God, immortal being, you who deigned for our salvation to become incarnate of the holy Mother of God and ever-virgin Mary, you who without change became man and were crucified. O Christ our God, you who by your death have crushed death, you who are one of the Holy Trinity, glorified with the Father and the Holy Spirit, save us.” St John Chrystosom

We are called to penetrate this mystery ever more deeply, and we have received the grace to do so. It is a truth that we will spend the rest of our lives seeking to fathom and understand. Consider that the One who created the universe, the Lord, the Almighty, worked with human hands, thought with a human mind, acted with a human will and loved with a human heart.

Having been born of the Virgin Mary he has been made truly one of us, like us in every way but one: he never sinned.

“As man alone, Jesus could not save us; as God alone he would not: incarnate he could and did.” Malcom Muggeridge

Chris

From Bible Alive

Bible Alive

St Peter's Parish, Biggleswade

Comments

Jesus heals the official's child

23-03-2020, 06:45faith, love, miraclePermalink

John 4:43–54

In today’s Gospel passage the child of a Gentile officer in Herod’s court is ill and dying. But his encounter with Jesus is very brief.

“Sir, come down before my child dies.” (v.49)

“Go, your son will live."

The fever left the child and he was restored to health.

The key to this healing was the official’s faith. “The man took Jesus at his word and departed.” (v.50). By this John provides us with a great definition of faith: taking God at his word.

It’s like saying simply to God, “If you say it is so, then it is so, and I can put my hope and trust in you.” Faith, we know, is being sure of what we can hope for and certain of what we cannot see (Hebrews 11:1).

Faith is really no more than taking God at his word. As St Augustine said, “For what is faith unless it is to believe what you do not see?"

Take heart and encouragement from our official in today’s Gospel, for he took Jesus at his word and was mightily blessed. If we take Jesus at his word we too will be mightily blessed.

"The righteous will live by faith.” Romans 1:17

Chris

from Bible Alive

St Peter's Parish, Biggleswade

Comments

Jesus Talks to a Woman at the Well

15-03-2020, 07:18faith, life, peace, waterPermalink

John 4:5–42

In this encounter with the woman at the well (a Samaritan), Jesus is described in very human terms, sitting at the well, exhausted from his journey. The woman too is very human. Her appearance at the well at about noon, long after the other village women would have replenished their water supply, may indicate her isolated position in society.

She was shunned for her many sins. Yet it is she who becomes a missionary to her people.

Jewish/Samaritan relations were historically condition. About 722 BC the Assyrian army descended on Northern Israel, took its population into exile and colonised its land with foreigners. These people partially adopted Israel’s religion over the centuries but were always viewed by the Jews as hated, semi-pagan invaders.

The woman was therefore very surprised when Jesus spoke to her, and even more astonished when he asked her for a drink, since Jews did not share food or drink with Samaritans for fear of ritual defilement.

Water becomes the sign by which both baptism and faith are epxlained to us. Water is the means, but the Holy Spirit flowing into us is the reality. There is a vital connection between the flowing of water and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

The “living water” of which Jesus speaks brings not only awareness of her sin to the woman but forgiveness – hope in the presence of Jesus as the Messiah and faith in his words.

The water that Jesus offers is not something that human effort can obtain. It is a pure gift from God, water which, when drunk, becomes within a spring of life. Jesus is referring in the first place to his own words of salvation, words that are spirit and life, because whoever listens to them and lives by them will continue to share in God’s life.

The water has a deeper meaning as a symbol of the Holy Spirit (John 7:38–39). The Spirit enables us to understand the words of Jesus and to respond to them with a willing heart.

The wonder of prayer is revealed beside the well where we come seeking water: there, Christ comes to meet every human being. It is he who first seeks us and asks us for a drink. Jesus thirsts; his asking arises from the depths of God's desire for us. Whether we realise it or not, prayer is the encounter of God's thirst with ours. God thirsts that we may thirst for him. (CCC 2560)

Chris

from Bible Alive

St Peter's Parish, Biggleswade

Comments

12-02-2020, 09:09Adult Education, faith, Lent, Our LadyPermalink

Come - Join St Peter’s Lent Faith Sharing Course - “Let it be”

Find out more about Our Lady in preparation for the re-dedication of England as the Dowry of Mary on 29th March 2020.

As this is an exceptional year for Christians in England and Our Lady, our parish will re-run the CaFE “Let it be” five-session course over five Wednesdays in Lent. The course gives us a much deeper understanding of Mary from her Immaculate Conception through to her being crowned “Queen of Heaven”; and of course why she is so honoured and blessed with so many titles (well in excess of 50) including “Protector of Christians”.

This inspiring course involves engaging video sessions that will explore Our Lady, past & present.
Mary is arguably the greatest Lady ever; - chosen by God, the First and Perfect disciple, Mother of the Church, Queen of Heaven and an advocate to God for all Christians. Mary is the perfect model for us to follow; her example will help us become ever closer to her son and our saviour Lord Jesus Christ.

Each person attending will be need a course book that links to the video sessions and will help you appreciate Mary’s significance to your personal faith journey. The book includes prayers and reflections to do throughout the week at home/work and if embraced will make your Lent truly devout.

To book a place simply register on line by clicking here or call Alban on 07751 625942.

Alban

Comments

Faith in Jesus

05-02-2020, 07:32faith, Nazereth, prophetPermalink

Mark 6:1-6

"And Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is only despised in his own country, among his own relations and in his own house’ . . .” (v. 4)

The Nazerenes who refused to accept Jesus made the mistake of allowing themselves to be constrained by their reason, as revealed by their questions about him. Despite witnessing his miracles and hearing his wisdom they wanted to know where that wisdom had come from and how a carpenter’s son could display such gifts and charisms.

The Nazarenes had everything they needed to come to faith — miracles, signs, wonders, wisdom — but they sought first to understand before they believed, whereas it is through belief that we come to understand.

Many centures later St Bernard of Clairvaux would say, “I believe though I do not comprehend, and I hold by faith wht I cannot grasp with the mind."

So God guides us with the light of human reason but takes us by the hand to bring us to the joy of faith.

Faith means that we are prepared to put all our hope, trust and certainty in God because we are sure of what we hope for and certain of what our senses do not see.

”O Lord my God, give me understanding to know you, diligence to seek you, wisdom to find you and faith and faithfulness to embrace you and live by your commands.” (St Thomas Aquinas)

Chris

(from Bible Alive)

St Peter's Parish, Biggleswade

Comments

Saint Joseph

18-12-2019, 06:40faith, Father, trustPermalink

Matthew 1:18-24

Although we know that Jesus has only one Father, God the Father, in human terms and on this earth, Joseph was his father. He was his adopted father, just as today many children do not have as their father their biological father.

We can see therefore Joseph as an inspiration and as an example of father love and fidelity. He is a saint for all who adopt the role of father, whether or not they are fathers by blood of those precious sons and daughters for whom they are now responsible.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the example and inspiration of St Joseph. We pray for fathers we know who, like St Joseph, will be able to hear your word for their families.

Chris

(from Bible Alive)

St Peter's Parish, Biggleswade

Comments

See Older Posts ...